My bearded dragon's belly is inflated during shedding. Is this normal?

If there is any chance the beardies are any older, I would be thinking that one could be pregnant. This usually doesn't occur until at the youngest around 10-12 months however. It is best that they don't breed until even older than this as well, so hopefully this is not the case. Other causes of distended abdomen in these lizards are gastrointestinal impactions, constipation, overeating, obesity, and certain cancers. GI Impaction seems unlikely in this scenario due to the movement of the bowels. If this is an issue with constipation, enemas can be provided though I would not recommend performing this at home unless you are very familiar with reptilian anatomy. An x-ray would really help in this case provide all the information we need. It would show us if there are any eggs, if there is constipation, any sort of tumor (probably), and many other possible issues. Hope this helps!

There are a number of disease processes that can result in the clinical signs that you have described. These include fluid in the belly, masses in the belly, enlarged organs, constipation/impaction, infectious diseases (bacteria, parasites, etc.), stress (they will puff up with air to look bigger), and others. The decrease in activity is, unfortunately, not specific for any problem, but may further indicate that LJ is not feeling well. I would recommend having LJ evaluated by a veterinarian. They will be able to perform an examination and see if anything abnormal is felt in the belly. Depending on what they find, they may recommend diagnostic testing such as radiographs (x-rays) to look at the contents of the belly, or blood work to evaluate systemic health. I hope that gives you a place to start, and that LJ feels better soon!

You can increase the amount of food being fed temporarily to get weight back on. Monitor for lethargy, loss of appetite, loose droppings or no droppings. These are all symptoms that should be addressed by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles. It is near impossible to determine the cause for the weight loss without an exam and diagnostics. It is not uncommon for beardies to stop eating and drinking before, during or for a short period after a shed. This could account for minor weight loss.

Submit a stool sample to diagnose intestinal parasites. Monitor Drogon for difficulty breathing, blowing bubbles, lethargy, or odd sounds while breathing. These are symptoms of an upper respiratory infection. Parasites or URI may cause the condition you are seeing. Bump cage temps up by about 5F for a few days. Soak him in a warm 50/50 solution of water and unflavored PediaLyte twice daily for 15-20 minutes. Make sure the UVB light source is not older than 6 months and use quality vitamin and mineral supplements. If Drogon gets worse or does not begin eating soon, have him examined by an experienced herp veterinarian.

You may be feeling his internal organs. This can be normal, especially if he isn't too chubby yet. Have him examined by your veterinarian or an experienced herp vet to make sure it isn't anything to be concerned about.

Thanks for reaching out about Lucas and including photos. He does not appear overweight in the pictures. If feels gassy, try a 5-10 minute warm water soak to stimulate defecation. If watery, loose or malodorous, consider a fecal examination for parasites, through a veterinary clinic. Good luck.

Poor gizmo. It sounds like gizmo might be constipated if you have not seen any defications in his enclosure. I would recommend taking him to a veterinarian for a really good exam. Also it is possible if he is a baby he could have parasites. I would recommend a good deworming too! Hope that helps. Thanks for using pet coach