bearded dragon health issue

Question
my bearded dragon inflated and wont deflate even though its not bathing or in water, i found a small piece of chocolate in her cage and im really concered. please help!

Answer
Hi Jaden,

Are there any other symptoms or changes in behaviour that you have noticed? Is she alert and active or lethargic? Is she moving around normally? Acting more aggressive then usual?

Is her beard area also inflated and does the inflated area of her abdomen feel like air or liquid when you press it lightly? Has she had a normal poop lately?

There is not much information on the toxicity affect of chocolate on reptiles but I'm assuming it is the same affect that it has on dogs. It is essentially a very strong stimulant that acts like caffeine and can cause seizures and overstress/stop the heart.
Unlike dogs, it seems unlikely that a bearded would be attracted to a piece of chocolate though.

Inflating with air can be a behavioural response to fear or a territorial display. It helps them to look larger and more intimidating. You may notice it happening around puberty (10 to 12 months) along with increased fearful or aggressive behaviour. This is usually temporary.
Visual threats will also trigger this response. Beardeds tend to be very alert to their surroundings. Even something like birds flying overhead at a window that may be in her field of view can cause a fear response. Beardeds are often preyed on from above in the wild.


If there are any other symptoms like closed sunken eyes, weakness, lethargy and lack of normal feeding and defecating then I would strongly suggest you visit a vet to rule out an intestinal blockage or infection. Good luck. I hope everything turns out OK.