Bone Disease/Calcium Deficiency?

[CatbugArie]

Hi I was watching a man feed his Bearded Dragon Horn Worms and somebody said it had a kind of bone disease from calcium deficienc, they explained how they twitch or spasm while they eat that shows that they have the disease.

I was wondering if my Bearded Dragon has that because she chatters her teeth when I give her a banana (rarely). It looks like she struggles to eat it though I will mash it up for her but she still does this thing with her jaws where it looks like a wind up toy mouth going off.

 

[CatbugArie]

I offer crickets every 3 days all calcium dusted and she has a UVB bulb. My dad however nearly killed her by feeding her only meal worms, after he almost did he took all protein and calcium away from her. I think they did so for a year or so, she was already an adult. Her previous owner before my dad owned her left her in the home after they moved out and abandoned her, so I do not know if she ever got calcium before I owned her

 

[CooperDragon]

He was probably talking about metabolic bone disease. Offering foods that are high in calcium and using calcium supplements along with natural sunlight exposure and high quality UVB lighting can help halt the progress of the disease which usually shows itself in the form of deformed bones or rubbery limbs. A visual exam can usually show if this is a problem and an x-ray can help determine bone density. If you're offering dusted crickets along with high calcium veges like collard greens and have a good UVB light then that's helpful.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Which brand of UVB light are you using for her?
Can she walk, climb & run normally or is she having any trouble?
Let us know how she is doing.

Tracie