Bearded dragons are one of the most popular pet lizards, but they have specific nutritional requirements to stay healthy. One of the most critical is adequate calcium intake, as calcium supports healthy bones, muscles, and egg development.
If your bearded dragon is deficient in calcium, it can lead to serious health issues. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover the key signs of calcium deficiency you need to watch for in your dragon.
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer to your question: The main signs of calcium deficiency in bearded dragons are limb tremors or twitching, softened or deformed bones, lack of appetite, lethargy, and poor egg development in breeding females.
Limb Tremors
Limb tremors can be one of the most noticeable early signs that a bearded dragon has a calcium deficiency. These tremors range from minor muscle twitches to severe tremors and seizures depending on the severity of the deficiency.
Catching early signs allows owners to quickly adjust the diet before major health impacts occur.
Occasional muscle twitches or tremors, especially in the limbs or around the mouth and eyes
In the early stages of calcium deficiency, a bearded dragon may start getting occasional small muscle twitches or tremors in their limbs, mouth, or eyes. These are a signal that calcium levels are dipping lower than optimal.
The twitches may be infrequent at first but increase in frequency over time without dietary changes.
Prolonged tremors or seizures
If a calcium deficiency continues for an extended time, the tremors can become more severe and prolonged, potentially leading to seizures. Seizures often begin with muscle twitching and can cause legs to straighten, loss of muscle control, and shaking.
Without quick treatment, seizures can be life-threatening.
Difficulty walking or holding up body due to muscle weakness
With decreased calcium, bearded dragons often lose muscle control and strength, making it hard for them to walk or hold themselves upright. They may start getting lethargic and show decreased interest in regular activity. Weakness usually starts in the limbs/legs but can result in full-body weakness.
Owners may see their bearded dragon struggling or collapsing when trying to walk or move around its habitat if deficiency worsens.
Supplementing insects like dubia roaches with calcium powders is crucial for preventing limb tremors from calcium deficiency. Owners should also dust greens with supplements and offer a variety of calcium-rich produce like collard and turnip greens.
With timely adjustments to their diet and habitat lighting, bearded dragons can often make full recoveries from early deficiency signs.
Softened or Deformed Bones
Calcium deficiency, known as nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism (NSHP) or metabolic bone disease (MBD) in bearded dragons can lead to a variety of bone deformities and weakness. When calcium levels are too low, the body will start leaching calcium from the bones which causes them to soften, bend, or collapse over time.
Bending or distortion of limbs or spine
With calcium deficiency, the bones are no longer rigid and can start to bend under the dragon’s body weight. This can lead to distorted and curved limbs or an arched spine that is no longer straight. According to Bearded Dragon Tank, curved arms and legs are some of the most obvious signs of MBD.
Collapsing joints
The joints rely on proper bone formation to stay rigid and support body weight. However, with calcium deficiency, the areas around joints can start to weaken and even partially collapse or become deformed.
This can happen in any joints but is especially common in the back and hips according to veterinarians.
Swollen joints
In addition to weakened or collapsing joints, joint swelling or inflammation is common with MBD. The joints may take on a puffy or swollen appearance as the bone loss leads to structural instability and irritation around the joints.
According to Cornell University Veterinary Specialists, swelling around the jaw joints is particularly common.
Rubbery or softened lower jaw
The lower jaw contains much less bone than the top jaw and skull in bearded dragons. Therefore, it is one of the first areas to show notable softening and flexibility with low calcium. Pet owners may notice the lower jaw feels rubbery, softened or flexible rather than hard and rigid when they touch this area gently.
According to veterinarians, the jaw may even temporarily deform when opening the mouth wide but pop back into alignment when closed.
In severe MBD cases, the jaw can eventually become so fragile and weakened that it spontaneously breaks or fractures. Pet owners will notice suddenly irregular alignment or protruding section of jawbone if this occurs.
Quick veterinary treatment is crucial to stabilize severe injuries and malnutrition.
Catching early signs of bone issues can help prevent severe deformities through quick calcium supplementation and diet changes. However, some deformities like limb curvature may be irreversible once progressed too far.
Consulting an experienced reptile veterinarian is important both for early diagnosis and developing an ongoing treatment plan tailored to the bearded dragon if MBD is suspected.
Lack of Appetite
Bearded dragons with calcium deficiency may exhibit a lack of appetite and interest in eating. This can manifest in a few ways:
Refusal to eat crickets or greens
Bearded dragons get most of their calcium from eating greens like kale, collard greens, and turnip greens. A bearded dragon refusing to eat their vegetables could be a major red flag for calcium deficiency. Crickets can also be an important calcium source if gut loaded properly.
