Bearded dragons are among the most charismatic pets you can have. They express their discomfort differently from other pets. You should be able to spot signs of sickness when looking for a bearded dragon for sale. You should know various warning signs to help you get your reptile treated in good time.
Here are the top 5 warning symptoms of a sick bearded dragon you should be aware of:
1. Discolored Skin
Illnesses like yellow fungus or tail rot make bearded dragon skin discolored. The skin around the reptile’s tail or on the stomach gets affected. As the diseases progress, the skin starts to rot, turning from natural yellow to dark or black.
Bruising or trauma on your reptile’s scale hinders smooth blood supply to the affected part. As a result, the affected part of the bearded dragon turns black or purple with time.
Consider taking your pet to a reptile veterinarian if you notice rotting or discolored skin. Vets treat the affected bearded dragons with antifungal or antibacterial drugs. These drugs can quickly relieve your reptile from symptoms like inflammations, pain, and blocked pores.
2. Respiratory Problems
Pneumonia is a major respiratory infection that can affect your bearded dragon. Common causes of respiratory issues in bearded dragons include:
- Cold
- Stress
- Dirty living environment
- Poor feeding
A bearded dragon with a respiratory problem produces wheezes and crackles. Other signs of respiratory issues in your bearded dragon are coughing, snorting, discharge, and gasping.
A professional veterinarian can diagnose your reptile using:
- X-rays
- Bacterial samples from the bearded dragon’s respiratory tract
- Fecal tests
Such tests can help the veterinarian determine the severity of the respiratory issue with your reptile. Antibiotics and antifungals are the best treatments for bearded dragons with respiratory problems. Other remedies to protect your reptile from pneumonia include:
- Increasing the cage temperatures
- Mounting up dehumidifiers in the reptile’s cage or tank
- Propping the reptile downwards to drain mucus from their throat
- Giving the bearded dragon a slurry with Serrapeptase
3. Diarrhea
A healthy bearded dragon should not produce runny or loose droppings. The ordinary fecal matter of healthy bearded dragons should be log-shaped with brown and white parts. The droppings should not be rocky-hard.
Bacterial infections, stress, and parasites are common causes of diarrhea in bearded dragons. The reptiles get affected by bacteria infections due to:
- Consumption of spoilt food
- Drinking water from dirty water bowls
- Temperature spikes in the cages
- Dirty or Unhygienic cages
Treatments are the best solution if the problem happens due to bacterial infections. Other remedies for bearded dragons suffering diarrhea include:
- Giving the reptile a balanced mix of insects with vegetables or plants
- Giving the reptile treated tap water
- Administering anti-parasitic medications like Fenbendazole
- Cleaning and disinfecting the bearded dragon’s living environment
4. Stress
Bearded dragons suffer from stress when sick. Stressed bearded dragons show strange behaviors like a lack of basking. Other signs of stress in bearded dragons include:
- Stress marks (dark spots on the reptile’s belly, neck, and chin).
- Declined activity levels
- Hissing
- Glass surfing
- Lethargy
- Loss of appetite
Apart from diseases, other common causes of stress in bearded dragons include:
- Poor diet
- Change in the dragon’s living environment
- Injury
- Cohabitation
- Mating seasons
One way to manage stress for your reptile is by feeding it a balanced diet. Curdling, cleaning the terrarium, and improving its living environment can be helpful.
5. Cloudy Eyes
Eyes infections like bacterial conjunctivitis affect bearded dragons. Such an infection causes cloudiness on the reptile’s cornea, hindering it from seeing clearly. Other things that can cause cloudy eyes in your bearded dragon include:
- Corneal ulcers
- Parasites
- Trauma
- Nutritional fluctuations
Cloudiness causes the affected eyes to remain closed. Eye discharge is common in the affected reptiles.
A warm bath can help your bearded dragon with cloudy eyes. Wash the affected eyes gently to avoid injuring the reptile. A professional reptile vet may prescribe the best eye drops for your sick bearded dragon.
Get a Bearded Dragon for Sale
If you're looking for a bearded dragon for sale, it needs to be healthy and happy. A healthy bearded dragon can live for a long time as a pet.
Take your bearded dragon to a professional reptile veterinarian once you spot any of the discussed signs. An experienced vet will diagnose the disease and treat your reptile the best way.
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