When you go to your local pet shop to purchase a bearded dragon you want to be sure that healthy. Ways to check this is simple and not to difficult. First thing is first, how does the pet shop look, is it clean or filthy. Second inspect the bearded dragon tanks they have them in. Is the tanks unhealthy looking, are they clean and well lit up. Are there a lot of bearded dragons just crammed in them? If there environment is unhealthy chances are they will be sick. Usually too much in one tank would be more than 5 dragons to a 10 gallon. The reason for this is due to stress and stress related sicknesses. Once you have inspected the pet store and the bearded dragon living conditions, the next step would be to do is to watch and inspect the bearded dragons themselves. Check to see if they seem alert and if they act normal like they’re running around eating or basking. If they seem like there just lying around not moving, just don’t seem right, then that might indicated that, the bearded dragon may be sick. So If the dragon that you have picked out passes all those tests them most likely he or she is in good health and ready to come home with you and your family.
Some signs of an unhealthy bearded dragon may be:
1. The dragon will seem as he or she doesn’t seem to have any interest in its environment and surroundings.
2. The dragon keeps his eyes closed or eyes will seem sunken.
3. Their eyes have crust around them.
4. If the dragon seems to have broken or useless limbs.
5. The jaws seem to not be used.
6. They may have a cheesy yellow matter inside their mouth.
7. They may have unhealed wounds or burns.
Just as a FYI If you find one that’s sick and you would like to buy it to help it out in surviving, I highly do not recommend doing this at all. The reason for it, is because for one the chances aren’t great of you being able to keep it alive, and it’s just a huge heartbreak to have a bearded dragon die on you. Another reason is when you buy a sick animal from a pet shop your really rewarding that company for mistreating their animals. You should inform the shop that they have sick animals and take your business elsewhere, hopefully they will change their ways for the better well being of there animals.