MBD? Beardie can barely walk, not eating.

[Littleleno]

Thank you so much. His UVB is pointed at his basking area where he mainly sits.

I do have calcium with the D3. how often should i be feeding him? and i'll start adding the calcium to his baby food. Thanks for your help. Just kinda worried about him and trying to help him. it happened so fast. I've tried to feed him healthy and have his cage in great shape.

 

[AHBD]

Feed him as often as he'll eat, or at least twice a day [ if he'll eat it ]and add the calcium to at least one of the feedings daily. Make sure about his temps, 100-105 basking area and about 80 on the cool side. Try to keep it about 75 at night since he's not well. Can you post a couple pics showing his set up and how the lights are sitting on the tank ?

 

[Littleleno]

Temp in the direct light is 105f. And do you guys use a light at night for the heat? I'm currently using a little pet heating pad that when a thermometer is sitting on it, it reads 78 for his night time heat. He loves it and it's where he stays 100% of the time. I'll post a picture in a second. I was moving things around earlier today and I dropped the uvb build. :/. But I have one coming on Tuesday through Amazon prime. Hopefully he can wait. I live to far away to go to a pet store.

 

[Littleleno]

Okay here is his tank and a pic of how he just hangs out. His little rock has a heating pad (pet safe) which gets to 78f with a thermometer set on it. There is a tubby of water has he used to love to play in it so I started keeping water in there for him and I'd randomly see him jump in and splash around for a bit before sunning himself. He hasn't done that for awhile, but I keep it in there just I case! And sorry about the poop stain on his rock. Haven't figured how to get it off. But I did clean it with some alcohol and water then let it air dry before I put the rock back in his cage.

 

[Beardienatic]

Hi, sorry to hear about your situation! How is your baby doing now?

 

[AHBD]

His actual set up looks very nice ! A water bowl is O.K as long as it doesn't raise humidity and as long as the dragon is a larger, healthy dragon. For now it's best to take it out since he can't move well.

The problem would have come from the fact that the uvb wasn't able to reach him for most of his life, the tank is tall and the coil bulb doesn't put out uvb throughout the tank, especially where he basks. It's not your fault, and now it's good that you asked for help and can try to correct that now.

The poo might come off his rock if you soak it in hot soapy water + buy a cheap toothbrush to scrub it [ or use an old scrub brush that won't be used for anything ] Then rinse well with hot water again.

 

[Drache613]

Merged by Moderator both threads to keep information together

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

He definitely has metabolic bone disease. The first step is getting him under the new UVB as soon as you do receive it. Be sure it's 6-8 inches from him, mounted without screen or plastic in between him & the light directly overhead.
As suggested, be sure to keep him around 80 overnight in his tank to help boost his immune system, too since he is not feeling well. Hopefully you can get more food into him as well.
I am glad you have already ordered the new light, that should help him out a lot once he starts becoming exposed to good quality UVB light. He will be able to absorb his calcium & vitamins more efficiently, too.
Let us know how he is doing.

Tracie

 

[Littleleno]

Oh good. I'm glad set up is okay. I did however just change it. I was browsing everyone else's. So here is what I changed. I handed tile to the bottom and separated the heat lamp from the heated rock. I figured that might get to hot? But he hasn't changed his location. So I might put it back. Also my husband found another uvb coil light. I have that on him now till my better one comes in the mail. Does it look close enough to him in the picture? What else should I add/change?

 

[Littleleno]

Will the tile be to cold for him? Should I add a pet heating pad under the entire tank to keep the floor from being chilly?

 

[Littleleno]

Is this a genetic condition? We have had him since April. He was a baby we got from petco. I feel we have really taken care of him. I don't understand how he got this way.

Also, the mbd fits his look of skinny and his limbs. But what is wrong with his throat area? I cannot find anything with a Google search that talks about this? When I feed him the baby food it's like he has to really struggle to swallow. Is this normal? I was able to get some more down him with calcium mixed in. It just seems like a struggle. But he does like it. Right now it's just sweet potatoes and chicken. I only grabbed one at the store. But I will go get a better variety of use my cuisinart machine to mix some veggies and crickets. With calcium powder. My daughter is devastated that she is going to lose him. Can he recover???

 

[AHBD]

That's good that he ate some more. His condition is not genetic, but some dragons are more pre-disposed to it if for various reasons. I see the changes you made but you will need to have the basking lamp pointed back over where the uvb bulb is, he needs heat as well as uvb to absorb calcium....they work together. What kind of coil bulb is it, the same as the other ? Be very careful, the coil bulbs can burn the beardies eyes at close distance, put it back another 5-6". If he starts keeping his eyes closed constantly turn it off for a while. I know lighting is SO confusing because you were told to get the bulb closer, but the coils put out a high uvb level in only a very narrow spot, the long tube bulb covers a large area and is safe at 8-10" for a Reptisun 10.0 t8, and 14" or so for the Reptisun 10.0 t5....those are both long tube bulbs. What kind of uvb bulb did you order ? Sorry if I missed that !

 

[Littleleno]

Thank you! I did move the heat and uv back together. He did not like it on the other side! I will move the uv back a little until the new tube arrives on Tuesday! Thank you Amazon prime. Otherwise it would be weeks till we could make it to town. I ordered the one recommended. The reptisun 10.0 ? I think it was that. Would have to go look. And also a hood for it. And thanks for the spacing info. So 14" should be good for the one I got? It's the t8 I know.

Should I leave the uv on 100% of the time right now? He seeks to be enjoying it. He moved so he is fully lite in it and his eyes are wide open now. I'm hoping I caught it before it's to late.

Just to confirm. I've got both the uv (the coil light for now till my new on arrives) and his heat lamp pointed together on his basking rock. Which is where he stays 100% of the time.

I appreciate everyone's help. Thanks. Don't want to see our little guy suffer anymore

 

[Littleleno]

I'm sorry, I mean8-10" for the reptisun t8. Not what I previously said.

And yes. The coil my husband found is the same as the other one. I guess we had bought a 2 pack and I didn't realize it. But I have the tube arriving Tuesday.

What do I use on the other side of the tank to keep its temps at 80? We only keep our furnace at about 69 at night. Also, we are in Wyoming. No outdoor exposure possible now that winter is coming. BUT I do have sunlight that comes through a window I could set him on the back of the couch for a bit in the mornings. Although I don't know if he would get much uvb rays through the window. So probably better to have him directly under his uvb bulb now.

 

[AHBD]

With the t8 you'll need to mount it inside the tank. The t5 is stronger, that's the one that would be good at 14". But the one you are getting will work well, you just have to rig it so it's about 8" from him . Oh, I see you had made another post while I was writing....no, he can't get uvb through the window. And you can buy something called a CHE [ ceramic heat emitter ] for night, it produces heat but no light.