Rejecting these calcium-rich staples is a problematic sign.
Difficulty chewing or swallowing food
Calcium is crucial for proper muscle and nerve function in bearded dragons. Without adequate calcium levels, they may have difficulty properly operating their jaws and throat to chew and swallow food. You may notice them struggling to chew greens or crickets and making exaggerated gulping motions when trying to swallow.
Regurgitation of food
The esophagus and stomach require calcium to function and contract properly. Low calcium can cause the muscles in these organs to weaken. This may result in the bearded dragon regurgitating or vomiting up recently eaten food because their digestive tract cannot properly process it.
This can lead to dangerous nutritional deficits if left untreated.
Lethargy
Bearded dragons with calcium deficiency may exhibit lethargic behavior in several ways:
Overall lack of normal activity or curiosity
Healthy bearded dragons are generally quite active and inquisitive. They like to explore their habitat, climb branches, and interact with their owners. However, a calcium-deficient dragon may show an overall lack of interest in normal activities.
It may spend more time sitting still or laying down, not engaging with toys or objects, and have little appetite for exercise or play. This lethargy is likely caused by weakness and fatigue from improper calcium metabolism.
Spending excessive time basking under heat lamp
Bearded dragons need to bask to properly regulate their body temperature. However, an excessive amount of basking behavior may indicate an underlying issue. Calcium-deficient dragons often bask for long periods throughout the day because they have difficulty producing enough energy to keep their body warm.
The heat lamp allows them to raise their body temperature without expending energy. Extended basking can be a sign that the bearded dragon feels chronically fatigued or cold due to problems metabolizing and distributing calcium.
Hiding more than usual
While some hiding behavior is normal, bearded dragons with low calcium levels may spend more time hiding or seeking shelter than is typical. There are a few reasons a calcium-deficient dragon may hide more often. First, it may not have the energy for more vigorous activity.
Second, its weakened muscles and joints may make movement uncomfortable. And third, it may have an instinct to seek protection when feeling unwell. If an otherwise active and social bearded dragon is suddenly very reclusive, an underlying calcium issue is a strong possibility.
Egg Binding in Females
Difficulty passing eggs
Egg binding occurs when a female bearded dragon has trouble laying her eggs. This can happen for a variety of reasons, such as improper humidity and temperature, lack of an appropriate nesting area, stress, poor nutrition, health issues, or physical obstructions.
Some signs that a female is having difficulty passing eggs include: straining or repeatedly posturing to lay eggs without producing any, loss of appetite, lethargy, and a swollen or distended abdomen. The eggs may be felt through the abdomen or seen on an x-ray.
Swollen or strained abdomen
A swollen or strained abdomen is one of the most obvious physical signs of egg binding in bearded dragons. The abdomen may appear enlarged or distended. This happens as the female struggles to pass the eggs, which places pressure on her internal organs.
In severe cases, the swelling can be significant enough to compress breathing and disrupt normal organ function. It’s important to get prompt veterinary assistance if a gravid (carrying eggs) female has a severely strained abdomen along with symptoms like open mouth breathing, lethargy, or loss of appetite.
Lethargy or loss of appetite before egg laying
Lethargy and loss of appetite often precede an episode of egg binding in bearded dragons. The female dragon lacks energy and has little interest in food as she focuses her resources on trying to lay her eggs. This is a key warning sign that egg laying difficulties may be imminent.
Other related symptoms can include weakness, hiding more than usual, dark coloring, and rapid breathing. If these symptoms occur in a gravid female who then fails to lay her eggs within 1-2 days, she likely requires veterinary assistance to avoid serious complications.
Failure to lay eggs or dystocia
The inability to lay eggs at all constitutes true egg binding in bearded dragons. Dystocia refers to difficulties in egg laying or birth. It occurs when contractions are unable to successfully move the eggs down the oviduct for laying.
Causes of dystocia in bearded dragons include:
Dystocia and egg binding are true emergencies in bearded dragons that require immediate veterinary treatment. Without help, severe egg binding can lead to ruptured eggs in the abdomen, peritonitis, sepsis, and death.
Conclusion
While bearded dragons are fairly hardy reptiles, calcium deficiency can have severe consequences for their health. Keep an eye out for tremors, bone issues, appetite changes, lethargy, and reproductive problems in females as key indicators of possible calcium deficiency.
If caught early, adjusting the diet and providing calcium supplements can help reverse deficiency signs. But left untreated, hypocalcemia can become debilitating or even fatal. By understanding the major signs of calcium deficiency covered here, you can get your dragon the right care in time.
