# my new baby blue tegu



## reptilerookie (Mar 4, 2009)

i just got my blue tegu today and i was handling him or her for about an hour but he should no signs of being scared or trying to bite me is that normal hes about nine months old thats what the pet store said and he is realy small


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## PuffDragon (Mar 4, 2009)

Being that it is new you need to give him/her space even if you think it doesn't mine the handling. Chances are it's still overly stressed and needs some rest. My recommendation is too try and limit handling for the first week. Around 15 mins per day or none at all. 

At 9 months a healthy none hibernated tegu should be well over 30+ inches.


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## omgtaylorg (Mar 4, 2009)

dont know the quality of the pet store you got it from, but they usually underfeed and dont seem to grow as quickly in a pet store, how long is the tegu? Can you post pictures? And yes Puffdragon is very right on not handling it for 3-5 days barely any if at ALL just to let it get used to its new surroundings. Pictures would be great though I LOVE blues


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## reptilerookie (Mar 4, 2009)

ill have pics tomorrow so should i try feeding him now


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## reptilerookie (Mar 4, 2009)

he is about ten inches with the tail


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## PuffDragon (Mar 4, 2009)

Yes, you can try feeding. As said before try to limit handling while doing so. 

Did you get this tegu from a breeder or a pet store?


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## omgtaylorg (Mar 4, 2009)

Oh WOW, 10 inches at 9 months...there is no way, either they dont know what they are talking about, it is extremely malnurished, or it instantly hibernated like a week after birth, but even then I dont see it being 10 inches thats just crazy at 9 months...


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## reptilerookie (Mar 4, 2009)

i got it from a pet store but the owner said that he breeds them


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## omgtaylorg (Mar 4, 2009)

the owner says he breeds blues? Id like to know who that guy is because he would be the only known blue breeder in the US...and your in flordia...im almost positive Bobby would know of this guy if he breeds blues.


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## reptilerookie (Mar 4, 2009)

now im scared to even go near his cage i piad three hundred for him i dont want him to die what should i do


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## PuffDragon (Mar 4, 2009)

From the sounds of it, I think you may have been lied too. It is most likely an imported Black & White tegu. They are being imported into the US right by the hundreds/thousands. 

With a picture we can confirm if you have a Blue or not.


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## reptilerookie (Mar 4, 2009)

i just know his first name is ryan he owns a store called underground reptiles their on the web


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## omgtaylorg (Mar 4, 2009)

yea your best bet is to put a picture up asap, if its 9 months old at 10 inches (which i find impossible anyways) we could tell by the weight on him if hes that underfed or if you were lied to about the age and the species...


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## reptilerookie (Mar 4, 2009)

it looks lie a blue baby ive seen pics and other blues at other stores it looks like a blue


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## crimsonrazac (Mar 4, 2009)

It sounds like it could be wild caught. (usualy come in this time of year)


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## Mvskokee (Mar 4, 2009)

I seriously doubt he is a breeder i only know a few people who breed blues


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## reptilerookie (Mar 4, 2009)

can i feed him monitor diet


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## Mvskokee (Mar 4, 2009)

No donot fee monitor diet. feed either rodents or dusted lean ground turkey


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## PuffDragon (Mar 4, 2009)

reptilerookie said:


> can i feed him monitor diet



Any pre made diets are not recommended. Stick with fresh food and whole prey. Use the search button to find out how and what to feed.

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## PuffDragon (Mar 4, 2009)

Looking at the Underground website it is possible it is a Blue but the size and age is very concerning. The price tag is extremely high as well in my opinion.


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## reptilerookie (Mar 4, 2009)

they also said i can feed crickets is that true


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## reptilerookie (Mar 4, 2009)

the guy said they hatched back in october


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## Mvskokee (Mar 4, 2009)

Yes u can feed crickets. and other imsects but id also feed appropriatly sized rodents


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## VARNYARD (Mar 4, 2009)

reptilerookie said:


> the guy said they hatched back in october



Sounds like Underground, is that where it came from?


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## reptilerookie (Mar 4, 2009)

i have a tape measure im about to measure him should i take him to the vet


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## VARNYARD (Mar 4, 2009)

reptilerookie said:


> i have a tape measure im about to measure him should i take him to the vet



Did you see my question above?


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## omgtaylorg (Mar 4, 2009)

well october was 5 months ago, not 9...lol. And yes varnyard he said it was a guy named Ryan from underground reptiles. still 10 inches in 5 months...jeeez and from what I hear Daves blues dont even hibernate...so in 5 months of most likely no hibernating and only 10 inches, thats scary, still try to get a pic up


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## reptilerookie (Mar 4, 2009)

yeah it came from underground


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## Mvskokee (Mar 4, 2009)

I have heard bad things about underground


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## VARNYARD (Mar 4, 2009)

omgtaylorg said:


> well october was 5 months ago, not 9...lol. And yes varnyard he said it was a guy named Ryan from underground reptiles. still 10 inches in 5 months...jeeez and from what I hear Daves blues dont even hibernate...so in 5 months of most likely no hibernating and only 10 inches, thats scary, still try to get a pic up



I figured as much, thats sad. 

