Head Shivering

[DebraStraigis]

Do you have any idea what is wrong when the dragon's head shivers?? It has been doing this for about a week?? I have had him about 3-4 years and got him as a newborn.

 

[diamc]

Hi and welcome to the forum. :wave: Could you fill us in on the UVB light you're using giving us the brand name, type (coil, compact, MVB, fluorescent), how close that bulb is to him, how old the bulb is and how often you're dusting with calcium and vitamin supplements? Those answers could help a lot.

 

[DebraStraigis]

I am not sure about the UV lamp but u can tell me what I should be using. I reasearched it when I got him but dont remember. It is about 12-15 inches from his perch and it has always been in the same place. He does not each much this time of year so not much calcium dusting on the food. I have not sprayed him with vitamins for a while but sprayed him this morning with a vitD3 plus spray. I need to go to the pet store tomorrow, any suggestions before I go?? Thanks, Deb

 

[DebraStraigis]

I should add, he is quite active and seems fine otherwise. How often should u replace the UVB lamp???? And, he would never eat his veggies. Mostly mealworms and crickets.

 

[diamc]

Hi Debra, you should stay away from all compact and coil UVB's (those are dangerous) and also the Repti-Glo 10.0 strip fluorescent bulb as there have been some problems with that one. If you live in the US, the best strip fluorescent you can buy is the Repti-Sun 10.0 which you can get here for a very reasonable price. http://www.petmountain.com/product/fluorescent/504983/zoo-med-reptisun-10.0-uvb-bulb.html This is about 1/2 of what you would pay in a petstore and they're giving a 5% discount now. You will also need a hood for it that you can get at Walmart, buy a regular fluorescent light, pop off the plastic cover & the bulb that comes with it, put in the UVB and leave the plastic cover off. The fluorescents need to be replaced every 6 months. Not sure what UVB you've been using but at a distance of 13 to 15", he's getting no benefit from it. Is it a long bulb or a swirly type UVB?

If you have a 40 gallon tank or larger, you can get a mercury vapor bulb which gives off heat & UV rays. If you want info on those, let me know.

It's important that your beardie get calcium 3 days a wk and vitamins supplements 1 to 2 days a wk and you can put that in water, diluted juice or babyfood (like applesauce, squash, garden vegetables, etc) and offer by using a plastic medicine dropper by putting drops on his nose for him to lick off. Since he's eating crickets, you should be dusting them 3 days a wk with the calcium and 1 to 2 days a wk with the vitamins. Adults should be eating about 80% greens/veggies and only about 20% live feeders because otherwise liver or kidney damage could occur from too much protein. How many crickets has he been eating a wk? Here's a site that shows the best greens to feed: http://www.beautifuldragons.503xtreme.com/Nutrition.html Offering a variety of them seems to keep them interested and you can even put a little of the fruits on the list on the top to entice them occasionally. If you have any other questions, let me know.

 

[DebraStraigis]

WHAT IS MBD? I am using the correct UVB light but it may be older than 6 mths and it is about 8" from perch and covers 2/3 of the tank in length. He has a very long cage. Thanks for the info. He does not eat much at all this time of year but usually hibernates more than he has been. In winter he rarely moves or eats but seems to be quite active for some reason.

Deb

 

[diamc]

Here's some info about MBD (metabolic bone disease) http://exoticpets.about.com/cs/reptilesgeneral/a/metabolicbd.htm Could you fill me in on the brand of UVB you're using and the % of output it produces? Just want to make sure that it's a real good one as that can affect their total health. It does sound like your fluorescent does need to be replaced since it has been 6 mo or more as they decline in that time frame.