Swollen Foot?

[MochiMom]

Hey there!

My beardie is 6 months. I recently noticed his back left foot is swollen and looks painful. He’s been going through a long shed and getting daily soaks to help keep him hydrated and help with the shed.

He gets feeder crickets, the occasional mealworm snack, and greens. Getting him to eat greens is HARD. He shows very little interest and often does not eat them.

Any idea the cause? Anything I can do to help him

 

[KarrieRee]

Hey there!

My beardie is 6 months. I recently noticed his back left foot is swollen and looks painful. He’s been going through a long shed and getting daily soaks to help keep him hydrated and help with the shed.

He gets feeder crickets, the occasional mealworm snack, and greens. Getting him to eat greens is HARD. He shows very little interest and often does not eat them.

Any idea the cause? Anything I can do to help him

Please go over your uvb coil or long tube fixture-- surface basking temps-- and how your taking them-- are you using a hammock in the tank and if so what kind? Mesh or grass like? Is this the only foot swollen?

 

[MochiMom]

Please go over your uvb coil or long tube fixture-- surface basking temps-- and how you’re taking them-- are you using a hammock in the tank and if so what kind? Mesh or grass like? Is this the only foot swollen?

I have recently added an external ceramic heater, he’s always had a coil basking and UVB. 100W heat, 10V UVB. The temperature sits at about 90°. I plan to upgrade to a tube UVB in a month or so.

He used to have a hammock but he stopped using it over the past couple of weeks so I took it out to give him more space to bask on his hide. It was a grass hammock.

And yes just the one foot. He seems to move about fine, but doesn’t move a lot. He still eats the same. He’s slowed down a lot and been lazier since this long shed started a few weeks or so ago so it’s hard to tell if this is influencing that at all.

 

[KarrieRee]

I have recently added an external ceramic heater, he’s always had a coil basking and UVB. 100W heat, 10V UVB. The temperature sits at about 90°. I plan to upgrade to a tube UVB in a month or so.

He used to have a hammock but he stopped using it over the past couple of weeks so I took it out to give him more space to bask on his hide. It was a grass hammock.

And yes just the one foot. He seems to move about fine, but doesn’t move a lot. He still eats the same. He’s slowed down a lot and been lazier since this long shed started a few weeks or so ago so it’s hard to tell if this is influencing that at all.

Its your UVB -- please get a long tube fixture the coils are no good and cause all kinds of health issues
I am posting links to good ones - choose one and let me know when you get it replaced - I am thinking hes injured the foot on the hammock and the coil will not allow it to properly heal - we need to get it properly placed and distanced for your tank - the screen is going to determine that
try Pet Smart for this one if you have one- 24 watt 12% bulb

Arcadia Reptile ProT5 UV-B Kit | reptile Light Fixtures | PetSmart

Arcadia Reptile ProT5 UV-B Kit at PetSmart. Shop all reptile light fixtures online

www.petsmart.com

or this one it comes w/ a 5.0 bulb you want the 10.0 T 5 bulb for a 40 + gallon tank
24" Zoo Med ReptiSun T5 HO High Output Terrarium Hood and this bulb 22" Zoo Med ReptiSun 10.0 UVB T5 HO High Output Fluorescent Bulb
or this one you will need to change the bulb out to the Reptisun that I posted above
you want the 2 ft or 24" https://hydrobuilder.com/sunblaster-nanotech-t5-ho-fixture-with-6400k-lamp.html
also please get your surface basking temps up to 95-100 for good starting of digestion and please use a digital probe thermometer

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

I don't think that is simply shed or retained shed. Are there any other areas on the body that are swollen
other than the one foot?
It looks very suspect, for gout, or pre-gout right now.
We can review the diet a bit more. I know it is hard getting them to eat their greens so if you aren't able
to get him to eat more of them you can make up some greens slurries, to try to get more hydration into
him a few times weekly.
As Karrie suggested, improving the UVB exposure will help immensely too.
Gout can also be caused by improper calcium & other nutrient absorption, too so sometimes it can be 100%
reversed. They aren't able to fully absorb calcium, without the proper UVB exposure & temperature gradient.

Tracie

 

[MochiMom]

Thanks for all your advice. I did upgrade his lighting. When it still did not improve I called a vet and I managed to find a vet that would take him. He was seen about a week ago. The vet checked him for MBD and his bones look healthy. The vet drained his foot and discovered he had abscesses in all his feet. The vet called it “bumble foot”, something I learned is common in chickens and rodents. The abscesses have been removed and his feet have been bandaged. Today was his first day since last Thursday he had free range of his limbs with no bandaging and a normal soak. He’s been rejecting food for about a week but has eaten about 10 mealworms since his procedure. I have been giving him sugar free fruit and veggie juices everyday as well. I occasionally give him dairy free yogurt since he’s been on antibiotics and pain medication for about a week as well.
Overall, the vet said yesterday that he’s doing well. He’s very stressed, as expected, and I have been watching him closely. If he does not eat normally by Monday I will be force feeding him to try to get him some more nutrition. His mood has improved greatly and his energy levels are up.
I believe his feet were injured on his hammock or his vines and that led to the infections. I realize now that he stopped using them when the swelling started and he probably fell or felt pain on them. Those things have been removed until they can be replaced with something softer.

