Why Do Bearded Dragons Watch TV?

Sounding like bearded dragons are big fans of TV shows? Well, they’re not. With that kind of brain mechanism, they can’t understand any of the content being displayed on a television screen. But then why do some bearded dragons watch TV?

Bearded dragons can watch TV due to visual stimulation and curiosity. But it’s not suggested to let them be in front of that box for too long. Plus, any loud sound coming out of the TV can startle them or stress them out.

But are there any other reasons that make a beardie go in front of that colored screen? And why these lizards shouldn’t be watching TV for too long? Well, it’s time to find out those answers.

The Probable Reasons For Your Bearded Dragon Watching TV

Yes, it’s true that beardies are not as intelligent as cats and dogs who can connect to a TV show or music. But still, these reptiles are seen watching TV  at times. Keeping in mind out reptile brain works, we can say there are certain reasons that might make a beardie watch TV. The first one on our list is –

1. Visual Stimulation

Indeed, bearded dragons got a well-developed vision. So, detecting movement and changes in light is a piece of cake for them. Guess what? These two things happen a lot when you’re watching TV.

Clearly, when beardies see images on the screen, the contrast and movement grab their attention in the first place. They find this kind of visual stimulation intriguing, especially the ones with vibrant colors and fast-paced action.

2. Curiosity

Most of the reptiles are curious by nature, and bearded dragons are nothing different. So, whenever they see any noticeable changes, they feel like going out to explore and investigate the surrounding.

That’s the same thing they usually do with TVs. When you’re turning it on, its flickering lights and sounds pique their interest. The next thing they do is start to observe and try to understand what’s going on.

3. Recognition Of Prey

Being an opportunistic eater is nothing new about bearded dragons, thanks to their instincts that drive them to search for potential food sources all the time. So, when they see any movement of insects or animals on TV, they can’t help triggering their predatory response.

That’s why they keep looking at the screen with total attention, as if they’re looking for their next prey. But happening this kind of thing depends on the kind of content you’re running on the TV.

4. Environmental Enrichment

No matter which reptile you’re keeping captive, it’s important to ensure environmental enrichment for the lizard’s well-being. When you’re letting your beardie have its time in front of the TV, it gets introduced to new sounds, sights, and experiences in its environment.

Not only will this take down the boredom, but will also stimulate its mind. By the way, don’t think of it as a reason why your beaded dragon watches TV. Let’s call it more of a reason why you should let your beardie watch TV.

Is It Good To Let Bearded Dragon Watch TV?

Well, there’s no major drawback of watching TV has been proven yet. So, you can count on it to provide some entertainment value for the lizard. But we’d say it’ll be better if you don’t rely on this kind of stimulation too much. That’s because it can’t imitate mental stimulation in the same way as exploring the surrounding.

Plus, just like there’s no major drawback of watching TV, there’s no proven benefit of it as well. All it can do is provide some temporary entertainment value. So, rather than sticking to the screen most of the time, you better let the beardie explore its enclosure, climbing structures, and other physical activities, as these can trigger mental engagement better.

4 Tips To Follow While Showing TV To A Bearded Dragon

Letting your lizard be in front of that box can surely ease up a few things. But for that, you need to follow a few tips, especially when you really don’t want it to turn into a harmful move. Let’s start with

Tip 1: Keep The Volume Low

Bearded dragons literally hate loud sounds. It scares the hell out of them. So, if you’re turning on that box, make sure the sound is at a low level. Keep it at least low enough that your lizard won’t freak out.

Tip 2: Maintain The Right Distance

The distance of the TV should be at least 3 feet from the reptile’s enclosure. Not only this way can you prevent it from getting scared of the sound, but also can save them from any kind of eye damage. After all, those bright lights won’t always go soft on the sensitive eyes of the lizard, especially when you’re letting them watch for a long time.

Tip 3: Choose The Right Program

Make sure you’re running programs that are filled with activities. You can try programs like nature documentaries and cartoons. But when you’re running nature documentaries, it’ll be better if you can skip programs that showcase predatory figures. This way, you might get the beardie startled or stressed.

And don’t think about playing anything boring as news or static programs, as they won’t be able to catch much of the attention of the beardie.

Tip 4: Keep It Short

You better keep the sessions short. But how short? Well, we don’t think letting them be in front of the TV for more than 15 minutes will be a good idea. Otherwise, the beardie might get overstimulated. So, give it a break after 15 minutes.

Do Bearded Dragons Like Music?

Do you know what mostly comes for free with a TV program? Exactly, music. But do bearded dragons even like music? Well, clearly, their appreciation level towards music won’t be the same as humans. We don’t blame them for that though, as they’ve got no external ears, and neither their hearing ability is as good as ours.

Hold on a second! That doesn’t mean they can’t perceive some sounds, even with their limited hearing range. But it’s mostly the visuals that they rely on when it comes to exploring or navigating the surroundings. 

And when it comes to sounds, they’re comparatively responsive to low-frequency sounds and rhythmic vibrations. After all, beardies can feel them through their bodies. So, music with a deep base and drumbeat might be able to draw their attention and make them curious. 

But if you’re asking about music with sudden or loud noises, it’s going to do nothing but make the lizard startled and stressed. So, if you really want to do any experiment with music while involving your bearded dragon, go with something that is soothing and gentle on the tunes. And don’t forget to keep the volume low.

Overall, bearded dragons got no specific preference for music. All they can do is keep up with sounds that they don’t find interrupting their peaceful environment or stressing them out in the first place.

How To Tell If A Bearded Dragon Is Okay With The Music You’re Playing?

As we said before, bearded dragons got no taste in music. But how to know if they’re okay with the music you’re playing? Well, there are certain signs that can speak on behalf of that, such as

1. Propped Up Elbows

If a bearded dragon is okay with the song you’re playing, you’ll be seeing it propped up on its elbows. You’ll also notice its head has tilted back while doing so. Another sign that you can look for to be sure is if it’s keeping its eyes closed without making much of a move.

2. Swaying

This can be a rare scenario, but you might see the lizard swaying to the music as if it’s rocking side to side. A view like that might seem so unreal that you probably will think the lizard actually likes it.

3. Getting Closer

Don’t be surprised if you see your dragon getting closer to the source of the music or start drooling. They might do that when they’re kind of a liking the rhythm. Plus, there’s a chance of you seeing them more active than before while the music is being played.

How To Know That A Bearded Dragon Hating The Music?

There’s nothing much to be surprised about if a bearded dragon hates music. After all, they’ve never been a fan of loud sounds. So, how will you find out your beardie hates what you’re playing? Well, the first thing you’ll see them doing in such a case is –

1. Hissing

This is how beardies usually express their aggression. But this is also the same way how they’ll say that they hate a piece of music. Loud music mostly startles them and pushes their aggressive behavior out.

2. Puffed Up Beard

They might showcase their dislike for the music through their puffed-up beard. This gives the lizard a scarier and bigger look. You can also call it their dominant or aggressive face.

3. Open Mouth

When beardies hate the unwanted source of the sound, they might open up their mouth in order to scare off the noise maker. You’ll also see them tilting their head back.

Before We Go…

Bearded dragons might not be big fans of watching TV or listening to music. But they surely do like eating, especially fruits, as a treat. Now the question is, which fruit should you let them have in the first place? Well, our blog on “What Fruits Can Bearded Dragons Eat?” will surely be helpful on that part. Give it a click and check it out for yourself.