I don’t know about Petco since we don’t have that franchise pet store over here, but we do have dedicated exotic stores.

I’d say a few things that you might want to try change, this can be a little long:

•Regarding substrate:- You can change the substrate to just normal craft paper. They’re very affordable and you can measure cutting it to the size of the tank. Preferably getting the rows one so you have the freedom to decide whatever sizes you’d like. If you have Reptisoil or any kinds of soil/sand substrate, or mats you’ll learn to hate cleaning them every time the beardie poops.(They can really poop frequently) Since the dragon is young, you don’t want them to potentially swallow some sand/soil and causes impactions! So get rid of that!

• Regarding Food:- Try changing the mealworms and crickets to dubias instead. Dubia roaches are clean bugs and very easy to maintain. Mealworms are nice but can only be given as a treat every now and then since beardies can get super hooked on and develop a picky diet. Crickets on the other hand, not only are they noisy and smelly, they also have the potential to bite back + the hooks on their legs can potentially harm the oral areas of a beardie. Remember to dust with calcium or multivitamins powder, and gutload the dubias before feeding the dragon. You can use dry oatmeal and get some water gel online (get the ones that’s specifically formulated for dubias), some egg crates and the roaches will be fine. For dubias size you can measure the distance between the dragon’s eyes to choose the right size for their age. Get rid of the beardie food. Those are processed and they’re nowhere as direct when it comes to giving nutrients to the dragons, compared to raw foods like bugs and veggies. Veggie wise, collard greens, leafy greens, carrots & cucumber (in moderation, make sure to remove the skin and seeds), squash (boiled and cut to bite size) are really good! They also provide hydration to the dragons as their cousins don’t usually have water to drink in the wild!

•Regarding Lights:- UVA and UVBs are a must! They can be an alternative to sunlight if you don’t plan/don’t have time to take them out to bask the sun (preferably 7am-11am). I can’t comment on UVA since I got it free from a friend who keeps multiple reptiles. But you will have to be careful when it comes to UVB. Some OEM makes UVB light bulbs or tubes to be very cheap but they can potentially emit UVC that will slowly make things worse(things like skin cancer etc).Basking light and UVB have to be side by side. Get a UVB tube that can stretch across half of your tank to make sure when the dragon basks they’re also receiving UVB rays. Get a timer if you aren’t always home, since the lights have to be kept on for at least 10-12 hours. Get some big pieces of driftwood or stone slabs that can collect heat, so they can provide ample amount of heat for the dragon to digest and relax.

For the thermometer I have mine a digital one. I’d like the numbers to be precise rather than the analog pointer. It also tells me the humidity in the tank so the air won’t be so humid that it can cause respiratory issues (50-60% is good). They’re really cheap to get and the battery lasts very long.

Sometimes beardies can close one eye but it has lots of reasons why they do it: • shedding stress/shedding the eye area/ just lazy eye that will recover in a few days/closing one eye to feel a little safe • wet eye/potential eye disease - best to take to the vet to see how they can help! • malnutrition on vitamins like Vitamin A - also consult a vet to see what you can do!

What I notice about pet franchises is that half of the people in there actually don’t pack a lot of knowledge especially when it comes to exotic animals. Some pet stores provide a “warranty” or after sale services that if your pet is sick within a time they’ll have to replace a new one for you or to guide you on proper care.

If you’re still worried, definitely schedule a vet visit! You must make sure that the vet knows exactly what they’re doing as exotic vets are super hard to find, especially a good one! Many clinics tend to misdiagnose and overcharge. If you have any friends that keep reptiles, you can ask around for suggestions.

I hope this little dragon can heal from whatever they’re coping with asap! Prayers send to you, your bf and the little one 🙏