Sick Caiman?

[Gx3]

Hey guys, I thought I'd throw this question up here and see if anyone else has had anything like this with their reptiles. Well the issue is one of my best friends got a baby dwarf caiman a couple months ago and when he got it both of its rear legs didn't move at all...and through a bunch of trouble we got it eating regularly and it seems to be getting healthy. But the legs still aren't working. He isn't paralyzed because he has feeling in his tail and hind legs but he just can't move them. I thought (probably a long shot) but I know that some small animals get scurvy and they have similar symptoms so we started vitamining the little guy up and now his right rear leg is getting some movement back (about 2 months later). Anyways, does anyone have any idea what the problem is?

Heres a pic of the lil guy

 

[Magik]

Oh my god the poor little guy I have never heard of anything like that before only MBD?But whatever happens keep me informed I eould love to know what happens and I wish you the best of look with him!

 

[Beazer]

Best thing to do is just dish out the bucks and take it to the vet. Theres not way to accurately diagnos over the net. I wish I could help you but its illegal here to own crocodilians :/. I absolutely love caiman. Bring a water sample to the vet too and see if htat could be the issue? Also, be picky about vets. I can tell you from experience that reptile vets can be just like a dentist calling themselves a plastic surgeon. Best of luck.

-Jon DeLong

 

[Harveysherps]

It could have been born that way. It may have been dropped and some point. It it is eating it may get over it. Caimans have a limited gene pool and sometimes defects arise. He looks good in the pic. Some good old sunlight would help him get over some of it if it is MBD.
When they are babies they eat a lot of insects. If he has been fed fish a lot . I'd say the MBD would have something to do with it. Caimans and alligators are tough reptiles and will bounce back from all sorts of injuries and stuff. If it were me. I would start feeding him pinkies and put him in the sun as much as possible. A vet trip would be good. But I doubt they can help you. And you could buy another for what they will charge him.

 

[Nero]

Poor guy I wish I was a licensed vet or I would have the answer. My best advice to give would be to take him to the vet and x-rays on him. Put him in the sun and feed him insects, pinkies, maybe even some frogs. I hope he gets better hes a cute little fella.

 

[Magik]

Any news on this little guy?A friend of mine has a pair of Cuviers and male bit the females leg,she couldn't use it properly for a few months but now she is perfecto!

 

[Gx3]

Yea actually he's doing much better! He is pretty much back to being a healthy baby. His left hind leg is still a little slower than the rest but he is getting better every week and should be perfectly fine in about a month or so. He just got loaded up on calcium and vitamins and pinkies and it seems to be working great!

 

[Markie]

That is good to hear! I was wondering about this little guy too.. he's a cutie. Makes me miss mine.