Head shaking/vibrating

[Permutation]

Hello

I have recently just noticed our younger male Beardies head vibrating slightly once in a while. It's very subtle you wouldn't notice if you weren't staring at him closely. It's not like vigorous shaking, its literally just little vibrations. I noticed it a couple days ago, but because its so subtle I really am not sure how long its been going on.

He's a year old, translucent leather back.
We purchased him from a pet store because he looked very stressed and underweight at the time.
He is a healthy 560 grams now, with a good appetite. He has had a reptisun 10 since we've had him (8 months) and we have recently upgraded to an Arcadia. Basking spot of 100-104. I give calcium supplements on all his proteins.

Diet of salads(on a good day) collard greens, bok choy, bluberries.

staple protein Dubia, and superworms.
I also give water with a dropper.

Any input is appreciated.

 

[AHBD]

Hi there, it might be a slight vitamin B deficiency , do you give him vitamins at all ? Just 1-2 X a week with a good vitamin like Herptivite is good. Sometimes it can be caused by a calcium deficiency, but you are dusting a lot, although your Reptisun 10.0 may have stopped producing uvb 2 months ago so it IS a possible factor. And BTW, do you use calcium with or without D3 ? If it's WITH D3, you'll want to change to the cal. w/out D3 no that you have such a strong uvb bulb.


Have you had him tested for Atadenovirus by chance ? If you want to, Drache613 [ Tracie ] works with the lab that is testing + researching it. She can do the test for a low price.

 

[Permutation]

Hello, thank you for the reply

We have a solar meter so we were testing the reptisun up untill we replaced it. It was reading at about a 3 where he was sitting, near the end of its use.

I was using repashy super cal with vits and d3. I have since switched to rep cal calcium without d3. I do need to pick up the vitamins tho so maybe it is a slight vitamin deficiency.

Would adeno cause those symptoms? We had our other male tested through Tracie last summer and he came back negative, but yeah maybe we will contact her about testing our younger male now too.

 

[AHBD]

You're welcome.
ADV can cause neurological problems so it would be good to rule it out.

 

[Permutation]

Ok I just ordered some herptivite off Amazon it will be here Friday. And we will look into getting him tested. Thank you again for the help. It is greatly appreciated

 

[kingofnobbys]

What , how old and where is the existing UV globe or installed ?
Is it a ontop or under a mesh lid ?
Is it a compact , a MVB , a T8 or T5ho tube ?
Is it at least 25W ?
Is it at least 10%UVB ?

This may be due to an old UV compact or MVB or t8 or T5HO tube or one which is not strong enough or mounted effectively too far away and not on long enough each day ? Essentially very low UVA can cause these symptoms , which will go away within a few weeks of a better or new UV source being installed.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Since he is a translucent & a leatherback so he has likely come from inbred stock. I would
think it could be adeno, but it could also be a calcium or other vitamin deficiency. These
morphs tend to have calcium absorption issues due to genetics.
The meter reading of 3 isn't too bad. It just may not have been enough, but I'm not sure.
Did you upgrade to the Arcadia D3 12% or 14% T5 tube or the T8 tube?

Tracie

 

[Permutation]

The existing bulb is inside his tank above his basking spot about 8 inches away from where he sits.

The old bulb was a reptisun 10 T5 high out put and was also located inside of his enclosure

The new bulb is an Arcadia D3 12% T5 tube

I had done some reading about absorbtion issues because he has developed a slight underbite as he has grown so much since being with us so I recently started increasing his calcium by adding it to the water I give him in the dropper.

I should also add he did have some shed around his mouth at the time I saw this, the shed has fallen off now. So I'm going to watch him closely over the next little while here and see if I see it happening now that the shed is gone. I'm really hoping that's all it was.

I will definitely be getting him tested asap though, so I will email you about that Tracie.

 

[Permutation]

Also if it were something neurological from genetics, is it something that is going to get worse? Or will he be ok?

 

[Drache613]

Hello!

I got your email & will email you back.
Hm, that sounds more like an absorption issue. Especially since you said he developed an
underbite while he was growing, poor guy!
The Arcadia D3 12% T5 tube is an excellent light so he should be getting adequate UVB. Are
you using powdered calcium for him?
If it is genetic issues, it may not get better, but I'm not sure. Every case seems to be a little
bit different. If it's being caused by a nutritional issue then it could improve in time, yes.
The trans though are one of the first morphs that had Adeno problems, along with the hypos.

Tracie

 

[Permutation]

He is hypo as well :/
Just wanted to add as well, we did not purchase him because of his morph, we got him because he had been at the pet store a while and was so thin and stressed, black beard. We would have taken him home regardless of what morph he was. I personally don't agree with all these breeders breeding all this genetic morphs. Makes me sad with all the issues they end up with.

I really hope he's ok

Yes I am currently using rep cal calcium without d3 for him and just ordered the herptivite.

The test seems like the best option now from the sounds of it. I really hope he's ok, we love him so much.