Why does a bearded dragon stare at you? And what does it mean? If you are new to raising bearded dragons, then you might encounter the same question.
As I have mentioned many times in this site, bearded dragons have unique behaviors that are not completely understood by many owners. And staring is one of them.
So, why does my bearded dragon stare at me?
My bearded dragon stares at me because it is curious and wants to see things around him. He might also be wondering what his owner is doing. Curiosity might also be the reason why most bearded dragons enjoy watching TV.
Staring is one of the most common behaviors you can see in bearded dragons. Beardies can see both near and from far away things. This allows them to watch your favorite TV shows too.
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Why Does My Beardy Stare at Me?
Have you come across a situation wherein your bearded dragon stares at you while you’re busy preparing things for work?
Well, this happens to me too, and to all bearded dragon owners. Well, the very reason I can tell you is that he/she might be wondering what you are doing and why you don’t do anything for him/her.
The funny thing is that he/she has no idea that you are also staring at him/her. You are waiting for him/her to do something. He/she does the same.
Sometimes bearded dragons can stare at you for hours at a time. If you want to a staring contest with your beardy, I bet you won’t win.
Staring is one of the most intriguing behaviors of bearded dragons. And it is perfectly normal. All bearded dragons do it.
However, aside from staring, there are other intriguing behaviors that you might also have observed in your beardies. Let’s talk about them in this section.
Common Bearded Dragons’ Behaviors That You Should Know
If this is your first time taking care of a bearded dragon, you might be surprised by what you’ll notice along the way.
As mentioned, beardies have several behaviors that commonly misunderstood by owners and spectators.
While some of those behaviors are healthy, others may indicate problems or issues in bearded dragons. So paying attention and understanding those behaviors will both help ease your mind and keep your beardies safe from potential risks.
As a responsible owner, you need to understand each of those behaviors and the factors behind it. In this post, I will help you to somehow decipher the intriguing behaviors of your bearded dragons.
So, without further ado, let’s dive in to the list.
1. Arm Waving
Arm waving for humans means that you recognize the presence of someone or you want to recognize your presence to someone.
In bearded dragons, arm-waving carries a completely different meaning. If you see your beardy waving his/her arm at you, it means that he/she is submitting to you. Interesting, right?
Beardies are different from other animals such as dogs and cats. Instead of laying down or showing their belly when submitting themselves to their owner, bearded dragons simply wave their hand.
Experts also speculate that arm waving in bearded dragons simply means that they are sending a friendly signal to others. It is their means of telling others that they are not a threat. Behavior that they commonly do in the wild.
It could also be a mating signal. Female beardies wave their arms back at head bobbing males.
2. Head Bobbing
Head bobbing is another intriguing behavior of bearded dragons. But what does it mean when a beardy is head bobbing?
Head bobbing in bearded dragons may mean two things; mating behavior or dominance. These two behaviors are common in males.
Male bearded dragons head bob to show females that they are ready to mate. However, the same behavior signals dominance to other males.
3. Glass Surfing
Like other behaviors, glass surfing is a normal one. However, there are instances where glass surfing should concern you.
There are several reasons why your bearded dragon surfs at the glass. The following reasons can be some of them.
- Bearded dragons see their own reflection on the glass
- Inappropriate temperature or humidity in their habitat
- They found difficulties in thermoregulation
- They want to go outside of their tank
- Probably hungry
- They need to be cleaned up especially when they are just pooed
- They are about to lay eggs (in female beardies)
As you can see, glass surfing could mean different things in your beardies. It is your job to figure out what motivates them to perform the behavior.
Certainly one of the possibilities listed above is a viable reason.
Related Article: Why Bearded Dragon Scratching at Walls
4. Changing Colors
You might have noticed that your beardy is changing its color. Understanding this phenomenon requires digging some biological concepts. A little trivia here. Bearded dragons have chromatophores or pigmented cells that reflect light which will result in color changes on their skin in response to the environmental change.
Not all color changes that happen in bearded dragons are caused by environmental conditions though. It is important to remember that the color of bearded dragons normally changes as they age.
But if the color suddenly changes, that means several things. When your beardy turns into black, he might be cold, angry, scared, stressed, and threatened.
However, if your bearded dragon turning itself into a brighter color such as orange, light brown, or sometimes yellow, it means that he/she is happy. You don’t have to worry about it.
Final Thoughts on Why Does My Bearded Dragon Stare at Me
Staring is one of the most intriguing behaviors of bearded dragons. The good thing about this is that it is normal for bearded dragons to stare at their owner. Nothing to worry about.
Your beardy might be just wondering and curious about everything he/she is seeing around. Or maybe he/she just wants to be attended.
