# Bearded Dragon Not Eating? UK Vet Guide — Quick answer

PETHEALTH+ (https://pethealth.org.uk/health/bearded-dragon-not-eating-uk): Bearded Dragon Not Eating? UK Vet Guide — Quick answer. A bearded dragon that stops eating is usually reacting to incorrect temperatures, brumation, impaction or illness. Check the basking spot reaches 38–42°C and the cool end 22–26°C first. Weigh weekly — weight loss means a vet visit, not brumation. Persistent refusal needs a UK-registered exotic vet.

PETHEALTH+ (https://pethealth.org.uk/health/bearded-dragon-not-eating-uk): Bearded Dragon Not Eating? UK Vet Guide — First check: temperatures. According to the RSPCA, most appetite problems in bearded dragons trace back to husbandry — and temperature is the first thing to rule out. Bearded dragons are ectothermic: they cannot digest food properly when too cold, so a chilly vivarium quickly shuts down appetite. | Zone | Target temperature | |------|-------------------| | Basking surface | 38–42°C | | Cool end | 22–26°C | | Night minimum | Not below 20–22°C | - Measure with a digital thermometer at the basking surface and cool end — dial gauges are unreliable - Run every heat source through a thermostat and check both ends daily - If the room drops below 20–22°C at night, add a ceramic (non-light-emitting) heater Vet Help Direct's UK vet team notes that chronically low temperatures can cause gut impactions, slow metabolism and poor immunity — all of which suppress appetite. See Bearded dragon care UK for the full setup.

PETHEALTH+ (https://pethealth.org.uk/health/bearded-dragon-not-eating-uk): Bearded Dragon Not Eating? UK Vet Guide — Brumation: the normal reason. Brumation is a natural slowdown over the cooler months, similar to hibernation. According to the RSPCA, during brumation bearded dragons slow down, sleep more and eat less — but they should not stop eating entirely or lose weight. - Brumation-like behaviour is normal in healthy adults, not juveniles - Weigh your dragon weekly — stable weight supports brumation; falling weight does not - If weight drops, Vet Help Direct advises raising temperatures and lighting back to normal and booking a veterinary examination - Never assume a first-time appetite loss is brumation without checking husbandry and health first

PETHEALTH+ (https://pethealth.org.uk/health/bearded-dragon-not-eating-uk): Bearded Dragon Not Eating? UK Vet Guide — Impaction. Impaction is a blockage of the gut, and it is a common reason UK bearded dragons stop eating. According to the RSPCA, risky substrates include: - Calci-sand — can clog the digestive tract, especially when temperatures are too low for good digestion - Bark, wood chips, crushed walnut and corn cob granules — easily swallowed and indigestible - Loose substrates generally for juveniles — use reptile carpet, tiles or paper until fully grown Signs of impaction, according to Vet Help Direct, include lethargy, inappetence, bloating and failure to produce faeces. A dragon with these signs needs an exotic vet — do not wait for it to pass on its own. More detail in Reptile impaction UK.

Source: https://pethealth.org.uk/health/bearded-dragon-not-eating-uk