Bearded dragons like all animals have their health issues, despite being naturally healthy. Learning to look out for symptoms and being aware of the common major and minor health issues is important to know for bearded dragon owners. Because bearded dragons are programmed to stay hidden in the wild and camouflage their health issues from predators it may be difficult to spot when your baby is sick.
In this blog we will go through the top 3 common health issues in bearded dragons and the symptoms to look out for. If you see any irregularities in the way your bearded dragon behaves or spot any illness or disease, it’s important to take your bearded dragon to the vet right away.
Impaction
If a bearded dragon begins to show signs of impaction you must take them to the vet immediately or it may be too late. Impaction is the leading cause of death for bearded dragons; it is when a bearded dragons ingests an object(s) that it can’t pass. This can be as small as a particle of sand or walnut shells. Ingesting this can cause blockage within the digestive system, the only way to save the life of the bearded dragon is to catch it early and undergo surgery to remove the impaction.
Mouth Rot
If you don’t regulate the temperature or leave your bearded dragon in unclean living conditions, they can develop bacterial infection called mouth rot. If you notice dark colorations on the tongue, lips, or gums those are symptoms of mouth rot and should be taken care of right away. That’s why it’s very important to keep your bearded dragon’s terrarium clean and maintained at the right temperatures. If dark colorations appear take your beardie to the vet and they can treat the infection.
Metabolic Bone Disease
This disease is common in pet bearded dragons, the disease breaks down the skeleton system when there is a deficiency of calcium in the bones or UVB exposure. Without UVB rays your bearded dragon will not be able to absorb the calcium it needs, and their bones will become weak. Providing full-spectrum lighting and feeding calcium supplements can reduce the risk of metabolic bone disease.
Other common symptoms
Laziness or loss of appetite can mean that the quality of the terrarium temperatures may be too low or too high. Make sure to monitor the temperatures often.
Runny stool or diarrhea can be signs of parasites or an insufficient diet. Make sure to feed your beardie the right number of fruits and vegetables.
These are not the only health issues that bearded dragons can have, however, they are the most common ones to look out for. It’s important to clean their habitats regularly and feed them the recommended diet. If you notice any if the symptoms listed above, take your bearded dragon to the vet right away. It is recommended to take your bearded dragon every 6 to 12 months for checkups, doing this can catch illnesses early and make sure that they are healthy.