If your Chinese water dragon is not moving around much and is lethargic, that could be caused by a lot of various reasons. In this post, you will find a list of different possible reasons of why your Chinese water dragon is not moving around much or at all, is lethargic and possibly not moving or eating.
Your Chinese water dragon might not be moving around much and sleeping a lot due to very low or high cage temperatures, stress, old age, illness (deficiencies, infections etc.) and more.
#1: It’s new and needs to acclimatize
If you have just got your Chinese water dragon, it will be scared of you and its new surroundings. Most new lizards, including Chinese water dragons, don’t eat and mostly hide for the first 2 weeks or so.
During this time, make sure not to bother your Chinese water dragon too much, and cover the sides of the tank with a cloth or similar. Don’t let other pets or kids bother your Chinese water dragon either. Place the tank in a quiet room.
Also, make sure there is a hide and shaded area for your dragon to hide in. Chinese water dragons are shy creatures, and most new dragons will be shy to eat in front of you. So, leave the food and let it eat while you are in another room.
#2: Very high or low temperatures in the cage
If temperatures are very low or high in your Chinese water dragon’s cage, it won’t be able to move. That would be due to low energy levels or muscle weakness.
When temperatures are too low, your Chinese water dragon doesn’t have energy to move, as they are cold blooded. It also slows down metabolism, which means that your Chinese water dragon won’t eat much or at all, won’t poop or move around. Low cage temperatures can also lead to respiratory infection (gaping, wheezing, bubbly mucus).
With very high temperatures, your Chinese water dragon will also have trouble moving around because of muscle weakness. Your Chinese water dragon in this case is likely to spend more time soaking and will be digging and panting a lot. High temperatures can also lead to dehydration.
Optimal temperatures in a Chinese water dragon’s tank are crucial and determine how healthy your Chinese water dragon is. Ideal temperatures in the basking spot are 88-95 Fahrenheit/31-35 Celsius. Cool side should be between 75-80 Fahrenheit/24-26.6 C.
Night time temperature should be around 75 F/24 C. Make sure to check temperatures with digital thermometers and an infrared thermometer like this for more accuracy.
Soaking water temperature is also important, as low water temperatures can cause muscle cramping and weakness, leading to drowning. Make sure to keep water temperatures between 80-85 F/26.6-29 C. To do that, you can keep the soaking bowl under the light or place a submersible water heater inside.
You can read a lighting and heating setup guide here.
#3: Low humidity levels
Keeping optimal humidity levels might be challenging, especially in drier climates. Housing your Chinese water dragon in a cage made partially or fully from metal mesh will also cause quick moisture evaporation. Thankfully, there are ultrasonic misters/foggers like this that can help keep humidity levels ideal.
Make sure humidity levels are also between 75-80%, dropping to around 60% between mistings. Without high humidity, your Chinese water dragon will get stressed, and start sitting mainly in the cool spot.
That’s because in the cool spot, the relative humidity will be higher. Spending more time in a cool spot means that your Chinese water dragon won’t bask much, which will then affect its appetite and energy levels.
If you are having any trouble setting and keeping ideal humidity levels, you can read this post for advice and tips.
#4: Winter slowdown
Chinese water dragons don’t generally brumate in winter. That’s because they come from tropical climates with pretty much same weather conditions throughout the year. However, they can slow down a little during winter months.
If you keep your tank temperatures same during winter, your Chinese water dragon is unlikely to slow down at all. But it can happen that house/room temperatures drop, causing temperature drop in the cage as well.
Please check temperatures regularly and make sure they are the same & ideal. You shouldn’t initiate brumation in your Chinese water dragons unless you plan to breed them.
#5: Metabolic deficiencies
If your Chinese water dragon doesn’t move much, sleeps a lot, but is also showing other alarming signs, it could be sick. Is your Chinese water dragon skinny, does it have trouble moving its legs, is it shaking? Do its bones look weak and does it have any cramps?
Vitamin and mineral deficiencies, especially calcium or vitamin D3, can cause these symptoms. Metabolic bone disease is often caused by lack of calcium and/or vitamin D3 (UVB lighting is important). Vitamin D3 is required to metabolize calcium, so make sure you have UVB tube that hasn’t been used for more than 6 months (will vary).
