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New member and new Beardie

Eavlynn

Bearded Dragon Veteran
Messages
978
Hello! I'm new to the forum and recently took in a rescue beardie that came to the reptile breeder I work for. Her name is Ruth, and she has a mild to moderate case of metabolic bone disease. She gets around alright, but doesn't have complete motor function of her legs, her hind legs being the worst. I don't have much information on her past or her age, but I do know she is an adult female. She's taken to laying slugs over te past couple years, so I've been told, and is currently carrying more. I've made a Ruth-accessible lay box for her, and plan to give her shorter photo period next summer to see if I can trick her body into not producing any more.

She's a total sweetheart, and loves to cuddle. I'm still working on finding safe veggies and occasional fruits that she'll eat. So far, yellow squash is a no go, and illicits a hiss when she sees it. Last night was dusted cricket night, she would only eat 3, so tonight we're going to experiment with fresh veggies, and see what she thinks of bath time. She's a bit dehydrated, and I'm hoping a nice, soothing bath will help her out.

This is the photo I took when I first laid eyes on her.
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And the following morning. She posed for a mini photoshoot!
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She has a rather poorly build 4 x 2 enclosure. I hope to make her a "handicap accessible" home before long: hides with larger openings, a basking spot with a wide ramp, railings around the basking spot to keep her from falling off, etc. She has a new UVB bulb arriving today, which should help bring out her colors, and hopefully help to improve the function of her legs. If she doesn't get better movement in her hind legs, I'm thinking of making a beardie wheel chair to help her get around when she's out an about.

Ruth is a total sweetheart, and has really brightened up my life. I would like to get her healthy, and help to make her as happy as she makes me :)

Thank you for looking!
 

Eavlynn

Bearded Dragon Veteran
Messages
978
Thank you! I prefer to take in rescues that often times get overlooked by individuals and families that prefer healthy animals, or babies over adults. My little darling is currently in the process of laying her slugs, outside of the lay box I prepared for her of course. I'm hoping she'll start eating regularly now that she's going to be all emptied out.

I should have some nice outdoor photos coming in the next couple days!
 

Candybugs

Bearded Dragon Veteran
3 Year Member
Messages
733
Omg I love you both. Welcome and keep us posted on her. It takes a strong person to take the rescues . Xoxo

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
 

Eavlynn

Bearded Dragon Veteran
Messages
978
Thanks candybugs! It seems as though she's all finished, and has given me 22 presents. I have no idea where she was storing them all! She looks exhausted, and it's gonna be lights out a little early tonight, with lots of cuddles and some food offerings tomorrow.
 

Hdrydr31

Bearded Dragon Veteran
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5,574
Awe bless her heart and your for taking her in... She sounds like a sweetie.. make sure you give her more calcium to replenish her supply from laying eggs..
Welcome to the forum!!! I look forward to seeing more pictures :)
 

PatsyB

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She looks like a real sweetheart. I've heard of people having luck with water therapy for MBD it's not going to completely fix the problem but it could help build up the leg muscles.
 

Eavlynn

Bearded Dragon Veteran
Messages
978
Water therapy sounds like something I should definitely try with her. She just had her first bath yesterday and wasn't really sure what to think. Once she gets more comfortable with water I'll start therapy with her.

She gave me 22 slugs yesterday. She hasn't been eating much for me, just four dusted crickets so far, but I think that's largely due to the stress of being moved coupled with carrying and then laying her slugs.
 

PatsyB

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Poor baby. Make sure all her food is dusted with calcium to build up her stores. You could hold her in the water to help her feel more secure in it. I know I have a boy that still insists I hold his front legs for a bit until he gets comfortable in his bath...he's 2 1/3 LOL!
 

Eavlynn

Bearded Dragon Veteran
Messages
978
Aww :) what a sweetie. Your boy sounds precious!
I held her in the water until she was comfortable enough to leave my hand. I'm probably gonna bathe her pretty frequently for a while. She still has some loose skin from a previous shed here and there.

I've been dusting her crickets with phosphorous free calcium and D3. Once she's eating more, I'll dust some of them in her multivitamin with beta carotene. She hasn't touched any fresh fruits or veggies yet, but she's still adjusting to everything.

Her new reptisun 10.0 bulb arrives today! I look forward to getting that hooked up for her. I'm sure her current bulb is pretty old.
 

