Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a female dragon that has exhibited stiff legs twice in the last week, first time was one back leg stretched out and she could not move it, but started using it within a minute. Tonight both rear legs and a front leg were stiff but she started walking within a minute to go after a cricket. History: her previous owner said she would not eat greens so he only fed her crickets (she is between 1 and 2 years). I don't know if she got vitamins or calcium.
Any help on what causes this and what I can do to help?

If she just leaves them stretched out,some dragons do that when they are at rest.Does she walk normally once she gets up? If she gets up to get her crix then they aren't actually "stiff" Does she have a basking log or something to climb on ? The problem with people that say their dragons won't eat greens...whether it starts when it's a baby or later,is that people give up...I hear this all the time at the shows I vend at. This is a HUGE mistake !! A dragon cannot live a healthy life without greens....SO many vital nutrients left out. If your child only ate 2 -3 burgers every day.,...you wouldn't guess that they could be a healthy adult.If you could post a picture of her in her set up or at least give length/weight,it would be helpful. Start getting turnip greens,mustard greens,{ greens are loaded with calcium}collard and dandelion greens. They will also eat the flower off dandelion...just be sure the yard is not sprayed with chemicals{ useless poison that ruins the earth} Chop the greens and use a small amount of calcium powder.A trip to a herp vet would be very helpful.

She is now kept in a 40 gal breeder tank, substrate is reptile carpet, she has a large hollow log (driftwood) to climb on and a large rock and piece of tile for warming. Lights are a infrared heat lamp and a UVB for basking. I dust crickets with Repcal D 4 days a week and Herptavite vitamins 2 days. Mix of greens (collard, mustard, turnip, kale, dandelions) are offered every morning. She will eat some of the greens but nothing like the dragons I have had since they were babies.

Her previous owner had a basking light on top, said she would not eat greens so did not feed them, only crickets, no vitamins. He gave me a jar of juvenile dragon food (pellets) but said she wouldn't eat that either.

This morning I put her in warm shallow water for bath and she held a back leg in an akward up and out position with toes curled, looked like what she did in her cage, only for a moment then she seemed to relax and was fine. She defecated while in the water so is definitely not bound up.

When she stiffened her legs in the cage she was still responsive (looking at me and the crickets and starting after the crickets) and in less than a minute was walking completely normal going after the crickets.

I would switch out the infrared bulb with a normal incandescent light bulb of sufficient wattage to ensure her basking spot has a temperature range between 95-120F so your dragon can choose the temperature she wants to bask in. Infrared bulbs don't have any benefit as dragons prefer bright light as a heat source. UVB bulbs don't produce enough visual light to promote healthy basking habits.

Do you have a weight or length (snout to tail tip) for the dragon?

The greens you are feeding are good, keep offering them...even put them in a shallow bowl and add superworms, butterworms, silkworms or even hornworms (don't use wild caught hornworms as they are toxic) and place them ontop of the greens. The insects will entice her to eat some greens, intentionally or accidentally. I have found that once dragons taste a few greens, they tend to eat them on their own soon after.

Can you get pictures of your dragon when she has her leg held out stiffly?
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PHLdyPayne

Exactly right on the lighting...red lights are not good,it is very unnatural and can cause a sort of depression in the lizard. They should not be used as a night light either,very stressful to have a light in the cage at night. { Not that you said you did but I just wanted to add that,as many people ask me about it } It sounds like you are trying to take good care of your dragon and there is no criticism intended. Please continue to ask for info in forums like this because many pet stores give bad advice,please believe that.Hope all goes well !

Rear leg paralysis typically is caused by one of three things. Too large prey items or impaction or MBD.

Angiehusk did bring up an important point about dragons often lying down with a leg or two stretched out beside the body. However it disturbed the dragon should immediately bring them into a normal position. If she moves around with the let stretched out in an unnatural angle for any amount of time, then its most likely a sign of too big prey items, impaction or MBD.

We will need to know more details of the care the dragon receives now that you own it. How big is his cage? Do you provide UVB light? What is the basking temperature? What substrate do you use (and if you know it, what did the previous owner use?). How big is the dragon (length and weight)? Even though the previous owner indicated the dragon is one or two years old...how well it was cared for really leaves a wide area on what actual size the dragon is.

What have you been offering to the dragon food wise? How much and how often do you feed? Do you use any suppliments? If so, what kind and how often do you dust? When feeding crickets, do you gutload the crickets and what size of crickets (or other insect) are you using? How long has the dragon been in your care?

Answering these questions will make it easier for us to help determine what could be wrong with your dragon. Stiff limbs is a sign of a problem...what that problem is will indicate how severe the condition will be and if it does need immediate vet care. However if the dragon is just stretching out his legs (when held stretched out by choice, the legs are usually parallel to the tail/body or at a slight angle), which he really only will do when sleeping or relaxing on a basking spot or floor of the cage, they won't walk around with their legs held straight, so if he is doing this, then its a sign of a problem.
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PHLdyPayne