# Do Bearded Dragons,stop breathing when asleep?



## soundfix (Aug 5, 2010)

*Ive observed my bearded dragon, just drifting off to sleep, and afterwards ive been checking and it seems like he is holding his breath.Of a night time he seems to go yellow around his face and eyes.(Blood suply?) No sign of lung distentment at all.Can anyone tell me, the respiratry workingsa when asleep?-Im sure they breathe, i just can never seem to catch him.*
* I have another question about his skin, i will post a pic and the quwstion in a different paragragh. Appreciate anything on Bearded Dragons.Thanks*


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## GeckoJosh (Aug 5, 2010)

I think they slow right down, I have had them sleep in their water bowl before with their head below the water line, they seemed to love it, I stopped leaving the water in over night after that though


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## soundfix (Aug 5, 2010)

Geckoman said:


> I think they slow right down, I have had them sleep in their water bowl before with their head below the water line, they seemed to love it, I stopped leaving the water in over night after that though


 
yer, my little water Dragon does thatwith just the tip of his nose out.He has stayed under all night, his head was on the bottom one morn, but he was ok, just spa-ing early morn.!


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## Lollypop (Aug 6, 2010)

They do slow right down when asleep, to the point you'd think they were dead sometimes lol.
If u observe just behind & at the bottom of the front legs, u can just make out the occassional expansion of the lungs.
Re the yellow on his head when asleep, if ever u disturb a beardie that's brumating deeply, they're usually fully coloured, so do they have no need to blend in to the surroundings when they're asleep as not worried about predators?
I read your other post re the brown spots - mine get those, & have always imagined it's a natural reaction to the (sun especially), be it a dryness or pigment change or what? If you're worried about parasites, soak him in tepid water for at least 30mins with just his head out, that way u should be able to either drown anything on him or they'll migrate to his head so u can see them - but it certainly doesn't look like parasites.
Don't know if that helps?


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## dadaman (Aug 8, 2010)

If they stop breathing, this is a good sign that they are dead.


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## soundfix (Aug 8, 2010)

Not if they start again, before their oxygen levels get toooo low- ive observed my little Water dragon, letting go of a big bibble and submerging himself fully for up to 8 hours.Obviosly no air no live. But they do stop breathing from time to time.


dadaman said:


> If they stop breathing, this is a good sign that they are dead.


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## Wally (Aug 8, 2010)

dadaman said:


> If they stop breathing, this is a good sign that they are dead.



In humans it is possible to stop breathing but still have a pulse. Not sure about our reptilian cousins though.


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## Helikaon (Aug 8, 2010)

their metabolism slow down and so does their heart rate so they dont need to breath often.


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## dadaman (Aug 11, 2010)

I'll rephrase:

If they stop breathing for a few days, this is a good sign that they are dead.


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