Ever wondered Why do bearded dragons wave both arms?
Among all the communication method, arm waving is something strange and that catches attention of all the bearded dragon owners, at least when they see it for the first time.
This is something funny to watch as it is a kind of gesture that is made by humans when they say hello to each other.
The way the bearded dragon stands on its hind legs and moves the arm slowly and in circular way. For a few moments it continues this activity.
So far we have come to know about various reasons for this movement, which we shall discuss below. To begin with, this is not a gesture for greeting, as it seems in human eye. Rather they show submission by this form.
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Different ways of bearded dragons waving:
For most of the bearded dragon owners, it is a remarkable moment when they first see their bearded dragon moving arms.
The arm is raised slowly on the air and then is moved back and forth is something very unusual and not expected in any animal.
But do not be worried, as this is not a sign of any severe distress of the little reptile.
There are different ways of arm waving, and not all the gestures look similar. The stark standing on the hind legs and moving arms back and forth or in circular motion is one type, and the other types can be slightly lifting the arm and following the action of step climbing.
Also it was seen that the bearded dragon is lifting one arm and moving it so it looks like it is scratching the wall of terrarium. These all activities are actually different ways of arm waving.
Why do bearded dragons wave?
There are certain situations and reasons for the waving of arms among bearded dragons. Not always you need to be alarmed when they move the arms, but some situations may need your attention as well.
Acknowledging another dragons’ presence
Usually bearded dragons are kept solitarily in the enclosure. But if you put another dragon in the same space, or it meets another one while you are taking it out for a walk, then it can wave arms to the other. Possibly it wants to let the other one know that it means no harm.
Also it wants to let the other one know that it is aware of the presence of the other bearded dragon in its territory.
The presence of another bearded dragon is not always welcome to your pet. It can get terrified by some dominant bearded dragon and the gesture of hand waving then will be an expression of that fear. It may feel uneasy and that is why it can do the wave.
When there is two or more bearded dragon sharing a large tank, then this gesture is quite common.
Usually one dragon will be more dominating than the rest and that can be a cause or intrigue. If you see one dragon is waving more frequently, then you may think of changing the tank or separating the intimidated dragon from the others.
In case you do not have space to keep the dragons separately, then you should start thinking of giving the dragon away to another foster parent. If you ignore this sign of waving for a long time, then it may cause risk of getting wounded by the dominant dragon.
Also there can be the situation where the more powerful dragon is capturing the basking spot for longer hours, depriving the timid one from the necessary heat. This can also cause illness if it continues for long time.
Sometimes other pets at your house can terrify the bearded dragon. If you are finding the presence of your cat or dog is making the bearded dragon uneasy or the quadrupled pet of yours is getting too close to the bearded dragon’s terrarium for its comfort, then you can adapt a method to keep them segregated. Keep the enclosure of the bearded dragon in a room where the cat or dog will not visit. This way you can keep all the pets happy and at peace.
Relocation
Relocation is something that intimidates the bearded dragon a lot. When you are getting a bearded dragon from the shop to your home, it will act weirdly. It will dig the substrate and will show indignation and stress, and waving arms can be a part of this phase of setting down.
Baby bearded dragons often show this waving posture if it gets stressed. When shifting to a new place they can show this and it will diminish after a few weeks.
But if you see this gesture constantly for a month or more, then maybe it needs something else. Getting stressed for a long time decreases appetite and that can be the cause of some other sickness.
The baby bearded dragon takes 12 months only to get fully matured so the primary months are vital for their growth. You must pay attention to its food intake and keep the healthy and nutritious and best food in the diet to make it stay healthy.
New toy
Small toys often make them anxious, particularly when they see it for the first time. If you have bought some new toys to play with dragon which is around the size of the bearded dragon, then it may feel that the toy can harm it or if it is something alive.
If you see the dragon waving after the toy is kept near its terrarium then you can take that away for some time to see if there is any change in the behavior of the dragon.
Do not be anxious if the dragon reacts that way for the toy which is bought for it, as it will gradually get adjusted to the plaything.
Also keeping a mirror in the room where the terrarium is, can make difference in the behavior of the bearded dragon.
The reptile can find the image interesting or intimidating as it will generally think of the presence of another bearded dragon in its arena. Do not be alarmed when you see this, as the dragon will soon get adjusted with the mirror reflection and may find it interesting to look at its own image.
Also Read: White (Zero) Bearded Dragon Morph
