Please HELP! (swollen, crusty leg)

[Tyler.John]

I'm a new bearded dragon owner, I've done my research and I keep my beardie on a roach and salad diet. I noticed his leg was starting to seem a little dry and crusty but I thought it was just from him sheading. This morning I noticed it very swelled and discolored. He is still eating and walking on it as usual, anyone know what this could be? I hope if it's something serious that I caught it early, I will make a vet appointment as soon as I can for him. He is roughly 6-8 months old.
Note- he eats about 5 dubia roaches in the evenings and we give him a salad of romaine and mixed greens he eats through the day we also put d3 and calcium powder on his salads.

 

[Sadie]

I'm a new bearded dragon owner, I've done my research and I keep my beardie on a roach and salad diet. I noticed his leg was starting to seem a little dry and crusty but I thought it was just from him sheading. This morning I noticed it very swelled and discolored. He is still eating and walking on it as usual, anyone know what this could be? I hope if it's something serious that I caught it early, I will make a vet appointment as soon as I can for him. He is roughly 6-8 months old.
Note- he eats about 5 dubia roaches in the evenings and we give him a salad of romaine and mixed greens he eats through the day we also put d3 and calcium powder on his salads.

I see he is shedding and the one back leg is a little swollen -- does he have a hammock in his tank? He also looks a little thin to me --- please start dusting his insects and not the salads --- lightly coated 5 x per week w/ calcium D3 and vitmins w/ beta carotene 2 x per week lightly coated ONCE per feeding --- also make sure your feeding at least 3 hrs before lights off ---- make sure your using a long tube fixture for a UVB NO coils!!!!!!!!! they are inadequate for the absorption and synthesizing the calcium D3 --- if you need links or help please let me know I will post some for you ----------- basking temps need to be surface temps taken w / a digital probe thermometer NO stick ons they are inaccurate --- probe needs to be placed on the spot where he basks for 10 min or so get the temp 95-100 for a juvie -- a CLEAR bright white basking bulb like a Exo Terra Intense basking bulb or a Zoo Med Repti bulb are examples -- No off white or yellowish NO daytime bulbs they have a coating called neoyidium that is harmful to the eyes - NO colored bulbs --- I would offer all the salads he will eat and up his dubia feedings --- I would get him some super worms and some horn worms for treats --- the horn worm is a hydrating worm and they grow really fast -- supers feed every other day 1-3 of them ---

 

[Tyler.John]

I see he is shedding and the one back leg is a little swollen -- does he have a hammock in his tank? He also looks a little thin to me --- please start dusting his insects and not the salads --- lightly coated 5 x per week w/ calcium D3 and vitmins w/ beta carotene 2 x per week lightly coated ONCE per feeding --- also make sure your feeding at least 3 hrs before lights off ---- make sure your using a long tube fixture for a UVB NO coils!!!!!!!!! they are inadequate for the absorption and synthesizing the calcium D3 --- if you need links or help please let me know I will post some for you ----------- basking temps need to be surface temps taken w / a digital probe thermometer NO stick ons they are inaccurate --- probe needs to be placed on the spot where he basks for 10 min or so get the temp 95-100 for a juvie -- a CLEAR bright white basking bulb like a Exo Terra Intense basking bulb or a Zoo Med Repti bulb are examples -- No off white or yellowish NO daytime bulbs they have a coating called neoyidium that is harmful to the eyes - NO colored bulbs --- I would offer all the salads he will eat and up his dubia feedings --- I would get him some super worms and some horn worms for treats --- the horn worm is a hydrating worm and they grow really fast -- supers feed every other day 1-3 of them ---

Thanks for the help, I use a 100w repti zoo super sun uvb/uva white bump and a red bulb at night, he gets sometimes 8-12(in 1 feeding) roaches maybe once or twice per week as a treat he hasn't had any super worms in about 3 weeks but he gets a large salad and always finishes by the end of the day, also his basking spot has a temp average of 95-105°F with the cold spot in his tank not dropping below 80.
He has a log as he usual basking spot but also a hammock he likes to lay on with a carpet bottom.
Here's a pic of a spare bulb I have for him as well it was 30$ online and the best I could find according to reviews and research that I did.

 

[Tyler.John]

Thanks for the help, I use a 100w repti zoo super sun uvb/uva white bump and a red bulb at night, he gets sometimes 8-12(in 1 feeding) roaches maybe once or twice per week as a treat he hasn't had any super worms in about 3 weeks but he gets a large salad and always finishes by the end of the day, also his basking spot has a temp average of 95-105°F with the cold spot in his tank not dropping below 80.
He has a log as he usual basking spot but also a hammock he likes to lay on with a carpet bottom.
Here's a pic of a spare bulb I have for him as well it was 30$ online and the best I could find according to reviews and research that I did.View attachment 31268View attachment 31269

Also I forgot to add I just gave him a bath he had one about 2 weeks ago roughly but when I got him I was told he only needed to be soaked about once a month

 

[Sadie]

Also I forgot to add I just gave him a bath he had one about 2 weeks ago roughly but when I got him I was told he only needed to be soaked about once a month

