T'Zar could be very sick i need some advise please.

[Dubya11]

So i have a wonderful little bearded dragon, i believe that i bought her when she was 2-3 Months old and i bought her exactly one year ago from a local pet store. When i first got her i had her in a 25 Gallon and i fed her tons and tons of crickets, and then when my girlfriend and i moved out we bought a jewelry display case and converted it into a Reptile enclosure. Due to the size of the enclosure i quit feeding her crickets in her tank as they could easily hide and escape and i started feeding her in a separate container. She would eat tons and tons of crickets, sometimes i could count as many as 30 she would eat in one sitting. As for Veggies she has never ever shown any interest in them, occasionally she will scarf up some Roman lettuce (99% of the time it just turns disgusting). I've Never dusted her food before (Shame on me i know) when i first got her the pet shop basically didn't know ANYTHING about Bearded Dragons and gave me bad information. It wasn't until she was probably 10 months old that i became a member to this website and learned what taking care of a bearded dragon really entailed. Anyways back to my story so after feeding her in a separate tank for so long my girlfriend and i had our Daughter Vada Jane and the girlfriend didn't want any bugs in the house while she was a newborn infant so i switched and she ate nothing but worms for approximately 4 months. We have moved once again and now i have a 40 Gallon Breeder tank that T'Zar is living in specifically to help make it easier to feed her. I put maybe 6 Crickets into her new tank last week and they have survived in their off of dry oatmeal and water and T'Zar will not eat them i can drop a meal worm in front of her and she will eat it right up, but a cricket can crawl right in-front of her face and she pays it no mind. The last 5 days or so she has been sleeping quite a bit, and I'm kind of nervous during the moving process she had to go 6 days without UVB lighting (Not my fault, the shitty ass pet store we have here sold me the wrong bulb for a fixture and then were 'out of stock' for 5 days{ Also note i live on a small island so i can't just go to home depot and get a new fixture i have limited options here} ). Now she seems to stay in the same spot for majority of the day, i believe that her current living condition IS A HEALTHY ONE.

Besides the feeding condition also while she was living in the jewelry display case (ill post a picture) My girlfriend and i used Styrofoam to make her a cave she could Bask on and hide in. We filled the cave with Cal-sand as we thought it was safe especially since i hadn't been dusting her food. I believe she is suffering from mild impaction because for the last 2 weeks she has only went poop once each week. I soaked her and rubbed her belly until she finally went. The cave and sand are both gone now. I need some advise also is dusting bugs a absolute necessity T'Zar has shown know signs of MBD and she has never had dusted food except the occasional sprinkle. Also note on the new tank i now have the UVB fixture and i didn't on the picture..

Questions:
1.) If any damage has been done to my bearded dragon - with proper care is it reverse-able?
2.) I don't believe that T'zar is suffering from MBD because she can be really active and all of her limbs appear to work great. but what are some tell signs of MBD to watch out for?
3.) In the wild the bugs that Beardies eat are not dusted so why is it so important that they get dusted bugs? Where in the wild do they get Calcium from?
4.) Why doesn't she show much of an interest in crickets and how can i get her back on them?
5.) I've noticed that her hunting skills have depleted and she can't seem to catch crickets like she once could. What should i do about this? I was just going to keep making sure she has crickets available and hope that she will start to get the hang of it again, is that the best way to go about this?
6.) I live in Alaska its currently getting light out at like 5:30 and its getting dark about 10:00 i know that she probably can't handle that much daylight whats a good standard time scheme to follow maybe like 8 to 8?
7.) does it sound like my Beardie might have mild Impaction going on? Thats the best i can come up with she used the bathroom every 2 days until i got that Calcium Sand then after she lived in the sand for about 2 months the bathroom visits started to grow further and further apart and for the last two weeks she has only went twice.

I don't need anyone on here to talk me down i know i made a few mistakes but I'm learning for the better. If anything its these pet shops that need to be smacked up-side the head how many bearded dragons get sold daily and the owners are told the wrong information on how to care for them? The Pet shop owner here told me that Cal-Sand was a great supplement for Bearded Dragons and was the best substrate you could possibly purchase the reality of it is, that the pet shop use the public's lack of knowledge to make a quick buck. How is it that Calcium Sand can have a Bearded Dragon on the cover if its a known fact that its deadly to beardies?
I'm sick of the false information that all reptile products give, Animal protection needs to put a stop to the BS they pull. Another example is Reptisun UVB Tube Light on the back of the box it lists the type of Reptiles it is Ideal for and on the list sure enough there was Leopard Gecko and correct me if I'm wrong but Leopard Geckos are nocturnal and require no UVB Rays whatsoever.. So here's the Repti-sun Florescent Tube lighting Trying to advertise itself to the owners of Leopard Geckos to make a quick 50 Bucks on their overpriced light bulbs.. when a standard 2 dollar wal-mart light-bulb would serve the exact same purpose.

Sorry for the Extremely LONG post i would really like to hear some feed back from some of you out there.

 

[Germ]

Questions:
1.) If any damage has been done to my bearded dragon - with proper care is it reverse-able?
If there are no symptoms being displayed yet, dusting ALL live prey with 100% phosphorous free Calcium should help halt any further damage that may have been done & may help to reverse it, somewhat. Dinah & Arrow also had never had calcium, or UVB for that matter, before I rescued them, were in rough shape & would have died early deaths had I not.
2.) I don't believe that T'zar is suffering from MBD because she can be really active and all of her limbs appear to work great. but what are some tell signs of MBD to watch out for?
All/early symptoms of MBD are not always visible to the eye until usually too late. You won't see Brittle Bones or notice the beginnings of crippling twisted or curved Bones until it is too late. Please do not wait for signs to prove a point that you believe Calcium supplementation is not necessary.
3.) In the wild the bugs that Beardies eat are not dusted so why is it so important that they get dusted bugs? Where in the wild do they get Calcium from?
A BDs survival rate & life expectancy in the wild is quite short. Natures way of compensating for this is that they lay multiple large clutches of eggs from one coupling. In captivity it is generally our wish to provide a comfortable life & extend their life expectancy as long as possible. In Captivity it is possible for them to live a long & happy life of 10-15+ years if we provide the necessary supplements & proper care. If it is really your wish for your BD to only live a short lifespan & die a crippling death, then continue as you are & it will happen sooner than later. I don't believe this is the case & are looking for answers. This is an excerpt from a decent article that explains why a minimum Calcium to Phosphorus ratio is needed & is beneficial to your BD ...

