Black beard when sleeping?

[Pkimberlee13]

I already made a post about some concerns I have with my Apollo, but it was pretty lengthy so I’m making this post to specifically ask about why my bearded dragon turns darker with a black beard when he sleeps. I’d say maybe he’s been doing this for about a week? I also just noticed today that he has a weird discoloration in his mouth that I fear may be “mouth rot”, and I don’t really know what that is or how to treat it. I read somewhere that someone’s bearded dragon was sleeping with a black beard every night and it was related to a liver problem that ended up killing their bearded dragon later on, and I’m absolutely terrified that my bearded dragon may have that problem. I believe it is also worth mentioning that he has been ignoring/rejecting food lately, and has been eating no more than 2-3 worms or blueberries a day for the past 3-4 days compared to the normal 7-10 worms and some fruits/veggies he used to eat daily. He is very lively and active with normal stool, but there are just some pretty odd things that keep me awake at night with him. I hope my Apollo is okay, I just need someone to help me figure out what is wrong!

 

[AHBD]

Hi Kimberlee, a black beard is a sign of some type of stress, it can be any number of things [ including liver problem ] or something totally different. If you can find a good reptile vet you can get some bloodwork done and have his mouth looked at. From your other thread the pics looked like the sore is actually on the other side of his mouth. The pic here doesn't look like anything is wrong on that side. For now you can use raw honey on it but do have a good vet take a look + do some bloodwork.

 

[Pkimberlee13]

Well, the sore is something he’s always had since adoption, just like his paralyzed back legs. I’m concerned about the dark colors on the inside of his mouth. Is it supposed to be that dark color? Is that normal?

 

[CooperDragon]

Try rubbing the area with some MaxiGuard gel using a q-tip and see if that helps. If the area appears sore or affects eating/appetite then a vet may need to have a look at it and if it's infected tissue it can be removed. It's good to start with an oral cleanser to see if you can just keep the area clean and help it clear up on it's own. https://www.amazon.com/Maxiguard-Oral-Gel-4-oz/dp/B000FUOCOA

 

[AHBD]

Can you get a better pic of the mouth open ? It's not really showing any type of problem inside from that picture. If there is any infection, the honey will work inside the mouth just as well as outside. A poster here named Ellen healed a terrible mouth infection with raw honey , her vet was ready to actually cut tissue from the mouth but honey cleared it up.