My bearded dragon is twitching. Is it a calcium deficiency?

Thanks for reaching out about Ryuu and including photos. Shaking limbs is often and indication of metabolic bone disease, which is a calcium deficiency. A veterinary visit can evaluation diet and husbandry, as well as Ryuu. Crickets and mealworms are a poor diet, even if dusted with calcium. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about Gabe. If calcium and other husbandry items are appropriate, one should consider metabolic concerns such atadenovirus, enteric parasites, other infections, liver or renal disease and neurologic problems. An experienced reptile veterinarian should be consulted for an examination and possible diagnostic testing. If housed with others, it is recommended to separate and quarantine, as several of these possibilities are contagious to other reptiles. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about Baby and including photos. Could you include the radiograph? The arm does appear swollen. Calcium deficiencies and metabolic bone disease, are the most common. Has the UV bulb been changed in the last 6 months? Neurological problems can also cause twitching, so if the radiographs are normal, a comprehensive reptilian profile is probably the next step, as kidney disease can also cause tremors. Good luck.

I am sorry drac is not feeling well. Our biggest concern would be metabolic bone disease. This is where reptiles have soft or weak bones which predisposes them to breaking there limbs. However it is possible drac has an infection, parasites or viral disease. I would recommend taking him to a veterinarian as soon as possible for a good exam to help determine the cause and provide more direct treatment

Check the temperature in his enclosure. Low temps can affect appetite in reptiles. If he isn't eating or not exposed to high quality UVB lighting, he can become calcium deficient which could account for the tremors. If he is less than 30 inches long, confirm a basking temp of around 115 F. If he is bigger, bump basking temp to between 125 F and 135 F. Multiple lower wattage lights over a larger area are recommended over one high intensity light source. Try to get him to eat and offer a calcium supplement. If you can get a liquid supplement, that would be best right now. Zoo Med and Fluker's offer such a supplement.Soak him in a warm 50/50 solution of water and unflavored PediaLyte to treat or prevent minor dehydration. if he doesn't eat or if the tremors worsen, have him examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles as soon as possible.

This may be due to nutritional deficiency or digestive issue (impaction impinging on nerves). If Medusa is defecating normally, it likely is not a digestion issue. If she is having difficulty defecating, soak her in a warm 50/50 solution of water and unflavored PediaLyte for 15-20 minutes. Gently massage her abdomen during the soak to encourage defecation. Feed appropriately sized prey to prevent impaction/constipation. Prey should be no bigger than the space between her eyes. Gut load prey for 24 hours prior to offering to maximize nutritional value. Check temperatures since low temps can affect appetite and digestion. A calcium deficiency is another possible cause. Juvenile beardies need more calcium and vitamin supplementation than adult beardies. Rep-Cal's Herptivite multivitamin powder and Calcium with D3 powder are the gold standards for supplements. Dust prey twice weekly with the multivitamin and 5 days per week with the calcium powder. As your beardies mature, they will require less frequent supplementation. An adequate UVB light source is also required to allow proper utilization of the D3. Change the bulb every 6 months. Make sure it is not blocked by glass or plexiglass and confirm it is not too far from Medusa to be effective. Trauma from a fall may be another cause. Arrange cage furniture to prevent falls from heights. Monitor for other signs of injury (swelling, scrapes, bleeding,etc). If husbandry changes do not improve Medusa's condition, have her examined by your veterinarian or by a vet experienced in treating reptiles.

Thanks for reaching out about Leafy. Seizures in reptiles can definitely due to calcium deficiencies, either lacking in the diet, too cold of an environ or lack of UVB exposure. Diet and husbandry to be corrected, but a veterinary visit can provide injections of these medications, and anti-seizure medications during recovery. Mealworms kept in the refrigerator or crickets straight from the store are insufficient. All insects need to be gut-loaded with dark greens and red/yellow/orange vegetables. Good luck.