Since your Beardie can't groan or complain about where it hurts, we must use our observation skills to determine when something is not right. There are times when a healthy Beardie will act differently, but these changes should be seen for what they are by the experienced herper:

Natural changes associated with breeding season:
· Color
· Activity level and daily routines
· Appetite
· Feces and urates
· Behavioral changes

Natural changes associated with skin shedding:
· Color
· Activity level and daily routines
· Appetite

If it is not breeding season or the beginning of a new shed period, the following signs may indicate pain from an injury, abscess, tumor, abdominal mass, or other problem:

Movement:
· Lethargy
· Lack of usual activity
· Reluctance to move
· Favoring a limb, tail or quadrant
· Limping, lameness
· Slowed reflexes (in the absence of being too cold)

Responses:
· Unusual aggression to all contact
· Withdrawal or avoidance behavior, especially in a usually sociable or gregarious individual

Posture:
· Hunching (abdomen tucked up)
· Won't lay down, even in favored places
· Stands holding foot or limb elevated

Behavior:
· Restless
· Depressed
· Anorexic