Rescued bearded dragon stressed? What to do for black beard & panic?

With that black beard, he does seem stressed. Check temps in the cage. Low temps can affect activity in reptiles. Survey the area in and around the enclosure for any negative stimuli. This may include loud noises, strong vibrations, cold drafts or high traffic. reduce or eliminate any if found. You can review dragon care at the links below. http://www.anapsid.org/bearded.html http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Care-Sheets/Lizards/Bearded-Dragon/

One of the most reliable sites for beardie care is found at the link below. http://www.anapsid.org/bearded.html You can find additional information here: http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Care-Sheets/Lizards/Bearded-Dragon/ Provide heat, UVB lighting, water and a balanced diet while she recovers and beyond. Once she is healthy again, acclimate her to your presence slowly then gradually introduce her to handling by holding her for ever increasing periods of time.

The black beard Is indeed an indication of stress or anger. It may be due to his new surroundings or something could be wrong in his environment. You can review care and feeding here: http://www.anapsid.org/bearded.html Confirm proper temps and humidity. Also, provide a hide large enough for him to enter on each side of his enclosure. As long as Boris is at least 16-17 inches long, superworms are fine to feed. Gut load them for 24 hours prior to offering to maximize nutritional value. For variety, you can offer appropriately sized crickets, dubia roaches or phoenix worms. Try offering greens in the morning about an hour or two after the heat lamp comes on. He may be hungrier at this time. Once he eats his greens, you can offer prey. Sometimes, a sprinkle of dried mealworms on the greens will stimulate the appetite. Since he is "new" to you, an exam with your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles would be recommended to confirm good health or to diagnose and treat any preexisting conditions.

Give him some time to settle down. If the heavy breathing persists or if you hear wheezing, popping or see discharge from his nose or mouth then have him examined by an experienced herp veterinarian. If possible, contact your friend and ask if Draco has ever exhibited this behavior in the past. He could be stressed to begin with at the absence of his owner.

It looks like you've done a good job rehabbing this poor guy. Getting him up to a warm temperature was definitely a good start. And, I think the liquid coming from the nose and mouth may have been from the bath, so I would not worry too much unless it happens again. Judging from the photos, he has not been well cared for, for a long time. Getting him back to health will be a long process, but can happen if you provide adequate warmth, UV light and the appropriate diet. This is my favorite website for information on caring for bearded dragons: http://www.anapsid.org/bearded.html If you follow these guidelines, then you can get this guy back up to health. It depends on how much damage was done though. Sometimes they can be too ill to recover on their own and will need critical care by a veterinarian. It sounds like he's doing much better now, so hopefully he will continue to get better and act more normal soon.

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/ )

I commend you on adopting such a wonderful creature! She may need time to adjust to her new home and enclosure. Make sure it is large enough for her and located away from loud noises, vibrations, direct sunlight or high traffic areas. The commercial pellets are an excellent diet. You should also offer dark, leafy greens, diced vegetables and prey such as crickets or dubia roaches. These can be purchased from your local pet store. Gut load prey for 24 hours prior to offering to maximize nutritional value. Dust with a calcium supplement 3-5 times per week. Use a multivitamin 2-3 times per week. Make sure the temperature in her enclosure is appropriate. Low temps can affect appetite and activity in reptiles. The cage should be in the mid 70s F on the cool side and mid to high 80s F on the warm side. A basking spot of 90-100 F is recommended. She will also need a UVB light source running the length of her cage and about 12-14 inches away. This is vital for calcium, metabolism. You can soak her in a warm 50/50 solution of water and unflavored PediaLyte for 20-30 minutes to warm her up and to rehydrate her. If her appetite does not return, have her rechecked by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles to diagnose illness or injury. Submit a stool sample to diagnose intestinal parasites.