Possible Underbite?

[Jeremy Hodges]

Ive been meaning to ask this and I kinda mentioned it on another topic. Ive noticed my Blue/red tegu having a more pronounced lower jaw than most tegus I see. When resting he opens the tip of his mouth slightly. I know this can be the start of MBD, but there is no way he has that.

He has a unfiltered 160W MVB bulb along with an 18" UV bulb in his closet home. As soon as I got him as a baby I have not just dusted his food with calcium but I throw the food (ground Turkey, Chicken hearts/gizzards, and grapes with some crickets and roaches) into a bag with powered calcium and shake it up until the food is fully covered. He also gets a frozen mouse about every week or so. I was using D3 calcium but switch to non D3. He also gets many hours outside in the sun. He does get some dirt in his gums from time to time but I clean it out as soon as I see it.

I just dont believe it can be MBD. What do you guys think? Am I overthinking this and this is just how he is? or maybe genetic? He also has two kinks in his tail that he had when I bought him but I think it was due to the previous owner neglecting humidity. He has no problem eating but he has had this underbite for many months now and it does not seem to get better or worse.

 

[Gary]

Kinks in the tail + underbite makes me think he developed MBD with previous owner. Lack of humidity could cause the lips to curl up, but your description sounds more skeletal. The only way to really know is an x-ray, but those can be pricey. I would increase the frequency you feed whole prey as dust will never be a complete replacement for the real thing. Especially if your tegu is recovering from previously having MBD, whole prey 3 times a week will help ensure a happy and healthy tegu. The underbite may never go away, but better safe than sorry.

 

[Jeremy Hodges]

Thank you for your help. He was a baby when I got him and did have a slight shacking when he walked and his hands were almost stiff. He recovered from that but always had the kinks. I really didnt notice his mouth until a month or so ago. I believe another user on here said the kinks may be shed related when he was a baby. The odd thing is, as of right now he is sleeping in my lap as im typing this and his mouth looks perfectly fine with both front and bottom jaw at the same distance (neither protruding) so maybe im just over reacting. Ive seen other tegus with mbd underbites and they are very obvious, but some times I notice it with him and other times he looks fine.

I read before that chicken necks are a great source of calcium and I remember reading a post (not sure it was on here or not) where someone had two tegus with bad MBD and after a few months of chicken necks, you could not even tell they had it. How is everyone's opinion on chicken necks?

 

[Walter1]

Thank you for your help. He was a baby when I got him and did have a slight shacking when he walked and his hands were almost stiff. He recovered from that but always had the kinks. I really didnt notice his mouth until a month or so ago. I believe another user on here said the kinks may be shed related when he was a baby. The odd thing is, as of right now he is sleeping in my lap as im typing this and his mouth looks perfectly fine with both front and bottom jaw at the same distance (neither protruding) so maybe im just over reacting. Ive seen other tegus with mbd underbites and they are very obvious, but some times I notice it with him and other times he looks fine.

I read before that chicken necks are a great source of calcium and I remember reading a post (not sure it was on here or not) where someone had two tegus with bad MBD and after a few months of chicken necks, you could not even tell they had it. How is everyone's opinion on chicken necks?

No firsthand experience with them, but a lot of bones in chicken necks.

 

[Stef_W]

I'd guess he had MBD when you got him, but you quickly corrected his calcium deficiency. Unfortunately, you can't always reverse what's been done. Most likely the little gap that's being caused as he grows is because there's an imperfection left behind in his jaw. It's very minor, and if it's not changing I wouldn't fret about it. An evolving case of MBD usually looks like a lower lip sort of pouting, and then peeling downward. He doesn't have anything like that.

 

[Jeremy Hodges]

Thanks for the reply. Ive been giving him chicken necks along with some ground turkey and berries every day, along with a hairless frozen mouse every M, W, F. And wow at how it has helped. I'll have to take some pictures but there is a massive difference in his mouth now. While the gap is still there it has slowly conformed back where he does not have a droopy bottom lip. The bottom lip is also more flush with his top lip. I will take some photos soon (he is in the tub taking a poo) but I am a firm believer in chicken necks now. I do still have to clean out his mouth out every morning due to dirt, but its a huge improvement. Thank you to all the feedback!