Is he stunted? 14 inches at 2 years old

[RainMaiden]

I rescued Ozzy off craigslist on June 15. His previous owner had him since he was baby, but wasn't properly caring for him. He was using a coil 5.0 reptiglo uvb bulb and it looked really old. He used calcium with d3 only sometimes with live food and didn't use a multivitamin powder. Also, he was mostly fed lettuces like romaine.

I just measured Ozzy and he is only 14 inches at 2 years old. I'm wondering if he is stunted? That seems quite small for his age. He does have MBD in the jaw, so he has an underbite on one side of his mouth.

 

[ShannyBeard]

Bless your heart, you did a great thing saving Ozzy's life and giving him a loving home. He is a lucky boy. Sadly, he is stunted, as he is full grown at 2 years old. I have a rescue that is an adult and he is 12.5" long, so don't feel bad. They won't grow more after they reach adulthood which is between 18 months and 2 years.

Have you been giving him liquid calcium? For a dragon with MBD, the liquid calcium is best because it is absorbed into their system and processed more easily. You can get it at www.beardeddragon.co or at www.bug-de-lite.com. They are both great people. I also believe another good thing to get a dragon with MBD is liquid B vitamins. B vitamins support the nervous system and the immune system, and helps give them energy.

Good luck with him. I'd love to see a picture... I rescued a dragon with severe MBD: his name is Papa Smurf and his thread is in my signature. I learned a lot from him and maybe there is something in his thread that will help you, or at least reassure you as you work to rehabilitate him.

 

[RainMaiden]

ShannyBeard,

Thank you so much for the reply. It is sad to learn that he is in fact stunted from improper care. I'm glad I found him before the damage got severe like your boy Papa Smurf (love the name btw!). I was wondering if giving him liquid calcium was a good idea, so thank you for mentioning that. I will definitely purchase some asap along with liquid B vitamins.

I made a thread in the rescue section about my boy when I first got him, which has pictures. Here is the link- viewtopic.php?f=3&t=171581

Next week he will be going to see a herp vet for a wellness exam. Also because I think he has parasites. His poop is quite runny and the smell can clear a room. :bleick:

Thanks again for the info and advice. I'm bookmarking Papa Smurfs' thread so I can read it.

 

[ShannyBeard]

I will check out his thread - I can't believe I missed it - :shock: Thanks for the link. Yes I sure do think the liquid calcium is a good thing and really will help him, also the B vitamins. One other thing I do is feed silkworms, but we raise them so we have them around always. Silkworms contain an enzyme that the worms secrete when they are wanting to break out of their cocoon. The enzyme is called Serrapeptase and it breaks down the hard cocoon, and it has been used in Asia for people for over 25 years as a natural anti-inflammatory because it breaks down inflammation, just like the cocoon. You can buy liquid serrapeptase and give it to your dragon. If he has any mobility issues, or even discomfort from MBD (yes it does hurt), then the serrapeptase will help him. You can order it on www.bug-de-lite.com or www.beardeddragon.co - they are both good sites.

All of these items are cheap - you will be pleasantly surprised.

 

[herpgirl2510]

The same thing happened to me I rescued rosie at 2 and he is only 13" but perfect in every other way. They had been using the same reotisun for two years. They were very nice people but had no idea what they were doing. Would the liquid calcium at this age cause them to grow?