Baby Beardie Trouble Walking

[Ashleysmith42]

My 5 month old juvenile bearded dragon very suddenly began having trouble walking. That afternoon she was eating and being her usual, active self. When i came home 4 hours later it was completely different. It is as if she is attempting to walk and moving her limbs, but she just drags her body across the floor and is avoiding moving at all costs.

She isn't lethargic, shes alert, but the extremely sudden change is very concerning for me. She gets fed crickets dusted in calcium twice a day. She is in the middle of a shed cycle as she sheds frequently. She just had a bowel movement yesterday so i know she can't be impacted. She doesn't show me signs of being in pain, but she is appearing stressed through heavy breathing. She gets adequate UVB light and I have a thermometer on the warm side of her tank to make sure she doesn't get overheated / too cold.

Any ideas of what's going on would be extremely appreciated because Im very worried

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Do you have any pictures you could post for us?
Is there anything in her tank that is high enough for her to have fallen & hurt herself?
Can you review your UVB lighting for us, just so we can be sure everything is all correct.
It does sound very sudden to me, out of the ordinary. Is her beard black?

Let us know how she is doing.
Tracie

 

[Ashleysmith42]

My first thought was that she fell off her hammock in her tank because of how quick she changed, but she has never fallen before and I don't see any swelling in her limbs and it seems as if all 4 limbs are being affected. She has her UVB light on about 10 hours a day and is 100 watt. I don't have any images, but it looks like she has no strength in her limbs at all. Her beard is not black, but like I said before she's been breathing very heavy which makes me think she's stressed somehow.
A lot of my friends have had baby beardies and I took in a middle aged beardie several years ago and cared for him until he passed and I've never heard of anything like this.

 

[KarrieRee]

Is the UVB a coil or a tube? If its a coil please get rid of it -- if its a tube fixture where in the tank is it top of screen or inside the tank?

 

[Ashleysmith42]

The bulb is a tube on top of the screen.

 

[KarrieRee]

please tell me brand and what bulb T 5 or a T 8-- this is crucial so we need to get this figured out w/ distance and placement please

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

What brand of tube UVB light do you use? Is it a T8 tube, which is the older tube bulb, or
a high output T5 tube?
How is your dragon doing today?

Tracie

 

[Ashleysmith42]

I apologize for my lack of response. She passed away the next morning. I don’t have the slightest clue what happened but I don’t think she suffered because it happened SO quickly. Thank you for responding.

 

[KarrieRee]

I apologize for my lack of response. She passed away the next morning. I don’t have the slightest clue what happened but I don’t think she suffered because it happened SO quickly. Thank you for responding.

I am so sorry -- that is so sad --- there may have been something else at play here -- please disinfect your tank w/ some Rescue or Zoo Meds Wipe Out or F 10 that is good stuff and can be found on Walmarts website it is spendy and a concentrate - since you dont know exactly what the cause was ---- I hate hearing about them when they pass away so suddenly especially when they are so little -- again I am sorry ---

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

I am so very sorry for your loss, how horrible for you. It does sound like it was very sudden.
I hope she didn't suffer but I'm glad you were with her.
My condolences for you.

Tracie