Baths once a month are good ---- the Repti Sun MVB NOT so good --- it looks like its giving off a yellowish hue in the pic the box and in the pic of him he is way too close to that bulb --- next PLEASE GET RID OF THE RED BULB!!
They disturb their sleep and the bulb will hurt/ damage his eyes --- dragons like it cool and dark - temps at nite should be 65-75 --- NO lights --- him being that close to the top is telling me hes getting NO UVB -- please replace w/ a Mega Ray MVB --- and also I recommend getting a long tube fixture like a 24" fixture Zoo Med w/ a Reptisun 10.0 T 5 bulb for a 40 + gallon tank or a Arcadia Pro T 5 w/ a 12% bulb or a Sunblaster Nano Tech 6400 bulb
www.pangeareptiles.com for the Zoo Med and Arcadia Pro T 5
www.https://hydrobuilder.com/sunblaster-nanotech-t5-ho-fixture-with-6400k-lamp.html 24" or 2 ft
The MVB do not emit enough UVB especially w/ on top of screens etc I always recommend a back up if you want you can go to a regular CLEAR bright white basking bulb Exo Terra Intense basking bulb or a Zoo Med Repti basking bulbs are an example ---- but please get rid of the red bulb and get a good MVB if your going to stay w that -- distance and placement for the MVB and the long tube UVB are crucial here -- let me know what your doing and I will help you get this set up -- the green hammock is more than likely the culprit for the swelling of the leg - its possible hes got his nail caught in the mesh and pulled it spraining it -- but you MUST get your lighting in order in the tank so the leg will heal --- the UVB is SO important for the over all health and behavior of the dragon --- also w/ him being that close on top to the bulb it should be too hot for him there ---- temps for basking are 95-100 taken w/ a digital probe thermometer -- that is surface temps what is the temp where he is at in the pic ?

 

[Tyler.John]

I already said he is that close because we just gave him a bath, thank you for your input. But, I believe I have the right lamp set up though. He does not sit that close to the lamp normally. The reptile shop I bought him from, recommended everything I have in there for him. It was NOT a big chain pet store.. they specifically deal with reptiles and all things scaly. It is a basic set up for now. Here is the lamp set up box... zoo med mini combo deep dome dual lamp fixture. The other light is the spare in case it burns out. It may look yellow but it's a white light.
I believe what is wrong with his leg is its just a stuck shed, and wanted to confirm that because it's new years and our vet is closed.

 

[Sadie]

I already said he is that close because we just gave him a bath, thank you for your input. But, I believe I have the right lamp set up though. He does not sit that close to the lamp normally. The reptile shop I bought him from, recommended everything I have in there for him. It was NOT a big chain pet store.. they specifically deal with reptiles and all things scaly. It is a basic set up for now. Here is the lamp set up box... zoo med mini combo deep dome dual lamp fixture. The other light is the spare in case it burns out. It may look yellow but it's a white light.
I believe what is wrong with his leg is its just a stuck shed, and wanted to confirm that because it's new years and our vet is closed.

Well I can only recommend what works and this Sunspot UVB is not a well known brand and that is why I recommended the MegaRay --- he should not be that close to that bulb -- something is off for him to be there -- it is also known that MVB's do not emit enough UVB -- it is up to you -- shedding can cause some swelling but for the most part your UVB is going to help w/ this --- if he does not have proper UVB its going to cause all kinds of issues - those issues may not show up till later as dragons will hide their illness for as long as they can then sometimes its too late to correct this issue -- MBD --- cant walk cant chew having seizures --- see it all the time w/ improper lighting and basking temps etc ---

 

[Mummabeardy]

yeh you definitely need to get rid of those night time bulbs red/blue for sure! They destroy their eyesight. Sadie really helps us on here and knows her stuff! I got my whole setup at the store and assumed it was all correct since it came together! I was wrong & felt terrible-once I corrected everything because of Sadie's advise..I now have a happy healthy beardie!!<3

 

[Tyler.John]

I changed the bulb out this morning it burnt out last night before I usually turn it off.

hopefully that will help, thank you.

 

[Sadie]

I changed the bulb out this morning it burnt out last night before I usually turn it off. View attachment 31288View attachment 31289View attachment 31289hopefully that will help, thank you.

You changed the bulb ? What did you get and the wattage as well please? The wattages have certain distances they need to be --- w/ the screen or w/ out the screen --

 

[Tyler.John]

It's 100w uvb/uva, I plan on ordering a mounting stand for it but it's resting on top of the cage where the old bulb was

 

[Tyler.John]

 

[Sadie]

View attachment 31292

Ok so this is what one of my friends has said about the PowerSun 100 watt -- he uses the Mega Ray but they are basically the same

The 100w should be at around 12'' above the main basking area for both models. Best not to have a mesh screen in between. If there is a mesh screen, then moving up to a higher wattage (160w I believe in both cases) and slightly raising the distance to maybe 14-16'' or so would be good. I don't have one of the higher wattage models to test though.

So w/ that being said I would recommend you get a long tube fixture 24" fixture Zoo Med w/a Reptisun 10.0 T 5 bulb 22" or a Arcadia Pro T 5 12% bulb or a Sunblaster Nano Tech I can post websites for you -- hes going to need the extra UVB as most of these do not emit enough UVB for them --
I can help w/ websites and how to place when you get the UVB fixture it will depend on your screen where it goes and the distance