On a scorching sunny day, you may want to have your beard chill in the sunlight for a bit. There is nothing wrong with giving a sunbathe to your bearded dragon. But how long can a bearded dragon stay in the sun? In general, 30 minutes sunbathe is enough for good UV b absorption. But is there any apparent reason why he can’t stay out any longer than that? If he can then what you should do? What if we can get him in enough shade.
How Long Can a Bearded dragon Stay In The Sun? Sunbath is healthy for your bearded dragon. They do need to make vitamin D using natural sunlight UV-b rays which benefit their health. At first, a bearded dragon can stay in the sun for around 5 to 10 minutes a day for a week. You can gradually increase the time if there is no sign of health issues or stress.
There has been a long debate whether they can be left outside without being attended to. Many researchers have already proved that a bearded dragon can easily survive and live with a temperature around 75 degrees Fahrenheit or above outside. Plus, bearded Dragons also enjoy natural sunlight. Sunlight benefits their health and wellbeing.
Giving a bearded dragon a sunbath is an excellent idea. However, its owner needs to protect its dragon from predators like snakes or birds. However, exposing your bearded dragon to excessive sunlight or for too long can also harm their health. Although sunlight is perfect for their health and to make vitamin d, one needs to keep an eye on the bearded dragon for stress. Excessive sunlight or sunbath can lead your bearded dragon to stress. Let’s know further about how long can a bearded dragon stay in the sun?
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How Long Can A Bearded Dragon Stay In The Sun?
At first, you can keep a bearded dragon stay in the sun for around 5 to 10 minutes. Gradually, over time, if there is no sign of stress or discoloration, you can increase the time. For instance, a bearded dragon can stay for about an hour in the sunlight without getting harmed. However, you should slowly introduce your bearded dragon to the sun if they have been kept in captivity for an extended period.
Morning sunshine is good for their health. In the daytime when the sunlight is scorching up right overhead your beardie, he/she may look for the shadow to cool down. At that moment, it is best to get them inside the tank to cool or somewhere with shade.
Another factor that you need to consider before taking your bearded dragon for a sunbath is the temperature. Ensure that you are not constantly exposing a bearded dragon to a low temperature, as it can make them sick. Sickness like lung inflammation and other diseases can occur if they are constantly exposed to a low temperature than 77 degrees Fahrenheit.
Yes, a Bearded Dragon can go outside and enjoy the natural sunlight, which is very good for them even in lower temperatures than 77 degrees Fahrenheit. It doesn’t mean that your bearded dragon is immediately going to die when they are being exposed to a lower temperature than 77 degrees Fahrenheit. It is only going to cause health issues if they are constantly exposed to a lower temperature. Your bearded dragon may or may not enjoy a sunbath depending upon what kind of preparation you have made.
Another factor that you need to consider is – the place where you will take a bearded dragon. At first, a bearded dragon might enjoy sunlight if you reside in a hot and Sunny area. From my perspective, there is nothing good more than giving a natural sun instead of the fake sun inside an enclosure to our bearded dragon. The sun and its natural sunlight provide everything that a bearded dragon needs for constant growth, proper health, and wellbeing—the heat, the UVB, and the light are what help them produce vitamin D.
Do Bearded Dragons Like Sunlight?
In the wild, bearded dragon enjoys sunlight and benefits their health. However, pet bearded Dragons may or may not enjoy sunlight depending upon where you will take them and what kind of preparation you have made. A bearded dragon originated from a hot and Sunny area will enjoy the sunlight. However, it doesn’t mean that all Bearded dragons like sunlight.
Depending upon the temperature, the sunlight may or may not benefit their healths. Exposing your bearded dragon to low temperature continuously can cause health diseases and problems. Plus, when beardie is enjoying sunbathe, the owner has to protect their bearded dragon from predators as well. A bearded dragon is also prone to escape. It would be best if you had your bearded dragon on a leash to make sure they cannot run. However, it doesn’t mean that you have to walk your bearded dragon around the block.
Ensure you are following your bearded dragon while avoiding pulling on the leash. Please don’t fool yourself by perceiving the toughness of bearded Dragons as their strength. Pulling the leash of a bearded dragon could cause some severe damage. Another factor that you need to consider before making sure if they like staying in the sun or not is comfort.
If they have stress or anxiety in the sunlight, pull them back into the shade immediately. Not every bearded dragon is going to be calm in every situation. The bearded dragon who has never been exposed to sunlight or put on the leash may not be comfortable at first at all. Some bearded Dragons also freak out and pull on the leash like crazy. Make sure that they don’t hurt themselves while doing that kind of behavior.
Bearded dragon hiccups like behavior in stress are common as well. Before taking a bearded dragon into the sunlight, make sure it has good humidity. If you don’t know why Bearded dragons need humidity, proper humidity helps their constant growth.
