# Metabolic bone disease



## VARNYARD (Oct 19, 2007)

Metabolic bone disease, probably the most common condition of poor health in tegus, it is usually caused by feeding an improper diet that is low in calcium or Vitamin D and ones high phosphorus. The occasional piece of banana won't hurt your lizard, but the phosphorus content may disrupt the delicate calcium: phosphorous ratio, which can cause metabolic bone disease. This ratio is of vital importance, with the recommended balance lying between 1.0 - 1.5:1.0. The use of a dry powder that has all of the appropriate vitamin and mineral supplements is recommended. 

Metabolic bone disease (fibrous osteodystrophy), this occurs most frequently in animals with chronic renal disease or chronic nutritional imbalance, such as calcium deficiency, Vitamin D deficiency, or excessive phosphorus in the diet. The early clinical signs are firm, swollen limbs and tail (the lizard may, indeed, look like a fat, healthy animal), with the untreated animal later developing foreshortened mandibles, and paralysis. In its early stages, this disease can be cured by proper diet, vitamin supplements, and ultraviolet radiation. In its later stages, however, permanent damage may have occurred. 
There are also some vitamin supplements that are very high in vitamin D3, you must watch feeding too much of this due to the fact you can overdose an animal with D3. It would depend on how advanced the disease has progressed before knowing if the animal can get back to perfect health. However, proper diet can stop the disease from getting worse.


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## fleco_brown (Apr 9, 2009)

Thats just like it is with beardies, isn't it? Its the first thing that attacks them. For the same reason that in the wild they bask alot. 

So you're saying no bananas or yes sometimes? I got confused. I'd rather give an apple over a banana. they gross me out.

oh and how much d3 do you think? I give it like I give to my beardie, once a week. That ok?


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