If you are a herpetologist or reptile enthusiast, you have likely heard that lizards are capable of dropping off and growing back their tails. But you might wonder whether this happens to all lizards, including bearded dragons. Can bearded dragons regrow their tails once it has fallen off?

The truth is that unlike other lizard species like leopard geckos, bearded dragons can’t grow their tails broken. Therefore, once your beardie loses its tail at any growth stage, it will never grow back.

Please keep reading to understand why bearded dragons don’t grow back their tail, the functions, and the implication of a lizard losing its tail.

Will Bearded Dragons Drop and Regrow Tails?

There’s a common misconception that lizards can drop off their tails to distract predators when they are being pursued. While it’s true that some lizard species can break off their tails to escape predation, bearded dragons are not included in this category.

The process of dropping and regrowing tails is called caudal autonomy and regeneration. When predators threaten lizard species such as iguanas, geckos, and skinks, the perceived threat and stress trigger a response in the latter’s brain, which in this case is detaching off their tails.

When the tail breaks free from the body, it wriggles continuously, creating a distraction that allows the lizard to scamper to safety.

Unfortunately, bearded dragons are not adapted to distracting predators by breaking off their tails. They will neither break off nor regrow back their tails when in danger. Beardies rely on their tails for various functions and thus can’t afford to lose them.

How Do Beardies Lose Their Tail?

Since beardies don’t break off their tails when in danger, how do they lose tails? Because bearded dragon tails are fragile and lengthy, they are highly prone to injuries. Tail loss can occur because of various reasons:

Bites From Other Beardies

If you keep multiple bearded dragons in the same enclosure, they will likely engage in superiority and territorial battles. These fights might result in one of the lizards having its tail bitten off.

Bites From Other Household Pets

Bearded dragons might seem okay mingling with other household pets such as cats and dogs. However, since they are wild animals, a slight misunderstanding can lead to your scaly friend having its tail bitten.

Fracture

Beardies’ tails don’t have bones and hence are prone to fractures. When beardies fall from a high position in their enclosures or outside, they can sustain injuries that lead to tail injuries.

Tail Rot

One of the common causes of tail loss in beardies is tail rot. This is a severe condition that causes the tissues in the bearded dragon’s tail to become necrotic.

Tissues may die from trauma from the beardie’s tail being crushed, nipped, or stood on. The affected part turns black, and mostly the last solution recommended by a vet is amputation.

Shedding Problems

Problematic shedding can also cause a beardie to lose its tail. Sometimes beardies don’t shed properly, and the stuck skin restricts blood flow to a part of the tail, causing it to rot away.

When your bearded dragon experiences any problem discussed in this piece, it might lose its tails. The worst part is that the tail will not grow back once lost.

Why Should You Be Concerned If Your Bearded Dragon Loses a Tail?

Unlike other lizard species that can drop and regrow their tails, bearded dragons don’t have the luxury of breaking off their tails. Actually, tails perform a set of critical functions. These include:

Communication

The tail is an essential element when it comes to bearded dragon communication. These lizards use it to show other beardies how they feel. This helps them avoid unnecessary conflicts. Lizards can also use the tail to send mating signals.

Maintain Balance

A bearded dragon tail helps them maintain balance when climbing, walking, or doing everyday things. Without a tail, it’ll be challenging for beardies to stabilize their body and have perfect body balance.

Security and Safety

Beardies raise it to appear bigger and scare away predators and other dragons. Without the tail, beardies will look smaller and less intimidating.

This will mean that they’ll keep being bullied by other lizards and might be an easy target for predators. Some beardies whip their tails to scare off aggressors.

Because of these reasons, you can understand why beardies won’t just drop off their tails when in danger.

Will My Baby Beardie Regrow Its Tail as It Matures?

Your beardie will not regrow its tail whether it lost it as a baby, juvenile or adult. However, if your beardie lost the tail as a baby, you might notice that it has become bigger as it matures.

While it’s vividly clear that your bearded dragon won’t regrow its tail, it doesn’t mean the remaining part will be stunted.

The tail won’t regrow, but as your beardie grows throughout its life, all its body parts will continue to increase in size, even the remaining tail. Therefore, it won’t be surprising if you discover that a beardie that lost its tail as a baby has added a few centimeters to its tail as an adult.

Will My Bearded Drago Survive Without a Tail?

Although your beardie will have various difficulties from now on, they’ll be alright if adequately catered for after the tail loss. It might look odd and have challenges climbing, but if you nurse it properly and provide proper living conditions, it will live a long and fulfilling life.

Bearded dragon owners should eliminate tall branches and rocks too high since the beardies won’t have stability and balance. More importantly, keep the enclosure clean and provide your scaly friend with a balanced diet. 

Final Verdict

Bearded dragons can’t and will never grow back their tail once broken. And unlike leopard geckos and iguanas, beardies won’t drop their tail whenever their face a predator. Tails are vitally essential for beardies as they act as social signals, a defense arsenal, and helps them maintain stability and balance.

However, if your beardie loses its tail, this is not the end of the road. If you provide excellent care, they will live happily without a tail. However, visit a professional reptile vet when they sustain a tail injury.