History and info: I just recently came into care for my beardie, Greg, earlier this month. He came from a close friend whose setup and care were the best they knew how to do, but not ideal. He has the same lighting now that he did before, which is a spotlight basking lamp and coil UVB. His enclosure was a 20-gallon until he was 4-5 years old, so we're pretty sure he has stunted growth (19 inches with a big ol' head at an estimated 6 years old), and I don't think he was getting vitamins for a lot of his life. His diet included greens, berries, and both live and freeze-dried insects. I took him to the vet around 2 weeks ago for a broken toe, which I treated with daily betadine baths until it fell off a week later and fully scabbed over. We also tested for MBD and gout; both came back negative. The vet determined he had MBD as he was growing because his toe joints are knobbly. Before he was under my care, he never got time in the sun, and was taken out of his enclosure maybe once or twice a month. He didn't move around much. When I got him early this month, he was really dehydrated and underweight.
Vitamins: His greens are dusted with calcium and a multivitamin, sometimes I forget to dust the bugs. I've never gutloaded his bugs, but I started today. I got blueberries last week, which I've been smooshing and coating in vitamins before feeding him. He gets 3-5 big ones a day, or the equivalent for smaller berries.
Eating behavior and history: Greg is a spoiled little princess and refused to eat any greens for his first few days, so to help him gain weight, we focused on giving him as many bugs as he would eat. I'm still learning the balance between treats and greens so that he doesn't refuse them with the knowledge there's better food. Overall, he's probably gotten about half the amount of greens he should.
I'm here because I've noticed his hind legs occasionally have a tremor for around 3-10 seconds or until he moves. It happened a few times a week when I first got him, maybe once a week now. I've never seen it happen while he was in his enclosure (which faces my bed, so I watch him all the time), only while he's out roaming or having a bath. It looks very similar to when a person flexes a muscle they never use or lifts something way too heavy and they shake. It usually happens when he's not fully supporting his weight with those legs, like when his tail is propped up or he's laying on an uneven surface. The specific muscle that trembles is the meaty part of his thigh. I haven't been able to get it on camera because it's pretty rare. It's happened while he was resting after running and climbing around, chilling on my bed, and fresh out of the bath.
Additional info: he gets out of his enclosure for 20-45 minutes a day, longer when he's in warmer spots or particularly active, because my house is kept at a crisp 69 degrees. I regularly hold him while he's out so I can monitor his temperature and put him back when he's cool to the touch. At his basking spot, Greg does use his hind legs to keep himself from slipping off. He poops once a day on average, always properly hydrated.
My guesses were vitamin deficiency or simple muscle weakness from not getting much exercise for most of his life. Is it something I should be concerned about, and is there a way to adjust my care to prevent it?
Vitamins: His greens are dusted with calcium and a multivitamin, sometimes I forget to dust the bugs. I've never gutloaded his bugs, but I started today. I got blueberries last week, which I've been smooshing and coating in vitamins before feeding him. He gets 3-5 big ones a day, or the equivalent for smaller berries.
Eating behavior and history: Greg is a spoiled little princess and refused to eat any greens for his first few days, so to help him gain weight, we focused on giving him as many bugs as he would eat. I'm still learning the balance between treats and greens so that he doesn't refuse them with the knowledge there's better food. Overall, he's probably gotten about half the amount of greens he should.
I'm here because I've noticed his hind legs occasionally have a tremor for around 3-10 seconds or until he moves. It happened a few times a week when I first got him, maybe once a week now. I've never seen it happen while he was in his enclosure (which faces my bed, so I watch him all the time), only while he's out roaming or having a bath. It looks very similar to when a person flexes a muscle they never use or lifts something way too heavy and they shake. It usually happens when he's not fully supporting his weight with those legs, like when his tail is propped up or he's laying on an uneven surface. The specific muscle that trembles is the meaty part of his thigh. I haven't been able to get it on camera because it's pretty rare. It's happened while he was resting after running and climbing around, chilling on my bed, and fresh out of the bath.
Additional info: he gets out of his enclosure for 20-45 minutes a day, longer when he's in warmer spots or particularly active, because my house is kept at a crisp 69 degrees. I regularly hold him while he's out so I can monitor his temperature and put him back when he's cool to the touch. At his basking spot, Greg does use his hind legs to keep himself from slipping off. He poops once a day on average, always properly hydrated.
My guesses were vitamin deficiency or simple muscle weakness from not getting much exercise for most of his life. Is it something I should be concerned about, and is there a way to adjust my care to prevent it?
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