how do I prevent MBD in my beardie?

Question

What is it and how do I prevent it? I was looking at a food chart and I noticed that almost all of the greens had high calcium and oxalates. I know that the two mixed together can cause MBD. How do I feed my bearded dragon these greens without him getting MBD? (I might be overreacting, I'm just stressed about him. Please tell me if I am overreacting)

any other tips would help. I do have a vet for him

Answer 1

No, No, No,

The calcium and oxalates PREVENT Metabolic Bone Disease.

MBD is when the reptiles don't get the right nutrition (vitamins and minerals) and sunlight (UV light, the lamps work just fine). Their bones get soft and squishy. BAD NEWS!! As you can imagine, bones are pretty important. Jaw bones are necessary to eat, no eating means the MBD gets worse...you see where this goes. There are other effects (skin and eyesight), but this is the most important.

They need vitamin supplement powder (get it cheap at pet stores), greens (what has you freaked, calm down, Kale and Romaine is best), live food (crickets, meal and wax worms), and UV light to be healthy. For best results, put the vitamin supplement powder on the crickets and worms. They move and attract the beardies attention for fast food. (sorry couldn't resist)

Cricket size is important. Large crickets can injure baby dragons internally. For babies, get the smallest possible.

This is something to be concerned about. But the more you know, the less likely MBD is going to be a problem.

EDIT:
I forgot to tell you about light.
You need a broad spectrum light bulb. It's best to ask a reptile expert, from a reptile specialty store. Don't go to Petco or Petsmart, those people are idiots. They can show you the one you need. Spring for the expensive one and change it every 6 months, even if it hasn't burned out. Over time it becomes less effective.
Put the lamp and all heating devises on one side of the cage. That way there is a super warm basking spot at one end, the other end is cool, and the middle is, well, the middle. The dragon can go anywhere he feels cozy.

Answer 2

First you need a good UV light , change the bulb Every 5-6 months and this is very important - have the light no farther away from your Bearded Dragon than 12 inches , closer is even better with no screen or covering between it and the lizard . A screen will have a shadow effect and block the UVB rays . This is one of the most common mistakes people make . You can suspend the UVB light with a bendable wire from under the screen . Fluorescent UVB lights do not get hot so you do not need to worry about your Bearded Dragon getting burnt on it . Go with a 10.0 .

Feed endive , escarole , bok choy , dandelion greens ( pesticide free ) , edible flowers like roses , nasturtiums , hibiscus , orchids , squash , bell peppers , green beans . These are all low in oxidates and will not bind calcium .Do not feed kale , spinach , turnip greens , mustard greens or broccoli.You can sprinkle bee pollen granules on his fresh rinsed greens to add protein and vitamins once a week . It will also increase his appetite . You can find it at most health food stores .Heres a great web site with care sheets and a forum http://www.repticzone.com

Answer 3

Well, lol, I probably shouldn't stress you out further by telling you that phosphorous levels are also critical then.

Don't panic. By feeding a wide variety of foods and supplementing with a powdered calcium and providing correct lighting you will be fine.
All plants have oxalates, some more then others, its a byproduct of their metabolism. Some, like spinach, have higher levels then others and need to be fed sparingly.
Kale is an excellent green, it has a very good calcium to phosphorous ratio and is low in oxalates. A previous poster was incorrect in telling you to avoid it.
Calcium absorption is also dependent on the amount of phosphorous in the diet. There should be about twice as much calcium as phosphorous so look for greens that have a ratio of at least one to one or better. I included a link about this. Insects are very high in phosphorous and low in calcium which is why it is important to dust them and reverse the ratio.

You are obviously doing your research, your dragon is in good hands.

http://www.anapsid.org/iguana/cal_ox.html

Answer 4

Use a well UVB generating basking lamp. A mercury vapor lamp, which produces warmness as good as UVB, is the exceptional option for bearded dragons. The bulb will have to get replaced each three years. If you employ a fluorescent UVB mild as an alternative, the bulb ought to be inside 6 inches of the animal to be amazing, and it ought to get replaced each 6 months. Dust the beardie's feeder bugs with a high-quality calcium powder containing nutrition D3. Feed an total right nutrition adding the proper varieties of veggies and intestine-loaded bugs.

Answer 5

Go here for excellent beardie diet advice--it's the best around by far:

http://beautifuldragons.503xtreme.com/Forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=e3f21134cb00d969d049820a37dfa68f&

He needs about 12 hours of exposure to UVB a day to prevent MBD. The bulb should be Reptiglo 10.0 or Reptisun 8.0 and changed every 6 months. I recommend the Yahoo group Pogona for great beardie care info. Also, www.reptilerooms.com has wonderful caresheets under the forums area.

Answer 6

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art24081.asp

http://www.bio.miami.edu/ktosney/file/BDcare.html

Here are some sites to give you some more info on MBD and proper feeding and lighting (they go hand in hand with preventing the disease).