Pet seller would usually say, only the good things about the animals they sell. You can not expect them to fully reveal the state of health of the animal especially the negative things. It is your responsibility as a pet buyer to inspect the animal before buying. It is very important to make sure that what you get is a healthy animal, completely free of disease or illness.
For bearded dragons, here are several factors have to be checked to ensure that a bearded dragon is good and healthy:
1 Check if the size of the animal for his age. A 6 weeks baby dragon should be at least 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 eyes must be clear and open. Your eyes should be wide, alert and very attentive to their surroundings. There should be no form of precipitates or dark circles around the eyes of the dragon.
3 Mouth, nose, toes and nails are in good condition. There should be no missing body parts. Examine the animal when it usually goes. The mouth and nose should have no sores or any deformities that mean that a dragon is sick or a particular disease could. On the back of the dragon's head, check for any depressions, since this will tell you if the dragon is properly nourished or not.
4 The dragon has ample fat stores at the base of his 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 in the direction of the head. Make sure that there is no tail nips or protruding bones along the tail.
5 Check the skin. Try to touch and drag the dragon skin, it should go back into place when it is healthy. There should be no sores, burns or cuts. Your skin will look and feel healthy when they are well hydrated. There should be no patches where the scales have flowed.
6 The bearded dragon is active and relaxed. If the dragon is sluggish and weary, chances are it is sick or unhappy.
