As with any reptiles or animals kept as pets, there comes a time where they will develop behaviors that seem out of the ordinary. For bearded dragons, one of these behaviors is burrowing.
A lot bearded dragons that are new to captivity have the tendency to dig in an attempt to hide within their enclosure. This can cause dismay for some owners who feel like something is wrong. This article covers all the main reasons why bearded dragons dig, and how to prevent it.
Why is My Bearded Dragon Burrowing?
The main reason bearded dragons burrow is to search for food/water, regulate their body temperature, find safety when threatened, or because of illness.
Search for Food/Water
A bearded dragon digging or burrowing usually means they are searching for food or looking for a water source. In the wild, bearded dragons dig for moisture when the seasons change. They will dig deep enough to find underground water pockets. If you suspect this is the reason you can spray some water on the sand or substrate they are digging through.
Bearded dragons will likely burrow a lot when they are moved to a new environment/tank. They will likely stop burrowing as much once you start providing them with food and water.
Regulate Body Temperature
Bearded dragons will also burrow because of temperature differences at night. It is important to provide two types of light, one warm light and one cold light, so they can regulate their temperature at night by moving into different areas of the enclosure. By providing the proper lighting, your bearded dragon will not have a need to burrow.
Feel Threatened
Bearded dragons will also burrow when they are feeling threatened. They will burrow under logs, rocks or in their substrate until the threat goes away. This is a natural behavior for bearded dragons, and if you want a happy and healthy pet your best bet is to give them the space they need.
You can try to limit this by preventing other pets such as cats or dogs from coming in the same room.
Illness
The last thing that may cause a bearded dragon to burrow is illness or lack of calcium in their diet. Bearded dragons require a lot of calcium in their diet, so make sure you are giving your pet fresh vegetables daily.
They will also need an area to get out of the light from time to time so they can properly regulate their temperature. If your bearded dragon seems stressed, it’s important to find the source of the problem. If your bearded dragon stays stressed for an extended period of time, they might develop stress marks.
Should I be worried if my bearded dragon is burrowing?
As described above, burrowing is completely natural for a bearded dragon and there is no need to worry. A veterinarian is not likely needed if you notice your bearded dragon digging frequently. The only exception is if your bearded dragon burrows because they are sick.
How to stop my bearded dragon from burrowing?
While you can prevent your bearded dragon from digging, you most likely will not be able to stop it completely.
Bearded dragons are naturally desert reptiles, so they like cool and dry places to rest in the heat of the day. If your bearded dragon is digging under its basking spot or where it rests during the day, this might indicate that it’s too hot in their tank.
Move their basking light to a cooler part of your home or use a ceramic heat emitter instead of an incandescent bulb to keep them warm at night. However, you could also add rocks for hiding spaces and plants for climbing on so that there is enough shade for when they want to get out of the heat.
You can try blocking off their burrowing spots with rocks, fake plants or fencing material to keep them from digging under it.
You can also help your bearded dragon avoid digging holes by using substrate that stays cool and doesn’t heat up too much during the day. Sand can get very hot when exposed to sunlight or a heat lamp. Therefore, you can try to use a different type of substrate for the bottom of your tank if you’re worried about your beardie digging tunnels underneath it.