Bearded dragons are loved by the reptile keeping community and they have seen strong growth in popularity in recent years and are currently the most commonly kept pet reptile in the world by far.
When it comes to keeping bearded dragons as pets, as far as reptiles go, they are pretty straight forward and make excellent pets for most people.
Each month we do see a huge number of questions from the bearded dragon keeping community though and we have been trying to answer as many of those questions as we possibly can in recent months.
For todays article, we are going to be taking a look at why your pet bearded dragons nails are curling and how you are able to deal with curled nails in your beardie.
We hope that we will be able to help as many of our readers as possible better understand why their pet bearded dragons nails are curling though as in some cases, it can actually be avoided.
Is It Normal For A Bearded Dragons Nails To Curl?
The simple answer to this question is yes, it is actually quite normal for a bearded dragon’s nails to curl.
While it might not look the best, it is something that happens to almost all bearded dragons that are kept in captivity at some point in their life and is nothing to worry about too much.
Why Are My Bearded Dragons Nails Curling?
There are a number of reasons why your bearded dragon’s nails might be curling and we are going to go over the most common reasons below.
The first reason why your bearded dragon’s nails might be curling is that they have outgrown their current nails.
As your bearded dragon grows, so do their nails and at some point, they are going to need a trim.
If you don’t trimmed your bearded dragon’s nails on a regular basis, they are going to start to curl as they grow too long.
The second reason why your bearded dragon’s nails might be curling is that they don’t have anything to file them down on.
In the wild, bearded dragons will file their nails down on rocks and other rough surfaces but in captivity, they don’t have access to this.
To fix this, you can either provide your bearded dragon with a rock in their vivarium as there are some specific rocks on the market with a rough texture that can help your bearded dragon prevent its nails from curling without you having to do anything.
The third reason why your bearded dragon’s nails might be curling is that they are not getting enough calcium.
Calcium is essential for bearded dragons as it helps them to grow and develop properly.
If your bearded dragon is not getting enough calcium, their nails are going to start to curl as a result.
The fourth reason why your bearded dragon’s nails might be curling is that they are not getting enough vitamin D3.
Vitamin D3 is essential for bearded dragons as it helps them to absorb calcium.
If your bearded dragon is not getting enough vitamin D3, their nails are going to start to curl as a result.
The fifth and final reason why your bearded dragon’s nails might be curling is that they are not getting enough exercise.
Bearded dragons are naturally quite lazy reptiles and in the wild, they spend a lot of their time basking in the sun.
In captivity, it is important to provide your bearded dragon with plenty of opportunities to exercise though as this can help to keep their nails healthy.
If your bearded dragon is not getting enough exercise, their nails are going to start to curl as a result.
How Can I Prevent My Bearded Dragons Nails From Curling?
Now that we have covered the most common reasons why your bearded dragon’s nails might be curling, we are going to go over how you can prevent their nails from curling in the first place.
The first thing that you can do to prevent your bearded dragon’s nails from curling is to trim them on a regular basis.
We would recommend trimming your bearded dragon’s nails every 2-4 weeks or so depending on how fast they seem to be growing.
The second thing that you can do to prevent your bearded dragon’s nails from curling is to provide them with a rock in their vivarium as we mentioned above.
This will give them something to file their nails down on and help to keep them healthy.
The third thing that you can do to prevent your bearded dragon’s nails from curling is to make sure that they are getting enough calcium and vitamin D3 in their diet.
Bearded dragons need around 10-12 hours of UVB light per day as well as a calcium supplement to ensure that they are getting enough calcium.
How Do You Tell If Your Bearded Dragons Nails Are Too Long?
If you are unsure whether or not your bearded dragon’s nails are too long, there are a few things that you can look out for.
The first thing to look for is if the nails are starting to curl as this is a sure sign that they are getting too long.
The second thing to look for is if the tips of the nails are starting to turn black as this can be a sign of an infection.
If you notice either of these things, it is important to trim your bearded dragon’s nails as soon as possible.
Curled nails can eventually prevent your bearded dragon from walking correctly or even being able to place its foot or toes flat on the substrate so this is usually an obvious sign too.
How Do You Trim Your Bearded Dragons Nails?
Trimming your bearded dragon’s nails is a relatively simple process but there are a few things that you need to keep in mind.
The first thing to do is to gather all of the supplies that you will need which includes a pair of nail trimmers (ideally ones for bearded dragons), a styptic powder, and a towel.
The next thing to do is to put your bearded dragon on a flat surface such as a table or countertop.
If your bearded dragon is feeling nervous, you can wrap them in a towel to help them feel more secure.
Once your bearded dragon is on the flat surface, you can start trimming their nails.
It is important to only trim a small amount off of the nail at a time as you do not want to cut into the quick of the nail.
If you do accidentally cut into the quick, it will bleed and this is where the styptic powder comes in.
Simply apply a small amount of powder to the nail to stop the bleeding.
Once you have finished trimming your bearded dragon’s nails, you can put them back in their vivarium and let them explore.
