5 Fun Facts on Bearded Dragons

#1) Bearded dragons have amazing vision.

They can see in color; in fact, they can see colors humans cannot see. This is because they have four distinct cones in their eyes, whereas humans only have three. They can even see things moving above and behind them by using their parietal eye, also called “the third eye” (a small gap in their skull). This is helpful for them to protect themselves from their most vicious predators, which are birds of prey such as the hawk, eagle, and owl.

#2) Bearded dragons have been around since before dinosaurs.

Bearded dragons are a type of lizard that branched out of the common reptilian trunk some 250 million years ago, much earlier than the branch of species that would lead to the dinosaurs and the birds. A phenomenon observed in a lizard, a bird, and a mammal would thus most likely have existed in their common ancestry.

 #3) Bearded dragons were introduced to the US illegally in the 1990s and are illegal to own in Hawaii.

Being native to Australia, Australia banned the export of its wildlife (specifically bearded dragons) for the pet trade in the 1960s; thus, it is safe to say bearded dragons were not brought to the US legally. Hawaii has a strict policy on bearded dragons, considered an invasive species that could disrupt the delicate Hawaiian ecosystem. Bringing a bearded dragon into Hawaii is also illegal, as doing so could introduce a foreign species and further disrupt the environment.

#4) Bearded dragons are very social.

Bearded dragons enjoy spending time with their human friends. Bearded dragons have a special relationship with their owners once a bond and trust are established. They enjoy being handled and often participate in activities outside of the tank. They are often affectionate and will often nuzzle into the hands of the person who cares for them. Many people have their bearded dragons sleeping in bed with them.

#5) Bearded dragons are capable of swimming.

While bearded dragons may not have many opportunities to swim in the wild, they can swim. Bearded dragons breathe deeply before entering the water. This gives them improved buoyancy and enough oxygen to use whilst swimming underwater, and then they use their limbs to paddle through the water. When adult bearded dragons swim underwater, they can hold their breath for between 10 and 15 minutes.