# bearded dragon swollen beard



## sarahsmithson

Hello this is my first post so please be kind 😊 

I have a 3year old female bearded dragon, I have had her just over 2 years. Over the last couple of months I have noticed that her beard has been getting bigger and more saggy. I thought this was probably normal but it now looks swollen and feels fluidy when you touch it. Also after eating live food she has started to breath in deep then when she breaths out she makes a wheezing husky sound. She moves her head and opens her mouth like somethings stuck in her mouth throat or chin too. I cannot see anything in there though.

She is in a 4x2x2 vivarium. She has a 12% UV tube which has just come to replacement time, so I have ordered a new one. She has a white reflector bulb for basking. Her basking temperature is around 100f, warm side is around 90 and cool side is around 80. This is measured with digital thermometers. She does not have a water bowl in her tank. The substrate is tiles. She has a bowl of greens daily and I give her morio worms, crickets, and locusts every day usually as well.

Here are some pictures.





























I am going to ring the vet in the morning to get an appointment but I wanted to know if anyone had any idea what this could be. I am very worried about her.


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## Nigel_wales

sarahsmithson said:


> Hello this is my first post so please be kind :blush:
> 
> I have a 3year old female bearded dragon, I have had her just over 2 years. Over the last couple of months I have noticed that her beard has been getting bigger and more saggy. I thought this was probably normal but it now looks swollen and feels fluidy when you touch it. Also after eating live food she has started to breath in deep then when she breaths out she makes a wheezing husky sound. She moves her head and opens her mouth like somethings stuck in her mouth throat or chin too. I cannot see anything in there though.
> 
> She is in a 4x2x2 vivarium. She has a 12% uv tube which has just come to replacement time, so I have ordered a new one. She has a white reflector bulb for basking. Her basking temperature is around 100f, warm side is around 90 and cool side is around 80. This is measured with digital thermometers. She does not have a water bowl in her tank. The substrate is tiles. She has a bowl of greens daily and I give her morio worms crickets and locusts every day usually as well.
> 
> Here are some pictures.
> 
> image
> 
> image
> 
> image
> 
> 
> I am going to ring the vet in the morning to get an appointment but I wanted to know if anyone had any idea what this could be. I am very worried about her.


I've seen this before on other dragons and always thought it was excess fat? Can you describe your feeding regimes and temps?


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## sarahsmithson

Basking temp sits around 100f, warm side around 90 and cool around 80.

I buy mixed bags of salad from tesco or morrisons and give her a fresh bowl every day. Although she only picks at it sometimes! I give her crickets morio worms and locusts everyday in the early afternoon. She usually has 3 or 4 of each, sometimes more though. 

I don't think its just fat. Thats what i first thought but she is doing the weird wheezing thing after eating too now.


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## Nigel_wales

sarahsmithson said:


> Basking temp sits around 100f, warm side around 90 and cool around 80.
> 
> I buy mixed bags of salad from tesco or morrisons and give her a fresh bowl every day. Although she only picks at it sometimes! I give her crickets morio worms and locusts everyday in the early afternoon. She usually has 3 or 4 of each, sometimes more though.
> 
> I don't think its just fat. Thats what i first thought but she is doing the weird wheezing thing after eating too now.


I used to and I know other people, don't offer so much live food when they get older. 3x a week was what I used to do but most people choose every other day. If in doubt though see the Vet and keep us updated.

The wheezing could be sign of a R.I. which may result in a swollen throat but I'm unsure of that. What's the humidity like in the viv?


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## sarahsmithson

I know that some feed less live than I do, but I also know that a fair few people use the same kind of feeding regime as me! I'm not worried about her weight, she isn't over weight and only eats what she wants then stops. If she was a total pig and gorged herself I'd think about limiting it!

She doesn't have any water in the viv, I just bath her every week or two and spray her greens before putting them in the tank, so I think the humidity should be fine and not too high.

I don't think its fat and I don't think it would be an RI...Im stumped! Hopefully I can get a vet appointment soon so I can find out more.

Thanks for your help


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## dickvansheepcake

Swelling like this can indicate an infection so you're doing the right thing by getting her to the vets.

