Your bearded dragon’s belly can reveal a few things about this pet, such as being stressed, gravid, afraid, and so on.
For instance:
- Dark markings or spots (stress marks) – These spots appear on their belly and chin when they are very stressed out. Ensure you find out why bearded dragon stressed.
- Belly flattening – When afraid or in grave danger, these pets will flatten their stomach on the ground, display their beard, and open their jaws to make them look bigger. However, belly-flattening can also happen when basking to increase surface area for heat absorption, especially if you have low vivarium temperature.
- Bigger with bumps and lumps – This is an indication that your pet is gravid (carrying eggs or pregnant) if present towards the hind legs. However, don’t confuse this with impaction or constipation that will have a solid mass.
- Swollen – it could be due to impaction, stomach tumors, bloating, among other problems.
Finally, when ill and unable to move or raise its body from the ground, your bearded dragon may lay its stomach on the ground.