desotojoe Posted April 11, 2012 Report Share Posted April 11, 2012 My beardy slept under his heat lamp last night and looks darker this morning. The light is far enough away that he can't get burnt but us this normal? Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squirt Posted April 11, 2012 Report Share Posted April 11, 2012 Hi, I beleive Bearded Dragons change colour also depending on their mood or if they are stressed. I'm no expert but it may be just that. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desotojoe Posted April 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 11, 2012 I can see a colour difference where he slept with his Heath under his log n tail under another plant so I think it must have something to do with light? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted April 11, 2012 Report Share Posted April 11, 2012 The black beard is to do with mood or sending a body language message to another beardie like head bobbing or arm waving. The dark colour of the body is to do with heat. Dark colours absorb more heat and when warm enough their "normal" colour will return. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ally07 Posted April 11, 2012 Report Share Posted April 11, 2012 I always thought that beardies had the basic instinct to move away when it's too hot. At least, I know mine does lol. He basks under the heat lamp for about 95% of the day but when the light goes out, he instinctively knows to seek shelter on the cool side of the tank to go to sleep. I still leave the heat lamp on a timer during the night so that the temperature doesn't drop too low for him (just in case), but he's never slept directly under the heat lamp - I always figured that he knew he would overheat and burn so he slept in a shaded spot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henward Posted April 12, 2012 Report Share Posted April 12, 2012 yeah, a lot of reptiles change colour. mostly darker or lighter, this helps with thermoregulation as well as signal other animals. beardies will not nly get darker to absorb more heat and visa versa. they also have the ability to flatten their body to absorb more light and heat from the bottom, a rock or warm surface. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karltoday Posted April 12, 2012 Report Share Posted April 12, 2012 I have one bearded dragon that will be bright banana yellow one day, almost black on other days and also grey ( i have taken photos the contrast is amazing ) double check temp under basking bulb, even put your hand on rock and see how hot it is. And remember wether your dragon is inside or outside they will need shelter from the sun or a cool place in the tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desotojoe Posted April 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2012 Ok so upon further studding of my beardie its not a "tan" I think he was just trying absorb more heat. Thanks everyone Im a newbie to dragons and just wanted to check. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Varanophile Posted April 13, 2012 Report Share Posted April 13, 2012 yeah, a lot of reptiles change colour. mostly darker or lighter, this helps with thermoregulation as well as signal other animals. beardies will not nly get darker to absorb more heat and visa versa. they also have the ability to flatten their body to absorb more light and heat from the bottom, a rock or warm surface. Henward is right. Also, warm areas of skin result in the capillaries having a higher blood flow, which make your dragon appear a brighter colour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingart Posted April 14, 2012 Report Share Posted April 14, 2012 Amphibians’ and reptiles’ skin contains three kinds of highly branched colour cells called chromatophores. The chromatophores occur in three discrete layers. The top layer is generally made of xanthophores bearing yellow pigments; the middle layer includes iridophores; and the bottom layer has melanophores with black or brown melanin. In the typical example, light penetrates to the iridophores, which act like tiny mirrors to reflect and scatter mostly blue light back into the xanthopores above them. The xanthopores contain yellow pigments, and act as yellow filters so the light escaping to the skin surface appears green to our eyes. If a animal lacks the yellow xanthophores, blue light scatters back and it appears bright blue. Iridophores do not synthesize pigments, but reflect and refract colour. They contain platelets that produce a scattering effect. The real advantage to these stacks of pigment cells lies in their potential to create colour changes. The animal can darken its colour by moving the melanin pigment. By manipulating the three types of cells, a wide range of colours can be produced, usually extending from bright green to shades of brown and grey. Generally xanthophores contain pteridines (synthesized) and are yellow, but they can produce red pigments. Sometimes the top layer may contain erythrophores as well as xanthophores. Erythrophores contain carotenoids (absorbed through diet) which produce intermediate colours like orange, reddish-orange, and yellowish-orange. The distinction is not always made, as sometimes pteridine and carotenoids are found in the same cell. Amphibians skin is more complex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henward Posted April 16, 2012 Report Share Posted April 16, 2012 evolution is awesome. I saw a documentary on a lizard, not sure where. but its face is designed to literally divert nd fully water into its mouth! so when it rains, or even morning dew or a drizzle. The lizards face will literally funnel and direct water directly into the animals mouth. thats awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Varanophile Posted April 17, 2012 Report Share Posted April 17, 2012 evolution is awesome. I saw a documentary on a lizard, not sure where. but its face is designed to literally divert nd fully water into its mouth! so when it rains, or even morning dew or a drizzle. The lizards face will literally funnel and direct water directly into the animals mouth. thats awesome! thorny devil. only eats a certain genus of ant. we have this genus of ant in nz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted April 17, 2012 Report Share Posted April 17, 2012 I wouldn't want to breed enough ants to feed one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henward Posted April 17, 2012 Report Share Posted April 17, 2012 just feed it massivore! :slfg: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desotojoe Posted April 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 29, 2012 Ok so it turned out he was just getting ready to shed his skin. Ha ha :slfg: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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