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Q: Bearded dragon walking on wrists?
Posted By:

kenz

I was given a beardie yesterday from someone who admitted they did not know much about their husbandry, and he needed me to take it because he did not want to harm it anymore. He says he used UVB lighting (he did give me a dome with a UVB bulb in it, I just gave him a new tube instead) and calcium substrate but the lizard has been walking on its rigth wrist. I gave him some gut loaded crickets with my calcium supplement and some mustard green yesterday. I personally think it may be MBD; however I am taking him to the vet if he does not improve soon. I have never dealt with MBD myself, so I am not sure how to go about turning it around or if it can be turned around. He seems very alert, and he has a healthy appetite and basks pretty often.

 I can post some pictures if it would help. Does this sound like MBD? If it is, how do you go about curing MBD?


Points: 150
Topics: General Health , Skeletal , Utensiles/Tools
Tags: Beardeddragon, Calcium, MBD, Supplements
Administrative: Show/Hide

Member Comment 5/2/2016 2:47:59 PM

Aimee

yes, please post a pic. is there any underbite? any deformity at all to the hips or spine? swollen limbs?

it sounds like it's likely either MBD or an old break (or both). 

MBD can be halted, but not really reversed much. proper supplementation without overdoing it and proper UVB are the keys. it sounds like you have him in pretty good hands. what's the UVB in your tube? also, I"m guessing you already know this, but UVB burns out readily and the bulbs should be swapped out yearly or even faster. a lot of exotic vets will let you bring in a bulb and test it with their meters (at least our vets here do that).

 
Author Comment 5/2/2016 3:14:31 PM

kenz

supplement not substrate... Thanks Aimee, I'll post some pictures when I get home tonight. To me, it does not look like he has any deformity in his hips and his limbs look pretty normal. He does not do it very often so I'll try to catch him doing it when he eats tonight.

 
Author Comment 5/2/2016 3:15:11 PM

kenz

I'll look for an underbite as well.

 
Author Comment 5/2/2016 3:17:06 PM

kenz

Also, he is under a ZooMed Reptisun 5.0 UVB tube. Brand new as of yesterday.

 
Member Comment 5/2/2016 3:32:44 PM

Aimee

5.0 is pretty skimpy for a beardie. they need some really intense UV for healthy bones. I'd go at least a 10, but the best is a good mercury vapor. what's your hottest basking temp for him?

 
Author Comment 5/2/2016 3:42:04 PM

kenz

Alright I'll go grab one on my way home! His basking temp was at 103 when I checked this morning. 

 
Author Comment 5/4/2016 1:41:30 PM

kenz

I added soe pictures to his gallery with a view of his back a right wrist

 
Accepted Answer 5/4/2016 3:07:17 PM

Aimee

I'm guessing MBD, tho I've seen more severe cases, sadly. it might be a good idea to get him to a vet for a splint; if it's not a break, it might become one.

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