Most impactions, dehydration, and/or other health issues can be prevented if you spend time with your Bearded Dragon and get to know its habits and behaviors and educate yourself and your family about their proper care.

Keep a log of your care and cleaning schedule and any issues you notice so that you can refer back if you need to, make sure you have date/time listed.

Designate a block of time daily to “study” and visit with your reptile friend; this allows you to watch behavior patterns, learn about, understand, and notice when your dragon “tells” you that they are ill, injured, constipated, stressed, not eating, etc.

One of the main keys to catching dehydration is paying attention to defecation patterns.  Dehydration directly affects the dragons’ ability to pass digested materials.

Signs of dehydration and/or impaction include:

• Not defecating on a regular basis (every 1-2 days)

• Lazy eyes, not fully open

• Less active, sleeping more

• Dark eyes, "sunken sockets”

• Decreased appetite

• Hanging out in den, less social

• Not very active, listless

Bearded Dragons depend on being able to get most of the moisture they need through the insects they eat.  However captive lizards often need additional water provided to them.

Kricket's Kritters bearded dragons are given warm baths (1x/week for 15-20 minutes up to the belly spines), morning sprays (daily light misting), and water via a baby food dropper (1x/day).

• All water fed directly to the dragons is filtered and treated with ReptiSafe Water Conditioner, plus occasional electrolytes.

  • It is not recommended to bathe, soak, or spray the dragon within the last hour or two of their day. Otherwise, they may be too cool during the nighttime hours and this may lead to respiratory or other health issues.

• Open water containers are NOT recommended in Bearded Dragon enclosures. In the wild, Bearded Dragons come from a hot and dry environments, they require the same in captivity.  Evaporation of water due to the high enclosure temperatures leads to high humidity in Bearded Dragon enclosures.  High humidity causes respiratory infections and eventual death in desert dwelling lizards like Bearded Dragons.

  • NOTE:  You do not need to see condensation in the enclosure, in order for the humidity to be too high.

  • NOTE:  If your dragon makes a clicking noise as it breathes it likely has a respiratory infection and should be taken to a vet immediately for treatment.