Help! VERY severe MBD !!!!

Beardie name(s)
Buddy Boy The Bearded Beetlebelly Squiggles
I went on a holiday to see some of my family in another country. While I was there, I visited my aunts house and her son had a bearded dragon. I really wanted to see his beardie , but when I did... I literally cried. He was a German Giant bearded dragon, and he was housed in a tiny starters tank. There was a bath that was full of poo, and there was a plate full of vegetables entirely covered in fruit flies.That wasn't the worst of it, though. The bearded dragon himself had a VERY severe case of metabolic bone disease. Look at this youtube video:
he was nearly exaclty like that, except that his tongue wasn't hanging out all the time and he could still walk ( with a limp) I am about 100 percent sure it was MBD. When I asked my cousin if he fed the bearded dragon reptile calcium, he said no. He also said no when I asked him if he changed the UVB every 6 monthes. He was originally smuggled from Europe and somehow my aunt ended up with him. When he was smugled they say he already had it. He also has a basking light that gives of red light at night, so he can't sleep properly. My cousin is coming over for a holiday, so what should I tell him? Is there anyway to cure metabolic bone disease?
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 5
I went on a holiday to see some of my family in another country. While I was there, I visited my aunts house and her son had a bearded dragon. I really wanted to see his beardie , but when I did... I literally cried. He was a German Giant bearded dragon, and he was housed in a tiny starters tank. There was a bath that was full of poo, and there was a plate full of vegetables entirely covered in fruit flies.That wasn't the worst of it, though. The bearded dragon himself had a VERY severe case of metabolic bone disease. Look at this youtube video:
he was nearly exaclty like that, except that his tongue wasn't hanging out all the time and he could still walk ( with a limp) I am about 100 percent sure it was MBD. When I asked my cousin if he fed the bearded dragon reptile calcium, he said no. He also said no when I asked him if he changed the UVB every 6 monthes. He was originally smuggled from Europe and somehow my aunt ended up with him. When he was smugled they say he already had it. He also has a basking light that gives of red light at night, so he can't sleep properly. My cousin is coming over for a holiday, so what should I tell him? Is there anyway to cure metabolic bone disease?
The answer is NO -- this dragon needs all the right lighting for him NOW-- please start getting the dragon help --- if you need help w/ getting this on par please ask we can post websites for over there that they can possibly order --- the dragon will continue to get worse if this is not fixed NOW
 

BuddyBeardedDragon

Member
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Buddy Boy The Bearded Beetlebelly Squiggles
The answer is NO -- this dragon needs all the right lighting for him NOW-- please start getting the dragon help --- if you need help w/ getting this on par please ask we can post websites for over there that they can possibly order --- the dragon will continue to get worse if this is not fixed NOW
I know, they are coming in august; he looked terribly sick.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 5
I know, they are coming in august; he looked terribly sick.
Ok so is it summer over there? If so get him outside in some sunlight for as long as you can sit out there w / him I dont know what the temps are like over there but if its too hot limit the time - 15 minutes in the sun every day or every other will start helping the dragon out -- also start giving calcium D3 on his bugs - what is the feeding schedule ?
 

BuddyBeardedDragon

Member
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Buddy Boy The Bearded Beetlebelly Squiggles
Ok so is it summer over there? If so get him outside in some sunlight for as long as you can sit out there w / him I dont know what the temps are like over there but if its too hot limit the time - 15 minutes in the sun every day or every other will start helping the dragon out -- also start giving calcium D3 on his bugs - what is the feeding schedule ?
I am not really sure. I am going to figure out everything when they come
 

Drache613

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hello,

Bless him, I am so sorry that he is in that rough of shape. It is going to be a challenge to get him to health.
Is he able to move on his own at all?
As Karrie suggested, if at all possible try to get him some direct sunlight several times per day until you can
get a strong UVB light. Where are you located?
Is he able to chew properly?
Be sure that all of the basking areas in his tank are low or on the floor, to decrease the chance of injury from
a fall, etc.
Please let us know how he is doing.

Tracie
 

BuddyBeardedDragon

Member
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Buddy Boy The Bearded Beetlebelly Squiggles
Hello,

Bless him, I am so sorry that he is in that rough of shape. It is going to be a challenge to get him to health.
Is he able to move on his own at all?
As Karrie suggested, if at all possible try to get him some direct sunlight several times per day until you can
get a strong UVB light. Where are you located?
Is he able to chew properly?
Be sure that all of the basking areas in his tank are low or on the floor, to decrease the chance of injury from
a fall, etc.
Please let us know how he is doing.

