No, bearded dragons are not nocturnal. They are diurnal, which means they are active during the day and sleep at night. Bearded dragons spend their days in the wild basking in the sun, hunting for food, and exploring their territory. At night, they seek shelter and rest.
They maintain a regular day and night cycle for your bearded dragon in captivity, with a daytime period of 14 to 16 hours and a nighttime period of 8 to 10 hours of darkness, to ensure that they receive the proper amount of light and rest.
Tips for Helping Your Bearded Dragons Sleep Better
Adjust the Lighting
To help your bearded dragon sleep better, adjust the lighting in its enclosure to mimic its natural day and night cycle. For starters, bearded dragons need a basking spot to regulate their body temperature and a more relaxed resting area. Please ensure the basking spot is only on for a limited period during the day, and turn it off in the evening to allow your bearded dragon to cool down.
To maintain a regular day and night cycle, use a timer to turn the lights on and off simultaneously every day. During the day, provide a 14 to 16-hour light cycle, followed by an 8 to 10-hour dark cycle at night. Bearded dragons also need a place to rest and feel secure. Providing a hiding spot, such as a cave or a hide box, can help them feel more comfortable and reduce stress.
Bearded dragons need a dark period to sleep, so avoid using bright lights at night. For example, if you need a heat lamp, use a low-wattage bulb or a ceramic emitter, which emits heat without light.
An excellent way to do this is to dim the lights gradually over a few days or weeks rather than turning them off entirely at night. This gradual transition will help prevent accidents or confusion by allowing the bearded dragon to get used to the change in light levels over time.
Provide a Quiet Environment
A quiet environment is essential to help bearded dragons sleep because they are susceptible to sound and other environmental disturbances. Bearded dragons are naturally adapted to living in a quiet, calm environment with minimal disturbances.
Loud noises, such as music, TV, or shouting, can be stressful for bearded dragons and interfere with their natural sleep cycle. This can cause them to become restless and agitated, leading to sleep deprivation.
In addition, bearded dragons are social animals and may be disturbed by the sounds of other animals or people moving around their enclosure. This can cause them to become anxious or stressed, which can lead to health problems over time.
To provide a quiet environment for your bearded dragon, place its enclosure in a quiet area of your home, away from noisy appliances or other distractions. You can also provide a cover over their enclosure at night to reduce outside noises and help them sleep more soundly.
Create a Dark Sleeping Area
Creating a dark sleeping area for your bearded dragon is essential to help them sleep better and maintain a healthy sleep cycle. Providing a hiding spot, such as a cave or a hide box, can help them feel more comfortable and reduce stress. Ensure the hiding spot is big enough for your bearded dragon to fit comfortably.
Covering your bearded dragon’s enclosure with a blanket or a towel at night can help create a darker sleeping area. This will also help reduce outside noises and disturbances that may interfere with their sleep. Finally, turn off all lights in the enclosure at night, including basking, UV, and other light sources.
Bearded dragons need a dark period to sleep; light in the enclosure can disrupt their natural sleep cycle. If you need to check on your bearded dragon at night, use a red light instead of a white light. Red light impacts their sleep cycle and will not disturb their circadian rhythm.
Adjust the Temperature
Temperature adjustment is essential to help bearded dragons sleep better because they require a specific temperature range to maintain their health and well-being. Bearded dragons are ectothermic, which means they rely on external heat sources to regulate their body temperature.
They need a basking area of around 40 to 42 degrees Celsius during the day to help them digest their food and regulate their metabolism. At night, they need a more fabulous area with a temperature of around 15 degrees Celsius to allow them to rest.
If the temperature is too high at night, they may become restless and agitated, leading to sleep deprivation and health problems. But on the other hand, if the temperature is too low, they may be unable to digest their food correctly or maintain their metabolism, leading to health problems.
To help your bearded dragon sleep better, adjusting the temperature in its enclosure to mimic its natural day and night cycle is essential. Use a thermometer to monitor the temperature in their enclosure and adjust it as needed to maintain the proper temperature range.
Keep the Cage Clean
Keeping the cage clean is essential to help bearded dragons sleep because a dirty or unsanitary enclosure can cause stress, discomfort, and health problems that can interfere with their sleep. Bearded dragons are spotless animals and prefer to live in a clean and hygienic environment.
Dirty enclosures can lead to the growth of harmful bacteria and parasites, which can cause infections and other health problems. In addition, the smell of ammonia from their waste can irritate their respiratory system and make it difficult for them to breathe, leading to sleep disturbances.
To help your bearded dragon sleep better, it’s essential to maintain a clean and hygienic enclosure. Here are some tips to keep their cage clean:
- Spot clean daily: Remove any feces, uneaten food, and other debris from their enclosure daily. This will help prevent the growth of harmful bacteria and parasites.
- Clean the enclosure regularly: Deep clean the enclosure at least once a month or more frequently if needed. This includes removing all substrate, cleaning all surfaces with a reptile-safe disinfectant, and replacing the substrate with fresh material.
- Use appropriate substrate: Choose a substrate that is easy to clean and does not retain moisture, such as reptile carpet, paper towels, or ceramic tiles.
- Provide fresh water daily: Change their water dish and clean it with hot water and a reptile-safe disinfectant.
