Why does my bearded dragon swing his tail when I hold him? Is he unhappy?

The tail functions as storage for nutrients and water. It will shrink if she doesn't eat enough and she draws from her reserves. A bearded dragon's chin (or beard) will turn black when stressed. This is normal but the negative stimuli should be identified and then reduced or eliminated.

This is common with beardies that are stressed or don't want to be handled. I would try to approach him slowly and try to handle him daily. When handling him, try to feed him some of his favorite worms/treats to help him warm up to you. To become really comfortable, they need to be handled regularly but try not to hold him all day every day as he needs to be in his environment with proper lighting and heat. I hope this helps!

While it is true that these signs could be due to trauma caused by the other beardie, it is also possible that it could be due to inappropriate nutrition or environment. Make sure that you are providing your bearded dragons with adequate calcium (supplemented in the food), and sufficient heat and UVB lighting in their cages. I also recommend that you take Luchi to see a reptile veterinarian in case he was injured and requires pain medications. You can find a reptile veterinarian in your area on www.arav.org.

This could be an injury or very early MBD (metabolic bone disease). Have Harper examined by your veterinarian or an experienced herp vet for confirmation. Review her diet and vitamin/mineral supplementation regimen. If it is MBD, it can be corrected with just a few tweaks in diet and lighting. Check the age of the UVB bulb. If it is older than 6 months, replace it with a new bulb. You can review care and feeding of bearded dragons at the link below. http://www.anapsid.org/bearded.html

Have Mulan examined by your herp veterinarian. Tail rot can be caused by trauma or infection. If it severe enough, amputation may be necessary to prevent systemic infection. Stress can also cause body parts to turn black. Commonly, it is the "beard"/throat that turns black during stress or anger.

As long as this just happened for a second I wouldn't be very concerned about it. It's likely that Pixie was simply startled by something that you or I can't even perceive. If this was going on continually or repeatedly, I would absolutely say that a visit to a veterinarian comfortable with reptiles would be in order. Hope this answers your concerns.

Hi! I think it’s great you are letting Lightning get some exercise. This is good enrichment for him. I suspect his drive to climb the walls and run around is just his excitement and sense of adventure. He’s probably curious about his environment and wants to explore. If you’re inclined, you can purchase a harness specifically made for bearded dragons and take him on walks around the house or even outside in nice weather. I wouldn’t worry about his bevahor at all unless it is accompanied by changes in appetite, energy level, defecation, etc. Good luck!