Metabolic bone disease

[Babidi]

How do you treat MBD? My firebelly newt developed it about four months or so ago. He's adapted to his spinal kink very well and, unlike before, doesn't fall over anymore, and it doesn't seem to be affecting him negatively, but it still bothers me for him to have it.

I don't have access to any bait shops - only a generic pet shop, mealworms, and frozen bloodworms, the latter of which I've been feeding him as a staple for around six years now. Does MBD frequently result from a diet of frozen bloodworms and should I try to change up my paddletail's diet a bit so he doesn't get it as well?

To add, my firebelly has a kink in his spine and walks oddly, but he moves quite well for himself. He doesn't seem to be in any pain, eats like a pig, and has lived with me for around six to seven years now without any health issues but this.

Thanks.

[Kaysie]

MBD is incurable. Treatment includes calcium suppliments. A vet would be able to diagnose MBD and tell you the best method of treatment.

[Jennewt]

Right, even with treatment, a spinal kink resulting from MBD will never go away. You can find a lot of information online about MBD in reptiles, and you'll find this is well-established. If your newt is managing well, then I think you just have to accept the odd shape.

I do know people who feed their newts primarily frozen bloodworms long-term (where are you, Tim??). And they don't have obvious problems with MBD. But each animal has its own individual susceptibility.

I'm always a little bit skeptical when people say they don't have a baitshop. I live in a small town in a desert-type area, and even here I can find earthworms in a nearby town at Walmart and several gas stations. The standard type of worms are "Canadian nightcrawlers", which can keep quite well for a long time in the fridge. Somehow it seems like you could find them, perhaps on occasional trips to another town? When people say they can't find worms, it often actually means that (1) they don't have transportation available to go places, or (2) they can't face the idea of chopping a worm into pieces, which is understandable, but that's an entirely different issue than not being able to find any. There's also the possibility of finding worms outdoors.

[Babidi]

I've fed my two newts small mealworms in the past, both whole and chopped. Not the king mealies and they were drowned before they were eaten, to eliminate any chance of burrowing internally.

I tried the Wal-Mart nearby and everything, but the closest bait shop is one I don't have access to, far downtown. What I meant by not having one is that I can't get the necessary means to reach it, but I'm also a bit suspicious of using outdoor worms, if only because there is frequent spraying of the grass and trees for insects in my area.

So, I'm left with feeder guppies, mealworms, frozen bloodworms, frozen brine shrimp, beef heart, beef/pork liver (I don't know if they actually eat this, but I think I recall reading somewhere that they do), freeze-dried shrimp, and a lot of low-quality reptile pellets. We also have crickets, but since a few misfortunes in the past with escapees and uneaten insects, I'm not willing to use them anymore unless there's a quick, nutritious way to feed them dead.