Over the last couple of months, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of people asking various questions about caring for a pet bearded dragon.
We would guess that this is due to there being more bearded dragon keepers than ever right now with many other people considering adding a bearded dragon to their family.
There has definitely been an increase in the number of people reaching out to ask if bearded dragons can sneeze or not over the last couple of months and this only seems to be increasing.
Bearded dragons can sneeze and they will sneeze for a wide range of different reasons with this being totally normal and natural.
Due to some people who are new to keeping a pet bearded dragon being worried about their pet if it suddenly starts to sneeze lots, we have decided to publish this article to try and help put your mind at ease, help you understand that in most cases, there’s no need to worry and help you understand why your bearded dragon sneezes.
Can Bearded Dragons Sneeze?
Bearded dragons can sneeze and for such a small animal, some bearded dragon sneezes can actually be surprisingly loud.
This can often take people new to keeping a pet bearded dragon by surprise as they don’t even realize that bearded dragons can sneeze.
Some bearded dragons may not even start sneezing until they are adults too with this being somewhat common but many bearded dragons will start sneezing at an early age due to the frequent shedding when young.
Is It Normal For Bearded Dragons To Sneeze?
It is totally normal and natural for bearded dragons to sneeze and most bearded dragons will sneeze multiple times per day, especially when shedding.
Depending on why your bearded dragon is sneezing, the actual sound and movement associated with the sneeze can range from a quiet high pitched sound with minimal movement to a deep sound with lots of movement.
This range can sometimes be totally normal for the exact same causes behind the sneezing too so ignore the posts you see on social media saying if your bearded dragon’s sneeze has a specific sound then it means a certain thing.
This is not correct and the sound or movement associated with the sneezing of a bearded dragon often has little to nothing to do with the cause of the sneezing.
Why Do Bearded Dragons Sneeze?
There are four main reasons that bearded dragons will usually sneeze including:-
- Excreting Salt
- Shedding
- Infection
- Irritation
There are also a number of less common reasons that bearded dragons may sneeze but these tend to be much rarer and most of our readers will usually find that their bearded dragon is sneezing due to one of the above reasons.
Excreting Salt
The most common reason that your pet bearded dragon may be sneeze is due to it excreatine excess salt from its body via the salt glands in its nose.
Unlike humans who excrete excess salt when sweating, bearded dragons use specialist glands in their noses to form salt deposits that are then sneezed out.
It is totally normal for a bearded dragon to sneeze due to this as a small salt build up is totally normal even with an optimal bearded dragon diet.
If you do notice that your bearded dragon is sneezing lots and you think that it may be due to excess salt then you may have to tweak the diet of your bearded dragon to reduce their salt intake but this is rare.
Shedding
The shedding process is totally natural and expected for bearded dragons and when shedding, some bearded dragons can sneeze far more frequently than the other wise would.
Due to younger bearded dragons usually shedding more frequently than older bearded dragons, this can give them the impression that your bearded dragon is constantly sneezing and cause some beardie owners to worry.
The cause of the sneezing is due to excess shed in and around the nose causing irritation resulting in a sneeze.
In some cases, the insides of the nose of your bearded dragon can shed and your bearded dragon will sneeze to try and force them out.
As we mentioned in our article on how to help a bearded dragon shedding its nose, sometimes, this shredded nostril skin can get stuck and you may have to help remove it and this can be more common than many people think.
Infection
Thankfully, a less common cause of sneezing in bearded dragons is due to infection and this is often the most serious cause of sneezing within the animal.
There are four types of infection that can result in a bearded dragon sneezing an these are:-
- Bacterial Infection
- Viral Infection
- Parasitic Infection
- Fungal Infection
All four of these can cause a bearded dragon to sneeze but sneezing is a more common symptom with bacterial and viral infections and far less common with parasitic and fungal infections.
Irritation
Irritation is becoming more and more common for bearded dragons and this is usually due to scented candles or various types of air diffusers.
The scent is usually too strong for a bearded dragon and can end up causing them to sneeze constantly but this is so easy to avoid.
If you do use scented candles or some type of air diffuser in the same room as your bearded dragon’s vivarium, this may be the cause of your bearded dragons sneezing.
In addition to sneezing, you may also notice your bearded dragon is gagging, blowing bubbles, or breathing heavily too.
Other strong scents such as some herbs and spices commonly used for cooking can also cause sneezing due to irritation in your pet bearded dragon too so try to keep that in mind when placing your beardies vivarium.
How To Stop Your Bearded Dragon Sneezing?
The easiest way to stop your bearded dragon from sneezing so much is to check if it is shedding and to look if there is any excess shed stuck in your bearded dragon’s nose and if there is, remove it.
This really is a common reason that your pet bearded dragon may end up sneezing lots with many people overlooking it with it often being the easiest thing to fix.
You can stop your bearded dragon from sneezing so much due to excess salt in its diet by simply making some simple tweaks to the diet of your bearded dragon and we would highly recommend the bearded dragon salad method if possible.
If your bearded dragon is sneezing due to an infection then you really should be seeking professional help from a veterinarian as your bearded dragon may need some medication to return to full health as quickly as possible.
Once the issues with the infection are over, there is a high chance that your bearded dragon will just stop sneezing by itself.
If your bearded dragon is sneezing due to irritation due to scents in the air then removing the source of that smell will almost always stop the sneezing within hours or days depending on how strong the smell is.
Should I Be Worried If My Bearded Dragon Sneezes?
Most of the common causes of a bearded dragon sneezing are nothing to worry about and are usually very easy to fix so there is usually no need to worry.
If your bearded dragon is sneezing due to it having issues with an infection then you really should be trying to get help from your local veterinarian as soon as possible.
In some cases, the infection may prove fatal if it is left untreated but you can usually quickly and easily treat infection in bearded dragons if you catch it early and start a suitable treatment quickly.
Conclusion
That brings our article going over why your bearded dragon is sneezing and how to treat it to an end.
In most cases, there really isnt any reason to worry and most people will be able to quickly and easily treat the cause of the sneezing quickly and have their bearded dragon back to normal with minimal sneezing quickly.
