1. Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD)
Metabolic Bone Disease is the most prevalent nutritional pathology in captive lizards. Stemming from inadequate dietary calcium or absent UVB irradiation, MBD forces the animal's body to leech calcium from skeletal reserves. Early signs include twitching toes, soft rubbery jawbones, bowed legs, and difficulty elevating the belly off the ground. MBD is entirely preventable with quality T5 linear UVB lamps and disciplined calcium supplementation.
2. Recognizing and Resolving Impaction
Impaction occurs when a foreign object or mass obstructs the digestive tract. Symptoms include lack of defecation for over a week, swollen lower abdomen, and partial paralysis of the hind limbs. Prevention centers on eliminating small gravel or calci-sand substrates, maintaining adequate basking heat for digestion, and offering correctly sized feeder insects (never wider than the space between your dragon's eyes).
3. Respiratory Infections (RI)
Excessive humidity (above 40-45% for prolonged periods) coupled with low basking temperatures creates ideal conditions for bacterial respiratory infections. Symptoms include open-mouth breathing when away from the basking spot, audible clicking or wheezing sounds, and excess mucus around the nostrils and lips. Immediate veterinary diagnosis and antibiotic nebulization or injections are required.