Do you think bearded dragons can sense death?

[JawsTheSheDragon]

Like, the same way a cat or dog can sense when a human is dying (even before the human knows he/she is dying).


I've been wondering about this for a little while



What's your opinion?


~Thanks!

 

[PintoBeanDragon1000]

That is a very good question. In my opinion, I do not think they can. I think dogs and cats are more connected to human guardians compared to bearded dragons. I don't think they love their guardians per-say. Dogs and cats on the other hand it has been proven that they feel love that they can love their guardians and other people. Even after being horribly abused. They observe and know the people in their life. I think when someone is dying, their sent changes. I am not an expert on a subject but I know that's how it works with diabetics. Bearded dragons, it has been proven that the part of the brain relating to emotion is very underdeveloped. I think they can feel, I think they can feel sadness, anger, excitement I just think love is to complicated an emotion. I think that is why dogs and cats can sense death. They love and they love unconditionally. Bearded dragons I think recognize their guardians and they... I don't really know how to say this, they recognize the human as something that does not posse a threat so they become comfortable with humans. Some people may translate this as love but I honestly don't think they "love".
So to sum up what I am trying to say. No I do not think bearded dragons can sense death like dogs and cats. My reason is, I believe that the sensing of death when it comes to dogs and cats is they love their guardian. They are observant and they know their guardian. I believe the sent of a healthy person changes when they become ill or start to dye. I do not think bearded dragons can love. I think they can feel but I think love is to complicated of an emotion.
Don't get me wrong I LOVE my bearded dragons with my whole heart and I would like to think they "love" me but I don't think they do. They are animals who are controlled by instinct. You have to tame them for them to be friendly or they revert VERY easily to a wild state from birth if they were not touched they would be mean little suckers. Also they have to be kept in cages or they would run off and who knows where they would end up. They have no ties to their guardians. They wont come when called like a cat or a dog. Yes I know that dogs and cats also run away, but it's not because they have no ties to their guardians it's because they want to roam and be able to explore the world outside their back yards. Not all dogs though. One time we left out gate open, we forgot to shut it and Alex left Joey and Sally didn't. Sally sat on the deck and Joey say at the gate just inside the yard. He has been a stray that lived out on the street. Maybe he knows how hard it was for him, Alex was taken care of until he was taken to the pound, Sally we don't know much about. Same with out cats. Lucky will leave and Roxy and Kyeri will stay. I don't know what it is. Also most of the time when a indoor/outdoor cat is out, they come back they know where their home is and where their family is. If a bearded dragon got out, they would never ever come back even if they could make it out in the world without their guardian. They would go back to being wild. Dogs and cats are born and they love their humans easily. There is no effort in taming. Socializing to strangers yes but that is only because dogs protect their family and themselves. I know every living creature has instincts even humans but are not controlled by instinct. When a dog is abandon and left to fend for itself it take time for them to become wild and some don't have it in them and they cannot find food and they die. If you have seen rescues of abandon dogs once caught most of them become friendly towards humans after the initial shock of being wrangled is gone. This can take a few hours or a few days or a week. Untamed bearded dragons who are adult it can take MONTHS to tame them, not something that is going to happen in less than a week. So, I hope you kind of understand my point of view. I am in no way saying it is correct I could be wrong but, its not proven that they can and I base my opinion on what I know.
Best wishes,
Angel
Kyeri, Sakari & Ebenezer.

 

[PintoBeanDragon1000]

It might be hard for you to do but you might be able to talk to an animal behaviorist or something they would be able to tell you I would think.

 

[Siren]

I don't know for sure, but I will share something that made me wonder.

I adopted two adult beardies several years ago. I was their 4th known home. They were male and female and had apparently lived together in the same 150 gallon tank for their entire lives. I got the tank with the adoption, so I kept them together. I fed them greens together but superworms separated. For whatever reason, they never ever took any interest in crickets. Both had MBD. The male was severe. His back legs were fully paralyzed. At first his front legs were too and I assisted him and worked with him to help him least regain use of his front legs. It worked and he could climb and drag himself around. The female had MBD too, but not as severe, but it was still pretty bad. She had a better time with it though and had use of all four legs, just still she had some issues. Her tail tip calcified and fell off eventually.

They were estimated to be 10 years old when I got them. That was 4 years ago. Last year the male was near his end. I noticed he was not eating and not basking. Normally they basked all day, rarely going to the cool side. But he was spending his days there. I moved him near the basking area and he went back to the cool area. Then I started noticing something very odd. The female would bask for a while, then go the cool side and lay on top of him. They never stacked. I think with the tank so large, they never had dominance issues. But now she was warming up, laying across him in the cool area, going back to the basking area, and back again to lay on top of him. She had many areas she could have cooled down on, but she chose to lay on him. Maybe it was dominance, but there was also a part of me that wondered if she was trying to warm him up. This went on for the weekend till I arranged euthanasia that week.

She spent two days in the cool area he was laying in and then began to bask again and eat normally. I don't see harm in believing it was possible she was worried for him and mourning him, but my logical side of my brain says it was just natural behavior.

We won't ever know. I do believe abrupt change can make them upset, so that could make it seem they are mourning, when its just, they are use to a certain person and not have them anymore. My daughter's blue tongue skink hates my husband and I. But that likely is because, we never really handle him and she is the one who feeds him. So he associates all the good stuff with her and us as nothing more than strangers.

 

[TheLastBaron]

Siren, that was a beautiful story. Thank you for sharing it.