Possible MBD?

[shadowjimmy107]

Ok so I have had my bearded dragon for about 2 1/2 months now. I have realized that he might be showing signs of MBD. He still eats but has been eating WAY less. He does seem to be a little dehydrated but I am working on that now. He is a little lethargic. His legs seem to be a little weird weirdly bend and he has been twitching. I give hum a supplement schedule of weekends Vitamin no d3 Tuesday and Thursday no supplement and the rest calcium with d3. He has uvb lighting

 

[eeaston16]

how often do you give him calcium? you should give it to him five times a week. have you been?

also, what is your basking zone temp and UVB light type?

honestly, take him to the vet. they will be able to correctly care for him considering they will see him in person. that is your best bet.

 

[destiny1998]

Hi. I really don't see anything wrong. I'd up his calcium. How close can he get to the uvb and what kind? Coil/compact or tube?

 

[shadowjimmy107]

Hi. I really don't see anything wrong. I'd up his calcium. How close can he get to the uvb and what kind? Coil/compact or tube?

He uses a tube light and I'm pretty sure a compact one and he's about 16 inches give or take he is moving into a bigger tank which is not as high

 

[destiny1998]

Thanks for answering. Do you mean the uvb is a long tube and another one is a uvb compact light? Is the tube a t8 or t5? If it's a t8 its to far a way. If its a t5 that's still to far way for it to work properly. A t8 should be 6 to 8 inches a way and a t5 should be 12 inches a way. Make sure there is no plastic covering over the bulb.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

It is likely he could be having some calcium issues. Try to lower his basking spot so he doesn't have to climb too high & hurt himself.
I agree, he needs calcium 5 days per week since he is still growing. Vitamins can be given 1-2 times per week, max.
The better UVB lights are the Arcadia D3 12% or the Reptisun 10 tube bulb, either one. As suggested, it needs to be placed 6-8 inches away, alongside of the basking light.

Let us know how he is doing.

Tracie

 

[Emimee]

It looks like the basic checklist when suspecting a possible calcium deficiency has already been covered, but I just wanted to add, that what supplements you're using might have an effect as well. You want to make sure you're buying them from a good brand, and of course that they contain D3 to allow proper calcium absorption. I know I have heard of some people trying to use supplements developed for other species (birds, for example) or going for cheap supplements from odd sources.

Another something to consider is what exactly you're feeding your beardie. One of the main reasons dark, leafy greens like collard, mustard, turnip, escarole, etc. are recommended is because of their high calcium content (they're good for people too!) and nutritional value. If you're using lettuces, you're basically giving your dragon crunchy water, with no nutritional value; the risk of dehydration is lower, but diarrhea and malnutrition will likely result. Another concern is spinach; spinach is not recommended for most reptiles because it contains a high amount of oxalic acid, which will bind with the calcium it provides, resulting in very low calcium absorption rates. Oxalic acid is the reason why we do not eat the leaves of the rhubarb plant; in high enough concentrations, it is toxic.


Hope you get it all sorted out soon! I definitely would not hesitate to make a vet appointment as soon as possible.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Let us know how he is doing! I hope he improves for you soon & keep us posted on him.

Tracie