UVB tub percentage will depend on the size of the cage and how far it’s from your dragon – usually between 6% and 10% is optimal. Make sure it’s not being blocked by wrapping or glass. Distance between the UVB and your dragon is also crucial.
All live bugs (expect for Calci-worms), must be gut-loaded for 24-48 hours in a separate container and given access to nutritious food and dusted. Multivitamin should also be used once in 7-10 days.
You can read a guide to help with UVB choice depending on your cage setup here.
#6: Sickness
Other sicknesses can also cause lethargy and other symptoms. Does your Chinese water dragon poop normally and does its poop look normal? Runny or extremely smelly poop, presence of blood in poop, weight loss all indicate a parasitic or systemic infection.
If your Chinese water dragon is new, you must take its fresh poop sample for a full parasitic check. Please do this even if the seller told you that it’s a captive bred dragon. Most can be housed with wild specimens that haven’t been quarantined properly.
A lot of other alarming symptoms should also indicate a sickness. Vomiting, weight loss, dragging, sunken eyes, bubbly mucus around the mouth or nose/eyes and many more indicate an illness. Please take your Chinese water dragon to the vet.
If you are using loose substrate for your Chinese water dragon’s tank, be careful. Ingestion of small particles can cause impaction. If your Chinese water dragon is impacted, it will be lethargic and is likely to refuse food & can look bloated. Don’t use sand, and if using bark chips, make sure they are large to prevent swallowing.
If you would like to read more about common Chinese water dragon illnesses, see this post.
#7: Your Chinese water dragons is getting older
As Chinese water dragons get older, their activity levels also decrease. Young Chinese water dragons tend to be much more active than older ones. In general, Chinese water dragons live up to 10-15, and even 20 years with excellent care.
If your Chinese water dragon is older than 6-8 years old, it could potentially be getting old. Other signs of old age are reduced feeding, rare shedding, lots of sleeping.
#8: Your Chinese water dragon is stressed
If your Chinese water dragon is stressed, it’s likely to not move around much, sleep a lot and stay in the same spot for long periods of time. Not only new Chinese water dragons can get stressed.
Other pets, loud noises, wrong setup, other cage mates and even a sickness can cause stress. If your Chinese water dragon is sick and experiencing pain, it’s also likely to be skittish and not like to be touched.
Another sign that your Chinese water dragon is stressed is change in coloration. Stressed Chinese water dragons tend to turn brownish in color. Please look for any reasons that could stress your Chinese water dragon, and eliminate the causes. Stress can over time weaken the immune system, leading to a range of sicknesses.
#9: Small enclosure and lack of enrichment
If you house your Chinese water dragon in a small enclosure, it’s likely to move around less. Small spaces stress Chinese water dragons, and they tend to run into glass or not move around much.
A 50-60 gallon tank is enough until your Chinese water dragon turns around 12 months old. However, an adult Chinese water dragon requires a tank that is at least 5 L x 4 D x 5 H (feet). Make sure to upgrade to a larger tank once your Chinese water dragon becomes an adult and offer a lot of space, especially vertical.
Make sure there a lot of branches for your Chinese water dragon to climb on and move around. In a small tank or without something to do, your dragon will be mostly laying on branches.
#10: Your Chinese water dragon is gravid or egg-bound
If your Chinese water dragon is 2 years old or over, it could be gravid (pregnant). Female Chinese water dragons can lay eggs without mating with a male, or even if they mated a long time ago. That’s because they can retain sperm for months.
When your Chinese water dragon is gravid, she can sometimes refuse food, move around less and dig a lot towards the end. However, if there is no nesting site for your Chinese water dragon to lay her eggs, she might become egg-bound.
If your Chinese water dragons becomes egg-bound, she will be lethargic, listless and refuse food. In cases where you suspect that it could be the case, please take her to the vet immediately to perform an X-Ray.
Thank you for reading this post. If you would like to learn more about Chinese water dragon care, please see this resource page.