My Bearded Dragon is having trouble moving!

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Aikgra

Member
Name: Thane
Age: 3

Hello, my beard is is having a hard time moving. He has to squirm around to get places, his limbs seem very weak and unresponsive. He is still very attentive and seems to eat and poop fine though. He is also currently shedding and I have been giving him warm baths regularly. Is this MBD? I started to give him some extra calcium with a dropper bottle to see if that will help. Can anyone help further so that I can make sure Thane is okay?

I’m not sure why this forum won’t allow me to post pictures. But the temp is 105 in the basking area. He has a mesh top and there is a UVB bar light laying across of it and is within 10 inches of him at all times.

Thanks,
 

Aikgra

Member
Original Poster
Also, he eats mostly salad, crickets(calcium dusted), tomatoes, cucumber, and a vitamin enriched bearded dragon diet from “All Living Things”.
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
Hi Aikgra, sorry to hear that Thane is having trouble. It does sound like MBD. What exact type + brand of lights do you use ? His diet is not optimal [ leave out the cukes, tomatoes + prepared food + use greens like turnip, mustard, collard, arugula [ rocket ] endive, dandelion, green beans + squash ] but since his food has been dusted it's more likely to be lack of adequate uvb causing the problem, the stores don't often have the right bulbs.

Here's how to post pics :

https://www.beardeddragon.org/useruploads/ Then use the XIMG to upload them
 

Drache613

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hello,

I agree, it does sound like metabolic bone issues. How long has he been having trouble?
Do let us know the brand of tube bulb you are using, because most of them are not very
good at all.
Has he had a black beard at all?
Which calcium liquid are you using?

Tracie
 

Aikgra

Member
Original Poster
Hey,

Thank you for the replies, I'll be sure to adjust his veggies to the ones recommended. Though I have only been dusting his weekly crickets(50). So now I have started dusting his regular daily for also. He currently uses a tube light that I bought at Petsmart, unfortunately the brand s not listed. Any recommendations on which brand I should buy? How often should I replace it? It also sits right on top of the mesh roof to the terrarium. Is that alright as long as its within 10 inches of him.

Thanks
 

EllenD

Gray-bearded Member
Hi, I'm sorry he's got MBD, but it's mostly due to the type of UVB tube you have, and how you have it mounted and setup.

It's most likely PetSmart's house-brand, called "All Living Things", which are extremely weak and are also made in a factory in China that churn out thousands of tubes and sell them to many different brands, all the same tubes, all very weak, and all emit harmful light rays as a byproduct of the cheap manufacturing. The main issue is that #1) They are extremely weak UVb tubes to begin with, #2) It's a T8 strength UVB tube, which are the weakest type and cannot sit on top of a mesh lid, and #3) It's Too far away from his basking spot for a T8 strength UVB tube.

There are 2 different strength of UVB tubes, the much weaker T8 and the much stronger T5. For any desert reptile the T5 is obviously recommended, and it has it's advantages not only for your dragon, but for you and your wallet.

The T8 tubes (15 watts-17 watts typically) cannot be obstructed by anything, they must be within at least 6" max distance from his main Basking spot/platform on the Hot Side of the tank, and they must absolutely be replaced once every 6 months, as their UVB decay rate is very fast.

In contrast, the much stronger T5 UVB tubes (24 watts-26 watts typically) can sit on top of a mesh lid (Though with a dragon already exhibiting symptoms of severe MBD I suggest mounting it under the mesh lid anyway), they only have to be within at least 11" max from his main Basking Spot/Platform on the Hot Side of the tank, and they need replaced only once every 10-12 months, so you save a small fortune in this regard.

The 2 brands that are highly recommended for Bearded Dragons and used by most experienced owners and breeders (because they are very strong, emit no harmful rays, and the UVB spectrum they emit is perfect for dragons) are the Reptisun 10.0 brand, and the Arcadia brand. (DO NOT BUY THE REPTISUN 5.0 BRAND, THEY ARE ONLY 5% UVB TUBES/LIGHTS AND MUST BE MUCH CLOSER TO YOUR DRAGON, TOO CLOSE FOR THEIR EYES...THESE ARE MAINLY FOR TROPICAL REPTILES). Both of these brands are best ordered online rather than buying them in a pet shop, as I know that Petco and Petsmart only carry the much weaker Reptisun 10.0 T8 UVB tubes, and just an 18" T8 tube costs $37.99 in both stores!!! It's ridiculous, especially since you can almost purchase a longer, much stronger 22" Reptisun 10.0 T5HO UVB tube AND and 24" T5-rated fixture for the same price on Amazon.com.

I highly recommend that you buy a T5 strength UVB tube for your dragon and get it mounted underneath the mesh lid. I'd totally skip the weaker T8 tubes, as you'll not only spend much more in the long run, but because he cannot even move, meaning his MBD is very advanced, he needs the T5 UVB tube. You'll also have to buy a new tube fixture that is rated for a T5 UVB tube (24 watts versus the T8-rated tube you already have that is rated for 15 or 17 watts max only), but again, on Amazon.com, which is the cheapest place I've found and where I have ordered my tubes and fixtures for years, you can buy both for under $50 shipped.

If you want to spend a bit more money you can also buy a 24" Arcadia 12% T5 UVB tube, it's a 26 watt tube and a bit stronger UVB light than the Reptisun 10.0 T5HO tubes, but either will due. The Arcadia tubes are made in Europe and cost a bit more, that choice is yours.

I recommend just going onto Amazon.com ASAP and ordering a 22" or a 34" (skip the 16", too short) Reptisun 10.0 T5HO UVB tube, and then either a 24" or a 36" T5-rated tube fixture for it. BE SURE THAT THE FIXTURE YOU BUY INCLUDES A METAL REFLECTOR THAT SITS INSIDE IT BEHIND THE TUBE, THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT'S THE ONLY WAY TO GET UVB LIGHT REFLECTED THROUGHOUT HIS TANK.

