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 #1649255


Statro26
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 Twitching badly.

My BD, about 8 inches keeps twitching.

She has done this before but this time it was prety bad, i undertsand it could be impaction and i soaked her in warm water and rubbed her belly


Any help would be appriciated


thanks
03/05/08  04:44pm

 #1649476


Dragoneyes
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   Message To: Statro26   In reference to Message Id: 1649255


 Twitching badly.

By the sounds of it, your beardie might have metabolic bone disease, MBD. Do you have a uvb light, if so, what rating (5.0, 8.0, 10.0, etc) is it, and how old is it? Also, what calcium supplement are you using, if any, and how often. I’ve run into this quite a few times, mostly first time beardie owners.

Also, is it her legs that are twitching, or her whole body?

Bump for anyone else’s advice.
03/05/08  06:56pm

 #1649583


Sairhead21
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   Message To: Dragoneyes   In reference to Message Id: 1649476


 Twitching badly.

bump
03/05/08  08:13pm

 #1650116


Statro26
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   Message To: Sairhead21   In reference to Message Id: 1649583


 Twitching badly.

No, just her legs, im using reptiglo uvb and there fairly new, maybe a 2 weeks old


and im using jurasical.
03/06/08  10:02am

 #1650377


Tiggs
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   Message To: Statro26   In reference to Message Id: 1650116


 Twitching badly.

Hi,

The only good reptiglo is the 8.0. Is this what you are using? The 10.0 are known to cause eye problems, but I don’t think it would cause seziures/twitching. It does sound like MBD to me as well. Is jurasical a multivitmin or is it calcium? I have never heard of it. RepCal Calicum with D3 is a really good calcium supplement. They need a dusting of Calcium supplement every day. How close can your dragon get to the uvb light? I suppose it could be an impaction. What substrait do you have your beardy on and are you feeding feeders that are no bigger than the space between its eyes?



03/06/08  03:52pm

 #1650418


Dragoneyes
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   Message To: Tiggs   In reference to Message Id: 1650377


 Twitching badly.

JurassiCal is a calcium supplement, one of the best in my opinion. If you can afford a vet visit, they can administer a shot that will balance the vitamins in their body. I’d say, also get a dust with vitamin D3 in it, use it once or twice a week until the twitching stops. Also, get a reptisun 10.0. Hmm, could you possibly take a picture of your setup with the lights atop the cage? It would help me a bit.

Do you have one of those 18 inch zoo med fixtures? If so, its important that you say. Thats the only thing I can think of without pics.

Also, can you describe your weekly feeding schedual with all the food items you give?
03/06/08  04:28pm

 #1650440


Tiggs
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   Message To: Dragoneyes   In reference to Message Id: 1650418


 Twitching badly.

Ahh...just re-read this too. The uvb you have is a florescent tube right? The reason I ask is because if it is a compact or coil you need to remove it immediately, they are all junk and will do only harm to your beardy and no good. Seriously, if it is a compact or coil, turn it off right away. We will wait for the rest of your answers so we can help you more.
03/06/08  04:40pm

 #1650449


Rsharp87
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   Message To: Tiggs   In reference to Message Id: 1650440


 Twitching badly.

just wondering whats wrong with the compact coils?



03/06/08  04:49pm

 #1650467


Tiggs
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   Message To: Rsharp87   In reference to Message Id: 1650449


 Twitching badly.

In short, they put out very poor quality uv and have also been found to put out low wavelengths of uvc, which is very dangerous to reptiles and really all living cells. It’s common for reptiles kept under compacts to have serious health problems, including the MBD that they are supposed to be designed to avoid. It’s really, really bad. Anybody on here who reads this and uses compacts or coils, I would strongly suggest you turn them off immediately and replace them as soon as possible.

The only safe and good bulbs on the market right now for beardys are the Reptiglo 8.0 tube, Reptisun 10.0 tube and the Megaray and T-Rex mercury vapor bulbs. I think the is it PowerSun mvb’s are ok too. And the mercury vapor bulbs (Megaray and T-Rex in particular) are the best on the market in my opinion. They seem expensive but they last up to 1 year (instead of 6 months) and they also put out heat, so do not need to be used with a basking heat bulb.

Read this report, while lenghty it is well worth it and will give you a full description of the problems:

http://www.uvguide.co.uk/phototherapyphosphor.htm
03/06/08  05:01pm

 #1650680


Reflex
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   Message To: Statro26   In reference to Message Id: 1649255


 Twitching badly.

By the sound of it, your dragon does NOT have MBD. I had thought so by your original post, but now that you said just the back legs, I knw it isn’t. MBD causes the whole body to twitch and tremble, not just the back legs. And no, it is not different per each dragon, whole body shaking would occur with any and every BD that has it.

jurassi-cal is a good calcium. DO NOT get calcium WITH D3 if you already have a uvb lamp. Vitamin d3 toxicity can occur, and it will kill your dragon. While D3 is needed for their survival, getting THE RIGHT AMOUNT is as well. and too much of anything is never good, in this case it can be fatal.
even humans can die of having too many fat soluble vitamins in our system.