Your animal has not hibernated, it needs to see a vet, however, it might have just not been fed.


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## reptilerookie (Mar 4, 2009)

lol my bad ur right the guy said they hatched 9 months ago and he said that they where nine months old i should have done the math my self lol


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## VARNYARD (Mar 4, 2009)

Mvskokee said:


> I have heard bad things about underground



They have a long history.


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## omgtaylorg (Mar 4, 2009)

did you measure him yet? cause I mean I hate to say it but if its really 10 inches and 9 MONTHS, that has to be close to death honestly...id like to know how skinny the tail is and how wide the tegu is, it has to be longer than 10 inches I just cant picture this, nor do I want to thats very sad...and for $300 thats absurd id go back to that shop immediately


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## reptilerookie (Mar 4, 2009)

how long is thier hybernation period


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## reptilerookie (Mar 4, 2009)

and how bad is undergrounds history


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## omgtaylorg (Mar 4, 2009)

reptilerookie said:


> how long is thier hybernation period


thats what im saying, blues are known to NOT hibernate...Davedragon has a few and they breed without hibernating so blues might not need it at all...others hibernate up to 7 months of the year(Bobby's)...but again yours isnt hibernating especially at a petstore...its STARVING though for sure i can tell you that. That angers me about this store...


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## VARNYARD (Mar 4, 2009)

reptilerookie said:


> how long is thier hybernation period



They don't hibernate, that's the problem. And the history that I know of is not good.


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## reptilerookie (Mar 4, 2009)

hes about 13inches head to tail


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## PuffDragon (Mar 4, 2009)

omgtaylorg said:


> and for $300 thats absurd id go back to that shop immediately



It's a lot more than that. Atleast thats what it says on their website.


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## reptilerookie (Mar 4, 2009)

i know im askin stupid questions but i really dont kow what to do


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## reptilerookie (Mar 4, 2009)

so im gonna by some pinkys tomorrow they also said i can feed dog o cat food i read that on the web before i became a member wit u guys


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## reptilerookie (Mar 4, 2009)

thats the only store where i could get them and i didnt know if u guys delievered to miami


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## VARNYARD (Mar 4, 2009)

No cat or dog food, here is the proper care sheet:

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## JohnMatthew (Mar 4, 2009)

No dog or cat food! Stick with whole prey items and try to get some bulk on your little guy. 

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Is that what he looks like??


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## reptilerookie (Mar 4, 2009)

thanks alot guys im gonna take pics tomorrow and try to take him to the vet this week


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## reptilerookie (Mar 4, 2009)

how many pinkys should i feed him tomorrow


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## reptilerookie (Mar 4, 2009)

can u buy mealworms in a can


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## omgtaylorg (Mar 4, 2009)

Good luck with him, hope he turns out to be a healthy blue, I love those alot. And i guess for future buying dont go to that pet store anymore because that thing is starving right now, check for signs of MBD too...id sit down and read every link bobby has posted on the homepage right now, LOADS of info.


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## reptilerookie (Mar 4, 2009)

i think im gonna name him lil guy


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## Mvskokee (Mar 4, 2009)

They sometime brumate. my female did when i had her. but thats waaay undersized bro. i hope ur blue makes it. i love blues they are my fav. keep us updated


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## reptilerookie (Mar 4, 2009)

thanks omgtay


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## omgtaylorg (Mar 4, 2009)

reptilerookie said:


> can u buy mealworms in a can


mealworms are really small, id do super worms mine likes them...but for now you need to fatten your guy up. Go to the store and get some raw ground turkey(the kind with more fat for now), get some pinkie mice too, fish, and beef liver. Just try feeding him some things and keep up posted...


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## reptilerookie (Mar 4, 2009)

if he made this long he should be ok underground also said i should feed three times a week


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## reptilerookie (Mar 4, 2009)

not a problem his pics will be up tomorrow


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## reptilerookie (Mar 4, 2009)

any other info


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## JohnMatthew (Mar 4, 2009)

Feed every day as much as he'll eat.. If he's that starved I'm not sure if he'll be able to eat much at first but I would definitely offer daily!


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## omgtaylorg (Mar 4, 2009)

well when hes awake underground was wrong about that too, I feed mine everyday that its up...yea it can live off 3 times a week, but if you want a healthier animal and faster growth, daily feeding is needed


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## DaveDragon (Mar 5, 2009)

reptilerookie said:


> he is about ten inches with the tail


I haven't read the whole thread yet but 10 INCHES at 9 MONTHS!!!!

