Bearded Dragon Seizures

[Snoboi92]

Hello,
Our 4 month old Beardie started having seizures a couple days ago. They only occur after she has eaten, the first time it happened we thought she was choking. We dust her crickets with Flukers repta calcium with vitamin d3 "strawberry and banana flavour" she gets 12 hours a day uvb only had her for 3 months so original bulb. She is still very active, hunts her crickets and jumps from her hide onto her hammock, she also sometimes has tremors or shaking although very rare. She has no bumps or swelling on joints, unfortunately we don't have a vet anywhere near us that treats Beardies or any other "exotic pets". Kind of stumped my wife and I have spent hours researching Beardie care before getting her, and we are actively trying to figure this out. She ate Meal worms last night and didn't have a seizure seems to be only after eating crickets.

We are stumped

 

[Tina W.]

This is a stumper. I did a ton of research also before getting my baby too and didn't come across anything addressing this issue. Maybe try Dubias for awhile and no crickets.

 

[Sadie]

Hello,
Our 4 month old Beardie started having seizures a couple days ago. They only occur after she has eaten, the first time it happened we thought she was choking. We dust her crickets with Flukers repta calcium with vitamin d3 "strawberry and banana flavour" she gets 12 hours a day uvb only had her for 3 months so original bulb. She is still very active, hunts her crickets and jumps from her hide onto her hammock, she also sometimes has tremors or shaking although very rare. She has no bumps or swelling on joints, unfortunately we don't have a vet anywhere near us that treats Beardies or any other "exotic pets". Kind of stumped my wife and I have spent hours researching Beardie care before getting her, and we are actively trying to figure this out. She ate Meal worms last night and didn't have a seizure seems to be only after eating crickets.

We are stumped

I am sorry to hear about your baby -- please go over the UVB your using and the basking temps-- where is the UVB top of the screen or inside the tank? The basking temps should be taken w/ a digital probe thermometer -- stickons are inaccurate -- IR guns are good but they do not read off of certain materials --- the UVB is crucial here so we need to see what is going on - it could be neurological disorder but we must determine if its the UVB --- shes pretty young so its going to be a rule out issue for this - if your using a coil UVB they are no good and it should be replaced ASAP- I can refer you to some that are really good if this is the case

 

[Snoboi92]

I am sorry to hear about your baby -- please go over the UVB your using and the basking temps-- where is the UVB top of the screen or inside the tank? The basking temps should be taken w/ a digital probe thermometer -- stickons are inaccurate -- IR guns are good but they do not read off of certain materials --- the UVB is crucial here so we need to see what is going on - it could be neurological disorder but we must determine if its the UVB --- shes pretty young so its going to be a rule out issue for this - if your using a coil UVB they are no good and it should be replaced ASAP- I can refer you to some that are really good if this is the case

So it is a coil, we are going to purchase a strip uvb fixture/bulb however our local pet supply store are sold out. Uvb is currently on top of the screen about 12-15 inches away from his hammock. We have just the stick on thermometer, we are purchasing an ir gun and digital probe today.

 

[Sadie]

So it is a coil, we are going to purchase a strip uvb fixture/bulb however our local pet supply store are sold out. Uvb is currently on top of the screen about 12-15 inches away from his hammock. We have just the stick on thermometer, we are purchasing an ir gun and digital probe today.

Please go here and get a UVB https://www.pangeareptile.com/colle...o-med-reptisun-t5-hood?variant=26907425734756 24" fixture this will come w/a 5.0 bulb hang on to it - it can be used as a back up but placement and distance is different from the bulb you need -- 22" bulb https://www.pangeareptile.com/colle...d-reptisun-10-0-uvb-t5?variant=26907418591332
or here
24" fixture https://hydrobuilder.com/sunblaster...mp.html?opts=eyJhdHRyaWJ1dGU5MDEiOiI2NjA0In0=
Please order this ASAP---- I dont know what the weather is like now where you are but if its still warm 65+ take him out in a plastic tote NO glass direct sunlight for 15 minutes or longer - please supervise him do not leave him alone --- do this every day till the UVB comes --- we need to stop the seizures if we can --- please dust his insects 5 x per week only ONCE per feeding w/ calcium D 3--- he has not been able to absorb/ synthesize the calcium hes been eating -- Vitamins w/ beta carotene 2 x per week ONCE per feeding both of the supplements lightly coated -- when you get the UVB please post back on here so I can help you get it placed correctly in the tank --- for now I would shut the coil off its doing more harm than good --- use the natural sun for now for UVB -- it will be good for him -- but please get this ordered as soon as you can --- pangea should ship out on Monday the ship Fed Ex and are real good-------- you want basking temps 105-110 for him