Overloading on some vitamins can cause them to retain excess water also, so what supplements are you using and how often?

I'd be more inclined to say it's an infection of some sort though as she has been wheezing too, so vets asap 


Jenny


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## 123dragon

sarahsmithson said:


> I know that some feed less live than I do, but I also know that a fair few people use the same kind of feeding regime as me! I'm not worried about her weight, she isn't over weight and only eats what she wants then stops. If she was a total pig and gorged herself I'd think about limiting it!
> 
> She doesn't have any water in the viv, I just bath her every week or two and spray her greens before putting them in the tank, so I think the humidity should be fine and not too high.
> 
> I don't think its fat and I don't think it would be an RI...Im stumped! Hopefully I can get a vet appointment soon so I can find out more.
> 
> Thanks for your help


yes i feed my adult every day, i woudnt say she was just over weight so i think the vet is a good idea


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## CMonkey

Welcome to rfuk!
This is very strange and I have never heard of anything like this so can't really give advice but hopefully it will clear up, wouldn't feed her as much live food though as adults should have about 60%veg and 40%live food.'let us know how she gets on!


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## dickvansheepcake

CMonkey said:


> Welcome to rfuk!
> This is very strange and I have never heard of anything like this so can't really give advice but hopefully it will clear up, wouldn't feed her as much live food though as adults should have about 60%veg and 40%live food.'let us know how she gets on!


Actually I, as well as quite a few other experienced keepers, do not believe in limiting live food. I feed my two adults up to eight types of live food a day, as much as they want, as well as unlimited greens daily. They eat what they want but don't over feed and are both very healthy weights and generally healthy lizards! It's all about understanding their nutritional needs and what each live feeder offers them. If they seem to be putting on too much weight you change what food they get, not reduce it : victory:


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## imginy

Some dragons have big beards it doesn't look anything out of the ordinary : victory:
I would keep feeding them lots of live food just cut down on the fatty stuff : victory:


just to add I would still take to the vets to get her checked out and the heavy breathing you talk of could be a repository infection and if you up the temps a bit and lower the humidity this would help clear that up.


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## 123dragon

dickvansheepcake said:


> Actually I, as well as quite a few other experienced keepers, do not believe in limiting live food. I feed my two adults up to eight types of live food a day, as much as they want, as well as unlimited greens daily. They eat what they want but don't over feed and are both very healthy weights and generally healthy lizards! It's all about understanding their nutritional needs and what each live feeder offers them. If they seem to be putting on too much weight you change what food they get, not reduce it : victory:


yes i agree with you, my beardie is on a bit of a diet at the moment as the vet said he needs to loose weight, the problem was that he was getting basicly only morio worms, 
he now gets 2 or 3 adult locust and up to 10 crickets a night so he still gets quite a lot of live food


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## CMonkey

dickvansheepcake said:


> Actually I, as well as quite a few other experienced keepers, do not believe in limiting live food. I feed my two adults up to eight types of live food a day, as much as they want, as well as unlimited greens daily. They eat what they want but don't over feed and are both very healthy weights and generally healthy lizards! It's all about understanding their nutritional needs and what each live feeder offers them. If they seem to be putting on too much weight you change what food they get, not reduce it : victory:


oh, well i found this information on lots of websites and caresheets, 
guess people have different ways of doing things and different opinions, i think its very interesting to see what other people do!:2thumb:


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## Tguy1998

sarahsmithson said:


> Hello this is my first post so please be kind :blush:
> 
> I have a 3year old female bearded dragon, I have had her just over 2 years. Over the last couple of months I have noticed that her beard has been getting bigger and more saggy. I thought this was probably normal but it now looks swollen and feels fluidy when you touch it. Also after eating live food she has started to breath in deep then when she breaths out she makes a wheezing husky sound. She moves her head and opens her mouth like somethings stuck in her mouth throat or chin too. I cannot see anything in there though.
> 
> She is in a 4x2x2 vivarium. She has a 12% uv tube which has just come to replacement time, so I have ordered a new one. She has a white reflector bulb for basking. Her basking temperature is around 100f, warm side is around 90 and cool side is around 80. This is measured with digital thermometers. She does not have a water bowl in her tank. The substrate is tiles. She has a bowl of greens daily and I give her morio worms crickets and locusts every day usually as well.
> 
> Here are some pictures.
> 
> image
> 
> image
> 
> image
> 
> 
> I am going to ring the vet in the morning to get an appointment but I wanted to know if anyone had any idea what this could be. I am very worried about her.


