Bearded Dragon Nails Damaged and Salad

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Hey guys I was looking for any help and advice on the topic of nails and salad. I have a Bearded Dragon named Pacco that we received a few years ago. He seems pretty old, maybe 8 years, and he is like a war vet to me. We took him in from someone we knew and he was pretty beaten up. His tail was short and nubbed and his toes/fingers were damaged and curled out and a few were missing. We assumed that as a baby his tail was nipped off by other babies and that his nails were done terribly by whoever cut them. Anyways I've attempted to file his nails and clip a few when we got him but I didn't go too overboard because I didn't know which nails were dead and which were healthy when it came to nerves. I left him with my family a year ago as I left the state for schooling, and this past weekend I brought him with me when I got a bigger apartment. I have the following links that will show how his nails look. Any advice on how to care for them now will be helpful.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B4UeGSXKS-C6RS1rckpZZ2dHcVE
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B4UeGSXKS-C6dE9pUXdnVjRuLW8
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B4UeGSXKS-C6Y05qalRnelRpRHM
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B4UeGSXKS-C6VUJMRjRzb0QtWk0
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B4UeGSXKS-C6MHE4YVBEOTJQNDQ
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B4UeGSXKS-C6cXlsd3JVTlRFQ2M

Also on the topic of salad, I've been recently giving him a fruit salad every day containing lettuce, blueberries, grapes, strawberries, pineapple, and papaya all chopped up for him to easily eat. He barely touches it unfortunately. He may eat the lettuce but that is all. He ate a few blueberries a couple days ago but hasn't touched them since which is weird because he used to eat blueberries all the time. I've tried placing superworms in his bowl to encourage him. I haven't offered him this much of a variety before so I assume that could be factor. Any suggestions on this help will be appreciated as well!
 

Mysty

Juvie Member
I'm gonna offer advice on the nutritional front as the last thing you need is dental problems from too much fruit, or nutrient deficiencies from not having enough staple veg.

Search online for the beautiful dragons nuutrition chart. Foods are divided into staples which should be fed daily, occasionals (twice weekly) and foods not to feed.

Feed mainly staples. E.g. collard greens. Small amount of fruit can be weekly. Herbs can also be treats.

Lettuce is not good nutritionally. Any staple green is a far better daily alternative.
 

KevinBeard

Member
Original Poster
Thanks for the reply, any suggestions as far as water goes. I usually feed them lettuce because I thought they would get hydration that way since mine doesn't drink water.
 

EllenD

Gray-bearded Member
Lettuce has no nutritional value at all to him, which in an adult dragon that eats mainly greens will result in a nutritional deficiency. No lettuce at all, it's worthless and unnecessary. If he's fed proper greens and veggies, with 1-2 live insect feedings per week of a quality feeder insect, then he'll get all the water and hydration he needs. If you're still worried about hydration then drip water on his snout and let him lick it off once a day in addition to his quality greens. But no lettuce, it's pointless and not giving him any vitamins or nutrition.

Fruit should only be an occasional treat, maybe once or twice a week WITH HIS QUALITY GREENS AND INSECTS. Fruit is not a staple food, or meal. Too much sugar and no nutrition. So only once or twice a week with his regular staple greens.

Now, good quality FRESH staple greens you should feed him as his main meal every day to give him his nutrition and hydration include Collard Greensreens, Turnip Greens, Dandelion Greens, Mustard Greens, Arugula (Rocket), Chard, Escarole, Endive, Bok Choy. Occasionally fresh herbs like Cilantro as a treat. A piece of fruit once or twice a week. Good veggies include fresh Butternut squash, Spaghetti squash, Acorn squash, yellow squash, zucchini, bell peppers of all colors, green beans, pea pods...occasionally carrot, broccoli...

Good live insect feeders for 1-2 times a week along with his greens and veggies include gut-loaded crickets, roaches, silkworms, BSFL/Phoenix Worms/Calciworms/Reptiworms (all the same thing), and Butterworms, Hornworms... Occasionally as a treat superworms (very fatty), wax worms...No mealworms

His toenails honestly look very thick and almost like they have a fungal infection, though I've never seen beardie nails look like this. Usually you simply clipping the tip off of each of their nails, only the tip that hangs over the quick, but he has no tips, and I'm not sure you can even see where the veins end (clip too far he'll bleed badly)...Have you taken him to an experienced reptile vet and had them consult on his toenails?
 

