A baby bearded dragon had him for bout 5 days now he won’t…

Hello and thanks for posting your question on JustAnswer.com. My name is***** and I have been a veterinarian for over 21 years, specializing in aquatics, reptiles, amphibians, avian and other exotic species. You may already be aware, but on this platform veterinarians can provide insight and advice, but as this is not considered a legal client-patient relationship, we are unable to prescribe medications, provide medical records or sign documents for your specific pet. For that you would need to make an in person visit with a local veterinarian. I am happy to chat with you via text but if you are interested in a phone call instead that is an option you can choose for an additional charge. In the meantime, I am putting together some questions and/or suggestions to help with your pet’s concern.

I'm sorry to hear that your young bearded dragon Mooshu may be under the weather. If he is undergoing a shed, which young dragons can do every few weeks or so as they are actively growing, then this might explain his lower energy and appetite. Shedding is very energy intensive and they can be "grumpy", less active and eat less before, during and after the shed. You can help him by making sure temperature and humidity in his enclosure are appropriate:

-Daytime temperature gradient of 80 (cool side) to 90 (warm side) with and a very warm, focal basking area of 95-110F for young bearded dragons. A nighttime temperature range of 75F should be provided. 30-40% humidity is recommended. Although they are from an arid region, having sufficient humidity is important to respiratory and skin issues and not too much humidity is important to prevent secondary infections from moisture loving microbes.

You can also mist him once or twice a day or provide a bath/soak if you feel he is having difficulty shedding. The bath should be warm (90F), shoulder depth for 15-30 minutes once per day.

If the low energy, low appetite behavior persists or if you see continued signs of "heavy breathing" or any nasal or oral discharge, then I would recommend you have Mooshu evaluated by a reptile veterinarian as there may be something else going on with him.

If you need assistance finding a reptile veterinarian in your area, I am happy to help. If so, please provide your town name and state so I can search for the closest veterinary practices or veterinarians that accept reptile patients.

In the meantime, it's important to provide him with the best environment and nutrition. Here is a bearded dragon care sheet that I put together that you might find helpful:

-Daytime temperature range with a cool side at 80F, a warm side at 90F and a very warm, focal basking area of 90-105F for adults and juveniles and a slightly warmer 95-110F for younger bearded dragons. A nighttime temperature range of 70-75F should be provided. 30-40% humidity is recommended.

-In addition to tank lighting that supplies UVA and visible light exposure, bearded dragons require UVB exposure to maintain proper health. Just as with temperature, their enclosure should have a gradient of UVB exposure with no UVB at the coolest end and highest at the basking spot. To avoid oversupplementing, at least ¼ of the tank should not be directly illuminated with UVB light. Distance from the UVB bulb is vital as it dictates how much UVB exposure an animal will receive in the basking site. Distance depends upon the type and UVB output of the bulb. The most common types of UVB bulbs used with bearded dragons are the compact fluorescent (CFL), linear fluorescent or mercury vapor bulbs. For example, a CFL or linear fluorescent 10.0 bulb should be placed no more than 16-18" from the basking site while a 5.0 bulb should be placed 12” or less. A mercury vapor bulb can be used in a larger enclosure due to its greated depth of UVB penetration, up to 3 feet. The mercury vapor bulb’s wattage dictates the heat output of these dual use bulbs it does not change the UV penetration. There should be no glass or acrylic between the bulb and the surface as these will block UV light. Note that metal screening between the bulb and the enclosure will cut UVB output of the bulb significantly, sometimes as much as in half. Conversely, UVB light reflectors can improve UVB penetration by bouncing and focusing the UV light produced by the bulb. All UVB bulbs loose effectiveness over time, even if the light still appears to be working, it may no longer be producing UVB. It's recommended that you change the bulbs regularly, compact fluorescent bulbs at least every 6 months, linear fluorescent bulbs and mercury vapor bulbs every 12 months. Some bulbs may last longer but the only way to know for sure if they are still effective is to measure their UV output with a meter that measures UV Index or total UVB.

-Balanced diet of 30% vegetables and 70% insects for a young bearded dragon (< 6 months old) which are more carnivorous than the omnivorous adults. That should be reversed as they age and adults fed 70-80% of their diet as vegetables for an adult. Greens should be introduced to bearded dragons at a young age. Nutritional insects include black soldier fly larvae (soldier worm larvae), superworms, earthworms, Dubia and cockroaches and the occasional wax worm, mealworm or silk worms (limit them due to their high fat content). Vegetables should be a variety of primarily dark leafy greens (greens: dandelion, collard, lettuce: romaine, green/red leaf, Boston, parsley, broccoli, etc.). Limit feeding oxalate ***** *****s like swiss chard, spinach or beet greens. A small amount of other vegetables (carrots, beans, peas, squash, etc.) and be added; variety is the key! Salad should be chopped and offered in a clean bowl or plate once to twice a day. They can be given flowers and fruit as treats or as top dressing on the salad, with fruit not making up more than 10-20% of plant material fed each day.

-Calcium and vitamin supplementation: 2-3x per week dusting of salad mix with calcium powder (without Vit D3) and 1x per week light dusting of reptile multivitamin powder with vitamin D3. Insects should be dusted with calcium powder just before feeding at every meal and crickets should be both gut-loaded and calcium dusted always. Do not use calcium with vitamin D3 for daily dusting as oversupplemenation of vitamin D3 can lead to toxicity. It is better if the reptiles make most of their own vitamin D3 from proper UVB exposure. And if the bearded dragon is not yet reliably eating salad, dust the insects once weekly with a reptile multivitamin powder with vitamin D3.

-Clean environment. Avoid sand or gravel substrates as bearded dragons may eat this and become impacted. Paper towels, newspaper, slate, tile or reptile carpeting are safe alternatives. Make sure to clean the substrate at least every other day or more frequently as it becomes soiled.

If you have any specific questions about housing or nutrition, please let me know I would be happy to advise.

I will be notified if/when you respond with additional information so we can connect about your bearded dragon but in the meantime, I hope this information is helpful and I wish you the best. Thanks again for posting your question to JustAnswer.com. Sincerely, ***** *****