When it comes to animal eyesight, there is lots of information out there that is either completely false or very misleading. Some people claim that the species requires no light at all to be able to see well.
Do bearded dragons have good eyesight?
With their short, stubbly beards that cover the bottom quarter of their bodies, bearded dragons may not look particularly attractive. But when it comes to sight, they more than makeup for their lack of physical beauty. Bearded dragons have excellent eyesight thanks to their large size and concave-shaped retinae in the back of their eyes.
The concave retina means that the image is enlarged and spread out. This enables them to see in dark spaces, such as burrows. They also have a tapetum lucidum, this is a reflective screen located behind the retina, which reflects light back through it, allowing for night vision.
Although they are diurnal, which means they are up to during day time and sleep at night, bearded dragons will be active at night if you provide artificial lighting for them.
Their eyesight is also believed to be much better than humans. It is believed that their visual acuity (how sharp their vision is) can be up to 10 times clearer than ours, with greater depth perception.
Like all reptiles, bearded dragon eyes are made up of thousands of lenses. A lens bends and focuses light into a cone-shaped image on the retina at the back of the eye. This allows them to see in the third dimension – something we cannot do.
Having both of these features means that bearded dragons can see colors, shapes, and contrast far better than we can. So if you were hoping to catch the bearded dragon staring at you with its big bug eyes, it’s probably not be doing it simply to scare you. It’s probably taking a good look at your face while deciding whether or not you would make a tasty snack!
What does a bearded dragon’s vision look like?
Bearded Dragons rely heavily on their eyes to perceive their surroundings. They have good vision and can see in full color. They have a broader field of vision than humans do since their eyes are on the sides of their heads, but their depth perception is horrendous.
They also have large eyes but the eye structure of a Bearded Dragon is not like a human or other large animal. The lenses of the eyes are actually detached from the retina and are kind of laid onto it. This allows for less image degradation and they can see better out of the water than we can.
They also have a very large fovea, which is an area of the retina that is responsible for high detail vision. It has a very high concentration of cone cells and has the greatest visual acuity. Humans only have small areas of the fovea and they are only useful while reading or viewing fine details (basically what we use them for).
Reptiles on the other hand have larger areas of fovea which allow them to see better in low light situations.
Bearded Dragons have two eyes, one on each side of the head. Because of the positioning of the eyes, the Bearded Dragon has a broader field of vision than humans.
When the eyes are situated in the front of the skull, as they are in humans, the vision is straight ahead, and we have peripheral vision to approximately the shoulder area at most before we need to move our neck or torso to shift the perspective.
Because the eyes of a Bearded Dragon are placed on the sides of the head, they can virtually gaze forward and over their shoulder at the same time.
Bearded Dragons also have a third eye, which is barely visible and appears as a grey speck on the top of the skull (between the eyes).
Many owners are unaware that their Bearded Dragon has a third eye or how important it is to the life of a Bearded Dragon.
Can Beardies see in the Dark?
Dragons also have a third eye (parietal eye), which can only detect shadows and changes in light but is essential for spotting predators and determining the time of day. Where dragons fall short is in night vision; dragons do not see well in the dark.
In a nutshell, they can’t see in the dark because their pupils are so small. As a result, bearded dragons can tell when it’s time to sleep.
Just like other reptiles, their eyesight is adapted to bright light and are most active during daylight. If a bearded dragon has shed its skin near a window or if you’ve made the mistake of providing your pet with a light bulb instead of UVA lights, it’s likely that your bearded dragon will be blinded.
If you don’t have time switches, make sure you have a lighting schedule in place because this might disrupt their biological clock.
They will begin to wander about their cage and get quite agitated if their biological clock is disrupted. Just don’t use the red light on your beardies.
Can bearded dragons see Color?
Bearded dragons have an excellent color vision in both of their eyes. They can see all of the colors that we do. Bearded dragons, unlike humans, have eyes that are too far off-centre to allow for clear head-on vision. Often, your bearded dragon can perceive more colors than you can. The color vision of bearded dragons is good for distinguishing red from green; a skill that is vital for their survival.
In addition to their eyesight, bearded dragons have a very keen sense of smell and an excellent ability to hear.
Bearded dragons are also able to detect changes in light that we cannot. When bearded dragons are getting ready to bask they will usually start moving towards the light source. They can see infrared light which is heat. This also allows them to see the heat given off by other animals like prey or a potential mate.
What colors do bearded dragons see?
Bearded dragons do not have color blindness. In fact, they can see all of the colors surrounding them, just like you. According to some scientists, bearded dragons can perceive more colors than humans. They do, however, discern brighter colors better than darker hues. As a result, they are more drawn to light-colored items.
Bearded dragons have an excellent color vision in both of their eyes. They can see all of the colors that we do. Bearded dragons, unlike humans, have eyes that are too far off-center to allow for clear head-on vision. This is why they frequently have difficulties seeing an approaching item. This, however, has little to do with their senses of color. Often, your bearded dragon can perceive more colors than you can.
