Can bearded dragons get bone disease?
Like all reptiles that eat insects and plants, bearded dragons are vulnerable to Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD). Caused by low levels of Calcium and Vitamin D3, it’s by far the most common cause of illness in ‘beardies’.
Do bearded dragons bones heal?
Bone fractures in reptiles need time to heal—much longer than with warm blooded mammals. Depending on the severity of the break and your reptile’s nutritional status, the bone can take from a few months to over a year to heal completely.
What kind of disease does a bearded dragon have?
Too little (hypocalcemia) or too much (hypercalcemia) calcium can cause problems with both the growth and the strength of a bearded dragon’s bones. Metabolic bone disease (MBD) in bearded dragons is a condition that causes their bones to form improperly.
How is metabolic bone disease treated in bearded dragons?
How are diseases in bearded dragons treated? Metabolic bone disease usually requires immediate oral calcium supplementation, rehydration with fluids, nutritional support, treatment with injectable vitamin D 3, and injections of calcitonin (a drug which helps re-deposit calcium back into bearded dragons’ bones).
Why are the bones of my bearded dragon so soft?
In simple terms, Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD) is a complicated way of saying that your bearded dragon’s bones are becoming too soft due to them not having enough calcium content in them. It’s calcium in bones that make them strong and hard. So, if there’s not enough calcium in their bones then the bearded dragon bones become soft and brittle.
Why does my bearded dragon have vitamin D deficiency?
It is most often seen in juvenile bearded dragons (less than 2 years old). MBD is generally caused by feeding an improper diet that is high in phosphorus and low in calcium or Vitamin D 3 (caused either by a direct nutritional deficiency of vitamin D 3 or a lack of exposure to UV-B light required for lizards to make vitamin D in their skin).
Can bearded dragons spread diseases?
Bearded dragons can carry Salmonella germs in their droppings even if they look healthy and clean. These germs can easily spread to their bodies, habitats, and anything in the area where they live. You can get sick from touching your bearded dragon or anything in its environment and then touching your mouth or face and swallowing Salmonella germs.
Do bearded dragons have seizures?
In severe cases, bearded dragons may even begin to have regular seizures. Bearded dragons suffering from advanced MBD will also likely lose their appetite and as such, refuse to eat and need to be syringe fed. Naturally, with their body shutting down and a total lack of an appetite,…
Are bearded dragons vertebrate?
Bearded dragons are voracious eaters of invertebrates and small vertebrates with plant foods comprising about 20 percent of their diet. Invertebrates should be gut-loaded for several days prior to offering.
