# Strange Twitching, Possibly sick?



## Rogue94 (Aug 11, 2016)

Hey guys! New to the forum but not new to reptiles. I noticed something new with my young tegu today and figured I would ask the experts. He's nearly a year old and recently he's lost his appetite. Today I noticed him twitching a lot as if uncontrollably. It's mostly in his front two legs but the back feet also twitch along with his sides. He's choosing not to use his front to feet and is just laying there. He can still use his feet though. Any ideas of what it could be? I am trying to upload a video so you can see what I mean.


Let's see if this works.


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## Walter1 (Aug 11, 2016)

Rogue94 said:


> Hey guys! New to the forum but not new to reptiles. I noticed something new with my young tegu today and figured I would ask the experts. He's nearly a year old and recently he's lost his appetite. Today I noticed him twitching a lot as if uncontrollably. It's mostly in his front two legs but the back feet also twitch along with his sides. He's choosing not to use his front to feet and is just laying there. He can still use his feet though. Any ideas of what it could be? I am trying to upload a video so you can see what I mean.
> 
> 
> Let's see if this works.


Your tegu is suffering the effects of insufficient calcium. He should see a vet ASAP.


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## Rogue94 (Aug 11, 2016)

How's that possible? He gets calcium with every other meal and has to UVB lights on his aquarium.


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## Walter1 (Aug 11, 2016)

Rogue94 said:


> How's that possible? He gets calcium with every other meal and has to UVB lights on his aquarium.


Well, the symptoms are the same. Either not enough calcium, or something else. Could he have ingested something toxic??


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## Justsomedude (Aug 11, 2016)

No I'm with Walter that's def a calcium deficiency get em to th vand I think they give me a shot for it. Either way it's def vet time!


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## Rogue94 (Aug 11, 2016)

Will do! Looking for a reptile vet now. Thanks guys!


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## Hudson Valley (Aug 11, 2016)

You are making a good decision by seeking a veterinarian who is knowledgeable about the evaluation, treatment and care of Tegus. Please keep us posted on what you learn. Hope the Tegu responds well to treatment.


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## Linda Geurts (May 5, 2017)

My Tegu started to do that when he was young. I thought he was getting enough calcium but apparently not. I gave him liquid calcium a couple times a day for a few days and he snapped out of it.
Good luck!


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## dpjm (May 5, 2017)

They need more calcium than you think. Their natural diet is very high in calcium and their captive diet needs to be too. I would agree with the other members that this is hypocalcaemia, or low blood calcium. That causes muscle tremors as calcium is a major player in muscle activity. This is often referred to as metabolic bone disease. For most captive diets, calcium should be supplemented every feeding unless the food you are feeding is very high in calcium to begin with, but most are not. Of course, the amount of calcium to add is also important - too much or too little is no good - so you should have some idea of how much calcium is already in the food you are feeding and how much more would be optimal to add through a supplement. Most foods that people feed tegus are low in calcium, with the exceptions of most whole animal prey and leafy greens. All other commonly used food that I can think of is lower in calcium to some degree than is good for tegus and should be supplemented.

Also, you have a UV light but what type is it and how is far from the surface is it placed? Does it shine through a screen or uninterupted. 

Sorry to ask so many questions but we need certain information to be able to help you best. 

Do take your tegu to the vet because the condition seems a bit advanced and they may want intervene with a calcium injection, rather than rely on husbandry improvements to work the problem out by themselves.


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