How to Cure a Bearded Dragon Eye Infection
It is important to regularly check your bearded dragon for problems and inconsistencies, one of these things to check is that it is not suffering from an eye infection.
Signs of an Eye Infection
Knowing if your bearded dragon has an eye infection can be difficult unless you know the signs. There are two main indicators to be aware of.
Firstly, if there is a liquid discharge around the eye that isn’t normally there, then this can be an indicator that the eye is trying to flush out whatever has caused the irritation/infection.
Secondly, if your beardie’s eye remains shut this can be an indicator that it is in pain. Usually, this can occur if there are particles in the eye which are causing it to become irritated.
Or it may be that the eye has become fused through the drying of the liquid discharge.
Note: If you notice any of these signs, your first line of treatment should definitely be your vet.
Causes
1. Substrate Problems
Certain substrates present a higher risk of your bearded dragon getting an eye infection.
If you are using a loose particle substrate and your beardie is not opening their eyes, it could be because a piece of the substrate scratched the corner of the socket.
It is a sad fact that some individual beardies may be more susceptible to this than others.
If your beardie is regularly suffering from this you may want to move away from a particle substrate to a non-particle substrate.
You can find some of the best and safest substrates for bearded dragons right here.
2. Vitamin A Deficiency
Vitamin A has three key roles within a bearded dragon:
- Maintain Healthy Vision
- Immune System
- Healthy Skin
Bearded dragons will naturally consume Vitamin A from the food that it eats, however, if your beardie does not consume enough Vitamin A, then the risk of eye infection can increase.
Equally though, too much Vitamin A can cause bone disorders, so a balance must be found. It is incredibly difficult to overdose on Vitamin A from plant sources alone.
Note: Never provide your bearded dragon with Vitamin A supplements, doing so will cause Vitamin A Toxicity
3. Poor Hygiene
Improper and irregular hygiene will allow the build-up of bacteria and disease within the habitat of your bearded dragon.
Ensure you regularly remove waste from within the tank and take out any dead crickets or remanence of shed skin.
These are all places that bacteria can grow and then, all it takes is a small scratch in the eye region and infection is likely to occur.
Remember that just like humans, beardies need a chance to wash their entire bodies, which includes the eyes so providing regular baths for your beardie is important.
You can find out some tips on how to bath a bearded dragon here.
4. Dehydration
When a beardie becomes dehydrated, a beardie’s body looks to preserve fluids wherever it can. The eye is lubricated by fluids which, when dehydrated, are not replaced.
This leads to the eyes becoming very dry and sore which can often cause minor scratches where particles are not flushed out.
This provides a place for harmful bacteria to creep in and cause an infection.
If your beardie is showing the signs of dehydration, then use a syringe, filled with water, to add droplets into your pet’s mouth.
Note: By rehydrating, you can notice an improvement in the condition within just a few days.
You can find out more about how to cure dehydration here.
Cures
1. Provide a Hygienic Tank
If your bearded dragon has an eye infection then the first thing you need to do is remove any present risk of bacteria within the tank.
This means giving it a good clean to do this you are going to want a few tank cleaning products, here are two ‘must-have’ items to take on this task.
Use Tank Scrubbing Wipes
These scrubbing wipes can be used whilst your beardie is showing signs of an eye infection. They are specially designed to also remove any bad odors.
Even once the eye infection has been cured, it is a good idea to use these as part of your normal routine.
Use a ‘Beardie-Safe’ Tank Cleaner
When performing a deep clean of your beardie’s terrarium, you are going to want to wipe down anything which has been in contact with your beardie.
This will include:
- Water Dish
- The Tank
- Hide/Shelter
- Tank Decor
You can not just use a standard cleaning product though.
Standard cleaning products contain certain chemicals that can be harmful for beardies. Instead, look to use a beardie safe tank cleaner such as Zoo Med’s Wipe Out.
2. Switch to a Non-Particle Substrate
There are positives and negatives when it comes to using a particle substrate within your beardie’s enclosure.
If your bearded dragon is prone to eye problems or is currently fighting off an eye infection, then it would be wise to switch out the particle substrate for a non-particle one.
This terrarium liner by Zilla is a good choice if your beardie has an eye infection. It is easy to clean and has no particles which can get lodged into your beardie’s eyes.
Note: This does not have to be a permanent solution but it is advisable whilst your bearded dragon is suffering from an eye infection.
3. Provide Regular Baths
Now that your beardie’s habitat is all clean, you are going to want to make sure that your beardie is clean too. One key thing to note however is that not all tap water is safe for bearded dragons.
Whilst safe to humans, there are some substances in tap water that are potentially dangerous for bearded dragons.
It is recommended to dechlorinate the water with a trusted reptile safe product before use.
Reptisafe Water Conditioner will remove the harmful properties within the water whilst also adding electrolytes and ions. These will assist with your beardie’s hydration.
4. Natural Increase in Vitamin A
As previously mentioned, Vitamin A is important for a bearded dragon, however too much can also prove harmful to your beardie’s bones.
Due to this, you should avoid any supplements which offer additional Vitamin A. Instead, provide a natural source of Beta-Carotene as this can be converted into Vitamin A as and when your beardie requires.
Natural food types which contain Beta-Carotene include:
- Dark Leafy Greens
- Bell Peppers
- Butternut Squash
Note: Whilst carrots are a source of Vitamin A, they also contain oxalate, a compound that is responsible for depleting calcium stores.
So just offer carrots in small moderations and primarily as a treat.
Summary
Overall, a bearded dragon’s eye infection can range from routine to serious. There are a variety of preventative measures that you can take to avoid the problem.
There are also some home-based cures that will help treat your bearded dragon eye infection.
Watch for signs such as
- Eye Discharge
- Crusty Eyes
- Black Specks Around the Eye
As with all health issues which arise, the first port of call should always be your vet.
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I was just 15 years of age when I first met a bearded dragon. It was at my friend's house and I instantly grew an immediate attraction to, what has now become, my favourite animal on the planet! Making fantastic pets for both children and adults alike, they each have their own personality and are certainly full of character. There are, though, some important things that we should all know when it comes to caring for these amazing animals!