 

[Snoboi92]

Please go here and get a UVB https://www.pangeareptile.com/colle...o-med-reptisun-t5-hood?variant=26907425734756 24" fixture this will come w/a 5.0 bulb hang on to it - it can be used as a back up but placement and distance is different from the bulb you need -- 22" bulb https://www.pangeareptile.com/colle...d-reptisun-10-0-uvb-t5?variant=26907418591332
or here
24" fixture https://hydrobuilder.com/sunblaster...mp.html?opts=eyJhdHRyaWJ1dGU5MDEiOiI2NjA0In0=
Please order this ASAP---- I dont know what the weather is like now where you are but if its still warm 65+ take him out in a plastic tote NO glass direct sunlight for 15 minutes or longer - please supervise him do not leave him alone --- do this every day till the UVB comes --- we need to stop the seizures if we can --- please dust his insects 5 x per week only ONCE per feeding w/ calcium D 3--- he has not been able to absorb/ synthesize the calcium hes been eating -- Vitamins w/ beta carotene 2 x per week ONCE per feeding both of the supplements lightly coated -- when you get the UVB please post back on here so I can help you get it placed correctly in the tank --- for now I would shut the coil off its doing more harm than good --- use the natural sun for now for UVB -- it will be good for him -- but please get this ordered as soon as you can --- pangea should ship out on Monday the ship Fed Ex and are real good-------- you want basking temps 105-110 for him

We are in Canada so temps are supposed to be just above 65 c but not for long. We dust already but every cricket by saying 1 time per feeding do you mean 1 cricket. The calcium we use has d3. We will order that light right now.

 

[Sadie]

We are in Canada so temps are supposed to be just above 65 c but not for long. We dust already but every cricket by saying 1 time per feeding do you mean 1 cricket. The calcium we use has d3. We will order that light right now.

Ok I am sorry didnt know your were in CA ---- no I mean once per feeding --- he should be eating at least 25-30 crickets per feeding --- ok for the UVB I am not really sure of suppliers for the UVB in CA --- sorry - maybe Amazon will help -- or one of your reptile shops near where you live -- I know a lot of pet stores here in the US do not carry what you actually need - they will carry the T 8's but they are not strong enough for the bigger size tanks -- let me know what you find --and how soon they can get it to you --- did you mean 65F ? when I converted the 65 C it told me 149 F ---

 

[Snoboi92]

Ok I am sorry didnt know your were in CA ---- no I mean once per feeding --- he should be eating at least 25-30 crickets per feeding --- ok for the UVB I am not really sure of suppliers for the UVB in CA --- sorry - maybe Amazon will help -- or one of your reptile shops near where you live -- I know a lot of pet stores here in the US do not carry what you actually need - they will carry the T 8's but they are not strong enough for the bigger size tanks -- let me know what you find --and how soon they can get it to you --- did you mean 65F ? when I converted the 65 C it told me 149 F ---

No I converted 19c to f. He's only 4 months 25-30 crickets?

 

[Sadie]

No I converted 19c to f. He's only 4 months 25-30 crickets?

Ok thank you -- yes your dragon should be eating way more crickets than one if hes eating --- you need to get this UVB as soon as you can and get him out in the sun w/ the temps 65 + or so direct sun -- he should also be fed fresh salads every day as well http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html
ignore the kale thing its a good staple feeder --- we need him to stop the seizures this is NOT a good thing - this UVB is going to help w/ that please get the brand and bulb I recommended - they are good bulbs --- please tell me what you find and I will help you further

 

[Tina W.]

I'm sorry, my baby is almost four months old also and if she ate 25 - 30 crickets per feeding she would explode. Even when I fed her pin heads she would only eat about 8 to 10 per feeding. I feed Dubia now and its the same way. She stops when she's full. She is doing great and growing like a weed. Her appetite varies day to day. I do take her outside and sit in the sun for about 15 minutes when I can but I have to be careful of humidity where I live. I hope y'all can figure out the problem.