My Blue's hatched at 7" to 8"!!! I'm sure they were 10" in less than 1 month.


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## DaveDragon (Mar 5, 2009)

omgtaylorg said:


> well october was 5 months ago, not 9...lol. And yes varnyard he said it was a guy named Ryan from underground reptiles. still 10 inches in 5 months...jeeez and from what I hear Daves blues dont even hibernate...so in 5 months of most likely no hibernating and only 10 inches, thats scary, still try to get a pic up


Mine were hatched at the end of October and now they're between 24" and 32", except for the "runt" of the litter who is about 18" (but he hatched at only 4" long!).


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## DaveDragon (Mar 5, 2009)

I fed my Blue hatchlings crickets in the morning and as much raw ground turkey (with a little cod liver oil & calcium mixed in) as they could eat, pinkies once per week. They grew about an inch per week since hatching.


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## ashesc212 (Mar 5, 2009)

Hey there, 

I'm wondering if he lied about the age all together? Maybe it just hatched? Like DaveDragon said, his were 10" within 2 weeks after birth. I have one of his blues and it is only 4 months and already 32". Please post a pic! 

Definitely feed him every day, twice a day or as many times as possible. I would dust with calicum with D3 right now in case he has MBD. Crickets, raw ground turkey, scrambled eggs, cut up tilapia (make sure it's fresh), pinkie mice, stuff like this needs to be fed to get this guy back up to strength. 

Also - please see the vet asap. If he has MBD or anything else he may need treatment asap.

May I ask about your setup? What sort of lighting are you using right now? How close can he get to the UVB tube/or Mercury Vapor Bulb? 

Also - what is his poop like right now?

I know these may seem like strange questions, but poop can tell a lot about the health of an animal.


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## alewis0890 (Mar 5, 2009)

Id be surprised if its even pooping to be honest.


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## reptilerookie (Mar 5, 2009)

he pooped in the box on the way home last night it was pretty big for his size


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## omgtaylorg (Mar 5, 2009)

pics!


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## Beasty (Mar 5, 2009)

ashesc212 said:


> Like DaveDragon said, his were 10" within 2 weeks after birth. I have one of his blues and it is only 4 months and already 32".


 :yik Holy crap! You must have gotten the monster of the bunch! Mine might be 24 inches, maybe. Just shed yesterday so I feel a spurt comin' on.

Yeah 10 inches is way crazy small for that blue but if it's eating it should grow more soon regardless.


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## BOOSTFEEN (Mar 5, 2009)

WOW!!! Even if its 13 or 10 inches that is not a correct size for a 9 month old tegu or if his poop seemed big for his size that shouldnt make it okay and think he is fine. I have a female blue that I got from dave and she's 4 months old and is shy of 35 inches. What I wanna know is that 5 pages of posting but no pics!!!


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## Beasty (Mar 5, 2009)

GEEZ! What brand of steroids are you guys using? 11 inches bigger than mine?! Out of the same clutch, no less! That's crazy!! Hmm... we'll have to see what it's like when the Extremes get up!


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## DaveDragon (Mar 5, 2009)

BOOSTFEEN has had more time with the steroids than some others!!!! :mrgreen: Where are the pics???!!! We gotta see this monster!!


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## reptilerookie (Mar 5, 2009)

i just took a couple of pics of baby blue im just tryin to figure out the camra to upload it on my computer


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## reptilerookie (Mar 5, 2009)

im also took pics of my black and white too


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## DaveDragon (Mar 5, 2009)

You have to host the pics on a public site, such as PhotoBucket and use the IMG tags.

http://www.tegutalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=52&t=2332

I'm looking forward to seeing them!!! :mrgreen:


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## reptilerookie (Mar 5, 2009)

hey dave i tried loading the pics to the web site but it says file is to big and i dont hav a photobucket account if u want i can email u the pics and u put them up


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## BOOSTFEEN (Mar 5, 2009)

LOL!!! Well just remember that when I say shy of 35 inches that's overall length. Also don't forget that my Blueberry (that's her name) gets fed two or three times a day if possible since I've gotten her from you Dave. I've been meaning to take some time and post pics of her but I will when time is available.


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## reptilerookie (Mar 5, 2009)

if anyone wants pics of my poor little guy i can email them if u give me ur address sorry i cant post them it just says files to big but i do have pics availble


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## reptilerookie (Mar 5, 2009)

if u feed ur tegu three times a day or twice a day when can u handle it


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## DaveDragon (Mar 5, 2009)

Give it a couple hours to digest big meal or feed 3 smaller meals and handle immediately. But give him a week to get more used to his new surroundings.

PM sent.


