My bearded dragon's colors are fading. Is he shedding or sick?

When a bearded dragon sheds, you will also always see a change of skin color. It will always be dull, and eventually turn white pre-shed. This is totally normal, so don't worry. Adult beardies will often skip a few meals during shed.

Check the temperature in the cage. If it is too hot or too cold, he won't bask. He doesn't look very dark in the images provided. Monitor for lethargy or decreased appetite. You can review bearded dragon care at the link below. http://www.anapsid.org/bearded.html

This color change is usually due to stress but could be due to other things as well such as improper temperature, diet, etc. I strongly suggest you review all your husbandry to make sure you are doing everything correctly. Refer to this link. ( https://www.lizards101.com/why-is-my-bearded-dragon-turning-black/ )

There has been a lot of selective breeding done in bearded dragons in recent years, and through this breeding, there have been a lot of color morphs/types produced. That may explain why your beardie has some different colors present on it. They are not different species, just different colors within the same species. Another reason for different looking colors can be difficulty shedding - this often looks like a dull colored layer on top of the normal skin. If this occurs, it means that there are husbandry deficits that need to be addressed. I would recommend considering a wellness visit for your dragon at some point in the future - at the vet visit, theyvwill collect a full history to evaluate your husbandry and diet, as well as a full physical exam. Then, depending on the findings, they may make recommendations for diagnostics, such as blood work to make sure his organs are working properly, or evaluation of the feces to look for parasites, which are common in reptiles. You can find a list of reptile veterinarians on the ARAV website.

They do shed their skin occasionally, usually in pieces. This may be what you are seeing. If looks more dull these past couple days, it could be the beginning of a shed cycle. Monitor for lethargy or decreased appetite. Soak or mist him daily to aid shedding. If he doesn't shed, have him examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles. Other possible explanations would be infection or injury. These would need a physical exam to confirm.

Thanks for reaching out about Leo. Hibernation is stimulated by winter conditions (cold temperature, decreased food opportunity). If the environmental temperature is still hot, concerns are that she is ill and a veterinary visit is recommended. Intestinal parasites or infections, metabolic disorders and other possibilities exist. Good luck.

Mealworms can be a problem for some beardies, especially juveniles, due the chitinous body. If you can, switch her over to appropriately sized crickets or dubia roaches. Gut load all prey for 24 hours prior to offering and dust with multivitamin and calcium powders to maximize nutritional value. Maintain adequate temperatures as well. Low temps can affect activity, appetite and digestion in reptiles. A temp gradient ranging from about 76 F (cool side) to 86 F (warm side) with a basking spot of 90 F to 100 F is recommended. To stimulate defecation, soak Lizzie in a warm 50/50 solution of water and unflavored PediaLyte. Gently massage her abdomen from front to back during the soak. The soak will also hydrate her and aid in shedding.