Bearded dragons can develop stress marks which are small lines of discoloration across the back and head. Often, these lines run down both sides of their beard.
Dragons under duress will break out with these dark spots that resemble bruises. Due to their unique physiology, bearded dragons cannot release toxins through urination like other animals. Therefore, they must alter their calcium levels to maintain proper electrolyte equilibrium.
Stress is one cause for elevated blood calcium levels in bearded dragons, which leads to the marks. It can be difficult to determine what causes stress in captive-bred animals as they do not have to fight for food or find shelter from predators.
Why won’t my bearded dragon stress marks won’t go away?
Unfortunately, stress marks on bearded dragons will not go away until you fix the problem that is causing them. This could be inadequate humidity, improper temperatures, a health problem, a tank size issue, and more. If you aren’t sure what the cause of your bearded dragon’s stress marks might be or if you’re having difficulty fixing it yourself, you should contact a vet.
There are some products available that might be able to remove or minimize the appearance of stress marks. A popular product is Reptaid. It helps restore your dragon’s immune system, which could get rid of the stress marks. You can find it at many pet stores or online at sites like Amazon.com . I’ve only used it once, but I think it helped make my dragon’s scars less visible.
What Causes Stress Marks on Bearded Dragons?
Bearded dragons can develop stress marks from a variety of reasons including lack of humidity, presence of another animal, inadequate temperature, illness, and plastic plants.
Humidity
First, the most common reason for bearded dragon stress marks is from not having enough humidity in their cages. This can be caused by several factors: not using a water bowl, only misting once or twice a day, having too small of a water dish, and more.
Improper humidity can also cause tail rot in bearded dragons.
Presence of another animal
Second, bearded dragons sometimes get stress marks when they are approached by another bearded dragon too closely while they are basking. Another possible cause of these stress marks is from the bearded dragon being startled, such as when another animal comes up to its cage.
Temperature
Third, inadequate temperatures can also cause stress marks on bearded dragons. Similar to having too little humidity in their cages, this problem can be caused by several factors: not using a heat lamp and/or basking light (and other lights), using an incorrect bulb for your tank’s dimensions, and more. If you aren’t sure what temperature range your tank should be at and whether or not your lights are heating it correctly, you should do some research online.
Illness
Fourth, it’s also possible for your bearded dragon to develop stress marks if it has an illness. This can be caused by not having enough food every day, the tank being too small, presence of bacteria, and more. If you suspect that your bearded dragon may have an illness or injury, you should contact a vet.
Sometimes, they bearded dragons can get stress marks if you handle them too much or disturb their sleep schedule.
Plastic Plants
Fifth, plastic plants in a bearded dragon’s tank can sometimes cause these stress marks. It’s unknown exactly why this happens, but there are several different ideas as to why it might happen: chemicals found in plastics irritate your bearded dragons’ skin; sharp plastic leaves poke into their scales; or if they ingest some of the plastic!