Reptile & Amphibian Forums

He looks like he's swallowing (with his mouth closed) or pushing his beard in and out really fast. Is this related to shedding, stress, or is this respiratory related?

Mine do that too. It always worries me but, they appear healthy. Will be glad to see what others have to say.

Mine do that from time to time as well. I think it is related to stretching. I, of course, am NOT the authority on the issue, but I am pretty sure they are "stretching" their beards when they do that. Usually, symptoms of a respitory illness will be evident in a gaping mouth (not to be confused with the gaping dragon's do when they bask, that is heat release) and wheezing or other breathing distress and lethargy. I don't think this is anything to worry about, but I too am curious to hear what some of the other people here on the board may say.

We have three of our 25 that do this, they would seem to do this when we talked to them or they were paying attention to us as babies, as they got old, they started to make sounds doing it.... the first on I rushed off to the vet in a panic, but she's been doing it for 3 years now, so obviously nothing wrong there. The other two are younger at one year and 1.5 years.

The older one actually makes a loud barking/grunting sound, does it a dozen to 30 times in a row and the others make small grunts about 3-6 times.

We are pretty sure they are trying to communicate with us, as the older one when in the pool with the other girls and one starts to get out will start grunting like mad til we get the dragon off the side and put her back. Their pool is near the iguana enclosure and once we let one go up the side to see what the older one would do. She was grunting til it started sounding like a dog barking and when we did not respond she started splashing us with her tail to get our attention.

I will try to get it on tape next time they are out and put it online.

>>We have three of our 25 that do this, they would seem to do this when we talked to them or they were paying attention to us as babies, as they got old, they started to make sounds doing it.... the first on I rushed off to the vet in a panic, but she's been doing it for 3 years now, so obviously nothing wrong there. The other two are younger at one year and 1.5 years.
>>
>>The older one actually makes a loud barking/grunting sound, does it a dozen to 30 times in a row and the others make small grunts about 3-6 times.
>>
>>We are pretty sure they are trying to communicate with us, as the older one when in the pool with the other girls and one starts to get out will start grunting like mad til we get the dragon off the side and put her back. Their pool is near the iguana enclosure and once we let one go up the side to see what the older one would do. She was grunting til it started sounding like a dog barking and when we did not respond she started splashing us with her tail to get our attention.
>>
>>I will try to get it on tape next time they are out and put it online.
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Rob

woh...that's really cool, i never thought they could do that. I hope he keeps it up. He did that within the first hour i put him in the enclosure, maybe he was trying to call for the other guys. I feel bad for him, well hopefully he get comfortable with me and we can bark and grunt at eachother.

grunting and calling to their mothers when they hatch and also tell her they are in damage when out of her site. Maybe they are making a sound so low when young we can not hear it... our all developed the sounds long after making the movements with the lower throat. We think they are trapping air their and using it to make the sounds.

>>grunting and calling to their mothers when they hatch and also tell her they are in damage when out of her site. Maybe they are making a sound so low when young we can not hear it... our all developed the sounds long after making the movements with the lower throat. We think they are trapping air their and using it to make the sounds.

with air making a movement similar to what I have read in this post. Is that something entirely different? Sometimes I think they're going to pop!! I'm betting it's to increase surface area to absorb more light heat and also maybe to look bigger against a predator but again is this something entirely different than what you're talking about?

You know how to make yourself burp by forcing air into your stomach? That's what I'm talking about.
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Rob

further and learned to may a grunt type sound. Sandy was out first dragon to do it and she learned it got attention as we would respond to it and talk to her or pick her up, she is a real attention hog.

Now she does it when we talk to her or she thinks the others are being bad and two if the other girls are also now making a weaker sound that she does. Thats just made me realize, none of the males do it.... hrmmmmmmm