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## reptilerookie (Mar 5, 2009)

i just fed him a pinky im hoping he will eat the other pinky i held him fr a little but he jumped out my hand so i put him back in the cage


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## reptilerookie (Mar 5, 2009)




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## reptilerookie (Mar 5, 2009)

well their he is guys


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## DaveDragon (Mar 5, 2009)

That's gotta be some kind of record. It took 6 pages to finally get some pics! :mrgreen: 

Feed him twice a day, as much as he'll eat, with a good 95 to 105 degree basking spot, and he'll grow.


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## reptilerookie (Mar 5, 2009)

lol sorry i took so long


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## reptilerookie (Mar 5, 2009)

i bought a whole thing of ground turkey so im gonna start feeding him at night and in the mornin


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## DaveDragon (Mar 5, 2009)

reptilerookie said:


> i bought a whole thing of ground turkey so im gonna start feeding him at night and in the mornin


Mix in a little (1 tbs per lb) cod liver oil & some calcium powder. Freeze it in small portions so you only take out enough for a day or 2.

Don't feed too late, no later than 2 hours before bed for a big meal.


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## reptilerookie (Mar 5, 2009)

ok cod liver oil where can i get that from


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## DaveDragon (Mar 5, 2009)

It's hard to find. I got it at GNC. I figured any drug store would have it but they only sell caplets. The stuff really sticks, don't get it on your hands, so you don't want to be piercing and squeezing caplets!!


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## reptilerookie (Mar 5, 2009)

alright thanks a million


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## Mvskokee (Mar 5, 2009)

he is good lookin. just feed him and let him have a lil bit to de stress and sooner than you think he will he huge


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## DaveDragon (Mar 5, 2009)

reptilerookie said:


> alright thanks a million


No problem. In a few months you can do the same for another newbie. 

Ya gotta start somewhere!


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## PuffDragon (Mar 5, 2009)

I picked up 2 containers of flavorless cod liver oil at Walgreens for buy 1 get 1 free. Maybe you could check there.

I just want to point out that your tegu is in very bad shape. It sucks but with proper care you can get it back to good health in no time. The tail is showing kinks which no doubt it has some MBD going on. Do not over feed it the first few weeks as it stomach probably can't handle it. Take it easy and moderate how much food he/she gets but at the same time make sure you are giving food that offers high nutrient density. Also, it is best to not handle it all during this period. It really needs to get healthy before you consider doing so. 

By the looks of things *Underground Reptiles* is horrible at keeping tegus. If they were a breeder like they said they were they would take more pride in there stock. This is just pathetic. If you paid the full price that's on the website I would insist on a refund of atleast half. You are probably going to need to see a vet in the future and the money would come in handy.


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## ashesc212 (Mar 6, 2009)

I think Puff Dragon put it perfectly. I'd also add that you should see the vet now because you'll have better chances of reversing the MBD if they give liquid calcium, etc. 

Also - is there a dark spot on his tongue?

Otherwise, good luck...and I'd report Underground to the ASPCA...seriously...


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## reptilerookie (Mar 6, 2009)

he/she has been eatin alot


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## reptilerookie (Mar 6, 2009)

what is mbd


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## reptilerookie (Mar 6, 2009)

does any one know how much bobby sale his blues for


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## Beasty (Mar 6, 2009)

Bobby doesn't even have blues. I don't think he's going to get into them either.
BUT DaveDragon has some that he breeds, I have one of his babies. Maybe he'll get lucky and have more babies this year but it won't be until late in the year, unfortunately. You just missed the boat on that one. You MIGHT get lucky and find one around online though if you look diligently and frequently and have cash to strike when the iron is hot, they don't last long at any price it seems.


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## DaveDragon (Mar 6, 2009)

I'm hoping they breed this summer. No guarantee's.


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## reptilerookie (Mar 6, 2009)

yeah i was asking just in case my lil guy dont make it


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## reptilerookie (Mar 6, 2009)

really hope my lil guy makes it hes been doin pretty good and really active


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## DaveDragon (Mar 6, 2009)

Are you going to take him to a reptile vet to get him checked out?? Bring a fresh (less than 24 hours old, refrigerated) fecal for testing for parasites.


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## reptilerookie (Mar 6, 2009)

thanks


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## reptilerookie (Mar 6, 2009)

as soon as i get a day off im gonna take him to the vet


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## DaveDragon (Mar 6, 2009)

reptilerookie said:


> what is mbd


Metabolic Bone Disease, basically a lack of calcium. The calcium is pulled from the bones and they get warped and flexible. It can be reversed in the early stages but can cause organ damage & death if left untreated.


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## reptilerookie (Mar 6, 2009)

you can also tell he has a full belly lol


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## Turbine (Sep 18, 2009)

I know this thread is months old but I'm sure a lot member would like to know how your little one is doing?


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