Hdrydr31

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Poor baby. Make sure all her food is dusted with calcium to build up her stores. You could hold her in the water to help her feel more secure in it. I know I have a boy that still insists I hold his front legs for a bit until he gets comfortable in his bath...he's 2 1/3 LOL!
:) I still have to do that with Izzy she's over a year old....she will go right for my hand when I put it in there and just puts her front feet on my hand like "ok mom's here with me..." I do that for a few min then I can ease my hand out lol
 

Hdrydr31

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Aww :) what a sweetie. Your boy sounds precious!
I held her in the water until she was comfortable enough to leave my hand. I'm probably gonna bathe her pretty frequently for a while. She still has some loose skin from a previous shed here and there.

I've been dusting her crickets with phosphorous free calcium and D3. Once she's eating more, I'll dust some of them in her multivitamin with beta carotene. She hasn't touched any fresh fruits or veggies yet, but she's still adjusting to everything.

Her new reptisun 10.0 bulb arrives today! I look forward to getting that hooked up for her. I'm sure her current bulb is pretty old.

You can always put a rag in there so she has something to grab on to, or a rock platform of the such. I bathe my 2 every morning as that is where mine do their business as they refuse to go in their tank..(just fine with me pull the drain and away it goes....)

My female goes in phases on not wanting to eat her salads so when she does that I mash some up really good and mix it with some natural's baby food like squash, pumpkin, peas, sweet potato along with vits, and now powdered probiotics, dandelion powder, alfalfa powder and make a slurry and syringe feed it while she's in the bath...that way she gets a good amount of goodies in her...plus I feed their dubia's and super's the same greens so they get it that way too.

The new bulb will make a big difference at least it did for mine..

good luck and keep us posted on your sweet girl
 

Eavlynn

Bearded Dragon Veteran
Messages
978
Thanks for all of the support everyone :) she ate some more dusted crickets, and finally started much in on some veggie salad. Today's mix was diced carrots, yellow squash, and a tid bit of broccoli with a dusting of calcium and D3. She also drank some water for the first time today. I'm so proud of her! The next time I get to a reptile show I'll be picking up some dubia roaches for her.

Since I'm not sure how much I trust her bulb, I brought her outside in her play pen so she can get some natural light and heat to digest all of the goodies she ate. We've been rocking the low to mid 90s here in PA for a while, so I figure she'll enjoy the heat more that I do!

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Eavlynn

Bearded Dragon Veteran
Messages
978
Ruthie has gotten rather lethargic lately. Her new bulb is in, her appetite has increased, and she drank a good bit of water yesterday. Even pooped this morning. Now all she wants to do is sleep in her hide. I'm sure laying took a lot out of her. Should I just wait it out and keep an eye on her, or is there anything else I can be doing to help her recover?
 

Hdrydr31

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Ruthie has gotten rather lethargic lately. Her new bulb is in, her appetite has increased, and she drank a good bit of water yesterday. Even pooped this morning. Now all she wants to do is sleep in her hide. I'm sure laying took a lot out of her. Should I just wait it out and keep an eye on her, or is there anything else I can be doing to help her recover?
It's likely she is just still recovering.. make sure you keep her hydrated and dust that food/feeders with calcium rich items to replinish.. if she doesn't bounce back say Mon I'd have her checked.
 

Eavlynn

Bearded Dragon Veteran
Messages
978
All food has been dusted with calcium. I decided to try some mix food to see if she would be more willing to eat it, and she seemed to really like it. I made it pretty moist to help with hydration, and have been doing daily baths. She seems a bit more active today, but not by much. I'm curious as to how much her MBD is holding her back from doing the things she wants to do.
 

Eavlynn

Bearded Dragon Veteran
Messages
978
Ruth is doing great! She's perking up and has been much more active. She's started throwing quite the fit when I offer veggies instead of crickets. I'm not sure what her deal is, but she wants what she wants, and she wants it now! Haha. Ah, so this is motherhood.

I brought her outside after her bath. She kept licking her lips and and following me when I moved. After these photos, she puffed herself up like she was trying to be a frilled dragon. So I picked her up, took her inside for crickets, and she became a little angel again. I don't know what to do with my stubborn little darling. I searched far and wide for organic collard greens, escarole, endive and mustard greens, and she wants nothing to do with them.
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A close up of miss attitude :)
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Hdrydr31

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:) very cute! just keep trying with the veggies and in time she will eat them. You can also try some bee pollen that can help with appetite...
 

Eavlynn

Bearded Dragon Veteran
Messages
978
My mom runs a health food store back home. If mixing in silk worms, or reptilinks doesn't spark her love for veggies, I can have her ship some out. Thanks for the tip!
 
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