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What bulb did you go with? I wouldn't force her to bask, they need to be able to cool down as much as they need to heat up. What size enclosure are you keeping her in??
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Zilla has early MBD :(
- Thread starter Aardbark
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I orderd a Mega-Ray bulb, but while Im waiting for that in the mail, I went out and got a Solar Glow. I know forceing her to bask is not the best thing, but she is being difficult and she really needs the ubv. All she wants to do is hide. I dont really know any other way to make sure she gets her uvb. It will only be in short 30 min sittings, and I will give her time to cool off in between them.
This is mostly for right now, literaly today. Because I still need to give her another soaking later tonight. During the day she normaly basks on her own for hours on end. But if she doesnt bask, I will have to force her again. Like I said, I dont want to but she needs her uvb badly.
I have a 6x3.5x2 foot custom cage for her, which she mostly just stays in her hide. Hwever I am rearangeing it, so she has free wandering in my room.
This is mostly for right now, literaly today. Because I still need to give her another soaking later tonight. During the day she normaly basks on her own for hours on end. But if she doesnt bask, I will have to force her again. Like I said, I dont want to but she needs her uvb badly.
I have a 6x3.5x2 foot custom cage for her, which she mostly just stays in her hide. Hwever I am rearangeing it, so she has free wandering in my room.
TheTeguGurl
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When murphy was getting treatment. I just took his hide out for the day then put it back in at night. that way he could go to the other side of the cage to cool down if he wanted to. I know taking the hide out isnt recommend, but you have to do what you have to do to get them better... One hour in the natral sun equals to 8 hours or the uva/uvb bulb.
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Did the vet prescribe oral glucose in liquid form? Dust the mice with calcium powder and put her under the Power Sun. The shaking can resolve in a day or two.
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I would give her natural sunlight if I could, but its dark and cloudy most days here, are bulbs that inefficiant? The vet didnt perscribe anything, just said to feed her pinkys, and bathe her 3 times a day.
I tried to give her a mouse just now, and she completely ignored it.
I tried to give her a mouse just now, and she completely ignored it.
TheTeguGurl
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No the bulbs aren't inefficienct.. just not the real thing. try to dip the pinky into a little bit of egg yoke
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I personally think you need a new vet. To prescribe pinkies for that problem and for a gu that size is ridiculous. She should be able to take a hopper at best with how big she is. I have a girl that has the same problem - she was a rescue. I am now feeding her nothing but whole prey. mice, rat pups, button quail chicks. --- if your basking temps are where they should be you shouldnt have any issues with impaction from fur etc....
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Ditto what SnakeCharmr said. Humidity is also very important to prevent impaction. You have got to get the husbandry right and leave her in the enclosure unless you are taking her out to get natural sun. If I remember correctly you let her free roam quite a bit, this is only contributing to the problem.
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I do let her free roam a lot, she likes to explore. She has never had a problem pooping, but yes low humidity doesnt help with shedding. She does spend a lot of time in her cage too though, usualy night time, which has about 90% humidity (which is a recent change to her cage). I dont think its a problem to let her roam a lot, even days at a time. Keeping her in her cage a lot seems crewl since she is always clawing at the walls. In my room I have a basking spot and water set up for her, which she uses. I think most of her shedding problems are comming from what I was feeding her and the lack of good humidity in her cage. I am trying now to give her a better diet, and her cage has ample humidity. Can to much humidity be a problem?
As for my vet, it was my first visit and is the only reptile vet in my area. I dont really have a choice in the matter. I went shopping and got 'small' mice instead of pinky mice, they were tiny. I think the vet just wanted me to give her a better diet. Even the small mice seem pretty big for her to try to eat.
I wish I knew what Zilla liked so I could dunk the mouse into it. So far the only things she will eat are crickets and ground turkey. I havent tried honey or blueberries though.
As for my vet, it was my first visit and is the only reptile vet in my area. I dont really have a choice in the matter. I went shopping and got 'small' mice instead of pinky mice, they were tiny. I think the vet just wanted me to give her a better diet. Even the small mice seem pretty big for her to try to eat.
I wish I knew what Zilla liked so I could dunk the mouse into it. So far the only things she will eat are crickets and ground turkey. I havent tried honey or blueberries though.
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Letting a less than healthy tegu free roam is a big problem. She needs to be in a controlled environment until she is healthy and shedding properly.
TheTeguGurl
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I agree with james on this one! A controlled enivorment if she has MBD she needs high level of UV and humidity
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I do agree with you there, that while she is healing she needs to be in a controled envyroment. Its just kind of hard when I need to make sure she basks, bathes, and eats. If she is in her cage, she goes straight for her hide and doesnt come out. And I really hate to have to pull her out of her hide every time I have to bathe or feed her.
She really didnt like the setup I made to 'force' bask her, so after about 10 min I took it appart. It was basicly just her old 30 gallon tank, with the basking light set up normaly, with some water and everything else removed. She is acualy basking by choice right now in her normal spot, and after her bath I will put her back in her cage. She really hates cages. Is there a way I can make her basking spot on my floor more humid? Do you think it is ok to have her bask on my floor during the day, ane then be in the humid cage at night? Or should I remove everything from her cage, except the basking spot and keep her in there? If I put her in her cage normaly, she will only hide.
She really didnt like the setup I made to 'force' bask her, so after about 10 min I took it appart. It was basicly just her old 30 gallon tank, with the basking light set up normaly, with some water and everything else removed. She is acualy basking by choice right now in her normal spot, and after her bath I will put her back in her cage. She really hates cages. Is there a way I can make her basking spot on my floor more humid? Do you think it is ok to have her bask on my floor during the day, ane then be in the humid cage at night? Or should I remove everything from her cage, except the basking spot and keep her in there? If I put her in her cage normaly, she will only hide.
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Kirby gets free roam of a closet but he has 3 mvb set up on stands and 2 water dishes (also has mbd) if he showed any signs I'd have him isolated even if he hates it for his own good that's where being a owner comes into it also cloudy days still put out moor UVB tha UVB bulbs just food for though also you could put the ground turkey on the mouse to get her to take it
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Im doing what I can to make sure she recovers. Even after just a few hours of basking she seems better, but that just might be in my head. She is sleeping in her humid hide now.
If I thaw out a mouse, and give it to her and she doesnt eat it, can I stick it back in the freezer or do I have to throw it out?
If I thaw out a mouse, and give it to her and she doesnt eat it, can I stick it back in the freezer or do I have to throw it out?
TheTeguGurl
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I wouldnt refreeze it! BUT that is my things...
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It would be ok to re-freeze it once.
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Not real crazy about the vet advice you were given there. She needs mice with bones and since she has early MBD, her appetite is down. She must have calcium in her system and UVB and dietary D to utilize the calcium. Perhaps when she is eating regularly and receiving adequate UVB, you can eliminate or reduce the dietary D. Like james said, the controlled environment is going to be best right now.
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I think the vet recomended pinkys because I said that Zilla is such a picky eater, and it might be easier to get her to eat a pinky, than to eat a mouse.
