Mouth gaping while eating. Is that ok?

[Toadleagend]

Hello, my bearded dragon was eating. And then, when she finishes grabbing the food. She goes to the middle of her tank. Her beard most of the time is large as well as her neck as she eats the food that she just grabbed. She does this a lot. Today, while she was doing it she also gaped. Not the whole time. For a short time. Does anyone know if it is ok she did this? Or why she would do this? She went down to eat after she was sitting on the basking for a while.

 

[ChileanTaco]

If i understand this correctly, she was gaping under the basking lamp after having eaten? This is totally normal, as with gasping they adjust their body temperature - e.g. to heat up more quickly under the lamp -, and they need a higher temperature for digesting their food.
Or during eating? If this is not happening very often, I would not worry. I bet it also happens for them, just like for us humans, that sometimes some food gets stuck at the side of their mouth. We just have learnt that opening the mouth for getting it off is not socially appropriate, and fumble it out with our tongue while keeping the mouth closed.
Maybe you could try, in case you think that's an issue, with a bit smaller food items, but usually they chew their food well.

 

[Toadleagend]

If i understand this correctly, she was gaping under the basking lamp after having eaten? This is totally normal, as with gasping they adjust their body temperature - e.g. to heat up more quickly under the lamp -, and they need a higher temperature for digesting their food.
Or during eating? If this is not happening very often, I would not worry. I bet it also happens for them, just like for us humans, that sometimes some food gets stuck at the side of their mouth. We just have learnt that opening the mouth for getting it off is not socially appropriate, and fumble it out with our tongue while keeping the mouth closed.
Maybe you could try, in case you think that's an issue, with a bit smaller food items, but usually they chew their food well.

Ok, thank you very much!!! She was not under the basking. She was in the middle of her tank. It was sorta during eating. Like she stopped grabbing food. But, there was still food in her mouth. She likes to grab her food, And go to the middle of her tank, with her beard enlarged and full of greens. Then, eat the greens inside her mouth. That is when she did it. I only saw it once so far. I’ll make sure the food is small enough. I have seen her lick the side of her mouth before. I didn’t see her tongue this time though. Again, thank you very much!!!