Bearded dragons are popular pet lizards that originate from Australia. They are known for their docile temperaments and relative ease of care. However, like all pets, they require proper nutrition and husbandry to remain healthy.
Quick Answer
Most healthy adult bearded dragons can go up to 1 week without food as long as they have access to water. However, this should only be done in emergencies and is not recommended on a regular basis.
How Long Can Bearded Dragons Go Without Food?
In general, healthy adult bearded dragons can survive up to 1 week without food as long as they have access to water. However, babies and juvenile bearded dragons should not go more than 2-3 days without eating.
Here are some general guidelines on how long bearded dragons can go without food:
- Babies (under 3 months): 2-3 days maximum
- Juveniles (3-12 months): 3-4 days maximum
- Adults (over 12 months): 5-7 days maximum
Exceeding these time frames can lead to serious health issues and potentially death. Some key things to note:
- Younger dragons have higher metabolisms and can deplete their energy stores quicker than adults.
- Underweight or sick/injured dragons may not be able to go as long without food.
- Brumating (semi-hibernating) dragons can go longer without food, but still require water.
- Egg-laying females should not go more than 3-4 days without food before and after laying eggs.
While adults can survive up to 7 days without food, this should only be done in emergency situations. It is not recommended to purposefully withhold food from a healthy bearded dragon for this long on a regular basis.
Why Going Without Food Is Harmful
Bearded dragons require regular meals and proper nutrition to stay healthy. Going too long without food can lead to the following problems:
- Weight loss: Lack of food leads to fat and muscle loss. This causes emaciation, lethargy, and weakness.
- Liver and kidney damage: The metabolism of fat releases toxins that can overload the liver and kidneys.
- Fatty liver disease: Excess fat accumulates in the liver cells, impairing liver function.
- Gastrointestinal stasis: The digestive tract slows down and may stop working due to lack of food.
- Seizures and death: Starvation leads to electrolyte imbalances that can cause seizures, coma, and death.
Bearded dragons that go too long without food become very weak and lethargic. They often lose their appetite, making it harder for them to start eating again. Intense hunger may even cause them to bite their tails.
Signs of Hunger and Starvation
Here are some signs that indicate a bearded dragon is very hungry or beginning to starve:
- Lethargy and decreased activity
- Loss of appetite or disinterest in food
- Weight loss and muscle wasting
- Sunken eyes
- Skinny tail or hollow-looking abdomen
- Biting tail tip
- Difficulty swallowing or regurgitation
- Twitching, tremors, or seizures
Bearded dragons nearing starvation become very frail and weak. They often lose their grip and fall from perches. Kidney and liver failure results in swelling and fluid buildup under the skin or eyes.
If a bearded dragon shows any of these signs, it should be assessed by an exotic vet. Serious health issues arise after 5-7 days without food.
Reasons a Bearded Dragon May Refuse to Eat
There are several reasons why a bearded dragon might go off food, besides intentional fasting or starvation. These include:
- Stress: Due to inadequate housing, insufficient heat/UVB, or improper handling.
- Brumation: Period of decreased appetite and activity in winter.
- Illness: Metabolic disorders, parasites, infections, etc.
- Impaction: Gastrointestinal blockage preventing proper digestion.
- Egg binding: Difficulty passing eggs in breeding females.
Other causes for loss of appetite include old age, bad sheds, vitamin/mineral deficiencies, and improper temperatures in the enclosure. Identifying and addressing the underlying issue is key to getting a bearded dragon to eat again.
How to Get a Bearded Dragon to Eat Again
If your bearded dragon is refusing food here are some tips to encourage eating again:
- Make sure temperatures and UVB are optimal in the enclosure
- Provide a variety of greens and veggies to stimulate appetite
- Try different live feeders like crickets, worms, roaches
- Lightly hand feed favorite foods to get them started
- Mist greens with water to increase hydration
- Add appetite stimulant supplements to food (speak to a vet first)
- Soak in shallow warm water to provide hydration
- Gently massage the abdomen to promote digestion
- Use Nasal or syringe feeding as a last resort
Getting a sick or stressed bearded dragon to eat again takes patience. Seek advice from an exotic vet if appetite loss persists for more than 2-3 days.
Emergency Supportive Care When Not Eating
If a bearded dragon is off food for more than a few days, they will need supportive care to prevent complications:
- Hydration: Provide fresh water daily and give fluid injections if dehydrated.
- Assist feeding: Syringe feed vegetable purees or slurry mixes.
- Gut motility drugs: Medications to stimulate appetite and digestion.
- Heat support: Use heat pads, lamps, or incubators to maintain optimal temperatures.
- Vitamins: Give vitamin and calcium supplements as injections or orally if possible.
- Monitor weight: Weigh regularly to assess if losing weight too quickly.
With aggressive supportive care, the goal is to sustain the bearded dragon until their appetite returns and they can eat voluntarily again.
Preventing Food Refusal
The best way to deal with lack of appetite is to prevent it in the first place. Some key prevention tips include:
- Feed juveniles 2-3 times daily and adults 1-2 times daily
- Provide a fresh salad of greens/veggies daily
- Offer appropriate live feeders like crickets, worms, roaches 2-3 times weekly
- Gut load feeder insects with nutritious foods beforehand
- Use calcium + vitamin D3 supplements as directed
- Maintain proper temperatures and UVB lighting
- Keep enclosure clean and monitor for parasites/disease
- Have yearly fecal tests done by an exotic vet
- Limit stress by proper handling techniques
Ensuring bearded dragons are housed, fed, and handled properly minimizes cases of voluntary food refusal. But if appetite issues arise, take action quickly to avoid malnutrition and illness.
When to Seek Vet Care
Seek veterinary care if your bearded dragon is not eating and/or showing these signs:
- Weight loss exceeding 10% of body weight
- No interest in food for over 2 days (5 days for adults)
- Difficulty chewing or swallowing
- Regurgitation
- Lethargy, weakness
- Swollen eyes, limbs, or abdomen
- Discolored urates or feces
- Labored breathing
- Neurological signs like twitching or seizures
A vet can run tests to determine if there is an underlying illness or condition causing appetite loss. They can provide emergency supportive care and medications to get your bearded dragon eating again.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can a baby bearded dragon go without eating?
Baby bearded dragons under 3 months should not go more than 2-3 days without eating. They have very high metabolisms and can quickly become malnourished.
Why has my bearded dragon stopped eating and drinking?
Loss of appetite and drinking in bearded dragons is usually due to illness, stress, improper temperatures, vitamin deficiencies, or other husbandry issues. A vet should be seen to diagnose the cause.
Can bearded dragons survive without food?
Adult bearded dragons can survive around 1 week without food if they have water. However babies and juveniles cannot go more than 2-4 days without eating before their health is at risk.
How can you tell if a bearded dragon is dehydrated?
Signs of dehydration in bearded dragons include sunken eyes, skin tenting, wrinkled skin, dry sticky urates, lethargy, and weight loss. Dehydration can occur if not drinking due to lack of appetite.
What home remedy will make a bearded dragon eat?
Home remedies to encourage a bearded dragon to eat include providing warm soaks, gently massaging the abdomen, misting greens with water, hand feeding favorite foods, and ensuring proper heat and UVB light.
Conclusion
Bearded dragons can withstand short periods of not eating – about 1 week for adults and 2-3 days for juveniles and babies. However, food refusal can quickly lead to dangerousweight loss, dehydration, and other medical issues. Address any husbandry issues prompting lack of appetite. Use home remedies and veterinary care as needed to get bearded dragons eating regularly again.
