Why do beardies always try to look at the sun?

[xp29]

Every time i take any of my beardies outside he/she will try to stare straight at the sun . Every one of them do it, what in the world. I either have to sit to where their heads are in the shade(which leaves me chasing the sun with the patio chair) or cover their heads with my hat (which leaves ME looking into the sun lol). I don't get it.

 

[Axil]

Every time i take any of my beardies outside he/she will try to stare straight at the sun . Every one of them do it, what in the world. I either have to sit to where their heads are in the shade(which leaves me chasing the sun with the patio chair) or cover their heads with my hat (which leaves ME looking into the sun lol). I don't get it.

Beebz hasn't been outside yet, but I do notice him staring directly into his basking lamp or uvb coil often. I also feared the goofball will toast his retinas.

Maybe it doesn't bother them? For all I know thier eyes are more resilient than ours. Still wouldn't think it's an advantageous behavior though.

 

[xp29]

Yeah I'm baffled, the only thing i can think of is that maybe they expect birds to try to use the sun to hide them during an attack. I've had 7 total and every one of them does/did it.

 

[FiretheBeardie]

Fire does that too! I have know idea why though

 

[xp29]

Strang little critters they are lol

 

[FiretheBeardie]

He used to do it more when he was little, but not as much anymore.

 

[xp29]

Mine are all adult/near adult, and still do it.
I did find something that Sinatra will fixate on more though...... i have a stuffed bobcat in my 2nd living room and man he HATTTEESS it lol. (For the record i didn't kill it, it was given to us)

 

[NickAVD]

Every time i take any of my beardies outside he/she will try to stare straight at the sun . Every one of them do it, what in the world. I either have to sit to where their heads are in the shade(which leaves me chasing the sun with the patio chair) or cover their heads with my hat (which leaves ME looking into the sun lol). I don't get it.

I have a theory about this.
Once, I found a research article about perception of the UV-B for bearded dragons.
This article described the research on the extent to which UV penetrated the skin of dragons to produce vitamin D3. Measurements were taken of the degree of UV filtering on the back of the dragon and on the chin and stomach.
So, the top hard layer of the back allows only 3-6% of UV radiation to pass through (protecting them from the strong Australian sun), while the skin on the chin and stomach allows 15-16% of UV radiation to pass through, allowing them to consume UV in the shade.
I think that our dragons turn towards the sun to absorb more UV in their beards, but these are my guesses. But I think it looks like true.

 

[Rocky2022]

Yeah I'm baffled, the only thing i can think of is that maybe they expect birds to try to use the sun to hide them during an attack. I've had 7 total and every one of them does/did it.

This is what I always thought.
Proud to know Rocky does SOMETHING like the other beardies.
#hemaybenormalafterall

 

[Rocky2022]

Beebz hasn't been outside yet, but I do notice him staring directly into his basking lamp or uvb coil often. I also feared the goofball will toast his retinas.

Maybe it doesn't bother them? For all I know thier eyes are more resilient than ours. Still wouldn't think it's an advantageous behavior though.

Rocky does this when I forget to turn it on! Or when the temperature was off. Smart beardie!
I have changed the bulb and forgot to switch it on as we headed out or something (this was last year) or turned the basking bulb down and it was 5 degrees off, Rocky looked at the bulb like UMMMMMMMMMMMMm

 

[Rocky2022]

Every time i take any of my beardies outside he/she will try to stare straight at the sun . Every one of them do it, what in the world. I either have to sit to where their heads are in the shade(which leaves me chasing the sun with the patio chair) or cover their heads with my hat (which leaves ME looking into the sun lol). I don't get it.

the things we do for our beardies
I've sweated it outfor Rocky a time or two

 

[xp29]

They sure do train us Hoomans well lol

 

[Groggyfroggie]

Yeah I noticed this too! Whenever Draco's near a window or outside he tilts one side of his head up and uses one of his eyes to stare directly at the sun. It's fun watching him do that and trying to understand what's going thru his little brain hehe

 

[xp29]

I keep thinking they are gonna go blind, but it doesn't seem to bother them. Such weird little things lol.

 

[Rocky2022]

I took Rocky by a new window and he searched for the sun. He cocked his head up and was all about it!! There's no tricking him!