What more can I do for my beardie’s bones.?

[RavioliFormuoli.]

Unfortunately this year his bones started getting worse again right when he started brumation, so I haven’t been able to help him as well as I did when it was hotter.
Before, I would give him more calcium powder more often in his foods, take him outside in the sun safely for hours, and not feed him any treats that have phosphorus.

That definitely helped him heal to not shake at all eventually, but even when he’s in his terrarium all day with his UV lamp, his health is frequently up and down. Indicating from how frequent he shakes. Some weeks little to no shaking and some weeks frequent small bits of shaking.
Though thankfully he seems a lot more alive and attentive than when he started brumation.
I try and put more calcium in one serving than before, try to see if I can feed him a bit everyday(though he often refuses), and now I just try and see if lightly massaging the spots that twitch help them stop but I don’t really know if it does anything.
My sister has started to try calcium with simply water in a syringe that’s safe for him. Hoping that helps.

What more can I do.?

 

[KarrieRee]

Unfortunately this year his bones started getting worse again right when he started brumation, so I haven’t been able to help him as well as I did when it was hotter.
Before, I would give him more calcium powder more often in his foods, take him outside in the sun safely for hours, and not feed him any treats that have phosphorus.

That definitely helped him heal to not shake at all eventually, but even when he’s in his terrarium all day with his UV lamp, his health is frequently up and down. Indicating from how frequent he shakes. Some weeks little to no shaking and some weeks frequent small bits of shaking.
Though thankfully he seems a lot more alive and attentive than when he started brumation.
I try and put more calcium in one serving than before, try to see if I can feed him a bit everyday(though he often refuses), and now I just try and see if lightly massaging the spots that twitch help them stop but I don’t really know if it does anything.
My sister has started to try calcium with simply water in a syringe that’s safe for him. Hoping that helps.

What more can I do.?

The uvb is crucial what are you using? Brand and is it a long tube fixture? Where is it for placement and distance?

 

[RavioliFormuoli.]

The uvb is crucial what are you using? Brand and is it a long tube fixture? Where is it for placement and distance?

It’s this bulb: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B08H...&pd_rd_r=190e4f36-4fdd-4564-beb6-e528849ad913
And it’s about 15 inches above him all day. Sometimes he’s a few inches closer since he climbs up on his branch near the ground.

 

[KarrieRee]

It’s this bulb: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B08HCL4J8D/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_plhdr=t&aaxitk=329f1e7b8d90fc2376447e46d7a677af&hsa_cr_id=4169832290501&qid=1669837435&sr=1-1-3c6b3b04-89d4-46ee-857c-1e2f0de6a70e&ref_=sbx_be_s_sparkle_scm_asin_0_img&pd_rd_w=RjgWJ&content-id=amzn1.sym.8553600e-1e2d-4234-a78b-2c6870b302cf:amzn1.sym.8553600e-1e2d-4234-a78b-2c6870b302cf&pf_rd_p=8553600e-1e2d-4234-a78b-2c6870b302cf&pf_rd_r=9YVV5TBGZYKB1PR06H3F&pd_rd_wg=zXWpK&pd_rd_r=190e4f36-4fdd-4564-beb6-e528849ad913
And it’s about 15 inches above him all day. Sometimes he’s a few inches closer since he climbs up on his branch near the ground.

Keep your fixture and get either a Reptisun 10.0 T 5 or a Arcadia 12% bulb -- they are way better bulbs - make sure your distance is 12-15 inches directly above him - if hes getting or trying to get closer to the bulb there is a issue w/ the bulb --- these bulbs need to be changed out approx one year I recommend 10-11 months

 

[RavioliFormuoli.]

Keep your fixture and get either a Reptisun 10.0 T 5 or a Arcadia 12% bulb -- they are way better bulbs - make sure your distance is 12-15 inches directly above him - if hes getting or trying to get closer to the bulb there is a issue w/ the bulb --- these bulbs need to be changed out approx one year I recommend 10-11 months

Oh oki thank you so much really! We certainly did our research before getting him, but there’s always more to learn. We haven’t changed it in a long time. We’re going to be cleaning his terrarium soon, I’ll be sure to bring this up!

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Karrie is right, the UVB lighting placement is very crucial for them. If there is not enough UVB
exposure for them they wont be able to properly absorb their calcium.
What type of calcium are you using, a powder mixed with water?
Do you have any pictures of him you could post?

Tracie

 

[RavioliFormuoli.]

Hello,

Karrie is right, the UVB lighting placement is very crucial for them. If there is not enough UVB
exposure for them they wont be able to properly absorb their calcium.
What type of calcium are you using, a powder mixed with water?
Do you have any pictures of him you could post?

Tracie

Herptivite with beta carotene, I heard it was good for its lack of vitamin A, it’s a powder mix.

 

[RavioliFormuoli.]

Hello,

Karrie is right, the UVB lighting placement is very crucial for them. If there is not enough UVB
exposure for them they wont be able to properly absorb their calcium.
What type of calcium are you using, a powder mixed with water?
Do you have any pictures of him you could post?

Tracie

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Nice looking pictures of your dragon, how is he doing today?
Herptivite is a multivitamin that has beta carotene in it so it wont become toxic. Since it has calcium
in it, I would only use it a couple of times per week but use a straight calcium only powder for at least
3 days a week.
Let us know how he is doing.

Tracie

 

[RavioliFormuoli.]

Hello,

Nice looking pictures of your dragon, how is he doing today?
Herptivite is a multivitamin that has beta carotene in it so it wont become toxic. Since it has calcium
in it, I would only use it a couple of times per week but use a straight calcium only powder for at least
3 days a week.
Let us know how he is doing.

Tracie

Yeah that’s what I considered since I know it’s not like the whole powder is made from calcium.
And thank you for your concern, he actually danced again for the first time in a few months other than wanting to use the bathroom. He kept trying to be in the sunshine through the windows so I’m outside with him.
I’ll be sure to look into calcium powders, and if the same people who made herptivite have some.