Question about a rescue beardie

[Hypancistrus]

We have had Tank for just under 18 months. When we got Tank from Craigslist as a rescue, the owner told us he was only 9 months old. He was being kept on blue calcium sand and had turned completely blue in color. They were feeding him kale without supplementation and were not using UV light. He was kept in a 20 gallon long terrarium. He was small and fairly scrawny.

We moved him into a 36" x 18" viv, gave him a ReptiSun 10.0 bulb and a 150 watt heat lamp. He likes basking and soaking up heat. We gradually changed his diet- he is now eating a variety of veggies, some fruits and both crickets and superworms. We've been providing RepCal calcium supplementation too. He eats and poops normally, and seems to be in breeding mode of late. On Monday night I picked him up and he tried to mate with my hand... :shock:

I am concerned, though, because he has NOT grown, either in length or girth, since we got him and now he has a lump on his jaw. I am worried this could be the onset of MBD. We don't really believe that Tank was only 9 months old when we got him, but we have no proof of that. We don't know how long he went with sub-par care.

Do you all have any thoughts or suggestions? I have a herp vet appointment on Tuesday the 30th, so we'll see what our vet says, but I'd like to know if there's other things I could try as well. I thought maybe I should try getting him one of those mercury vapor bulbs that combine the UV light with the heat lamp. Maybe that would help to increase his calcium absorbtion?? Is there anything else I can try at home in the next week preceeding our vet appointment? I am going to the herp show in Reading, PA this weekend, so if there's additional equipment I need, I can get it there for cheap!

Forgot to add a few pics...

Here he is a couple months after rescue.

You can see the bump coming in here, on his left jaw. It is small in this photo.

And his current vivarium:

 

[fresnowitte]

It almost looks like an abscess/infection, but it's kind of hard to tell with just the one pic.
Has Tank ever had an injury in that spot that you know of?

I suggest that you don't use a Reptisun and a MVB together that would actually be an overdose of UVB.

 

[Hypancistrus]

There are some pictures of his jaw from today.

 

[fresnowitte]

I could be wrong but it look like an infection to me.

The second pic that you posted in this thread it looks like the lump has a sore raw spot on it....do I see that right?

Okay was looking over the pic's again and notice that there's one of his jaw from the right side an it looks as if his lip area on that side is a little puffy too. Is it?

How quickly is it growing?( this lump not the beardie)

If I were you I'd try to get his appointment moved up... I'm just not sure if I'd wait until the 30th to get
him to the vet.

 

[Hypancistrus]

The bump has formed slowly. The spot on the 2nd pic is just food dried onto his chin. The lips on the other side are not usually like that...he just gaped at the camera seconds before it snapped. And unfortunatly bumping up the appointment is probably going to be impossible since I want the herp specialist.

 

[fresnowitte]

That's relieving to know that in the 2nd pic that's just food... :wink:
I can completely understand waiting for the specialist but if it starts to get bigger I'd consider not waiting.

Keep us updated I'm curious as to what they find...hope it's something that is easily treatable without to much stress to your beardie.

 

[Hypancistrus]

We hope so, too. Thanks Barbara.