Baby Beardie Going Stiff

Okay so we just got our beardie from petco and he is only a few months old, he hasn’t been acting himself lately, he is shedding though so idk if that could make him act like this. But he keeps going really stiff sometimes but then he gets really active. He just now had this major freak out in his tank, we have also just moved him into a bigger tank so idk if that is causing this as well but i thought he was having a seizure because he flipped all around... we have been giving him calcium dust, but we just bought some calcium dust with vitamin d3 or d in it will that maybe help in any way? Is this normal..? We own leopard geckos, we have never had a bearded dragon before but we did do research before getting him, I just I am really worried :/

I think the poor little hatchling may be infected with AD virus.

Only a vet can test to be sure.

Hello,

It definitely could be adeno, as that seems to be a major problem here in the US.
It could also be calcium issues, even at that age. Oftentimes they can be born with low calcium
due to the mother being low in reserves when laying.
Are you using a good UVB light also? What type/brand of UVB light are you using?
If you can, post a picture or two of your tank setup & your dragon, also.

Tracie

Drache613":1mcoz535 said:

Hello,

It definitely could be adeno, as that seems to be a major problem here in the US.
It could also be calcium issues, even at that age. Oftentimes they can be born with low calcium
due to the mother being low in reserves when laying.
Are you using a good UVB light also? What type/brand of UVB light are you using?
If you can, post a picture or two of your tank setup & your dragon, also.

Tracie

Click to expand...

His new tank has been set up just recently, and he moved into his new tank a couple days ago and he hasnt been right, so do you think it could also be that? His UVB is a dessert one, 150 exo terra. And the basking light is exo terra intense basking spot 120v 60hz 75.

I feed him 4 week crickets and i always try to get him to eat fruit and veggies but he doesnt always want any, i feel like maybe the crickets are too big, i mean he does eat them fine and he does still go poop. H e did end up calming down last night after awhile and he slept mostly all night, but I am still so worried... I just dont want to miss something or do it wrong...

how do I post photos? because I cant figure it out

His name is Juniper and he is obviously shedding right now, could that cause such weird behavior even though he hasnt acted like this at all before he has always been so happy and energetic and ready to seize the day

If I remember correctly, the Exo Terra 150 UVB bulb is a Coil UVB bulb, I believe it's still a pretty strong bulb, if it's the 26 watt version...can you look right on the bulb itself and find the wattage? I'm not familiar with this bulb itself, but Coil UVB bulbs in-general very often cause serious vision and neurological damage, so if someone who knows about the Exo Terra 150 Coil UVB bulb can jump-in and give confirmation of how this specific bulb does for Dragons, it would be a big help...But as I said, most all Coil UVB bulbs, even if they are a high enough wattage UVB bulb, cause exactly the types of symptoms you're describing...

EllenD":1ceh2yz5 said:

If I remember correctly, the Exo Terra 150 UVB bulb is a Coil UVB bulb, I believe it's still a pretty strong bulb, if it's the 26 watt version...can you look right on the bulb itself and find the wattage? I'm not familiar with this bulb itself, but Coil UVB bulbs in-general very often cause serious vision and neurological damage, so if someone who knows about the Exo Terra 150 Coil UVB bulb can jump-in and give confirmation of how this specific bulb does for Dragons, it would be a big help...But as I said, most all Coil UVB bulbs, even if they are a high enough wattage UVB bulb, cause exactly the types of symptoms you're describing...

Click to expand...

The light i was using decided not to work today so i put a regular coil bulb in that is for house hold lights, will he be okay until tomorrow without any form of uvb until I can get the right one, because i noticed the only ones that actually recommended are long ones... will he be okay? It wont have hurt him for life right..?

The 26w UVB 150 bulb has similar output to a T8 bulb in that it's suitable for small tanks at a range of 6-8'' but the beam isn't as wide as an 18'' T8 bulb. I think ultimately you'll be best off investing in a 22'' T5 bulb and 2ft T5 fixture. Remove that upper platform and make the basking area down along that rock hide. If that's at about 12'' or so it will be just right. He should be OK for a day or two without UVB though if need be as long as the temps are OK.

CooperDragon":1937i9qf said:

The 26w UVB 150 bulb has similar output to a T8 bulb in that it's suitable for small tanks at a range of 6-8'' but the beam isn't as wide as an 18'' T8 bulb. I think ultimately you'll be best off investing in a 22'' T5 bulb and 2ft T5 fixture. Remove that upper platform and make the basking area down along that rock hide. If that's at about 12'' or so it will be just right. He should be OK for a day or two without UVB though if need be as long as the temps are OK.