Any tips on getting him to calm down and eat would be appreciated. His beard has been black since his procedure, even in his sleep, and he rejects most food. He shows little interest in food. The vet said he should be okay but if he’s not eating by Thursday next week they recommended critical care food supplement.

 

[KarrieRee]

Thanks for all your advice. I did upgrade his lighting. When it still did not improve I called a vet and I managed to find a vet that would take him. He was seen about a week ago. The vet checked him for MBD and his bones look healthy. The vet drained his foot and discovered he had abscesses in all his feet. The vet called it “bumble foot”, something I learned is common in chickens and rodents. The abscesses have been removed and his feet have been bandaged. Today was his first day since last Thursday he had free range of his limbs with no bandaging and a normal soak. He’s been rejecting food for about a week but has eaten about 10 mealworms since his procedure. I have been giving him sugar free fruit and veggie juices everyday as well. I occasionally give him dairy free yogurt since he’s been on antibiotics and pain medication for about a week as well.
Overall, the vet said yesterday that he’s doing well. He’s very stressed, as expected, and I have been watching him closely. If he does not eat normally by Monday I will be force feeding him to try to get him some more nutrition. His mood has improved greatly and his energy levels are up.
I believe his feet were injured on his hammock or his vines and that led to the infections. I realize now that he stopped using them when the swelling started and he probably fell or felt pain on them. Those things have been removed until they can be replaced with something softer.

Any tips on getting him to calm down and eat would be appreciated. His beard has been black since his procedure, even in his sleep, and he rejects most food. He shows little interest in food. The vet said he should be okay but if he’s not eating by Thursday next week they recommended critical care food supplement.

The black beard is pain I am thinking- please use some rolled up dish towels for him you can get a fleece or cloth hammock www.etsy.com or www.pamperedbeardies.com- where is the uvb? Inside the tank or top of screen? What did you get T 5 or a T 8? Your screen will determine where it goes- the critical care is good stuff it's thick tho so if he will lick off a spoon that would be good- you can water it down so he gets hydration - is he drinking water now? It's important to keep them hydrated-

 

[MochiMom]

The black beard is pain I am thinking- please use some rolled up dish towels for him you can get a fleece or cloth hammock www.etsy.com or www.pamperedbeardies.com- where is the uvb? Inside the tank or top of screen? What did you get T 5 or a T 8? Your screen will determine where it goes- the critical care is good stuff it's thick tho so if he will lick off a spoon that would be good- you can water it down so he gets hydration - is he drinking water now? It's important to keep them hydrated-

He’s not a drinker even when I offered it and he was healthy. But while he was bandages I misted him frequently and heavily. He’s soaking every day for like 20-30 minutes now to make up for the lack of eating greens. He was never good at eating greens but now he refuses them all together, even the fruit he normally loved.
I have it above the screen, T5 HO. The screen is thin and the light makes it through very well. I talked to the pet shop I got it from and they recommended it for his tank size and his screen. It’s this one: https://www.chewy.com/zoo-med-repti...NiQ9rA1uEpdnfBQDREvT3IXHDni1kH8QaAjpBEALw_wcB

 

[KarrieRee]

He’s not a drinker even when I offered it and he was healthy. But while he was bandages I misted him frequently and heavily. He’s soaking every day for like 20-30 minutes now to make up for the lack of eating greens. He was never good at eating greens but now he refuses them all together, even the fruit he normally loved.
I have it above the screen, T5 HO. The screen is thin and the light makes it through very well. I talked to the pet shop I got it from and they recommended it for his tank size and his screen. It’s this one: https://www.chewy.com/zoo-med-reptisun-t5-ho-high-output/dp/257664?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=18806583589&utm_content=Zoo Med&utm_term=&gbraid=0AAAAADmQ2V1Zr9OFT4O5HWAqmcTPlP9or&gclid=Cj0KCQiAtbqdBhDvARIsAGYnXBOWFE7m4JXV7y1UJkPFmDoNiQ9rA1uEpdnfBQDREvT3IXHDni1kH8QaAjpBEALw_wcB

Ok can you post a pic of the screen please so we can make sure its the right placement for it -- please lay off the baths too many will dry their scales out -- they dont need water every day -- I would offer water every 10 -14 days - you can either bath or drop water on the nose to see if they will lick it off -- what insect are you feeding? Dubias are not a good diet for gout- if he does have gout was a uric acid test done ? or can you get one done to rule that out?