Ca Ratio and Reptiles

Many have heard about the Ca/P ratio but not many understand what it means to your reptiles. The Ca ratio is simply the ratio of Calcium compared to Phosphorus and so a Ca ratio of 1 (one or 1:1) would mean that Calcium & Phosphorus are found in equal quantities, a Ca ratio of 0.5 (half or 0.5:1) means that there is half the amount of Calcium than there is Phosphorus. An ideal Ca ratio would be around 2 (two or 2:1) as this will allow calcium to be easily absorbed.

So why is this important? It has to do with the way Calcium is absorbed by your reptile's intestine. For any calcium to be absorbed, there needs to be at least equal quantities of Calcium and Phosphorus in their food. If the Phosphorus is much higher, then not only will it prevent calcium being absorbed, but may even leach calcium that is already present in your reptile's body. This can lead to serious problems such as MBD (Metabolic Bone Disease). When Calcium and Phosphorus are dissolved in equal quantities, it forms an insoluble salt (Calcium Phosphate) which is very difficult to absorb by your reptile's intestine. If there is a large amount of phosphorus compared to the calcium, then all the calcium will be bound by the phosphorus and none will be available for your reptile. If there is a large excess of calcium, then no phosphorus can be absorbed, which is also a vital mineral but not needed in as large a quantity as calcium. Ideally the Ca/P ratio for most vertebrates is around 2 (also written as 2:1).

4.) Why doesn't she show much of an interest in crickets and how can i get her back on them?It is a common occurrence with many BDs, when having been fed a staple diet of Worms, that they will get 'Spoiled' so to speak. They are much like young children in this way & will hold back until they get what they want & most keepers will cave in & give them worms for fear of starving them. As you have described, you are finding out that adult BDs slow right down as they age & by our standards, become quite lazy. This is part of the reason they don't require as much protein as they did when they were younger, growing & active. They are not as active, therefore do not require as much nourishment. An Adult BD can & sometimes will go for weeks without eating & are generally not as active during this time & do not need as much time under the basking spot for the simple fact that they do not have as much food to digest & will lose very little weight because they are not expending any energy. This is actually quite a common happening & is not that abnormal.
5.) I've noticed that her hunting skills have depleted and she can't seem to catch crickets like she once could. What should i do about this? I was just going to keep making sure she has crickets available and hope that she will start to get the hang of it again, is that the best way to go about this?
As per the above.
6.) I live in Alaska its currently getting light out at like 5:30 and its getting dark about 10:00 i know that she probably can't handle that much daylight whats a good standard time scheme to follow maybe like 8 to 8? In my experience a consistent Day\Night schedule of 12 hrs On & 12 off works very well year round & may, not always, but may help ward of Brumation as it may not sense a season change if the Day\Night lighting hrs & heating is always consistent. Doesn't always work, but has. The seasons outside does not always affect a BD in captivity, the environment in it's enclosure does. If with the move & changing enclosures, etc, your temps, lighting hrs, lack of UVB for 5 or 6 days (which shouldn't have been long enough to harm it by the way) have been varying, it may even have triggered a version of Brumation, in that it's appetite will dwindle to nil, stay in one spot, generally on the cooler side, eyes open and aware of its surroundings during light hrs, but no other movement for days, weeks, months & this is quite normal. If it is not exhibiting any drastic weight loss, I wouldn't think that you have anything to worry about.
7.) does it sound like my Beardie might have mild Impaction going on? Thats the best i can come up with she used the bathroom every 2 days until i got that Calcium Sand then after she lived in the sand for about 2 months the bathroom visits started to grow further and further apart and for the last two weeks she has only went twice.
This is common in adults, mine will often only poop weekly, sometimes longer, along with the fact that if it is not eating much, it is just common sense that it will not poop as much either. It is pooping so it is not likely impacted. All in all, I see very little out of the ordinary for an adult BD, it is just new to 'you'.

Get to dusting all feeders with Calcium, when it will eat. Sometimes when 'worm spoiled' it takes tough love to bring them out of it, it won't hurt an adult to go as much as a couple of weeks+ without eating even when not in full brumation. Just keep an eye on it for drastic visible weight loss. It will eat crix again when it gets hungry enough.

 

[Em Lynch]

Really well answered Germ i think its really great how if people provide all the necessary information they get their questions answered so thoroughly
good luck Dubya! my BD didn't have UV or calcium for the majority of her life, the only signs of neglect (i can see) is her small size, i hope in time the both of us realise we are lucky and no further damage has been done to these poor little creatures

 

[Pat B]

You are in the right place for good solid information. I have had the same crap passed on from pet stores but I believe in this forum and the answers you receive. I had my trials with my little Spike and I am learning everyday. Good luck with your beardie and keep him safe!!

 

[Dubya11]

So awesome thanks so much Germ. I started dusting and that makes me feel better knowing that its just the difference between being a young beardie and an adult. Its sad to think how many bearded dragons get neglected whether its intentional or not, So much misinformation is given out like candy. I'm glad a place like this exists and i appreciated all the members of this site.