The Signs of a Sick Bearded Dragon Lizard

Depression and Anorexia

• Normally, bearded dragons are active animals and voracious eaters. If yours doesn't hop off his perch and pounce on a cricket when you offer on a proper schedule, action is warranted. The simplest cause and solution relate to lighting and heating; bearded dragons may become depressed or refuse food if the cage is too cool or too dim. In these instances, the solution is to increase the temperature and use better lighting -- unless they are being brumated or cycled, in which case food refusal and lethargy is natural. If not associated with heating or lighting, these symptoms can be indicative of an internal parasite, a bacterial infection or a virus. Your veterinarian will examine a fecal sample to determine a course of action.

Unexplained Weight Loss

• One potential cause for concern is when a bearded dragon eats but still loses weight. Weight loss can be caused by parasites, infection, metabolic disease or poor husbandry. If your bearded dragon eats appropriately but continues to lose weight, see your veterinarian. A diagnosis will depend on a physical exam and fecal examination.

Loose Stools

• Loose stools are a common symptom of illness, particularly among young bearded dragons. Normally caused by a bacterial infection or from intestinal parasites, your veterinarian can analyze a stool sample and prescribe appropriate medication. It is important to practice strict hygiene when dealing with a sick lizard, to ensure that the lizard doesn't reinfect itself or any other lizards in your collection.

Uncoordinated Movements, Outstretched Legs and Paralysis

• You must feed a young bearded dragon small insects. Large prey can put pressure on the spinal column that causes paralysis, uncoordinated movements and the rear legs to extend behind the animal. Small bearded dragon prey should be is approximately one-half to two-thirds the size of the lizard's head. Though strange movements and postures can indicate neurological or viral conditions, food-induced paralysis is the most common cause. In either case, neurological symptoms of any kind necessitate immediate veterinary attention.

Sunken Eyes and Baggy Skin

• Bearded dragons with loose or wrinkly skin or sunken eyes are dehydrated. It is imperative that young bearded dragons have water daily and adults get water once or twice per week. Some bearded dragons will, or can be taught to, drink from water bowls, but most will drink when lightly misted with lukewarm water. Feed your bearded dragons plant matter every day, and mist the vegetables lightly before offering them. Some keepers give bearded dragons a weekly bath in about an inch of clean water. Bearded dragons often defecate while soaking or being misted, so be sure that the water in the cage remains clean.

Labored Breathing, Oral or Nasal Discharge

• Respiratory infections are characterized by labored breathing, or discharge from the mouth or nose. Bearded dragons can develop respiratory infections if kept in poor cage conditions. Most often, dragons with respiratory illness have been exposed to a cool or damp habitat for a prolonged period of time. Stress can be a contributing factor. If your lizard has symptoms of a respiratory infection, call your veterinarian immediately and ensure that the lizard has access to appropriate cage temperatures.

Malformed Jaws, Muscle Tremors and Soft Bones

• Bearded dragons and other diurnal lizards absorb UVB radiation from the sun and use it to produce vitamin D. The vitamin D is needed so that the lizard can use the calcium in its diet. If not provided with enough UVB or calcium in captivity, bearded dragons are susceptible to a condition termed metabolic bone disease or MBD. Proper lighting and diet are crucial to preventing this condition from developing; if your lizard exhibits signs of MBD, contact your veterinarian.