I'm getting a bearded dragon for my son (ok, and myself!) and have found a local mom and pop pet shop with baby beardies. There are 5 babies (around 6 inches long) in the enclosure together and they all look and act healthy as far as I can tell. The enclosure is clean, is the right temp and humidity, has UVB, etc.
All of the beardies are the common light tan "sand" color except for one. He's very dark grey, almost black with faint red stripes down his sides where the row of "spikes" is. He also happens to be the one my son has fallen in love with. I assume that they're all from the same breeder/litter since they're all the same size. They're all obviously getting the same lighting, diet, and other treatment. I'm not sure why they'd all be the same color with just the one being such an unusual color. The pet shop owner says that he's perfectly healthy, just an unusual color and it's not a cause for concern.
I've read that beardies darken in color when they're stressed or sick, so this has me a little worried. If he's healthy then I think the coloring is really cool and would love to have him. If there's a good chance he may have problems I'd really hate to get him and set my son up for possible heartbreak in a few weeks/months.
The black beardie seems completely healthy and alert. No obvious injuries. He stood still but moved his head to watch us when we approached the cage. He let me pick him up and stayed still on my hand, other than moving his head to look around. When I put my hand back down onto the floor of his enclosure he ran off my hand to the corner of the cage then turned around to look at me as I pulled my hand out. He seems as active or even slightly more active than the others in the cage.
Can anyone give me some advice? What are the odds that he's stressed or has some kind of health problems? What are the odds that he's just fine and happens to be an unusual color?
All of the beardies are the common light tan "sand" color except for one. He's very dark grey, almost black with faint red stripes down his sides where the row of "spikes" is. He also happens to be the one my son has fallen in love with. I assume that they're all from the same breeder/litter since they're all the same size. They're all obviously getting the same lighting, diet, and other treatment. I'm not sure why they'd all be the same color with just the one being such an unusual color. The pet shop owner says that he's perfectly healthy, just an unusual color and it's not a cause for concern.
I've read that beardies darken in color when they're stressed or sick, so this has me a little worried. If he's healthy then I think the coloring is really cool and would love to have him. If there's a good chance he may have problems I'd really hate to get him and set my son up for possible heartbreak in a few weeks/months.
The black beardie seems completely healthy and alert. No obvious injuries. He stood still but moved his head to watch us when we approached the cage. He let me pick him up and stayed still on my hand, other than moving his head to look around. When I put my hand back down onto the floor of his enclosure he ran off my hand to the corner of the cage then turned around to look at me as I pulled my hand out. He seems as active or even slightly more active than the others in the cage.
Can anyone give me some advice? What are the odds that he's stressed or has some kind of health problems? What are the odds that he's just fine and happens to be an unusual color?