KevinBeard

Member
Original Poster
Thanks for the reply, the next time I go shopping I will buy some good veggies like collard greens. I also usually buy fruit in a variety pack at smith's so I'm sure they will a variety pack for vegetables. And I haven't taken him to a vet about it. As far as I know, his nails has been like that for a long time so he seems to be accustomed to it, but I do worry about fungus so I'll keep an eye on it before I go to a vet.
 

EllenD

Gray-bearded Member
Well the concern (besides they look like they have a fungal infection) is that they're all curled under, so they have to be causing him issues walking? They definitely look like they have a fungal infection, I have honestly never seen anything like this on a reptile, they almost look like dog nails! They are very thick, brittle, and green/brown in color. And trimming them is a must, as it's going to get to the point where he can't walk on them anymore.

I would definitely get him to an experienced reptile vet ASAP to have them looked at, and hopefully he's seen it before and can first take a scraping to test for a fungal infection, but more importantly he can clip them. I wouldn't attempt it, I clip my beardie's toenails once a month, but your beardie's toenails don't look anything like a beardie's toenails (no offense, but they don't). You can fully see the vein in normal beardie toenails, so you know how much to take off. Yes you worry about it being painful, but more serious is if you clip too much off they will just bleed and bleed. I think it actually might be a situation where an experienced reptile vet may actually have to clip them back very far to an acceptable length, and then use styptic liquid to clot the veins. That's the only way to get them back to a normal length, I've seen this done with dogs and parrots before. But it absolutely must be an experienced reptile vet and not just an "exotics" vet or a general vet, they could cause more damage than good. But I'd do it soon before he can no longer walk...Does he have trouble yet? Does he walk on the nails? Poor guy..
 

KevinBeard

Member
Original Poster
He has no issue walking at all, he's been walking around and has never shown any sign of discomfort or issues walking. My guess is that whoever took care of his nails before we got him probably did something to the nerves permanently damaging it. I haven't taken him to the vet about it because the previous owner claimed they took him to the vet every so often for a check up. With all that in mind at the time I figured that the nails were a lost cause otherwise they would have treated it at the time or they were okay for the time being. But I could be wrong. I have done a quick search on any local clinics and so far, I've seen only general and exotic clinics. Gonna have to look into more later for any reptile-specific vets as you recommended. I hope there truly is no issue, he is like a walking tank that has been rattled but still keeps on going!
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
Good advice so far on a better diet, you can offer oral hydraion with a small spray bottle by gently spraying/dripping water on his snout once a week or so.

The nails don't have any fungal problem, they are just overgrown and dark because of his age.. These come up on this forum every now + then. If he's pretty mellow you can cut them yourself, be sure to look closely to where the quick [ the dark line ] ends so as not to cut in it. Then just have some cornstarch on hand in case you do make it bleed a little, that can help stop it quickly.

If you really aren't comfortable cutting them , you can have a reptile vet do it, but I think you can do it yourself. Believe it or not, there's a youtube video for that, too. :) Just Google it.
 

EllenD

Gray-bearded Member
I disagree, I wouldn't be cutting those myself, and I have the education and training...I think there is a fungal infection present and an experienced reptile vet is a must. Sorry, but I just don't agree on this one at all, but that's why we have veterinarians!
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
Lots of older beardies have curled over nails , and the color is still consistent with a healthy nail, it's just grown curly and or been damaged which they do when moving, jumping, digging. I agree though, it may be best for a vet to cut them , especially since it's an older dragon but I don't think there's anything fungal going on.

So just curious, what makes you feel that it's fungal and do you have any pics of a dragon with nails that are fungal ?

Here's a pic of nails before trimming, they are pretty consistent with the o.p's pics colorwise but not curled up.

https://i1.wp.com/canadianmomreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/unnamed-3.jpg?zoom=1.75&resize=275%2C183

And here's an article from this forum about cutting corkscrew nails.
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=138341
 
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