Spine displacement, extremely lethargic. Please help?

[Thatoneday24]

Thank you so much. I'm so glad this community is so willing to help

 

[EllenD]

No problem, thank you so much for wanting to help this poor beardie, and for getting her the medical care and the husbandry she needs to live a long, happy, healthy life with you... You're a great beardie owner ?!

 

[Thatoneday24]

Thank you so much I will keep posting if I have anymore questions

 

[Thatoneday24]

So I got everything all fixed up and he's making more effort to move around and he's begining to act more like himself. But he is very bloated and still constipated...?

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Well, that is some good news he's starting to feel a little bit better.
I hope that he makes a full recovery. He is still a little bloated though?
Has he eaten very much today?
Do let us know how the tank upgrades & his appetite are coming along!

Tracie

 

[Thatoneday24]

He has a good 10. 15w 12" t5 Zilla uvb light and his 100w basking light. Sand is completely gone. He has his three main temps fixed and I've invested in a digital thermometer. I'm still giving him steady calcium with squash babyfood and a squished up cricket two times a day with the calcium and a third time without the calcium. He is bloated and hasn't pooped for a while

 

[Thatoneday24]

I would upload a picture of what just happened but I don't know how to add more photos. Help? He finally pooped but it is not healthy looking. It's very runny

 

[kyleena29]

To upload pics:

https://www.beardeddragon.org/useruploads/ Then use the XIMG to upload them

Was your beardie without uvb before this?

I don't know much about the uvb light you are using. Make sure there is nothing between the light and beardie, no screen, lens, glass, etc.

What is the distance your beardie can get to the uvb?

 

[Thatoneday24]

He's about 7" away on his log and off of it he's 11" and the last cub I had just wasn't strong enough for him

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

How is your dragon doing today, any improvements?
Be sure you don't give too much calcium. If you give a good sized pinch, daily, or once
daily, that should be adequate. Too much calcium can cause constipation, too.
You are using the Zilla tube UVB?

Tracie

 

[kingofnobbys]

He has a good 10. 15w 12" t5 Zilla uvb light and his 100w basking light. Sand is completely gone. He has his three main temps fixed and I've invested in a digital thermometer. I'm still giving him steady calcium with squash babyfood and a squished up cricket two times a day with the calcium and a third time without the calcium. He is bloated and hasn't pooped for a while

Late to this thread, I am glad Squirt is doing better and you removed the calcisand and upgraded to a T5HO UVB.

Unfortunately Zilla are not a manufacturer .
They are a reboxer whose UVB tubes and globes are cheap Chinese knockoffs (very poor quality quartz glass and poor quality phosphors ==> they leak UVC and have poor / dangerous UV spectra).

I recommend returning the Zilla t5ho 10% tube and exchanging it for a good quality Zoo Med T5Ho 10%UVB tube or Exo Terra T8 10% tube or Arcadia t5HO 10-12% uvb tube + a suitable reflector hood
.
ie for t5ho
https://zoomed.com/t5-ho-reptisun-10-0-uvb/
and
http://www.arcadia-reptile.com/fluorescent-lamps/t5-d3plus-desert/

if you opt for a t8 , this is fine so long as it's positioned closer to her basking spot to compensate for the lower power and lower reach of the UVA & UVB and the tube is installed in good quality reflector hood with no mesh between the tube and the basking lizard.
good t8 tubes are
Arcadia t8 12%UVB see http://www.arcadia-reptile.com/fluorescent-lamps/t8-d3plus-desert/
Repti Glo t8 10.0 see http://www.exo-terra.com/en/products/linear_fluorescent_bulbs.php
and
https://zoomed.com/t8-reptisun-10-0-uvb/

regarding the length and positioning of the UVB tube;
>>> under the mesh lid is best
>>> in a reflector hood will literally double the UVA & UVB seen by the lizard
>>> about 2/3 - 3/4 the length of the viv is best
>>> one end adjacent to the basking globe (so beardie gets UVA & UVB while basking
>>> need an area (basking spot) with highest UVA & UVB and area of low UVA & UVB (a UV gradient).
>>> aim for 140-190 microW UVB / sq.cm at the basking spot.

 

[AHBD]

As for the Zilla bulb, check to be sure that there is no plastic covering the bulb....do that ASAP. From what I've read the Zilla desert is a decent bulb.

Are you still getting him out in the sun ?

 

[kingofnobbys]

As for the Zilla bulb, check to be sure that there is no plastic covering the bulb....do that ASAP. From what I've read the Zilla desert is a decent bulb.
Are you still getting him out in the sun ?

I'm not so sure , a quick google search indicates their UVB bulbs/tubes are still being implicated in photo-kerato-conjunctivitis , has been going on for several years. IMO is probably best to avoid their T5HO tubes for now.
Will be interested in seeing the revised / updated data in the UK UV report regarding the current state of T5HO tubes sold under the brand of Zilla (and similarly with Zoo Med) .

 

[Thatoneday24]

I will definitely look into the a new uvb bulb then, and yes when it is sunny outside I take him out for about 30-60 min. He has also been eating more and will actually take crickets again.

 

[kingofnobbys]

I will definitely look into the a new uvb bulb then, and yes when it is sunny outside I take him out for about 30-60 min. He has also been eating more and will actually take crickets again.

Depending on your latitude , a good dose of natural sunlight even if he's sitting on your chest or lap with you sitting on the steps or the grass , or in a tub with you sitting next to him keeping him company and safe , for 30-60min will be much better than a whole 14 hr - 16 hr day under an MVB or T5HO 10-12% UVB tube.

If you are between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn , all he needs is 15 - 30 mins of natural sunlight.
My vet told me 30 mins of sunshine in autumn or spring is sufficient ( I'm 33deg S latitude ). In summer 15 mins is fine.
Australia is closer to the sun in summer than the Americas are in the northern summer ==> higher UVA & UVB (& UVC & UVI) in summer here .