Natures Spirit, LLC

Education page: **Last Updated: 07/04/06**
This page is dedicated to educating people that are new to reptiles on how a healthy reptile should look and behave. Please use this as a guide when purchasing your reptiles. A healthy reptile should always be an alert, wide eyed reptile. Some reptiles, like adult bearded dragons, are naturally calm and approachable so don't confuse this with a "sick" reptile. Reptiles that are naturally calm in this manner should still be alert and curious.
Wild caught reptiles are very common at shows and can be readily purchased on line. If you have other reptiles you will want to quarantine these reptiles away from your others for a period of time. We quarantine ours for at least 6 months. They should be checked for any signs of mites or ticks. When present,ticks can usually be found in the nostrils, under the arms, between the claws or in the vents of these reptiles. Mites can be seen if you soak your reptile in water. The small black mites will be seen floating in the water. If you receive your reptile in the mail, be sure to inspect the container it came in for signs of mites or ticks. If a mite is found we quarantine the reptile for one year. Even captive bred reptiles should be checked for mites.
ADULT BEARDED DRAGONS

A healthy adult bearded dragon should have alert, wide open eyes. They are very curious and look around a lot. There should be no matting of the eyes or discharge.
Their head should be rounded and full at the top. A sunken in head is a sign of dehydration or malnutrition. Their mouth should be clean and dry with no mucous, crusting or sores. When the mouth is opened it should be clean with no mucous or bumps. It is normal for the tongue to have a white tip. This is sticky and helps them grab food. Their jaw should be firm and straight. A soft or crooked jaw could be a sign of malnutrition or vitamin deficiency.
The body shape on bearded dragons will vary some from long and slender to short and round. The body should be full with no ribs visible although you can feel the ribs even in a healthy beardie. The legs should be full and meaty. The tail should be rounded all the way from the base of the body to the tip of the tail. The underside should be full. If it is triangle shaped or sunken in it is a sign of malnutrition. The vent should be clean and white with no sign of feces or crusting. In a male bearded dragon the pores will have a waxy substance, which is normal.

BABY BEARDIES

A healthy baby bearded dragon should be alert and able to hold it's body up off the ground. Their eyes should be open and bright. The mouth dry and free of sores or crusting. The tail should be round on the under side and the vent should be free of fecal matter.The baby pictured here is one week old.
Baby bearded dragons are very curious about their surroundings. They watch everything that is going on. A healthy bearded dragon baby is also cautious and will sometimes run or open it's mouth at you when you reach in for it. A baby bearded dragon that just lies flat and does move around is not a good choice. Ask to see the baby feed. It should be aggressive at chasing down crickets or going after greens.

LEOPARD AND FAT TAIL GECKOS

Leopard geckos come in many different colors and sizes. A healthy leopard gecko should look the same no matter what kind of morph it is. Their tails should be big and fat. This is where they store their reserves. A natural tail will have ringed indentions from body to tip. Leopard geckos will drop their tails as a defense mechanism so be very careful when handling them. Their tails will grow back. A "regenerated tail" will be smooth and mishapen. Their body will be bumpy and their bellies smooth. They should have a clean vent with no fecal material present. They should not have shed skin stuck to them.
Their head should be full and rounded with no sunken in areas. The mouth should be clean and dry with no mucous, bumps or crustiness. When they open their mouths it should be clean with no mucous or bumps. Their eyes are bright and alert and rounded. They should be clear with no drainage or sores. Leopard geckos are also curious and will pay attention when you reach into their cage. They will sometimes hiss and jump at you if frightened, but are normally friendly reptiles.
Baby leopard geckos should be alert and very cautious. When frightened they will either run from you or hiss and jump at you with their mouths opened and tails erect. Their tails are thinner than the adult but should still be full toward the body and slowly taper to the tip rather than being thin all the way down. Their body should be firm and round. This baby is about 3 weeks old. Leopard gecko babies may not eat in front of you so this is not a good test of a healthy baby. They are naturally nocturnal and eat when it is dark.
Fat tail geckos will look similar to the leopard geckos. Their bodies are rounder and tails shorter and fatter. Like leopard geckos they will drop their tails. The regenerated tail is short and knobby.

Fat tail geckos should be alert and curious. They are calmer than the leopard geckos and do not run away as much. They will sometimes "hunker down" when frightened and not move much. Their eyes should be clear and bright. Mouths clean and free of sores. These are also nocturnal so you may not see them eat.

	A healthy adult bearded dragon should have alert, wide open eyes. They are very curious and look around a lot. There should be no matting of the eyes or discharge.
	Their head should be rounded and full at the top. A sunken in head is a sign of dehydration or malnutrition. Their mouth should be clean and dry with no mucous, crusting or sores. When the mouth is opened it should be clean with no mucous or bumps. It is normal for the tongue to have a white tip. This is sticky and helps them grab food. Their jaw should be firm and straight. A soft or crooked jaw could be a sign of malnutrition or vitamin deficiency.
	The body shape on bearded dragons will vary some from long and slender to short and round. The body should be full with no ribs visible although you can feel the ribs even in a healthy beardie. The legs should be full and meaty. The tail should be rounded all the way from the base of the body to the tip of the tail. The underside should be full. If it is triangle shaped or sunken in it is a sign of malnutrition. The vent should be clean and white with no sign of feces or crusting. In a male bearded dragon the pores will have a waxy substance, which is normal.

	Leopard geckos come in many different colors and sizes. A healthy leopard gecko should look the same no matter what kind of morph it is. Their tails should be big and fat. This is where they store their reserves. A natural tail will have ringed indentions from body to tip. Leopard geckos will drop their tails as a defense mechanism so be very careful when handling them. Their tails will grow back. A "regenerated tail" will be smooth and mishapen. Their body will be bumpy and their bellies smooth. They should have a clean vent with no fecal material present. They should not have shed skin stuck to them.
	Their head should be full and rounded with no sunken in areas. The mouth should be clean and dry with no mucous, bumps or crustiness. When they open their mouths it should be clean with no mucous or bumps. Their eyes are bright and alert and rounded. They should be clear with no drainage or sores. Leopard geckos are also curious and will pay attention when you reach into their cage. They will sometimes hiss and jump at you if frightened, but are normally friendly reptiles.
	Baby leopard geckos should be alert and very cautious. When frightened they will either run from you or hiss and jump at you with their mouths opened and tails erect. Their tails are thinner than the adult but should still be full toward the body and slowly taper to the tip rather than being thin all the way down. Their body should be firm and round. This baby is about 3 weeks old. Leopard gecko babies may not eat in front of you so this is not a good test of a healthy baby. They are naturally nocturnal and eat when it is dark.
	Fat tail geckos will look similar to the leopard geckos. Their bodies are rounder and tails shorter and fatter. Like leopard geckos they will drop their tails. The regenerated tail is short and knobby.
	Fat tail geckos should be alert and curious. They are calmer than the leopard geckos and do not run away as much. They will sometimes "hunker down" when frightened and not move much. Their eyes should be clear and bright. Mouths clean and free of sores. These are also nocturnal so you may not see them eat.