Rebuild the familiar before you greet the dragon
Boarding, however good, means different smells, sounds, and hands, and a bearded dragon reads its world through routine. Before the carrier comes indoors, set the enclosure exactly as it was: same basking platform, same hide, same dish positions, substrate refreshed, and the basking spot already up to temperature with the lights on their normal schedule. Place the dragon on its basking platform and let it warm through undisturbed. A dragon that has travelled cool and stressed needs heat and stillness before food, handling, or a tour of well-wishers, and most will sit, bask, and survey the room for a good while before doing anything else.
First evening: water, a small meal, and observation
Offer water by dripping it on the snout or providing a shallow dish, since boarding dragons often drink less than they should. Once your dragon has basked properly and looks alert, offer a modest meal: favorite greens first, and just a few insects rather than a feast, because a gut that has eaten irregularly handles a sudden banquet poorly. Note the first dropping and how it looks, and whether the dragon eats eagerly, picks, or refuses. A quiet refusal on day one after travel is common; the pattern across the next two or three days is what carries information.
Read the settling signs honestly
A dragon settling well returns to its basking spot each morning, shows normal colors rather than a persistently dark beard, and resumes its usual appetite and droppings within a few days. Expect some wariness: a flattened posture when hands approach, or a day spent mostly in the hide, is a normal decompression response to a change of keepers, not a verdict on the boarding. Keep handling brief and optional, let the dragon choose to walk onto your hand, and keep other pets and loud household traffic away from the enclosure while confidence rebuilds. Children eager to welcome it home can watch through the glass.
When homecoming needs a vet instead
Contact a reptile vet if your dragon has not eaten anything after several days at home despite correct temperatures, if droppings stay watery or unusually foul, or if it basks with eyes closed and cannot rouse properly. Weight lost during the stay, sunken eyes, or a beard held black through whole days all deserve a call rather than more patience. Ask the boarder directly what and how much was actually eaten, whether any meal was regurgitated, and whether droppings looked unusual; those answers, brought to the appointment, can save your dragon a round of guesswork.
Make the next stay easier from this one
While the experience is fresh, write down what the boarding notes say your dragon ate, where it slept, and anything it refused, then adjust your own handoff instructions for next time: a favorite green it reliably takes, the exact basking arrangement, and the handling style it tolerates. Note how many days settling took this time, so the next homecoming has a baseline to compare against. Keeping the sitter's log and your settling notes together in KinsLe's Care Pass gives the next person trusted temporary access to your dragon's real routine, not a guess at it.