Stiffness, won’t eat?

[Randy16]

My bearded dragon is about 1 and a half years old. We bought him from a pet store and he has been very healthy and we keep his lighting updated for health. He takes his calcium well and has a good heating source for day and night. He eats a variety of foods such as crickets, worms, grasshoppers, kale, bananas etc.
For the past week he hasn’t been eating very well and he has been having little seizures I guess you could call them. We have brought him to a few different vets and he has been put on different medications throughout the past month (it was worse before this). We have tried all tactics of trying to feed him but he will take a single bite of baby food and maybe some water but that is it. Has anyone else had these problems and could help me? I’m really scared for my boy. His name is Randy.

 

[KarrieRee]

Please post a pic of Randys tank and lighting --- I am guessing he has a coil UVB w/ the seizure thing you mentioned --- lack of calcium will cause seizures--------------
https://www.beardeddragon.org/useruploads/ click on XIMG at top of message box
Karrie

 

[TipsyTraveler]

Yes please post a picture of the setup, and include the specs on the UVB bulb as well. You didn't mention a UVB light, only heat lights, and UVB lights are critical to a bearded dragon's health.

Are these variety of bugs coming from outside? They could have insecticides on them. Many grasshoppers are toxic to bearded dragons, too.

Kale and banana's are not good staple foods. Those are "sometimes foods", especially kale, it's incredibly high in vitamin A which binds to the calcium you're giving him and makes it hard for the body to process it. Try giving collard or mustard greens as a staple veggie, they're probably cheaper as well. http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html is a good list for beardie diets.

If the night light is a light, remove it. They prevent your beardie from getting a full nights sleep. Unless it get's below 65 degrees F in your house at night, night-time heating is not necessary. If it does get that low, replace the night time light with a ceramic heat emitter (no light).

 

[Randy16]

He has a heating light and a brand new UVB light that the reptile specialist had us buy. He has calcium a few times a week as well. His insects are store bought from Petco, live and freeze dried. We have tried many kinds of vegetables for him and he refuses. There’s no way to make him eat anything else.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

It does sound like his seizure type of activity will be metabolic bone related. It is pretty
common too.
Which type/brand of UVB are you using right now? Are you in the UK or in Australia?
As suggested, please do post some pictures of your dragon, along with your tank setup so
we can see his condition & the lighting placement in his tank.
Is he maintaining his weight right now or losing some?

Tracie

 

[AHBD]

Just a quick note that kale is a great staple. People used to think it was high in oxalates which bind to calcium [ which makes it hard to absorb the calcium] but it is actually low in oxalates. There is a USDA chart to back this up :

https://www.ars.usda.gov/northeast-area/beltsville-md-bhnrc/beltsville-human-nutrition-research-center/nutrient-data-laboratory/docs/oxalic-acid-content-of-selected-vegetables/