 

[Sadie]

I'm sorry, my baby is almost four months old also and if she ate 25 - 30 crickets per feeding she would explode. Even when I fed her pin heads she would only eat about 8 to 10 per feeding. I feed Dubia now and its the same way. She stops when she's full. She is doing great and growing like a weed. Her appetite varies day to day. I do take her outside and sit in the sun for about 15 minutes when I can but I have to be careful of humidity where I live. I hope y'all can figure out the problem.

Ok its good you have her outside --- what is the humidity level where you are - if its 70% or higher then there is cause for concern - we wont know till you get the UVB about those seizures -- when is it going to be delivered ? And I am glad shes eating as long as she is stopping on her own that is good

 

[Snoboi92]

OK update. We got Spike an Arcadia t5 12% uvb kit 24 inch. Only bulb kit around, it would have been mid to late November before we would have seen the bulb and fixtures you recommended, the local reptile store we purchased this from said they use this setup for their personal beardies. Installed the light underneath the screen top. Light starts on the warm side and runs 2/3 the width of the aquarium, leaving the cool side with no light source. Uvb light is 11 inches away from his highest basking spot. Been a day and a half, more energy, no major seizure yet, has small tremors after eating or running, but hopefully we are heading in the right direction.

Side note, why are these spiral uvb bulbs even sold in pet stores, really sets people up for failure, when you get one of these guys and learning about them, I didn't find anything on not using those bulbs, it was only after looking up seizures and mbd that I discovered our potentially fatal mistake.

 

[Sadie]

Hello,
Our 4 month old Beardie started having seizures a couple days ago. They only occur after she has eaten, the first time it happened we thought she was choking. We dust her crickets with Flukers repta calcium with vitamin d3 "strawberry and banana flavour" she gets 12 hours a day uvb only had her for 3 months so original bulb. She is still very active, hunts her crickets and jumps from her hide onto her hammock, she also sometimes has tremors or shaking although very rare. She has no bumps or swelling on joints, unfortunately we don't have a vet anywhere near us that treats Beardies or any other "exotic pets". Kind of stumped my wife and I have spent hours researching Beardie care before getting her, and we are actively trying to figure this out. She ate Meal worms last night and didn't have a seizure seems to be only after eating crickets.

We are stumped

As far as the UVB I am glad you got her a good Arcadia -- the 11 inches is pretty close see how she does recommended distance is 12-15 inches --- as far as crickets and the seizures afterwards is a mystery and not sure if it has any bearing on it at all -- weird! As suggested get her some dubias they are a better feeder anyway -- make sure your dusting them w/ calcium D3 5 x per week ONCE per feeding and vitamins w/ beta carotene 2 x per week ONCE per feeding both lightly coated -- for the meal worms please dont feed them - the exoskeleton on the worm is too harsh on the stomachs - they are a worm to be fed to older dragons -- and the UVB coil issue is a issue in itself - I do not know why they sell them they should be taken off the market - any UVB bulb w/ CFL is not good It is basically (and by basically I mean almost completely) useless. It's not that the brand is bad, its that the CFL bulbs in specific are just generally way too under-powered. I am hoping this new UVB eliminates the seizures all together -- please keep me posted --- also please feed her fresh salads every day and you can get some of these to compliment her staple insect BSFL www.symtonbsf.com order the size no bigger than the space between her eyes length wise - they are small soft larvae they are calcium enriched do not dust them please -- feed as many as your want and add them to her salads in front of her that will get her attention to the bowl you will need one like this to keep them in the bowl - https://www.amazon.com/MACGOAL-Rept...uGQB&pd_rd_wg=tLkwE&ref_=pd_gw_ci_mcx_mr_hp_d
you can add the dubias to that bowl as well - they work easier than crickets

 

[Snoboi92]

Update. Little spike is doing great, running jumping, no shakes or tremors, moving lots, good poops, not eating much, but more than he was last week.

Fingers crossed we are moving the right way.

 

[Sadie]

Update. Little spike is doing great, running jumping, no shakes or tremors, moving lots, good poops, not eating much, but more than he was last week.

Fingers crossed we are moving the right way.

Ok sounds really good -- keep me posted on Spike --- what about the insects? What are you feeding now?