Make sure that the humidity level is around 30 to 40% when taken into the sunlight. At night, you may find bearded Dragon humidity 70. It is due to the low temperature. However, when giving a sunbath to your better dragon, make sure they can’t hurt themselves or escape.
Why Does My Bearded Dragon Freak In The Sun?
There are many bearded Dragons and other reptiles that usually freak out when they are exposed to sunlight. This is probably because of the reason being kept in the fake sunlight from the birth itself. The other reason could be how massive the sun and the sunlight are compared to their small enclosure and basking bulb.
A bearded dragon can also freak out because of its great eyes. Sunlight can cause piercing pain due to the reflection of something into their great eyes if they constantly peeked at it. They can see any object far, clearly from away. From what I have seen & learned from my experience, they can see birds, snakes, and other predators clearly, most probably earlier than us.
Another thing that you need to consider is the shadows. A bearded dragon can detect a potential threat & look for a cover, most probably before humans realize it. If your bearded dragons see anything like that outside while having sunbathe, you will have to deal with that. A bearded dragon can also get freak out due to the shadows.
It is usual for reptiles to be scared by shadows. Another thing that I learned from my research is that they also have a third eye from which they can sense the light and the clouds. So, if we consider this, it could also free your bearded dragon out if there is any big bird above them.
How To Introduce Bearded Dragon To Sun And Sunlight?
Below are the following steps to introduce your bearded dragon to sun and sunlight.
- Before exposing a bearded dragon to the sun or sunlight, practice by increasing the temperature of the basking bulb. Ensure the humidity level is between 30% to 40% during temperatures above 77 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Plan a day when you are going to introduce your bearded Dragon to Sun and sunlight.
- The chosen day should have a temperature above 77 degrees Fahrenheit and a humidity level between 30% to 40%. Now introduce your beardie to sunlight for around 5 to 10 minutes at first.
- Avoid keeping or having your bearded dragon stay more than 5 to 10 minutes in the sun in the first week.
- After a week or so, check for signs or marks of health issues on their skin and body. If there is no negative sign, you can gradually increase the time. Below I have talked about how to take a bearded dragon for a sunbath.
How To Take A Bearded Dragon For A Sunbathe?
Here is the following step to take your bearded dragon for a quick sunbath/sun walk.
- Make sure to check the temperature and humidity outside. The temperature must be above 77 degrees Fahrenheit, and the moisture should be around 30% to 50%.
- Get a good quality lease and put your bearded dragon on a leash to avoid any escape.
- Make sure you have already introduced your bearded dragon to the sun and the sunlight before keeping them or having them stay in the sun for too long.
- Now, after putting on a leash, take a bearded dragon to the nearest park where there is no threat of Predator.
- Follow your bearded dragon along without pulling the leash as it could hurt them. Let your bearded dragon decide where to go. The beardie will find sunlight or shade depending upon its need.
- You can start walking your pet dragon around the block for a quick sunbath while ensuring they are safe from stray dogs and cats.
- Look for the signs of anxiety, stress, inflammation, discoloration, or skin shedding. If there is no sign of any health issue, then you can continually go for a sun walk with a bearded dragon.
Can A Bearded Dragon Get Sick In The Sun?
It depends. A bearded dragon can get sick in the sun if the temperature is below 77 degrees Fahrenheit. They can also get sick if the humidity is too high. Other than that, a bearded dragon can also get sick in the sun if there are many bacterias, parasites, and dirt outside. If you like to take a bearded dragon with you outdoors every day, you should consider visiting the nearest veterinarian once a month for a quick health checkup.
The parasite is no joke for a bearded dragon, and it could drain their energy. Parasites and bacteria are so threatening that they can even kill your beardie without medical support. The best thing that you can do is weekly (or regularly if possible) send the stool sample of your bearded dragon to the vet for at least 15 days. I would recommend you to do that every 3 to 4 months or when the bearded dragon gets sick. Plus, too much sunlight can cause discomfort to a bearded dragon as well. However, most of the bearded Dragons must have evolved to absorb the natural sunlight and its rays for their body function.
Conclusion
Can bearded dragons stay in the sunlight? Most of the bearded Dragons have evolved for a need to absorb the sun’s rays As a part of the body’s function. They definitely can live and survive in a sunny area with sun or without sun. I will want you to encourage taking a bearded dragon for a quick sunbath & sun walk. You’ll eventually know how far your bearded dragon can go and stay in the sun.
If you haven’t introduced the bearded dragon to the sun yet, then consider. There is a high possibility of boosting their constant growth if you submit them to natural sunlight. The only thing you need to ensure is that your bearded dragon stays calm and relaxed while having the sunlight on its body or staying in a public place first. Follow us on social media
94% of pet owners say their animal pal makes them smile more than once a day. In 2007, I realized that I was made for saving Animals. My father is a Vet, and I think every pet deserves one. I started this blog, “InPetCare”, in 2019 with my father to enlighten a wider audience.