Noticed some black discoloration on my juvies teeth/gums while she was basking. She eats BSFL and occasionally hornworms. I offer salad, but she doesn't touch it. Generally healthy otherwise.
I tried gently brushing her teeth with a qtip, but the black did not come off. Anything else I should try, or any reason to be concerned?
That is food stains, & seems to be pretty common.
The Maxiguard is very good & there is also another product called Nolvadent which is essentially the same thing. They can help clean the mouth area. Try getting a small soft toothbrush to use on the teeth/gums area.
Eating greens/veggies also, would help as it provides some abrasive action to clean the teeth. You could also look for bearded dragon pellets, which are crunchy. Maybe she might like those.
Thank you. I've ordered the maxi guard and will pick up a very soft toothbrush for her. I do try to mix greens in with her worms, but she's pretty good at picking around them (stubborn beardie!) I have pellets too, but was under the impression that you were supposed to moisten them first. Is there a specific kind of pellet that does not get moistened?
Thank you. I've ordered the maxi guard and will pick up a very soft toothbrush for her. I do try to mix greens in with her worms, but she's pretty good at picking around them (stubborn beardie!) I have pellets too, but was under the impression that you were supposed to moisten them first. Is there a specific kind of pellet that does not get moistened?
I believe those are the same pellets which do mention they can be moistened on the bottle.
My now oldest used to eat the pellets dry. I referred to them as Cheeto Puffs
She has pretty soft diet which long term may not be so good for their teeth. Can you include crunchier insects like crickets or roaches in her diet? I am not sure how much pellets would get chewed to really help.
If the toothbrushing doesn't help or you start to notice swelling or discolored tissue it might be good to have a vet take a look.
She is somewhat disabled from MBD, so she doesn't move fast enough and isn't coordinated enough to catch crickets. I've not tried roaches yet, I was sticking to BSFL for the added calcium. I will certainly keep an eye on things and consider supplementing with roaches in the future.