Helping a Bearded Dragon Recover from lack of Vitamin D

[TheRamiRocketMan]

Hi! This is my first post on this forum and I can't wait to get involved with the community.

On a much more urgent matter, my bearded dragon has been back from the vet for 2 days after getting a fluid injection. She lost so much weight and strength because I had a dogey UV light. I've gotten a better one that the vet recommended but I need to bring my lizard back from the dead.

She's very floppy, only occasionally lifting her head up or opening her eyes. She can move around a bit but it's a struggle. She ate LOTS of meal worms when she got back from the vet but now she's not eating any (I'm not sure if she's just full or something else).

I've put her outside the past two days so she can get some better UV and I've been trying to feed her more mealworms. I usually give her crickets and veges but I don't think she's strong enough to eat either. I force fed her 3 mealworms yesterday and 3 today, but she didn't like it much.

She shares a tank with a companion, he seems to not have suffered as badly as she did and he is walking and eating fine.

Am I doing my best to help her on the road to recovery or is there something else I could be doing differently to make sure she makes a full recovery?

 

[destiny1998]

Hi. Sorry she's not doing well. Glad you can take her in the sun that should definitely help. I'd nix the mealworms as those are not very easily digestible to babies and are not very nutritional. Phoenix worms, silk worms, crickets , butter worms and dubia roaches ( depending on where you are located). Also you probably want to put a divider in the tank as beardies are territorial and do not like having roomates. That might be why she's more sick cuz it's stressing her out and therefore her body is having a harder time with it.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Was she diagnosed with metabolic bone disease then? What is her age?
Which UVB light are you currently using now & what is her supplementation schedule comprise of?
Has she ever laid eggs before since she is housed with a male?
You could also get some chicken or turkey baby food mixed with squash or sweet potato baby food to give to her for help with food intake. Just use a plastic dropper or syringe to drop food onto the end of her nose to see if she will lick any of the food of.
Do you have any pictures of her?
Let us know how she is doing.

Tracie

 

[TheRamiRocketMan]

Hello,

Was she diagnosed with metabolic bone disease then? What is her age?
Which UVB light are you currently using now & what is her supplementation schedule comprise of?
Has she ever laid eggs before since she is housed with a male?
You could also get some chicken or turkey baby food mixed with squash or sweet potato baby food to give to her for help with food intake. Just use a plastic dropper or syringe to drop food onto the end of her nose to see if she will lick any of the food of.
Do you have any pictures of her?
Let us know how she is doing.

Tracie

Hi Tracie, thanks so much for the reply!

Here is Crunch (my lizard in question)







She is approximately 8 years old, but I got her when she was about 4 so I don't know her exact age.
I am now using a ReptileOne UVB 10 light for their Vitamin D. Before she got sick I would feed her crickets with calcium and vitamin powder, spinach, strawberries, carrot, apple, beetroot and banana. She also got mealworms as a treat sometimes.

Currently she is very skinny, with little to no fat or muscle on her sides or tail as there usually is. Granted she was a skinny lizard to begin with.

She has never laid eggs while I have had her but she and the male were a breeding pair until I bought them from a now retired breeder.

I will try your suggestion for the baby food. If she doesn't lick it off her tongue should I just squirt it into her mouth?

Thanks again!

 

[TheRamiRocketMan]

Hi. Sorry she's not doing well. Glad you can take her in the sun that should definitely help. I'd nix the mealworms as those are not very easily digestible to babies and are not very nutritional. Phoenix worms, silk worms, crickets , butter worms and dubia roaches ( depending on where you are located). Also you probably want to put a divider in the tank as beardies are territorial and do not like having roomates. That might be why she's more sick cuz it's stressing her out and therefore her body is having a harder time with it.

Hey, thanks for the reply!

I usually feed her crickets, as well as fruits and veges, but I was just using them because she is too sick to chase crickets and she doesn't feel like eating much anyway.

As for the dividing suggestion, she has lived with this bearde for 5 or so years, would that make a difference or do you think putting a divider would still help?

Once again, thanks for your support, I'll keep you up-to date with how she's doing.

 

[TheRamiRocketMan]

Hey, just an update.

My lizard Crunch has made a remarkable recovery. She is eating again, keeping her eyes open, walking and even running to catch a few crickets. She is still slow and a bit floppy at times but it goes to show just how resilient bearded dragons can be. I was seriously thinking she wasn't going to make it but thanks to your help on this forum she is nursing back to health. Thank you!