Metabolic bone disease, MBD, is fairly common in captured reptiles. The wild dragons do not suffer from this condition. This is mainly caused by inappropriate care. So what does it mean to cause metabolic bone diseases with a bearded dragon?
Cause
Many different things can lead to MBD. The most common cause is that there is no calcium in your daily diet. Calcium is very important for proper function and formation of muscle and bone. This is why you need to regularly give your dragon calcium supplement.
It is also important to provide adequate UV lighting. Without it, reptiles like boring dragons can not properly digest calcium. Other common causes of metabolic bone diseases of shaved dragons are inappropriate temperatures in the enclosure and various other diseases.
A sign
The MDB dragon develops a very thin bone. This makes them easy to break. The debilitated bone also makes your dragon more difficult to climb, walk, or jump.
It is also common for these reptiles to develop twisted toes, limbs, and back. When the jawbone becomes soft and spongy, it may hurt when you eat. As the disease progresses, your dragon may even experience paralysis of the forepaw or hind legs.
processing
Treatment of this disease requires correction of the underlying problem. If calcium in the diet is deficient, you need to inject calcium and vitamin D. If you do not supply UV light to a shaved dragon, you need to do so. If other diseases or conditions are the cause, you need to deal with it before MDB goes away.
