If you own a bearded dragon, you might have seen them approaching you with broken or falling-off nails. However, it is typically not a major cause for concern. When your beardies dig too deeply, encounter issues with the substrate, or engage in a fight, they may lose a nail. These are the three main reasons why your bearded dragon might lose a nail.
As a pet owner, you must be concerned about your pet sustaining an injury and losing a nail. This is a common occurrence in bearded dragons, as they frequently get their nails damaged. Even with your excellent care, they may break their nails off in one way or the other. But, you shouldn’t allow them to lose their nails frequently because there’s a chance they won’t grow back. Now, don’t panic. In this article, we’ll go into good detail about what causes your bearded dragon’s nails to fall off, how to fix broken nails, and how to prevent it. Continue to read.
Three scenarios in which your bearded dragons might lose a nail
Even though bearded dragons are known for their peculiar behavior, many people still like them. They take pleasure in moving around, digging in their cage, swimming in the water bowl, and doing other activities. And while engaging in these activities, they could suffer minor to major injuries, the majority of which would be on their nails. Beardies frequently use their nails, which are easily damaged when they engage in any activity involving limbs or nails. You can prevent this, though, if you know how and why your bearded dragon’s nails are coming off. These are the top three reasons why your beardies might lose or break a nail.
- Excessive digging
- Problems with the substrate
- Fights with fellow bearded dragons
Let’s explore each reason in more detail and discuss how to keep your beardies safe.
Excessive digging
Your bearded dragon might frequently be found digging beneath the substrate or any surface they are in. For bearded dragons, digging is a natural behavior, and when they do it, they use their nails to scrape the ground, which could damage them. Since they spend the majority of their time inside the tank, most of the digging takes place there. You can anticipate that your bearded dragon will damage its nails as a result of scratching the floor, trying to dig up a surface, or simply pulling the fabric of your couch. Your bearded dragon is digging for a few reasons, though.
My bearded dragon digs, but why?
There are three main causes of excessive digging in bearded dragons. Most of the time, no aggression will be present, and they might even do it for amusement. However, being aware of the causes will help you reduce unnecessary stress.
High temperatures
Too-cold or too-hot temperatures are unfavorable to bearded dragons. They prefer to enjoy it at the right temperature, and if that is not met, they might lose control. Your tank’s interior temperature should be set to suit your beardies’ preferences. You should maintain the temperatures they prefer in both the cooling area and the basking area. The temperature in the tank can occasionally increase above the ideal range, though. Your beardies may begin digging to escape the heat in these circumstances. To keep themselves cool and protected from the effects of extreme heat, they either dig a hole in the tank or in open spaces.
Pregnancy periods
When a female bearded dragon becomes pregnant, she begins to dig. They frequently excavate to locate the best spot to lay their eggs. No male bearded dragon is necessary for a female to become pregnant. When pregnant, female bearded dragons look for a new location to lay their eggs. You might see a lot of scratching and digging during this time because those are typical behaviors for them.
Brumation period
Your bearded dragon will enter a deep state of relaxation during brumation. They only eat, and the rest of the time is spent resting. They attempt to dig in the ground and relocate to a warmer area in order to successfully brumate and survive the colder months. There may be a lot of digging going on when your bearded dragon is attempting to brumate.
Problems with the substrate
Your beardies may break one or two nails if they have any difficulties digging or playing in the substrate. As a pet owner, you should give your bearded dragon a lot of consideration when choosing a substrate. Although it seems like a nice choice for a tank, most pet owners use carpet substrate, which frequently gets caught in your bearded dragon’s nails and causes them to fall off. The nails frequently rip off after getting caught in carpet loops. Thus, it would be careless to use carpet as a substrate. But don’t worry; we’ve got the top three choices for you to think about.
- Evacuation Clay is your first and best choice because it gives your bearded dragon a sense of its natural habitat. Your bearded dragon enjoys playing in, digging in, and running on the clay, which provides the best setup for your tank.
For your bearded dragon, you can also create valleys and caves using evacuation clay. Utilizing evacuated clay has the added benefit of preventing impaction in your bearded dragon. Impaction is a condition similar to constipation that affects bearded dragons. The ideal substrate should lessen the possibility of impaction.
- Substrate tiles are the second option for the substrate. If you prefer a clear substrate surface for your bearded dragons, these tiles are ideal. These substrates don’t rip the claws off the limbs of your bearded dragon and are simple to clean and maintain. Solid substrate tiles, on the other hand, do not resemble the substrate of a bearded dragon.
- Your third-best option for a substrate is calcium sand because it enables your bearded dragon to dig and play on it. Calcium sand, however, has a high maintenance requirement and the potential for impaction.
Fights with fellow bearded dragons
Because they are solitary animals, bearded dragons don’t like to share their habitat with other bearded dragons. You can expect a fight when there are two bearded dragons in the tank because one doesn’t like the other and that causes a serious fight. Your beardies run the risk of breaking their nails or suffering limb injuries when they fight.
Most bearded dragons lose their nails as a result of fighting among themselves. If you are a pet owner and have two bearded dragons, be sure to give them each their own tank. By doing this, you can stop them from fighting and stop worrying that your beardies will rip their nails off.
How should I deal with the missing nails?
You don’t need to worry too much just because your bearded dragon lost a nail. Naturally, you should be worried about it, but since the nails can regrow more quickly, there is no need to worry. There are a few instances where the nail may grow back if it was broken or lost right at the root. Do not be concerned if your beardies’ nails do not grow back; they can manage their activities with the remaining nails. Cover any bleeding on your injured bearded dragon and administer any necessary medications to stop the infection from spreading. You ought to take it to a nearby vet if there are significant wounds.
Include calcium supplements in your bearded dragons’ diet if you want their nails to grow back more quickly. Use foods high in calcium, such as broccoli, collard greens, kale, mustard greens, etc.
Conclusion
Bearded dragons occasionally lose or break a few nails, but they don’t freak out or react badly to the situation. Your beardies could use your attention and reassurance, and with the right medication and diet, they could recover quickly. With the three causes listed above, you can comprehend why and how nail loss occurs as well as how to stop it. Keep your beardies in a happy environment filled with the things they want, and they will be happy, too.