Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My tegu's about 3 months old and I just noticed his limbs twitching, almost like they're shivering. But otherwise, he seems perfectly healthy. He's eating and pooing and is just as active as he's always been. I have been giving him a vitamin supplement with all his meals. I have been feeding him crickets mainly, with a pinky about once a week, but not very much vegi's or fruit, as he usually just turns it down. Does anyone know what could possibly be causing his twiching?

sounds like a calcium def. problem, are u usin a UV light; some reptiles need reptiles need UV to properly digest and process their food.

Yes I am. I'm useing a 100Watt Blue full spectrum bulb, which I turn off at night and turn on a ceramic heater durring the night.

I forgot to say that the full spectrum bulb I'm useing emits UVA light, but not UVB. Is this a problem? The exact bulb I'm useing is this: http://www.zoomed.com/html/daylight_blue.php

Your tegu likely has the beginings of metabolic bone disease, through either a lack of calcium in the diet or lack of vitD3 production. VitD3 appears to only be produced via UVB (NOT UVA) exposure, as there seems to be some evidence they cannot absorb vitD3 orally.

Sounds like a calcium deficiency. You need to act quickly. A trip to a herp vet would be a good idea at this point.

Make sure you gut load and dust the crickets with a calcium supplement like Miner-All Indoor Formula or Rep-Cal Ultrafine Powder. Dust the pinkies. If you get into feeding superworms dust them as well and give the worms good vegetables to get their moisture from.

A full-spectrum light is not the same as a UV light. For UV and heat check out the T-Rex UV Heat, Zoo-Med Powersun or the Mercury Vapor bulbs. If you're just looking for UV then a Zoo-Med Reptisun 5.0 UV fluorescent bulb will work. In either case make sure the bulb is within the recommended distance from the basking area.

Baby tegus grow fast and need calcium. It's very important that you dust each meal, beginning immediately.

Bill

yeah...that light you said you were using that only gives off UVA is only good for psychological purposes. UVB is what you need for calcium. that is why he is twitching. try to keep him/her on insects as long as you can before giving pinkies...even if its occasional. although he/she is not taking the fruits and veggies now keep offering them and eventually he/she will try some. and like the previous poster said...keep dusting the food every day with a calcium and multivitamin supplement.

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1.0.0 arg. b/w tegu
1.1.0 white's tree frog- popeye, jack
0.1.0 southern painted turtle- ms.tortle
0.1.0 crested gecko- crimson
1.0.0 pinto hedgehog- dante

Here is a company that has a sale on Reptisun 5.0 for 13.99 that is a very good price compared to my local petshops who sell them for 35.00 a piece..If you buy more its even cheaper since you need to replace them every 6 mnths anyway.The shipping is around 10 bucks...I wished Id have bought more then 2..
http://www.bigappleherp.com/Reptile_Supplies/Product/Reptisun_50_UVB_Full_Spectrum_Fluorescent_Lights_262125.html
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