Please advise Hunch back thin near bottom legs

[Spikeandsprinkles]

Spike is a 5 month (ish) beardie and is eating crickets, dried meal worms, veggies etc. lighting is correct and temps as well. Last two days his spine seems hunched and he doesn't have his typical round shape on his back when laying flat. He seems thin near his hind legs. He almost has a turtle shell shape that tapers into thin hips.... If that makes sense. Gave a warm bath last night thinking he may be impacted and again this morning and he pooped both times. Back seems a little better. Just concerned, although he is eating normal. Any ideas? Could it be a gangly teenager growth spurt making him funny shaped. His legs have gotten much longer. He has grown much faster than our other beardie sprinkles who is only a month younger. Hope I am just being overly worried. My kids LOVE!!!! These lizards!

 

[Taterbug]

Do you have any pictures?

Just so we know, what you have - what uvb light/fixture do you use (any plastic or screen between light and dragon?) and what supplements do you use?

 

[Spikeandsprinkles]

How do I attach a pic? I use a reptisun 5.0 UVB fluorescent looking bulb and a separate basking bulb area sun glo white during day red at night. Reptile screen on top of tank.

 

[Spikeandsprinkles]

Flukers calcium with vitamin d 3...small Crickets mostly and dried meal worms, also I feed kale, collards, carrots, mustard greens, peas

 

[Spikeandsprinkles]

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[Spikeandsprinkles]

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[MapleDeer]

One thing is that you should get a 10.0 Reptisun UVB light instead of the 5.0, which isn't enough UVB for bearded dragons. The back being deformed like that could be MBD.

 

[Spikeandsprinkles]

I just changed to reptisun 150... Is that sufficient? Will the bulb change correct the issue... How does that happen so fast? Should the UVB bulb be above basking spot as well?

 

[Spikeandsprinkles]

He has been sitting like this a lot lately on the bottom of tank instead of on his log where he used to love to be eating and drinking well

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[Pasakaina]

He might be in pain (making him want to sit on the ground instead of the log) because the deformed spine means MBD (metabolic bone disease), or a calcium deficiency that causes deformities and weakening of bones, and is caused by a lack of UVB and/or a lack of calcium.

That spine deformity looks pretty serious. The MBD must have been going on for a while.

All you can do at this point is get a good UV light (repti-sun 10.0 TUBE (it has to be a tube. Compact/coils don't work, and can cause blindness and other problems), arcadia 12%, or some types of mercury vapor bulbs (MVB's)), and a good calcium supplement. Even if you have a good one, your beardie isn't able to use it for is bones without good UV light. Liquid calcium is the best. You can find it online, including on one of our forum members' sight (Drache). Also, you can take your beardie outside to bask in the sun (with supervision of course, and no glass enclosure (due to risk of overheating), if you live in a warm area (above 26 degrees celsius (about 80 degrees farenheit, I believe). For now, give calcium every day, and keep the UV light on for 10-13 hours a day.

 

[Pasakaina]

I just changed to reptisun 150... Is that sufficient? Will the bulb change correct the issue... How does that happen so fast? Should the UVB bulb be above basking spot as well?

Repti-sun 150 sounds like a compact/coil light. If it is one, then no, it's not sufficient; compacts and coils are bad for beardies.

 

[Spikeandsprinkles]

I am so frustrated... He is only 5 months old we got him as a tiny baby from Petsmart in October. Can't see how this could happen so quickly. I did my homework and have had bear dies in college. I have never had this prob. The reptile UVB 150 used to be called repot glow 10.0 compact. How can they advertise these for bear dies and they not be safe?! I am at a loss.... I will take him to the vet next week. He gets calcium dusting on crickets twice a day. How could he develop this at 5 months!? He was fine just a few days ago. Our other beardie in a separate tank seems fine too?! Ugh

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Which UVB are you using, the Reptiglo compact/coil or long tube?
Ideally, as suggested, the Reptisun 10 tube or the Arcadia D3 12% tube either one are the best you can get, other than the High output UVB tube light.
Are you using a bright white light for basking too?
He does have a pretty severe hunch in his back. It is possible that it could grow out straight since he is still young, but he needs intervention as soon as possible.
When they are young, just like children, they need to lay down a certain amount of calcium to be stored along with D3 or the 25 hydroxy levels, to maintain bones & hormone levels. If the light doesn't emit the correct wavelength frequency to help with D3 synthesis while they are rapidly growing then they can develop metabolic bone issues. He wont be able to absorb his calcium & or other vitamins without the proper UVB wavelength.
I wish I could answer that, they have been putting out these inferior lights for a long time unfortunately. It all boils down to money I hate to say.

Let us know how he is doing.

Tracie

 

[Pasakaina]

I am so frustrated... He is only 5 months old we got him as a tiny baby from Petsmart in October. Can't see how this could happen so quickly. I did my homework and have had bear dies in college. I have never had this prob. The reptile UVB 150 used to be called repot glow 10.0 compact. How can they advertise these for bear dies and they not be safe?! I am at a loss.... I will take him to the vet next week. He gets calcium dusting on crickets twice a day. How could he develop this at 5 months!? He was fine just a few days ago. Our other beardie in a separate tank seems fine too?! Ugh

Well, growing beardies (tiny babies) probably need more calcium than grown-up ones. They can develop MBD quickly; and petstores usually don't have proper UV setups, either...

He was fine a few days ago? That's peculiar. I'm not sure if it is possible for MBD to develop so quickly, but, judging by the back, it's most likely MBD.

All animals are different--like humans--and one could have developed MBD under the UV light that you're using, but it's possible that the other can live with that UV light for years without problems. Of course, you should look for these symptoms of MBD: weak bones/breaks; missing teeth; weird kinks in the tail, back, or toes; bumps (calcium deposits, I believe) on back or on joints; swollen or stiff joints; "under bite" (bottom and top jaws severely misaligned-- bottom jaw protruding).

And yes, companies often don't care about reptiles, but are all for the money. This is the case with not just animal companies, as you know.

 

[Spikeandsprinkles]

Picked up the reptisun 10 tubes for both beardies today... Hope this makes a difference. Wondering if it might have been from a slight impaction. He seems improved a little today and has had larger stools. I really appreciate all the advice. We love out little lizards!