Missing Scales on tail, twitches when touched

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Spyro365

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I have noticed my year old beardie's tail seems to have missing scales. One side of the tail seems very thinned out of any scales. When I touch that part of the tail, he seems to twitch a little, and I can tell he is in discomfort. He is not lethargic but seems weak. His legs recently were having small muscle spasms, but they have cleared. Any suggestions?
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Drache613

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hello,

Can you review your tank setup with us, such as the type/brand of UVB light, the supplementation,
temperatures, etc so we can be sure everything is all correct.
Has he been shedding recently? The tail appears that it is shedding or getting ready to shed, but
sometimes pictures are deceiving. Can you post another one or two pictures of his entire body, so
we can see his physical condition?

Tracie
 

Spyro365

New member
Original Poster
Sorry for the delayed response. He has not shed recently, but the past few days I have been giving him baths and trying to work any shed off, though nothing has come off. Spyro is currently in a 40 gallon long, though I plan to move him into a 50 gallon. His basking temps are at about 105-110, and the cool side of his enclosure is about 75-85. I use a 100 Watt Zoo Med Repti Basking Spot Lamp, and a 26 Watt Zoo Med ReptiSun 10.0 UVA bulb. I feed him about 12 large crickets a day (about 7 large if roaches), and fresh greens in the morning. I dust the crickets and dubias with calcium and vitamins, alternating between the two. Here are some more pictures.
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Spyro365

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Original Poster
KarrieRee":slwt11ly said:
Where is the UVB bulb? Is it in the tank or on top of mesh and is it a coil or tube?
Karrie
The Uvb is a coil, and is hovering right over the mesh and is shining on his basking spot.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Please get rid of the coil --- here is some info on that subject
Which UVB light should I use?
The best UVB light is a ReptiSun 10.0 fluorescent tube HO (Or Arcardia 12% in the UK). Compact or coil bulbs do not emit the proper amount of UVB light for a bearded dragon, and should not be used. Other brands, such as the Zilla Desert Series and ReptiGlo have been known to cause eye problems and other health issues with bearded dragons, and should be avoided. The reason that some UVB lights (Zilla, ReptiGlo, coils/compacts, ect.) are considered dangerous is because the wavelength of UVB that they emit is shorter and more intense than the wavelength of the "safe" lights (ReptiSun, Arcadia).
UVB lights should be replaced every 6 months. The T5’s are a strong bulb and only need to be replaced once a year – the T 8 every 6 months--- where as the T 8 are not as strong—they need to be placed inside the tank the T 5 10.0 bulb approx 10-11 inches from basking spot – the T 8 approx 8-10 inches from basking spot—the cover needs to be off the bulb for full effect of the UVB rays-- lighting plays a huge role in their overall health and behavior
Karrie
 

Drache613

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hello,

Yes, the compact/coil lights have pretty low quality of UVB emissions in comparison to the
long. fluorescent tube bulbs. As suggested, I highly recommend upgrading to either the
Reptisun 10 T5 or the Arcadia D3 12% & or 14% T5 tubes, both brands are good. It is best
to mount it underneath of the screen within a 10 inch distance for maximum UVB exposure.
He may be exhibiting early muscular weakness or slight neurological issues. Can he walk
& climb properly & support his body on all fours?
How is he doing today?

Tracie
 

Spyro365

New member
Original Poster
Drache613":yi8zz9my said:
Hello,

Yes, the compact/coil lights have pretty low quality of UVB emissions in comparison to the
long. fluorescent tube bulbs. As suggested, I highly recommend upgrading to either the
Reptisun 10 T5 or the Arcadia D3 12% & or 14% T5 tubes, both brands are good. It is best
to mount it underneath of the screen within a 10 inch distance for maximum UVB exposure.
He may be exhibiting early muscular weakness or slight neurological issues. Can he walk
& climb properly & support his body on all fours?
How is he doing today?

Tracie

He is doing fine today. He can support his body on all fours, but he only does so when chasing a roach or cricket. He does occasionally “sit” when he's not moving though. he can climb his log with ease, but as it is his basking spot, he slowly moves up or down depending on how hot/cold he is. I will look into getting new uvb tubes.
 

Drache613

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hello,

That sounds like a plan! He would greatly benefit from getting new & stronger UVB lights,
absolutely. :D
I am glad to hear that he is able to support himself while walking, climbing, etc. He may just
have a bit of weakness but hopefully you can get him more active again.
Let us know how he is doing.

Tracie
 
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