Tracie
Yes,he can move, but his appearances are bad. He can eat and walk but his eyes bulge out a LOT, and his back is nearly like the one of the beardie in the video. He walks with a very bad limp, and it's pretty sad. Also, he never eats vegetables, even though their is a plate for him. He is not encouraged to eat it so he won't.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 5
Yes,he can move, but his appearances are bad. He can eat and walk but his eyes bulge out a LOT, and his back is nearly like the one of the beardie in the video. He walks with a very bad limp, and it's pretty sad. Also, he never eats vegetables, even though their is a plate for him. He is not encouraged to eat it so he won't.
Get him some BSFL and put those on top of his salads -- those will draw him to the bowl -- you want something like this https://www.amazon.com/MACGOAL-Rept...uGQB&pd_rd_wg=tLkwE&ref_=pd_gw_ci_mcx_mr_hp_d
I dont know if he can get into something like this to eat - you can always make slurries mixture of greens like collards mustard kale or turnip greens and try and see if he will lick off a spoon or you can syringe feed him -- if the syringe feeding comes into play you would need to go very slow so he does not aspirate - putting in a little at a time and let him swallow what is fed -- how is the dragon getting water? What is crucial now is UVB ----
 

Drache613

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hello,

Poor guy, I hope that he can build up some strength. I know it has to be frustrating for him. As suggested,
making a greens slurry might really help out, for hydration & nutrition for him. Maybe eventually he will
decide to eat his greens on his own.
Can he chew very well or have you tried to feed him anything that he would need to chew?
Definitely work on getting a good UVB light for him, to help his structure get stronger.
Let us know how he is doing.

Tracie
 

BuddyBeardedDragon

Member
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Buddy Boy The Bearded Beetlebelly Squiggles
Hello,

Poor guy, I hope that he can build up some strength. I know it has to be frustrating for him. As suggested,
making a greens slurry might really help out, for hydration & nutrition for him. Maybe eventually he will
decide to eat his greens on his own.
Can he chew very well or have you tried to feed him anything that he would need to chew?
Definitely work on getting a good UVB light for him, to help his structure get stronger.
Let us know how he is doing.

Tracie
Yes he can eat fine, but as I said, he looks like he is very sick. They only feed him superworms...
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 5
Yes he can eat fine, but as I said, he looks like he is very sick. They only feed him superworms...
No more super worms please --- get him a staple insect like dubia roaches -- crickets -- BSFL or silk worms and start feeding salads - you may haft to use those BSFL on top of the salads to entice him to the bowl- he is diet inadequate at this time Nutrition Content ignore the kale info its outdated ---- I would start dusting the insects w/ calcium D3 ONE time per feeding lightly coated - the UVB is going to help w/ the MBD its going to stop the disease from getting worse - also the direct outside sunlight - please dust the other remaining days 2 w/ a vitamin w/ beta carotene -- ONE time per feeding lightly coated on the insects -- I need Tracie to advise on the supplements so I am going to flag her
@Drache613
 

BuddyBeardedDragon

Member
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Buddy Boy The Bearded Beetlebelly Squiggles
No more super worms please --- get him a staple insect like dubia roaches -- crickets -- BSFL or silk worms and start feeding salads - you may haft to use those BSFL on top of the salads to entice him to the bowl- he is diet inadequate at this time Nutrition Content ignore the kale info its outdated ---- I would start dusting the insects w/ calcium D3 ONE time per feeding lightly coated - the UVB is going to help w/ the MBD its going to stop the disease from getting worse - also the direct outside sunlight - please dust the other remaining days 2 w/ a vitamin w/ beta carotene -- ONE time per feeding lightly coated on the insects -- I need Tracie to advise on the supplements so I am going to flag her
@Drache613
Yes, I know Superworms are not very good for them, and should only be fed as a treat. I have for my bearded dragon ZooMed Repti Calcium with D3 without phosphorus. I think it is quite a good brand, that one? I could recomend it to them.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 5
Yes, I know Superworms are not very good for them, and should only be fed as a treat. I have for my bearded dragon ZooMed Repti Calcium with D3 without phosphorus. I think it is quite a good brand, that one? I could recomend it to them.
You can start w/ that if its on hand - I want Tracie to advise on the supplements since he is so sick --
 

Drache613

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hello,

The Repti Cal calcium with D3 is fine. You can use that 4-5 times weekly right now. How much longer
will you be there & able to help him at your cousins house?
Can they get some liquid calcium possibly, to help with his metabolic bone disease? What country do
they live in?
Let us know how he is doing.

Tracie
 

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