Beardie fall, can't tell if she's okay

[emilybortz]

Hey all,

Bean fell off of her log today(the tall one near the light). It's maybe an 8 inch drop from the log to the floor of the cage(which is lined in paper towel). Luckily I was in the room with her, and for a minute or so she was puffed up, black beard, running around the cage. At first I thought she had seen a bird out of the window or something, but when I picked her up, she was rolling her head around, her tongue was hanging out of her mouth and her eyes were really wide. I've never seen anything like it with any of my beardies over the years - I really thought she was dying. I thought maybe she had fallen and hit her head or something. She's calmed down since then, and the black beard is fading.

I prodded her gently all over to see if anything was broken/hurt, and she flinches every time I touch her right foot, so I'm worried that she might be hurt. Here are my questions so far:

1.) Did she have some sort of neurological spasm that caused her to fall off of the log?

2.) Did she fall because she was dozing off and freaked out because her foot was in pain?

3.) She ate a large hornworm yesterday, could it be a digestive issue?

4.) What sort of treatments are there for a hurt/possibly broken foot?

I have her next to me on a towel now, and have taken all of her cage furniture out. I plan on watching her like a hawk for the rest of the night. Urgh.

 

[AHBD]

Hi Emily....that's very odd, [and scary !] Beardies can generally fling themselves around their tanks, leaping from logs and banging into the glass etc. with zero injuries, It sounds like some sort of seizure, extreme fright , or trying to possibly vomit. Hopefully it won't be repeated. Is she a juvie or adult ? Most adults can handle a large hornworm, but possibly she had a bit of trouble and wanted to throw it up. Those are the only things I can think of.

 

[emilybortz]

She's an adult and she's had many big hornworms before, so it's unlikely that that was the culprit.
What causes seizures? She's in such great health otherwise, I'm really worried. Is there anything that I can do to help prevent them in the future?

It may also have been extreme fright - her tank is right next to a window.

 

[emilybortz]

Update: She's seemingly back to normal, and her foot seems to be fine again(she's running around). I'm still worried about her. Really hoping it wasn't a seizure. Any insights about seizure causes/treatment appreciated!

 

[AHBD]

Seizures can be caused by many things, just like in humans, so if that HAD been the problem there's no real way to guess. It's much more likely that something she saw out the window terrified her....she'll prob. be fine.

 

[emilybortz]

Thank you so much for your help! I'm just being a worried beardie-parent.

 

[AHBD]

Understandably worried ! And you're welcome....hope she's back to her old self and ready to tear in to her beardie buffet.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Poor girl, it sounds like something really scared her! Since she is beside a window, it was most likely a bird that you didn't see.
I agree, it isn't likely that anything was caused from the hornworm. As far as seizures, they are caused by metabolic bone disease, injury/trauma, or a stroke. It isn't sounding like a seizure though, just a reaction of fear.
I hope she is doing better today!

Tracie

 

[emilybortz]

Hello,

Poor girl, it sounds like something really scared her! Since she is beside a window, it was most likely a bird that you didn't see.
I agree, it isn't likely that anything was caused from the hornworm. As far as seizures, they are caused by metabolic bone disease, injury/trauma, or a stroke. It isn't sounding like a seizure though, just a reaction of fear.
I hope she is doing better today!

Tracie

She is doing much better today - she's been getting the royal treatment with butter worms and sleeping on towels. It must have been something that scared her, I've never seen her(or any of my beardies) that freaked out before. Poor thing. Thank you so much for your help!