Have you wonder or worry why your bearded dragon turning white? If you are a total beginner, this might concern you. I was in that same position when I was just started.
If you are reading this post, it is highly possible that you have the same issue. The good news is that this post is created specifically for this topic.
Below, I will share with you some of the reasons why beardies turn white.
When bearded dragon turning white, what is really happening?
One of the most common reasons why a bearded dragon is turning their color into white is shedding. This often happens in young beardies as they grow. They shed once every few weeks.
Usually, this does not happen on one layer but in patches. You can see some parts of the body remain in their color until the shedding is done.
For adult bearded dragons, shedding is less likely to happen. This is because they are not actively growing, unlike the younger beardies.
Adult bearded dragons shed a few times in a year. But there are some factors that could change the shedding frequency. Skin infections could cause more often shedding in adult bearded dragons.
Another reason why a bearded dragon is turning into white is temperature. When a bearded dragon is hot, it changes its color into darker or brighter. When cold, beardies usually turns black.
Turning white when hot is actually a natural biological response for beardies to the temperature in their environment. Their body does this to absorb less heat from the surroundings.
If you want to learn more on how to take care of your bearded dragon, download my Bearded Dragon Guide (affiliate link).
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Things to Remember During the Shedding Period
Shedding usually takes time. It mostly lasts 1-2 weeks to finish. During this period, the behavior and appetite of your bearded dragons may change.
They mostly become irritated and don’t eat their food. You need to find ways to entice your beardy to eat. Although this is natural for them, having them consume food is still a good idea.
During the whole shedding process, it is very important to allow your beardy to finish the process alone. Do not interfere. However, you can help your bearded dragon by misting him/her once a day.
Appropriate humidity level is also important. Keep the humidity of the tank between 30-40%. This is a good range of humidity during shedding.
Just before the shedding starts, the skin will turn into a dull color and you’ll also notice that the top layer of the skin will turn pale and white. Then this will be followed by shedding in patches.
During the process, beardies’ bodies will most likely turn into white especially the head, legs, and tail. And this is perfectly normal. There is nothing to worry about unless skin infection is the cause of why your bearded dragon is turning white.
Again, let your beardy sheds on its own. However, you can offer help by removing the stuck skin. To do it, you can bathe your bearded dragon and using a toothbrush, gradually remove the skin.
But make sure that the skin becomes soft a little bit before brushing. To do this, you need to soak your beardy in the water for about 25-30 minutes. This will help soften the stuck skin.
To make the process much easier, you can use emollient shedding aid (click here to view this item on Amazon). This will not only soften the stuck skin but also provides proper skin hydration and healthy shedding.
- Shedding aid for reptiles
- Utilized to provide a visible sheen
- Designed to condition your scaly sidekick’s skin
- Crafted to help remove dry sheds from your snake or lizard
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Why Is My Bearded Dragon Turning White and Not Eating?
This is another question that I usually get from my readers. Well, as mentioned, if a bearded dragon is in the shedding process, its appetite is affected. He/she does not eat much as he/she used to.
However, if your bearded dragon is not shedding and turning white and not eating, this can be a different story. Usually a bad one. Turning white or pale and being lethargic is a symptom of dying.
Another indication that a bearded dragon is dying is that the beard turns black and the face, limbs, and tail are turning into pale color.
The common causes of death could be impaction or age. Bearded dragons could die in impaction if they ingested large indigestible objects such as gravel or substrate.
If your beardy is over 7-8 years old though, then age may be a big factor. He/she is old enough.
But before anything bad can happen, seeking help from a vet is the best idea. When times like this, I don’t hesitate to bring my bearded dragon to a licensed professional to have him checked before everything is too late.
If you want to learn more on how to take care of your bearded dragon, download my Bearded Dragon Guide (affiliate link).
Why Is My Bearded Dragon’s Head Turned White?
You probably notice the same instance with your bearded dragons. But the good news about this is that it is a normal sign of shedding.
Again, a bearded dragon sheds in patches. When its head turns white, this means that the shedding process will start at the head area.
Beardies don’t shed their entire body. Sometimes they start with their tail, limb, leg, or any combination of body areas.
You know which areas are going to shed by observing the color. In most cases, the areas that are about to shed turn into a very light gray color or white for about a week. When you see these signs, your bearded dragon will be shedding very soon.
Why Is My Bearded Dragon Turned White and Back to Normal?
You will see this especially when a drastic change in temperature happens. But you don’t need to worry about this. It is pretty normal.
A bearded dragon normally turns to white when he/she is hot. But this will not take long. As soon as the temperature drops, he/she will turn to dark or to his/her normal color when the temperature backs to normal.
The noticeable changes in skin color is the result of body temperature regulation. This is because beardies are cold-blooded animals. Their body has no way of generating heat or sweat unlike human’s.
Final Thoughts on Bearded Dragon Turing White
The most common reason why a bearded dragon turns white is shedding. You’ll most likely see patches in your bearded dragon’s body during the whole process.
This is because beardies shade in patches. This is normal to them so you don’t have to worry. There is not much you can do but let your beardy do its thing naturally.
Young bearded dragons tend to shed more often than their adult counterparts. Don’t worry why adult beardies shed once a year because it is normal to them.
However, in some instances though, beardies do change their color due to skin infection. If you are not sure what is happening to your reptile, I suggest that you seek help from a vet.
I hope this helps. Learn more about bearded dragons by visiting my guide page.
Related Questions
How can I tell if my bearded dragon is stressed?
There are indicators of stress in bearded dragons. If beardies glass surf and their color turns black, this indicates that they are stressed. This is due to many causes such as habitat change, incorrect tank temperature, noise, etc.
Do bearded dragons die easily?
Bearded dragons can die easily when exposed to cold temperatures. Remember that bearded dragons are cold-blooded animals. Their bodies don’t have the capacity to produce heat. So when the temperature is too cold for them, they could die instantly.