Click to expand...

The uvb doesn’t have go along the whole length of the tank right? And my sister bought me the t8 one... before I saw this because I was so worried and she was near a pet shop, are you sure it won’t be okay? Because I can go and return it a get the one you suggested instead. But as for the platform... it is set up like that because it doesn’t get hot enough but it does on the platform, so what do I do about that if I were to remove it..? He is doing better today, he has even eaten a couple crickets and some celery leaves, and he will probably want some more crickets soon

Hello,

You have a T8 tube UVB light, what brand?
The tube bulb only needs to go about 1/2 to 2/3rd's of the length of the tank.
If it's a T8 then you can mount it 6-8 inches from your dragon. Can you mount it
underneath of the screen top?

Tracie

Drache613":y4at6ysi said:

Hello,

You have a T8 tube UVB light, what brand?
The tube bulb only needs to go about 1/2 to 2/3rd's of the length of the tank.
If it's a T8 then you can mount it 6-8 inches from your dragon. Can you mount it
underneath of the screen top?

Tracie

Click to expand...

It does look like I can mount it somehow, will it not be too close if I was to leave the platform and mount it under the screen? Thank you and he won’t eat yet today:/

He'll be fine as long as you use zip ties, wire, twine, etc. to strap the entire tube fixture to the underside of the mesh lid, and make sure that his basking spot/platform is within at least 6" of the tube itself, the T8 tubes are pretty weak and cannot penetrate adequate UVB light to your dragon if they are blocked by anything, like a mesh lid, or if they are not within at least 6" of his basking spot. Also, you must have both the T8 UVB tube and the bright-white colored basking bulb both over the Hot Side of the tank, sharing the top of the Hot Side of the tank, with his basking spot/platform directly underneath both lights. That way he gets both lights at the same time while he's basking and while he's sitting in the proper basking spot surface temperature.

I don't think his behavior has anything to do with not getting enough adequate UVB light, though it could if you were using that Exo Terra Coil UVB bulb on top of mesh, as he wouldn't have been getting much UVB light. My concern about your original issue was using any type of coil UVB light at all to begin with, as they cause neurological issues like you were describing.

EllenD":n1dq1uyu said:

If I remember correctly, the Exo Terra 150 UVB bulb is a Coil UVB bulb, I believe it's still a pretty strong bulb, if it's the 26 watt version...can you look right on the bulb itself and find the wattage? I'm not familiar with this bulb itself, but Coil UVB bulbs in-general very often cause serious vision and neurological damage, so if someone who knows about the Exo Terra 150 Coil UVB bulb can jump-in and give confirmation of how this specific bulb does for Dragons, it would be a big help...But as I said, most all Coil UVB bulbs, even if they are a high enough wattage UVB bulb, cause exactly the types of symptoms you're describing...

Click to expand...

26W UVB150 are 5%UVB , so not really suitable for bearded dragons unless the dragon basks closer than 5 inches from the globe (in a reflector dome or hood).
viewtopic.php?f=34&t=235611

Hello,

Great, so you figured out how to mount the tube bulb underneath of the screen?
Post some pictures when you get a chance so we can see the improvements on your tank.
Were you able to get him to eat anything today?
Let us know how he is doing.

Tracie

kingofnobbys":3cmuashu said:

EllenD":3cmuashu said:

If I remember correctly, the Exo Terra 150 UVB bulb is a Coil UVB bulb, I believe it's still a pretty strong bulb, if it's the 26 watt version...can you look right on the bulb itself and find the wattage? I'm not familiar with this bulb itself, but Coil UVB bulbs in-general very often cause serious vision and neurological damage, so if someone who knows about the Exo Terra 150 Coil UVB bulb can jump-in and give confirmation of how this specific bulb does for Dragons, it would be a big help...But as I said, most all Coil UVB bulbs, even if they are a high enough wattage UVB bulb, cause exactly the types of symptoms you're describing...

Click to expand...

26W UVB150 are 5%UVB , so not really suitable for bearded dragons unless the dragon basks closer than 5 inches from the globe (in a reflector dome or hood).
viewtopic.php?f=34&t=235611

Click to expand...

So the Exo Terra 150 is a Coil bulb that is only 5% UVB? That will do it. I wasn't familiar with the 150 at all, but yeah, if he had only a 5% Coil UVB bulb on top of a mesh lid, then that's definitely most of the issue....Is this Coil bulb know to cause the common neurological/vision issues as most of the other Coil UVB bulbs?