# Bearded dragon flipping over



## tang soo do (May 8, 2010)

Hi all, my bearded dragon is 3 years old and has been acting weird over xmas. She is always opening her mouth and has recently started to flip over. Sometimes flips her head as though something is irritating her.
Seems a bit stiff

Temps are 85-95 with 110 basking
UVB Arcadia D3+ 12% renewed about 2 months ago
Eating ok ( slowed down a bit but put this down to colder temps at night)
Pooing ok
Has been bathed
Calcium always on greens, metabol once a week



Just a bit of back ground.
She was being treated by a vet late last year as she started limping on one leg. Vet didn't think it was MBD and suspected it was fracture (where she jumped off her branch). She had calci injections and seemed to recover. Not sure if this latest bout is something recurring or not linked to this earlier episode.

Has anybody actually experienced these symptoms in a beardy. Is it possible that it is an ear infection or parasites. We will take her to a vet in the morning.

Kind Regards

Steve


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## Dragoness (Apr 6, 2009)

When you say that she flips over is she flipping onto her back or to her side or just wriggling around? 
I can't say that I have seen these symptoms before, but if it was my little one then I would take him to the vet. My beardie had an RI and used to sit with his mouth open a lot and sometimes shake his head and almost do a cough, but never flip over. 
Maybe someone else can be more help but let us know how you get on at the vets.


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## dickvansheepcake (Jul 8, 2009)

It may be an infection in ear possibly. OP please let us know how it went/goes at the vets. It'll be interesting to know what's causing it!
Hope the beardie is ok


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## tang soo do (May 8, 2010)

Went to the vets but the usual rep vet was on holiday and the one that saw her admitted it wasn't her area of expertise, although she had experience of them many years ago in Oz she wasn't up to date on the latest treatments :gasp: However we did mention possible inner ear infection or the onset of MBD and we came away with some Baytril and told to get some liquid calcium down her. She does seem to have calmed down a bit (and yes she was flipping straight onto her back)

We have been in contact with somebody on another site and it was suggested that because she has slowed down with her eating during the cold weather it is most likely to be calcium related so it is worth people remembering that if your beardie has been in brumation or semi-brumation then they have not been taking on board the usual amount of calcium.

Hopefully we should see some improvement over the next few days.

The link below is a good site if you guys ever need some advice, 2nd to this one of course <3

Reptiles - Veterinary Medicine - Animals/Pets


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## ..:: F1D0 ::.. (May 13, 2009)

tang soo do said:


> Went to the vets but the usual rep vet was on holiday and the one that saw her admitted it wasn't her area of expertise, although she had experience of them many years ago in Oz she wasn't up to date on the latest treatments :gasp: However we did mention possible inner ear infection or the onset of MBD and we came away with some Baytril and told to get some liquid calcium down her. She does seem to have calmed down a bit (and yes she was flipping straight onto her back)
> 
> *We have been in contact with somebody on another site and it was suggested that because she has slowed down with her eating during the cold weather it is most likely to be calcium related so it is worth people remembering that if your beardie has been in brumation or semi-brumation then they have not been taking on board the usual amount of calcium.*
> 
> ...


I do not see how thats the case, The whole idea of Brumation is to slow down the Metabolic rate of their body, therefore what calcium they have, this is released extrememly slowly during the winter months. If this was the case, people would not run the risk of brumating their dragons.

I guess it would be like a human in a coma - you would not lose that much weight as your brain thinks/knows your aseleep and slows down your metabolism over this time.


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## tang soo do (May 8, 2010)

..:: F1D0 ::.. said:


> I do not see how thats the case, The whole idea of Brumation is to slow down the Metabolic rate of their body, therefore what calcium they have, this is released extrememly slowly during the winter months. If this was the case, people would not run the risk of brumating their dragons.
> 
> I guess it would be like a human in a coma - you would not lose that much weight as your brain thinks/knows your aseleep and slows down your metabolism over this time.



Yeh i agree but she didn't go into full brumation, but since winter has not been eating anywhere near as much. I'm no expert but i think you usually turn all the heat off for full brumation in which case you would be correct, however i think most of us probably don't or just shorten the day for them on the timer. Therefore they are still active but not eating as much. 

I would like to hear other peoples opinions as i could be well off target on this :blush: and want to be better prepared next winter god willing she pulls through.


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