If you go to the "General Discussion" forum here I posted a topic called "Amazon.com links for Reptisun 10.0 T5HO and fixture" just a few days ago, it includes a link for the 22" Reptisun 10.0 T5HO UVB tube and a 24" T5 rated fixture that has a metal reflector with it. I have 3 of this brand/model of T5-tube fixture and they work great, no issues at all.

In the meantime, while you're waiting for the new UVB tube/fixture to come, I would poke holes in the mesh lid and then use either long, plastic zip ties, shoelace, wire, twine, etc. to strap your current UVB tube fixture to the underside of the mesh lid, it's pretty easy to do. Make sure that you do it over the Hot Side of the tank, and leave enough space so that your bright white Basking Light can sit right alongside the UVb tube (THEY NEED TO BE RIGHT BESIDE EACH OTHER AND BOTH OVER THE HOT SIDE OF THE TANK, NOT END-TO-END, BUT RATHER RIGHT ALONGSIDE EACH OTHER). They move whatever you use as his basking spot/platform right directly underneath both lights, so that he gets both of them at the same time while basking. THIS REPLICATES NATURAL SUNLIGHT AS CLOSELY AS POSSIBLE....ALSO, BE SURE THAT BOTH LIGHTS ARE ON EVERY SINGLE DAY FOR AT LEAST 13-14 HOURS MINIMUM!

When the new UVb tube and fixture come just cut the zip ties or whatever you used to strap the tube fixture on the underside of the mesh lid, remove the old tube, and put the new UVB tube into the new fixture and then strap it to the underside of the mesh lid and turn her on...

Be sure to dust her live insects at least 5 days a week in a proper calcium supplement for reptiles (I'd be dusting every day of the week in calcium once the new UVB tube comes, at least for 3 months or so, then scale back to 5 days a week in calcium). I'd be dusting in a Reptile Multivitamin at least 3 days a week as well, 4 is probably better for the next few months as well, then scale back to 3.
 

Aikgra

Member
Original Poster
Thank you all for your help! my Bearded Dragon is doing great again and has recovered back to full mobility :) :D
 

EllenD

Gray-bearded Member
Aikgra":14pv0ozz said:
Thank you all for your help! my Bearded Dragon is doing great again and has recovered back to full mobility :) :D

That's great to hear! I assume you got him a new T5 UVB tube and got it set up alright? And I hope you're also dusting his food with calcium at least 5 times a week (or sprinkling it on his greens/veggies and dusting insects, doesn't matter as long as it happens 5 times a week) and also with a Reptile Multivitamin 3 days a week? This is extremely important, you'll need to do this for the rest of his life. A lot of people assume that once a dragon is an adult that they don't need to get calcium 5 times a week and a multivitamin 3 times a week, that only babies and juveniles need them that often, but that's just simply untrue. They are just like us, we take a multivitamin daily for the length of our lives, and we get everything else we need from our already-enriched food products, and dragons are no different. As far as UVB lighting and Calcium powder goes, it's an ALL-OR-NOTHING kind of thing, they work together and they must have both for them to remain healthy.

Also, just an FYI, please be sure to replace the T5 UVB tube you got (assuming that's what you bought, I hope and not another T8 tube) at least once every 12 months (if you did just buy another T8 UVB tube, then it absolutely must be replaced once every 6 months at a minimum). I always suggest that you write the date that you put it in the fixture on the tube itself with a permanent Sharpie marker in a spot you can see it on the tube, and you can also put an alert on your cell phone's calendar for 11 months from the date you started using it (or 5 months if you bought another T8 tube) and that way you'll be able to order the replacement tube and have it in-hand by the time it's expired and has stopped emitting any UVB light.

Also, I strongly agree with what AHBD already told you about the "commercially available" or "pre-packaged" Bearded Dragon foods, such as pellets, Beardie Bites, any of those pre-packaged vegetable mixes, and the absolute worst are the freeze-dried or already dead insects and the pellet mixes that include them, like Fluker's "Buffet Blend" and the like. First of all, most Bearded Dragons, whether healthy or ill, will not touch most of these foods anyway. Secondly, most all of these are extremely unhealthy for them and more importantly do no provide them anywhere near the nutrition they need. And most importantly, Bearded Dragons don't drink much if any water at all from a bowl or bath, they get most all of their daily hydration and electrolytes from the LIVE, GUT-LOADED insects and the FRESH greens/veggies that they eat. That's it. Freeze-Dried insects and/or veggies contain absolutely NO WATER at all, that's what makes them Freeze-Dried. This is the first reason they are terrible for Dragons, and the second reason is that the Freeze-Dried insects tend to also cause terrible bowel impactions and obstructions. So please, stick to only FRESH greens and veggies (stay away from all types of Kale and Spinach, as they contain extremely high levels of Oxalate, which bind to all of the Calcium that they take in and this forms Calcium Oxalate, which is simply excreted, just like what caused Calcium Oxalate Kidney Stones; so if you feed them any type of Kale or Spinach you are actually blocking them from absorbing any of the Calcium they take in during that feeding from the food or powders). And please only feed LIVE insects that are GUT-LOADED with ONLY the same FRESH, healthy greens and veggies that you feed him, and stay away from any of the "Insect Feeds" or "Hydration Gels/Cricket Quenchers/Water Pillows" for live crickets. They are totally unnecessary, expensive, and in the case of the Cricket Quencher/Hydration Gels/Water Pillows they are toxic/poisonous to Dragons.
 
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