Buying a Bearded Dragon? Do This Quick Health Check First

Pet sellers would usually say only the good things about the animals they are selling. You cannot expect them to totally reveal the health condition of the animal particularly the negative things. It is your responsibility as a pet buyer to check the animal before purchasing it. It is very important to ensure that what you are getting is a healthy pet, totally free of any illnesses or disease.
For bearded dragons, here are several factors to check to guarantee that a bearded dragon is good and healthy:
1. Check if the size of the animal matches its age. A six week baby dragon should at least be 6 inches over. Do not buy baby dragons that are shorter because this could mean that they are not yet ready to transfer to a new environment. It is better to get a juvenile dragon rather than a hatchling.
2. The bearded dragon's eyes must be clear and open. Their eyes should be wide, alert and very attentive to their surroundings. There should be no forms of excretions or dark circles around the dragon's eyes.
3. The mouth, nose, toes and nails are in good condition. There should be no missing body parts. Examine the animal if it walks normally. The mouth and nose should have no sores or any deformities that could mean that a dragon is sick or have a certain disease. At the back of the dragon's head, check for any depressions since this will tell if the dragon is properly nourished or not.
4. The dragon has ample fat stores at the base of its tail. They say it is possible to determine the over-all health by examining the base of the tail for fat stores. A healthy dragon's tail is usually curled up towards the head. Make sure that there are no tail nips or protruding bones along the tail.
5. Check the skin. Try to touch and pull up the dragon's skin, it should go back into place if it's healthy. There should be no sores, burns or cuts. Their skin will look and feel healthy when they are well hydrated. There should be no patches where the scales have been shed.
6. The bearded dragon should be active and relaxed. If the dragon is sluggish and weary, chances are it is sick or unhappy.