Bearded dragon Help? PLEASE

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megadeth3d

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G'day, today i came home to my baby beardie (about 2 and half months old now ) Being weird, His little back leg was twitching and his eyes were shut.. I researched it and came up with he is getting MBD or he isnt passing his food properly! I'm dusting there vegie's and crickets with reptical calcium d3 supplement and i am running a uva light. It said try giving your beardies a little bath in warm water to help pass his food.. So i tryed it and he was in there for about half a minute then had a big fit and looked like he just DIED! After picking him up again and resting him on my hand i patted his little tale and he moved. He seem's fine now and is basking under the light. I'm just worried about him :( i have another little beardie in there aswell and he is fine. There both in the shed could that be another reason his leg was switching or is it a sign he want's to be left alone?
 
id put it back into warm water , explain the fit ? was it thrashing about and breathing funny/big breths ?
what state are u in ?
 
id put it back into warm water , explain the fit ? was it thrashing about and breathing funny/big breths ?
what state are u in ?

Well i put him in the water (was only up to there back's. Then he jumped and his arms and leg's folded into his side, Then he just floated and went sideway's a bit so i picked him up..and he stayed like that for a while then came back to life! :|
 
Well i put him in the water (was only up to there back's. Then he jumped and his arms and leg's folded into his side, Then he just floated and went sideway's a bit so i picked him up..and he stayed like that for a while then came back to life! :|
yup mine used to do that until they got used to the water / bath time.
 
G'day, today i came home to my baby beardie (about 2 and half months old now ) Being weird, His little back leg was twitching and his eyes were shut.. I researched it and came up with he is getting MBD or he isnt passing his food properly! I'm dusting there vegie's and crickets with reptical calcium d3 supplement and i am running a uva light. It said try giving your beardies a little bath in warm water to help pass his food.. So i tryed it and he was in there for about half a minute then had a big fit and looked like he just DIED! After picking him up again and resting him on my hand i patted his little tale and he moved. He seem's fine now and is basking under the light. I'm just worried about him :( i have another little beardie in there aswell and he is fine. There both in the shed could that be another reason his leg was switching or is it a sign he want's to be left alone?

Hi Megadeth3d,
just wondering if you are running a UVB light source also? This may explain the twitching legs. Calcium deficiancy as there may be no UVB light to promote absorbtion. Natural sunlight for a couple of hours a week is really good too.
cheers
jim
 
Hi Megadeth3d,
just wondering if you are running a UVB light source also? This may explain the twitching legs. Calcium deficiancy as there may be no UVB light to promote absorbtion. Natural sunlight for a couple of hours a week is really good too.
cheers
jim

Hi jim, i have had him out in the sun for a while, although the sun comes through then get's cloudy again ect, I was just wondering if putting him outside for a little while everyday will help him get back to normal until this thurday when i can purchase a uva / uvb light. I really dont want to loose him.. And another question is it possible for them to recover from MBD? And does he still get uva and uvb from being outside even when cloudy?
 
ok so a few questions for you...

what temp is the enclosure at in the hot end and cool end??
how many crickets is he eating on a daily basis?
when you feel his tummy is there a lump?
 
ok so a few questions for you...

what temp is the enclosure at in the hot end and cool end??
how many crickets is he eating on a daily basis?
when you feel his tummy is there a lump?

The basking spot is around 32 degress while the other side is aroyund 20 - 22.

He isnt eating any for the past 2 days... :(

And i dont think there is a lump. He just seems to be very weak he usually eats lettuce and vegies out of my hand but is refusing to eat them now.. :( he usually eats 2 crickets a day but recently i brought small crickets from the shop and one looked like it was a medium cricket and he ate it without me having a chance to get him out. :( maybe that could be why?
 
The basking spot is around 32 degress while the other side is aroyund 20 - 22.

He isnt eating any for the past 2 days... :(

And i dont think there is a lump. He just seems to be very weak he usually eats lettuce and vegies out of my hand but is refusing to eat them now.. :( he usually eats 2 crickets a day but recently i brought small crickets from the shop and one looked like it was a medium cricket and he ate it without me having a chance to get him out. :( maybe that could be why?

UPDATE: I just saw him trying to pass his food but it looked like he couldnt a bit came out with some watery stuff so i think that cricket was a bit to large, WHAT CAN I POSSIBLY DO TO HELP HIM GUYS?
 
UPDATE: I just saw him trying to pass his food but it looked like he couldnt a bit came out with some watery stuff so i think that cricket was a bit to large, WHAT CAN I POSSIBLY DO TO HELP HIM GUYS?

Sorry this is happening, but I doubt it is from a larger cricket.
They don't come out the other end as full sized crickets, they come out the same whether they're large or small - if he got it down without worries then this shouldn't be what is wrong.

I'm guessing it's from the lack of UVB - always buy a UVA & UVB light for lizards.
But I'm certainly no expert on the subject.
 
UPDATE: I just saw him trying to pass his food but it looked like he couldnt a bit came out with some watery stuff so i think that cricket was a bit to large, WHAT CAN I POSSIBLY DO TO HELP HIM GUYS?
i still say give it a warm water bath , then id bump up the basking spot to 38-40c .
 
he should be eating alot more crix then that i have 2 bout the same age maybe a little older and they r eating 50 crix and 50 woodies every 3-4 days i would be bumping up the heat and geting a basking light that gives of uva and uvb light sounds like this your major problem..
 
Hi megadeth,
I've seen this happen on a few occasions, and the full spasm/"dead" looking episode is caused by insect foods that are too big. He's swallowed the head of the larger cricket whole, and at the 180 degree bend in the lower gut, it gets stuck (because cricket exoskeleton is undigestible material), and so the defecating issue and pressure on the spine - causing the spasm.
Zoojas water bath is a must, I usually tell people to use a chinese takeaway container with 2cm lukewarm water in it, half under the heat lamp so it doesn't go cold, and let him soak for 30-40minutes, let him dry for an hour, then do it again. The idea is to reduce pressure on the body so the gut can relax and let go.
Plenty of heat as listed above, and make sure he is getting some water down his throat, either by misting or a small syringe in the mouth.
In the hour off from soaking, massage his belly lightly with your middle finger, keeping your thumb on his back.
As others mentioned, UV UV UV. You can never give beardeds too much, and yes, even a cloudy day has benefits.
Good luck - I hope it all works out okay.
 
Hi megadeth,
As others mentioned, UV UV UV. You can never give beardeds too much, and yes, even a cloudy day has benefits.
Good luck - I hope it all works out okay.

You can infact, but i wont hijack the thread :p

DoLittle pretty much said it all.
The only thing with the chinese takeaway tubs, is that he is always going to try and get out of it.
Just put him in a troff or a bath.
Baths work great, once my guy was impacted and i actualy had him in my bath which is slopped, like most id imagine.
Got a portable reading lamp and adjusted into the bath.
Added a small rock under the lamp and all was well.
Pretty much i made sure the water covered the entire floor apart from the basking area.
I stayed in there with him for 2 hours.
Id get the basking spot to about 45c aswell..

Goodluck :)
 
Guys i thought i would give you an update, he is in the water bowl now in luke warm water he was unable to even keep his little head above the water but seems to be ok now.. ill let you know how this goes!
 
get him to a vet it could be bacterial or anything really, at the least get ur vet to do a fecal smear..
 
I might have to take him, although i really think its cause the cricket cant pass its way through, hes had a couple of spasms again so maybe its slowly making its way through! Hopefully! :(
 
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