It sounds to me like Impaction. Either by using loose substrates, feeding items that are too large, and feeding hard-shelled buggers like Mealworms.



03/06/08  07:08pm

 #1650696


Sairhead21
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   Message To: Reflex   In reference to Message Id: 1650680


 Twitching badly.

Quote:

It sounds to me like Impaction. Either by using loose substrates, feeding items that are too large, and feeding hard-shelled buggers like Mealworms.


I agree with Reflex. Can you tell us what you are using for substrate and what you are feeding your beardie. Also, what are your temps?



03/06/08  07:14pm

 #1650700


WolfRin
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   Message To: Reflex   In reference to Message Id: 1650680


 Twitching badly.

your right that to much of anything is bad. this has nothing to do with dragons but even water can harm u if u drink to much. i was really thirsty once and drank 4 big glasses of water at once and got sick and was throwing up. it was bad. i didnt think to much water could hurt u.



03/06/08  07:16pm

 #1650702


Dragon Lover
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   Message To: Reflex   In reference to Message Id: 1650680


 Twitching badly.

Quote:

It sounds to me like Impaction. Either by using loose substrates, feeding items that are too large, and feeding hard-shelled buggers like Mealworms.



Or if your temps are not high enough and he is not digesting his food correctly.

What are your temperatures and what type substrate are you using? WHat are you feeding?

Edel
03/06/08  07:17pm

 #1650790


Reflex
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   Message To: Dragon Lover   In reference to Message Id: 1650702


 Twitching badly.

Thanks for adding that for me, edel! I didn’t have time to proof read, was rushed out of the house.

Anyway, I would advise you to answer the questions asked so this can be resolved.



03/06/08  08:07pm

 #1654670


Statro26
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   Message To: Reflex   In reference to Message Id: 1650790


 Twitching badly.

Sorry havent been on for a while, someting was wrong with the computer, im using crickets and silkworms, crickets dusted withs jurasical like i said, and im not using coil bulbs im using something called sunglo, the only fixture i have the the two bulbs, not the long one.

and i dont have 40 to spend on a light fixture for a long bulb that is 30$ where i am.

Okay i undertshand that having a pet is having to spend money, but thats a bit much for havign no job.



03/09/08  09:41pm

 #1654692


Sairhead21
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   Message To: Statro26   In reference to Message Id: 1654670


 Twitching badly.

Is the sunglo a MBD (UVB and heat)? You didn’t answer about what your basking temp is.
03/09/08  09:47pm

 #1657054


Statro26
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   Message To: Sairhead21   In reference to Message Id: 1654692


 Twitching badly.

Basking temps are around 100-105, its only uvb , i can actully get you the direct link to what type it is,


http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2752573&cp=2767037.2862253&view=all&fbn=Taxonomy%7CHeating+%26+Lighting&f=Taxonomy%2FPET%2F2862253&fbc=1&parentPage=family&keepsr=1


i have TWO 40w bulbs, seeing how it is a split light fixture.


i actually am at the library right now because my computer at home is down so i am sorry for any inconvienance if i do not get back to you right away.
03/11/08  03:40pm

 #1657072


Dragon Lover
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   Message To: Statro26   In reference to Message Id: 1657054


 Twitching badly.

Hey,

It looks like that bulb emitts only uva rays, which is basically the light/heat. You need to get a uvb which emitts the ultraviolet rays that they get from the sun.

If it isn’t something that you can get right now, take him out to the sun 15-20 minutes every other day and he will be fine.

I really like the MVB. They are a bit expensive, but you can find them on line much cheaper. It is a bulb that emitts both the uva and uvb. It lasts for a year, so you don’t have to go out and buy the strip uvbs and spend 40 every six months or so.
If you decide on one of these, it has to be facing down and don’t touch it with your fingers. Use a face cloth or something like that. The oils in our skin can damage it.

Edel
03/11/08  03:52pm

 #1666754


Statro26
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   Message To: Dragon Lover   In reference to Message Id: 1657072


 UPDATE

update: i took him to the vet after a very bad twitching, we intentionally went there to get a blood sample, and since he hadnt pooped we oculdnt do a poop sample, well as the vet was holding him, he took a poop right on the table...

so we got a poop sample, i guess his calcium was low and he had that c parasite. he i snow being treated with medication so hopefully everything will work out.

i also read in a book that the white in the poop is urine, well i guess the vet said thats NOT true...the liquid is urine, the white is ...oh i dont remember but i do know if it turs yellow it meaning kidney disease,
03/18/08  10:36pm

 #1666824


Reflex
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   Message To: Statro26   In reference to Message Id: 1666754


 UPDATE

It is urate, basically the solid version of urine. Just another waste product. If yellow, it can mean they are dehydrated, not strictly kidney disease. My old girl has been suffering kidney troubles, but If I work on it, I can get her to have a full white urate.
03/18/08  11:22pm


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