Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I had a full clutch of beardies that just hatched, and although most of the babies are healthy, some are showing the following disorders: when still in the incubator I notice there were lying strangely on their back, instead of normally lying on their belly. now, one week after hatching,they often fall on their back, and even when in normal position, they are raising their head very high, and lightly curved toward their back, not like the others that look normal. in addition, they move strangely, with some jerking movements, and some tremor, especially after running. they also have difficulty at catching crickets, but still succeed in eating some. maybe they are borned with some calcium deficit? they don't look like mishaped, but rather show postural and motor problem. Please help !!!!!

You should Google "Stargazing Bearded Dragon" and see if any of the results sould like your dragon's symptoms.

birth defects could be caused by many things...temps too hot during part of incubation, chemicals leaching into the egg, malnutrition of the mother (she could be missing something essential which can be causing the babies to suffer right at birth), simple genetic defect.

Star gazing disease shows the exact symptoms but I don't think it often occurs right out of the egg. It is a vitamin deficiency...B I think...don't recall off hand...googling it will tell you more about the disease.
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PHLdyPayne

thank you for your suggestions, may be it is malnutrition of the mother or even temps too hot during incubation, in the same clutch I get also 2 babies with malformations of the tail and spine but most were and still are looking healthy. the mother is somewhat old, 6 years. what I read in google somewhat made me worriyng about adenovirus. but the parents are a long time in my home and had no contacts with others bearded dragons. do you think the stargazing condition is reversible if I give them exposure to sunlight and plenty of vitamins or is it best to freeze them because there is no hope to save them?

Freezing them is not humane. I have read it is a very painful death.

If you don't want the dragons I would recommend that you look around for a rescue to take them. I take in unwanteds with difficult conditions etc. and I'm sure there's others like me around.

its fine to freeze unhatched eggs....not for hatched bearded dragons...they can be humanely gassed by the vet or if you have your own CO2 container.

An older female certainly has a higher risk of defects in her babies...most female bearded dragons are retired by the time they reach 6. The dragons with spinal defects may be fine, unless they are quite bad, in which case it may make it difficult for the dragons to thrive. The ones acting like they have Star Gazers disease, may make a full recovery with proper UVB and dusted crickets with a multi-Vitamin.

Adennvirus tends to show up when bearded dragons are a few weeks old or older...instead of right out of the egg, even if the parents have it...so not likely to be the cause, especially if you had no additions to your colony or your dragons having contact with beardeds from elsewhere.

If you are willing, I definitely suggest giving these dragons a chance. The spinal problems may be the ones that will need to be humanely euthanized, but the stargazers could make a full recovery...IF they are only caused by nutrition issues...if its another neurological disorder due to incubation temps being too high, or genetics...it may never go away.
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PHLdyPayne