is my lizard dead or playing dead please help

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galeru

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hi my angle headed dragon is on the bottom of the cage looking dead. it is not moving and it does not look like it is breathing. is my lizard dead or do these lizards just play dead very well.
please reply cheers
 
They are notorious for playing dead, one breeder once told me he never discards an angle headed dragon until it starts to smell.
 
Try poking it. And get a real good look to see if it's breathing.
 
I dont have a great deal of experience with dragons but I'm a little worried that you own animals and need to ask people on a forum if you animal is dead or alive.....
 
put a tiny mirror near its nose and check carefully to see if the mirror fogs up, or see behind its front legs for a pulse under the skin.
 
Go to your local chemist and buy a stethoscope so you can hear if he has a heartbeat or not. Perhaps hold his little hand to see if he has a pulse.
 
It can be tricky to tell if they are near death or just dead as their breathing stops almost completely.
When I want to know for certain I get a torch and look for a reaction in the pupils.

As Jungle Python said they are notorious at playing dead, I have seen them do it and yes they do indeed look and act dead.
 
everyone has sumed it up pretty much, asking us if your lizard is dead or playing dead is kinda silly as we can't see it. so why don't you pick it up and check.
 
everyone has sumed it up pretty much, asking us if your lizard is dead or playing dead is kinda silly as we can't see it. so why don't you pick it up and check.

So I'd presume one playing dead would still be floppy, whereas a real dead one would go stiff fairly quickly.
 
Quoted from "Reptiles Australia, Volume 1 issue 3" page 24 in the article by Marc Furbank titled Dragons of the rainforest.

"Sulking would have to be the most frustrating diposition of these dragons; they will sulk over anything and everything. Sulking is caused by many things, including dislike of a particular companion, enclosure ornamentation, temperature, diet and even the presence of other reptiles in adjacent enclosures....Classic sulking behaviour includes lying on the ground motionless for days on end - to the point that you may think they are dead. Kieran Aland recommended to me not to dispose of them until they start to smell. In the early days I was deceived by this behaviour, but as I walked past the garbage bin I saw my much loved Southern angle headed dragon (that I had been grieving over for hours) positioned on the rim of the bin very much alive.
 
i'm sure if its alive and you pick it up you can tell if its breathing, if its eyes move, if it moves. would be stiff and lifeless if dead.

So I'd presume one playing dead would still be floppy, whereas a real dead one would go stiff fairly quickly.
 
i'm sure if its alive and you pick it up you can tell if its breathing, if its eyes move, if it moves. would be stiff and lifeless if dead.

A dragon can go hours without breathing, and trust me not breathing is an essential part of playing dead lol.

Also they wont go stiff for a few hours
 
yes i know they don't go stiff for hours but OP posted 3 hours ago, so should be able to tell by now. even if holding its breath in most cases once picked up you can tell.
 
yes i know they don't go stiff for hours but OP posted 3 hours ago, so should be able to tell by now. even if holding its breath in most cases once picked up you can tell.

Not with these guys, they hold their breath regardless of being picked up
 
yes i know they don't go stiff for hours but OP posted 3 hours ago, so should be able to tell by now. even if holding its breath in most cases once picked up you can tell.
Doubt youve dealt with angles

- ybn
 
i have but mine never played dead to the point i couldn't tell.
 
Chuck it in a very deep hole then cover it over with dirt and I can guarantee in a week it will be dead and that will serve the bugger right.
 
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