Beardie has tremors in front legs when walking

[LadySidhe]

My beardie, who was given to me by a friend, has been having problems with her front legs. When she walks, she has tremors, like a palsy, in them.

The diet she was given previously was not the best (only mealworms), and at first I thought she was having calcium issues, as the lights we were given were dome lights (the previous owners said she was about five years old, so I'm assuming they had her for most of that time).

I began feeding her soldier fly larvae, hornworms, and waxworms (sprayed with calcium) for protein and bought her a tank-long UVB light.

She seemed to get better almost immedietely, with no tremors, for a month or two, but now the tremors are back, and I'm not sure what I'm dealing with.

I thought I'd come here for advice and suggestions before rushing off to the vet (there is only one reptile vet within a two-hour driving distance of me, and they take advantage of it by being extremely expensive. I also only go when absolutely necessary, because the vets in this town don't allow the owner in the examining room, so you can't see what they're doing, you can't ask questions or give input while they're examining your pet, and it's an all-around uninformative and unpleasant experience).

 

[LadySidhe]

Update on Roz:

The bottle of liquid calcium I have said that if a pet had calcium deficiency to give three drops a day orally. You all know how hard it is to get something into a beardie's mouth that they don't want, so I just sprayed her food very liberally in it before feeding her. Since the one thing she never refuses is waxworms, that's what I used.

I also took her out for at least an hour each day I was off work, when it was sunny and hot enough.

Since I last posted, she is moving around more, and much more easily, with no tremors.

So I am tentatively hopeful that whatever was wrong with her was caught in time and is being remedied.

 

[KarrieRee]

Update on Roz:

The bottle of liquid calcium I have said that if a pet had calcium deficiency to give three drops a day orally. You all know how hard it is to get something into a beardie's mouth that they don't want, so I just sprayed her food very liberally in it before feeding her. Since the one thing she never refuses is waxworms, that's what I used.

I also took her out for at least an hour each day I was off work, when it was sunny and hot enough.

Since I last posted, she is moving around more, and much more easily, with no tremors.

So I am tentatively hopeful that whatever was wrong with her was caught in time and is being remedied.

It sounds like shes improving--- did you get the T 5 adjusted? Wax worms are too fatty --- please use a different treat worm if you haft to -- wax worms if fed too often and too many will / can cause liver issues - I would maybe try horn worms or super worms or even spray the dubia roaches if your using them for a staple feeder ---

 

[LadySidhe]

I've been looking for hornworms, but every pet shop I've gone to is out of them. I'm waiting for my silkworms to come in, but got a message that it will be a while since there seems to be a run on them. I've been trying to get her to eat the soldier fly larvae but she's been turning her nose up at them.

I did get the light adjusted. It's about 13 inches above her, unobstructed.

I just placed another order for both silkworms and hornworms, but the earliest they'll get here is between Jan. 19-30.

 

[LadySidhe]

I've also got a fresh batch of discoids that just hatched. As soon as they're big enough, I'll add them to her menu.
Tbh, they're so fun to watch, sometimes I forget they're food. I probably have enough breeding pairs by now, though (18 adults, sex undetermined).

 

[KarrieRee]

I've also got a fresh batch of discoids that just hatched. As soon as they're big enough, I'll add them to her menu.
Tbh, they're so fun to watch, sometimes I forget they're food. I probably have enough breeding pairs by now, though (18 adults, sex undetermined).

Ok try www.dubiaroaches.com
www.reptilianarts.com - pet stores are horribly expensive it's better to get them on line

 

[xp29]

Update on Roz:

The bottle of liquid calcium I have said that if a pet had calcium deficiency to give three drops a day orally. You all know how hard it is to get something into a beardie's mouth that they don't want, so I just sprayed her food very liberally in it before feeding her. Since the one thing she never refuses is waxworms, that's what I used.

I also took her out for at least an hour each day I was off work, when it was sunny and hot enough.

Since I last posted, she is moving around more, and much more easily, with no tremors.

So I am tentatively hopeful that whatever was wrong with her was caught in time and is being remedied.

That is great news!!!
I have been using liquid calcium for a little bit now, the other day all 5 of my beardies refused it even in fruit juice. That was odd, they had never refused it before, so i got to thinking it was a new bottle. I tried it myself, it was horrific, i still had the old bottle so i tried it again(i had tasted it when i first got it) it was more or less tasteless. If your having trouble getting your beardie to take it, taste it and make sure it isn't awful. The first bottle i had was Fluckers, i don't remember the brand on the 2nd ... i threw it out and got more of the Fluckers.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

That is great Roz is doing better & is more active now also. It takes time for them to completely
recover. Is she using her back legs more now?
Hopefully you caught everything soon enough & she will have a full recovery!
How is her appetite doing?
Please keep us posted on her progress!

Tracie

 

[LadySidhe]

Hello,

That is great Roz is doing better & is more active now also. It takes time for them to completely
recover. Is she using her back legs more now?
Hopefully you caught everything soon enough & she will have a full recovery!
How is her appetite doing?
Please keep us posted on her progress!

Tracie

Her front legs were the ones with the tremors, but they seem to be doing pretty well now. Her appetite is good, as long as you're feeding her what she wants : )

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Yes, that is right, the front legs with the tremors. Sorry about that!
That is terrific news she is much improved now. Oh of course, they do get particular about the
foods they eat, they get spoiled!

Tracie

 

[LadySidhe]

Update:
I've been administering the calcium liquid to her every day, and spraying her food with it.
The silkworms finally came in, and she took one look at them and, literally, turned up her nose. They're pretty tiny, so I'm going to try again when they get a little bigger, if they live that long. She's still turning her nose up at the soldier fly larvae, too.
However, I HAVE finally managed to obtain hornworms, which she loves, (and I'm still waiting for the ones I ordered to come in).
She's also eating the discoids, and goes out for two hours on the weekend for sun.
The tremors seems to be (mostly) gone. I see an occasional one when she's in her enclosure, but when she's outside, she seems to move fine, with no tremors. A little slower than usual, but she IS getting on in years.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

She doesn't like the phoenix worms at all? They sure can be picky. At least she likes the
hornworms, a lot of dragons tend to like them. At least she is eating right now.
I am happy her tremors are essentially gone now. It seems like she has really improved so
I'm sure she is feeling much better now.
The outdoor sunshine is helpful also! The liquid calcium has likely helped out quite a bit also.
Are her urates hard or soft? Just monitor that, to be sure she isn't getting too much supplementation
which can happen as well.

Tracie

 

[LadySidhe]

So far they're soft....when she has them. She's so picky with her food, and I have to keep her outside for so long before she'll do anything.
Easily the most stubborn pet I've ever had : D

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Yes, they are stubborn when they want to be & definitely have personalities!
Good to know her urates are soft then, so she must be pretty hydrated right now.
I hope she continues doing well. Feel free to post pictures & updates as often as
you would like to.

Tracie

 

[LadySidhe]

This was what was going on the first time she had tremors...so it's basically the same thing that happened the second time:

20221030_154358.mp4

Shared with Dropbox

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And here is how she's doing now:

20230206_142112.mp4

Shared with Dropbox

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She's doing SO much better, and we both thank everyone here who helped out and gave me advice! You have all been an enormous help, so much more than the vets. Thank you SO much!

 

[xp29]

That is a great improvement, I'm glad she is better.