My bearded dragon is shivering or trembling

[AHBD]

Not shake as in trembling but more like jerking back + forth or something.

[CATaylor]

Please watch! This just happened!

https://youtu.be/EZGduSmuFAM

[AHBD]

I didn't see much difference from before. Try not to worry too much unless you really see more visible/obvious tremors.

[lisbetha]

How old is that UV? T5 say a year, but I've had a dragon develop shakes at 10-11 months use. Usually takes 2 weeks to develop, so best to replace or monitor from around 10 months to be on the safe side.

Usually the early movements are more rickety and on occasion - can't say I've seen it look like that before, but maybe add a new spot bulb if you don't want to go all-out on a new T5 right away and see if it self resolves.

Try to get as little between your dragon and the lamp as possible - go bare bulb and reflector on the inside if you can and within 60cm (2 ft) at worst.

[CATaylor]

The T5 is brand new. I just got it around Christmas. When the shaking first started, it was thought to be a calcium deficiency and I did exactly what you said. I removed the screen and put the bulb closer. He got worse. The bulb is now 15 inches away and I stopped giving him Vitamin D. I am like 95% sure it is a toxicity, was just trying to find other people that might have experienced it so I could know what to expect.

[KarrieRee]

It looks like a quiver ---- what is your distance of the UVB?

[CATaylor]

It started as a shiver or quiver, but then it escalated to more of a shake. The UVB is currently 15 inches from him, but it was around 10 inches at first. It's a 14% bulb too so it is really powerful.

[KarrieRee]

The UVB is wayyyyyyyyyyyy to strong ---- 14% bulbs need a distance of 17-18" -- how tall is the tank? It is recommended for the 14% bulb that a tank have a height of 24 inches

[CATaylor]

I am learning how strong the bulb is. The tank is two feet tall. He's is a 55 gallon, but I'm ordering a Zen this week. I have the T5 raised up now and will be raising up more now.

[KarrieRee]

Correct distance should be 17-18" directly above basking decor - that is inside the tank - get it to that distance and see if the shivering / quivering stops

[CATaylor]

Noted! I have it at 15 inches now so I'll raise it up another 4-5 inches. Thank you!

[Drache613]

Hello,

Personally, I have used the Arcada D3 12% T5 tube at 10 inches on top of a wide screen
top without any issues. I did not use D3, at all so I agree, it is most likely an issue with D3
toxicity. You don't give him any D3 at all, correct?
He looks very alert, so hopefully it can self correct pretty quickly.

Tracie

[CATaylor]

So at the beginning he was getting calcium with D3 twice a week and I was giving him a multivitamin once a week that I didn't know had D3 in it. So he was getting D3 three times a week. At this moment, his light is 19 inches up and he hasn't had any D3 in almost two weeks. I'm hoping his shaking will subside soon. It already appears better, so I'm hoping it won't be too much longer.

[kingofnobbys]

The UVB is wayyyyyyyyyyyy to strong ---- 14% bulbs need a distance of 17-18" -- how tall is the tank? It is recommended for the 14% bulb that a tank have a height of 24 inches

I disagree.

Having a slightly more powerful T5 in 24" tall tank will not harm the dragon, it can cope with the extra high quality UV spectrum from the tube and will simply self regulate it's exposure to UVA & UVB flux by retreating to areas of the tank wlth lower UV flux levels.

When I watched the Utube I couldn't see any obvious issues or strange behaviours at all.

If there's an issue with UVA exposure you'll see it , the shivers are very obvious in this situation, but do go away once the level of UVA is rectified inside a week or so.