 Its either infected or shes going into a stage where they want to mate where with both sexes, the beard becomes puffed and turns black


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## Nigel_wales

CMonkey said:


> oh, well i found this information on lots of websites and caresheets,
> guess people have different ways of doing things and different opinions, i think its very interesting to see what other people do!:2thumb:


Let us know how you get on at the vets :2thumb: Everyone has different methods that work for them and their animals.


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## CMonkey

Nigel_wales said:


> Let us know how you get on at the vets :2thumb: Everyone has different methods that work for them and their animals.


ummm, its not me going to the vets...
:whistling2:


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## Nigel_wales

CMonkey said:


> ummm, its not me going to the vets...
> :whistling2:


:lol2: Sorry thought it was the OP for some reason!


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## woodrott

this is standard in a well fed dragon

she looks like all my girls,and a few of my males to

if the throat is very soft just like baggy skin, then its just fat and age

if its hard then it's a growth,,,tumor and the vet will be needed


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## CMonkey

Nigel_wales said:


> :lol2: Sorry thought it was the OP for some reason!


thats fine!:lol2:


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## sarahsmithson

woodrott said:


> this is standard in a well fed dragon
> 
> she looks like all my girls,and a few of my males to
> 
> if the throat is very soft just like baggy skin, then its just fat and age
> 
> if its hard then it's a growth,,,tumor and the vet will be needed



It is soft to the touch, no lumps in it at all. But what do you think about the weird husky thing she's doing? Its only after she eats live food. I'll give her a few insects then she breaths in with her mouth open and when she breaths out its like shes really forcing it and makes a husky sound. Her mouth is open and she moves her beard at the same time like she flexing it. Kind of like somethings stuck in it.


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## woodrott

sarahsmithson said:


> It is soft to the touch, no lumps in it at all. But what do you think about the weird husky thing she's doing? Its only after she eats live food. I'll give her a few insects then she breaths in with her mouth open and when she breaths out its like shes really forcing it and makes a husky sound. Her mouth is open and she moves her beard at the same time like she flexing it. Kind of like somethings stuck in it.


 
for piece of mind get her checked at the vets


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## Hollylaurynn

My bearded dragon is experiencing the exact same thing. Did you figure out what was going on?


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## Azastral

Her dragon was over weight and the swollen/saggy beard can be a sign of over supply of vitamins/minerals... Only a trip to the vets and a proper blood panel and x-ray will give an answer, this is an issue for a reptile vet.

The thread is also 6 years old so you are unlikely to get an answer from the OP


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## Olive123

sarahsmithson said:


> Hello this is my first post so please be kind 😊
> 
> I have a 3year old female bearded dragon, I have had her just over 2 years. Over the last couple of months I have noticed that her beard has been getting bigger and more saggy. I thought this was probably normal but it now looks swollen and feels fluidy when you touch it. Also after eating live food she has started to breath in deep then when she breaths out she makes a wheezing husky sound. She moves her head and opens her mouth like somethings stuck in her mouth throat or chin too. I cannot see anything in there though.
> 
> She is in a 4x2x2 vivarium. She has a 12% uv tube which has just come to replacement time, so I have ordered a new one. She has a white reflector bulb for basking. Her basking temperature is around 100f, warm side is around 90 and cool side is around 80. This is measured with digital thermometers. She does not have a water bowl in her tank. The substrate is tiles. She has a bowl of greens daily and I give her morio worms crickets and locusts every day usually as well.
> 
> Here are some pictures.
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> I am going to ring the vet in the morning to get an appointment but I wanted to know if anyone had any idea what this could be. I am very worried about her.


Did you ever find out what’s wrong my female is doing the exact same thing


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