Senior bearded dragons begin developing health problems and other issues that need special care. In this post, you will find bearded dragon old age signs, common problems in senior bearded dragons and how to care for an old bearded dragon.
When does a bearded dragon turn old?
Bearded dragons over 6 years old can be called seniors. Some bearded dragons will still be rather healthy and active until 6 years old, and become seniors at 7-8 years old.
Old bearded dragon age signs
- Lethargy and being mostly inactive
- Poor appetite and refusing to eat
- No breeding interest and no laying eggs
- Possible illnesses
- No growth
- Weakness in limbs
- Preferring to be hand fed and no interest in chasing live bugs
- Weight loss
- Losing eyesight
Senior bearded dragon care
Diet
If your bearded dragon is older than 7-8 years old, it might be starting to get especially lethargic and slow. And this is normal.
If your bearded dragon seems too lethargic or weak to get its live bugs or even eat on its own, start assisted feeding. Chop all the foods in very small pieces to prevent choking and give bugs using soft tip tongs like this.
A senior bearded dragon’s diet must be lower in calories. This is because seniors will move less and feeding fatties bugs will cause digestive system issues and weight gain. Don’t offer hard to digest bugs that are high in fat or chitin – such as butterworms, mealworms, superworms etc.
What is more, you don’t need to increase the dosage of supplements at all. That’s because senior bearded dragons don’t need much supplementation as their body is not growing. Add pure calcium 2-3 days a week and vitamins – once a week.
Make sure to feed mainly staple greens and veggies, with some fruit slices once or twice a week. Offer low fat worms or roaches such as hornwmorms, silkworms, crickets and others.
You can find a chart of staple foods for your bearded dragon here.
Hydration
Hydration is very important for senior bearded dragons. With age, kidney function decreases as well, so hydration is crucial. Make sure to spray or drop some water on your bearded dragon’s nose or in the mouth few times a day.
It’s especially important if your bearded dragon doesn’t seem to have much energy to move around. Also offer hydrating veggies and some fruit, because bearded dragons don’t really drink much standing water anyway.
No stress
A stress-free environment is very important for senior bearded dragons. Older bearded dragon are weaker and more susceptible to stress, so make sure there is no stress factors that could cause your bearded dragon pain or discomfort.
Eliminate any stress factors such as cage mates, loud noises, overly bright light in the room, or lack of things that your dragon needs for a good quality life.
You can read a full post on what can cause stress in bearded dragons here.
Easy access
Because it’s hard for older bearded dragons to walk (not even mentioning to climb), you should make everything easily accessible. For example, make sure that you have a wide and easy to reach basking rock or platform like this.
Make it easier for your dragon to climb on the platform, so that it doesn’t have to climb as much as it used to. Please remember that older dragons have weaker bones too and can break their bones easier.
Temperatures
With senior bearded dragons, make sure that the basking temperatures are high and optimal. This is because an older bearded dragon’s immunity is weaker and low temperatures will make it susceptible to diseases.
Basking spot temperatures should be 92-110 degrees Fahrenheit (33-43 Celsius), so you can keep it at 100-110 degrees. Cool side temperatures should range between 75-85 F (23.8-29 C).
Should I euthanize my bearded dragon to put it out of its misery?
You shouldn’t consider euthanizing your bearded dragon unless it’s suffering a lot. Even older bearded dragons can enjoy their last years by leading a quiet and mostly inactive life.
However, you might consider euthanizing your bearded dragon if it’s struggling a lot. If your bearded dragon has lost a lot of weight, cannot eat and doesn’t want to take food anymore at all, is terminally ill, then you might consider euthanasia. This would put your bearded dragon out of its misery.
Please never freeze your bearded dragon to help it die, as it’s very inhumane and stressful for your dragon! Freezing your dragon will only cause it pain, stress and will cause lots of torture.
Its mind will be conscious while the body will be freezing and slowly wasting away. Instead, please take your dragon to the vet who can euthanize it professionally.
Thanks for reading this post. If you would like to find lots of useful posts on bearded dragons, see this resource page.