A bearded dragon with a broken toe can be a challenge to help. The key is keeping the area clean, warm and protected so that the break can heal properly. This blog post will discuss how to help a bearded dragon with a broken toe.
Bearded dragons are cold-blooded animals, so it is important to keep them warm while healing. We will also provide some tips on keeping your bearded dragon healthy during this time.
How To Identify The Bearded Dragon’s Broken Toe?
If you want to diagnose any problem with your beard dragon, the first thing you need to know is the normal structure of the bearded dragon toe. Bearded dragons have four limbs, and each limb has five toes. Each foot has one big toe, and each toe has nails.
These large toes of bearded dragons help in moving and climbing. Their toes are not straight, and they are slightly curved downward. The same is for their nails; each nail is curved down, especially overgrown nails.
If you see any of the following signs on your bearded dragon’s toes, he may have broken one. A Curved upwards or bent unnaturally to one side or bloody toenail or swelling around the toe area. Bearded dragons have a higher risk for developing necrosis in their toes if they don’t move around enough or are kept still for long periods of time and if their toe circulation is cut off.
Finally, when necrosis sets in, the skin will blacken, and it may seem like there’s not much left. Bearded dragons are not able to grow their toes back once they are gone.
How Can A Bearded Dragon Break His Toe?
Bearded dragons usually break their toe for the following reasons:
- Getting in a fight with another bearded dragon
- Their foot gets caught in the door of the cage.
- Suffering from metabolic bone disease
- Fall from a high distance onto their toe
How To Treat A Bearded Dragon Broken Toe?
A broken toe mostly heals on its own, but a visit to the vet is recommended so he can get a closer look at the damage and advise accordingly.
When it comes to accidents, the vet will focus on repairing fractures and examine possible underlying causes for weakened bones. The doctor will likely want to take x-rays and examine the bones to see if your bearded dragon has metabolic bone disease.
If you want to treat it at home, you can put your bearded dragon’s foot in a diy splint. A splint is used to hold the foot in place while it heals and helps restrict movement.
How To Help Your Bearded Dragon’s Toe Heal More Quickly?
To help your bearded dragon’s toe heal more quickly, you should do the following:
- It’s essential to give your dragon plenty of rest.
- By adjusting the cage’s habitat, you can make sure that your animal doesn’t overexert itself. You should put the food and water close to where your bearded dragon spends most of its time.
- I suggest you prevent your bearded dragon from burrowing so that the toe can heal.
- Feed your bearded dragon vegetables that are high in calcium such as calcium, collard greens, and green beans.
- If you have multiple bearded dragons, it would be smart to separate them from the bearded dragon with a broken toe. This will encourage the bearded dragon to rest and let their toe heal.
- They are cold-blooded, and reptilian creatures have a more difficult time healing than warm-blooded animals. Therefore, you might want to increase the temperature of their environment slightly.
How To Prevent Bearded Dragon Broken Toe?
Good husbandry conditions will help prevent your bearded dragon from breaking their toe. You should make sure to do the following:
- Trim your bearded dragon’s nails regularly to avoid infections. A general rule is that you should trim their toe and fingertips at least once a month. Available pet nail clippers are great tools because they allow owners greater control over how much skin gets cut away with each snip.
- When your bearded dragon is climbing high places, always monitor them. Don’t allow them to fall from high places. You might want to ensure that there is plenty of soft bedding underneath the places that your bearded dragon likes to climb.
- Be careful when pairing aggressive bearded dragons together. They can sometimes attack each other and even bite, which can cause a broken toe.
- Check in on your bearded dragon daily and make sure their movement is normal. You should also always monitor their eating and drinking. If your bearded dragon has a change or loss an appetite, it could be a sign that they are in pain.
Do Bearded Dragon Toes Grow Back?
It’s true that bearded dragons don’t have the ability to grow new toes or limbs. If you notice that your bearded dragon lost part of its toe, you should bring them to the vet.
Generally, a healthy cage dweller can lose a toe or limb and still live comfortably in its environment without compromising the quality of life as long as there are no signs of infection present at the site of injury.
Related Article: Bearded Dragon Tail Rot Treatment
Do Bearded Dragon Nails Grow Back?
Your bearded dragon’s nails could grow back if the nail matrix wasn’t damaged too much. Often when this happens, they start curling, and you need to trim them so that their natural shape remains intact.
Conclusion
If your bearded dragon has a broken toe, you should make sure to provide them with the proper care. A few things that can help are taking your pet’s temperature regularly, feeding it calcium-rich foods, and offering comfortable spots in its cage where it can lay and rest.
When treating any injury or ailment of an animal, be sure to consider their unique needs and what is considered normal behavior for that type of creature. Bearded dragons may not want to eat while they’re injured, but its important that they still eat and drink water.