| Bearded Dragons are extremely hardy lizards, when | | | | They may be infested with coccidia, roundworms, |
| they are provided with the proper temperatures and | | | | pinworms, hookworms, or numerous other pests. If |
| lighting in their environment. However, they are also | | | | you should buy from a reputable breeder, this is |
| pets who do their best to hide their symptoms from | | | | much less likely to be the case, but even then, it is |
| us when they become ill, as do most other reptiles. | | | | possible. |
| This is no doubt an instinctual behavior, since a sick | | | | For this reason, once you have had your dragon for |
| Beardie, in the wild, would probably not live for very | | | | two weeks, you should make it a point to have him |
| long. | | | | or her seen by a reputable vet, who is well versed in |
| Since your Beardie can't groan or complain about | | | | the care of reptiles, and take in a stool sample for |
| where it hurts, you must use your observation skills | | | | testing. Give your dragon at least two weeks to |
| to determine when something is not right. There are | | | | settle in, unless it is apparent that they are ill, as |
| times when a healthy Beardie will act differently, but | | | | when they are stressed, their parasite count, |
| these changes should be seen for what they are by | | | | particularly the coccidia count, may be higher than |
| the experienced veterinarian. | | | | normal. |
| Because of this, you need to be very aware of what | | | | Diseases and Disorders |
| normal behavior is for each of your particular | | | | Normally, if you provide your dragon the standard |
| dragons, and what is not. An alert eye can generally | | | | habitat, food and care, you will have the healthiest |
| spot a problem long before it becomes a major | | | | bearded dragon on earth. But, from time to time |
| concern. Particular attention should be paid to each | | | | your dragon could get sick. The most often diseases, |
| dragon's eating habits, and the amounts that they | | | | beardies get are: |
| usually eat, as well as what is the norm as far as | | | | 1. Mites |
| how often they present with bowel movements, and | | | | 2. Terminal Ingestion |
| what they usually look like, when they do. Attention | | | | 3. Thermal Burns |
| should also be paid to the amount of urates (the | | | | 4. Calcium Deficiency |
| white solid or powdery materials) that are passed | | | | 5. Impaction |
| within the bowel movements, as a change in this can | | | | 6. Hypovitaminosis A |
| be a sign of kidney problems. | | | | 7. Respiratory Infections |
| If you purchased your dragons from a pet shop, | | | | 8. Dehydration |
| unfortunately you may have gotten more than the | | | | 9. Stomatitis |
| one living thing that you paid for... there is a better | | | | 10. Internal Parasites |
| than a 50% chance that your dragon may be | | | | 11. Coccidia |
| carrying some type of intestinal parasite, particularly if | | | | 12. Other Parasites |
| they were being housed with other dragons, and the | | | | 13. Dystocia (Egg Binding) |
| conditions that they were being kept in were not | | | | 14. MBD (Metabolic Bone Disease) |
| exactly as clean as you would have liked. | | | | 15. |