This is Spike. He is a one year old Bearded Dragon. He is a delightful lizard. He loves to climb and explore, seems to enjoy the attention of the humans we provide for his entertainment and when he's happy he becomes brilliant yellow. He's also quite spoiled. Dragons are so personable that it is very easy to do.
Spike was a rescue from a local pet store. He was being all but given away after suffering injuries from a cage mate or two. Bearded dragons are predators and as juveniles they are voracious. If not fed often enough, or are improperly housed or fed, they will often begin to snack on each other or compete for food. Spike is missing all the toes of one hind food, two toes on another and the last fourth of his tail. He required surgery and antibiotic injections for a month. Note to reader: lizards do not like injections! (I do have to give the store credit for seeking appropriate medical care. Some stores would have just thrown him out with the trash. Sadly, I think had he been a more common color they might have.)
This is the problem with many pet stores. More animals means more sales, so animals like young lizards are often kept in overcrowded conditions. In addition, they don't always take the time to learn about proper care for the animals they sell and they just stock whatever animals are popular right now, regardless of whether they make appropriate pets (Read my rant on this here.) You might find a conscientious, knowledgeable staff, or you might find people (as we so often do) who know next to nothing about the animals they are caring for. They don't intend harm, but they are doing it nonetheless. There is no excuse for ignorance. Too much information is available. If you plan to take in an animal, or care for it even temporarily, please take the time to educate yourself. If you can't be bothered to do that, you're an ass.