MBD HELP ... Food, tank, & care

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Kitjohnson

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hi I joined because I really need some help nursing my beardie who has metabolic bone disease. His name is kodak and he’s 1.5 years old. In October, I took him to the vet because he was showing signs of MBD, and sure enough, he had it. I was given two powder foods to mix with water and syringe feed him, and the vet also gave him some sort of calcium and hydration shot. He seemed to get a lot better as he gained a lot of muscle mass and was then running around when before he wasn’t even strong enough to lift his body off the ground.

He was progressing for a while, but now he seems to be suffering again as I noticed a loss in appetite, weight/muscle loss, twitchy toes/feet, and lethargy. I weighed him today in at 5.5oz. I believe something is wrong with his tongue as well because it looks like it’s a bit lighter in color and swollen at the end.

He will only eat if I feed him from my hand, unless it’s live- he did not do this as a baby, but this is how it’s been for most of his life, and I don’t know why. He never drinks from his water dish, so i will give him some water with a syringe and make sure he gets a bath.. He was in a 20 gallon tank most of his life, but a few months ago I switched him into a 75 gallon tank. He has a personality and runs around or will cuddle up with me when he’s outside his tank, but basically chills in the same 3 spots all day and night. He doesn’t use half of his tank either.

What steps can I take to help him?
What should I be feeding him specifically?
What’s the best set up for my tank?
-lights, bedding, accessories, etc...??
How long should I have him out per day?
Are there any supplements/vitamins he should take?

I may be doing a lot of things wrong, and I love my beardie to death and want the best for him. Please help!
 

Drache613

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hello,

I'm sorry your boy has metabolic bone disease. Unfortunately, many times when they are
diagnosed with it, they will have issues the rest of their life. The condition has to be treated
daily.
If he is having trouble again, I highly recommend getting him on a liquid calcium, for regular
use. It is absorbed much better than powder.
Are you using any UVB lights & if so what type & brand. For him, I would recommend getting
a T5 high output tube bulb to be used. It is imperative that he is exposed to good quality UVB
lighting along with calcium supplementation regularly to be sure his condition is managed.
The 75 gallon tank is good sized for him, that is fine for him. Solid particulate or bedding is the
only way to go. Most of use textured tiles, non adhesive shelf liner, newspaper, or rubberized
mats to go on the bottom.
He should be able to be out a couple of hours daily, as long as you get him a strong UVB light so
he can get a good portion of UVB light when he is in his tank.
Since he is an adult, he needs the majority of his diet to be greens/vegetation, but still good
quality protein. I usually recommend 30-50 feeders weekly, of various sizes or variety.
Do you have any pictures?

Tracie
 

Kitjohnson

New member
Original Poster
THank you so much for your insight and help. I do have liquid calcium actually! I totally forgot I had it. I do have a UVB bulb on him currently- not sure of the type&brand... my dad got it for him. I’ll definitely be getting him the T5 HO bulb now. Within the past last day I’ve seen a vast improvement in his health. Would it be good to get him some natural sunlight? It’s warm here.

Drache613":hhp6zmax said:
Hello,

I'm sorry your boy has metabolic bone disease. Unfortunately, many times when they are
diagnosed with it, they will have issues the rest of their life. The condition has to be treated
daily.
If he is having trouble again, I highly recommend getting him on a liquid calcium, for regular
use. It is absorbed much better than powder.
Are you using any UVB lights & if so what type & brand. For him, I would recommend getting
a T5 high output tube bulb to be used. It is imperative that he is exposed to good quality UVB
lighting along with calcium supplementation regularly to be sure his condition is managed.
The 75 gallon tank is good sized for him, that is fine for him. Solid particulate or bedding is the
only way to go. Most of use textured tiles, non adhesive shelf liner, newspaper, or rubberized
mats to go on the bottom.
He should be able to be out a couple of hours daily, as long as you get him a strong UVB light so
he can get a good portion of UVB light when he is in his tank.
Since he is an adult, he needs the majority of his diet to be greens/vegetation, but still good
quality protein. I usually recommend 30-50 feeders weekly, of various sizes or variety.
Do you have any pictures?

Tracie
 

Drache613

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hello,

Great, go ahead & start him on a daily regime with the liquid calcium. Coupled with outdoor
time & upgrading to a T5 tube bulb, you should begin to see a huge improvement in him. It is
rough when they have flare ups like that, but it is manageable. You just have to stay on top of
it consistently.
Be sure to not put him in anything glass when taking him outside. You can place him on your
lap, or get a leash for him, or just carefully watch him if he is down on the ground. Watch for
large birds of prey overhead.

Let us know how he is doing.
Tracie
 
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