Bearded dragons have a habit of basking in the sun. This allows them to store heat so they can operate at lower temperatures. They also can partially regulate how much heat their body will absorb by changing the color of their skin between light and dark grayish brown. Different shades of brown are also linked to the physical state of the animal. For example, an injured, sick or dying dragon will display a brownish-black back and pale yellow legs.
Bearded dragons are rather social animals.
They have a dominance hierarchy, courtship rituals, and territorial displays. When alarmed, a dragon flattens its body, stands high on all fours with its mouth open and throat pouch, or beard, puffed out. The fierce looking display earned this lizard its common name. A dragon woos a mate or shows aggression by inflating its beard, opening its mouth and displaying the yellow lining inside. With the tail slightly curved up, it will then bob its head rapidly.