Uromastyx leg paralysys

Question
QUESTION: I live in Saudi Arabia and am keeping two local dhubs (uromastyx) in my back yard.  It is an secure area 30ft x 15ft in the open air.  Temps are currently over 100F.  There is plenty of local vegetation outside (more than they can hope for in the desert:-)) and I feed them cabbage and lettuce which they both love.  We have been gone for 6 weeks and have had someone else take care of them (watch them, primarily, as besides feeding there is nothing else to do).   Our small dhub is 2 years old (hibernated twice and was very small when given to us - fit in the palm of my hand) is about a foot long now.  When we returned the caretaker told us that 3 weeks prior to our arrival the little lizard -now stopped using it's back legs, just drags them behind.  He doesn't know how it happened.  I fear that it might have climbed the porch screen and fell over backwards thus injuring its spine.  I plan to take it to a local vet at the zoo (although I am not too sure if they can help me here), any advice?  Would there be some inflammation on his back, a bump or anything to differentiate the back fracture from calcium deficiency from poor nutrition?  The large dhub who was given to us as an adult is Ok, but I have removed the screen as I have seen him climb it too.  Could it be that being so young of age - he wasn't getting proper nutrition while we were gone and got sick?  
Help!

ANSWER: Hello Elle,

Hm, that is quite interesting.  
So, they have adequate UVB lighting from being outside, correct?
They wouldn't have fed them any bugs or anything that could have impacted him, right?
Have you been supplementing calcium on a regular basis?  
The cabbage is high in oxalates which binds calcium absorption so I would feed that sparingly.  A good variety of greens & veggies is recommended.  Beans (except for kidney beans) such as lentils, green peas, bean sprouts, squash, are all good.  Collard greens, mustard greens, dandelion greens, endive, escarole are great.  You can throw in some fruit here & there also.  They still need calcium 3 times per week as well.
The main difference you can tell between metabolic bone disease or an injury is that with metabolic bone disease, usually comes on slowly & you will probably be lethargic behavior, weight loss, bone deviations, etc.  An injury will be sudden.
Does he appear to be in pain of any sort?  
Can he support himself on his front legs/arms?  Can you post a picture of him for me?

Tracie

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------


Dhubbie   QUESTION: Thank you for your prompt response, Tracie.  I am attaching pictures of Dhubbie.  When I picked him up today to take pictures and supported his tail, I felt some movement in his legs, like he was trying to do a push up, but maybe it was involuntary.
To answer your questions:
In regards to the sun - I think they get plenty - Saudi is their native environment and with temperatures of over 100F in the very long summer they thrived for the past 2 some years.  
As far as bugs go, I don't think the caretaker would have given him bugs as we told him dhubs are vegetarians. He also was pretty afraid of them, so doubt he would have force fed them.  
Dhubbie doesn't appear to be in pain, just weak I think. He still has the use of his front legs and yesterday he was able to drag himself up on the rocks to sit in the sun.  His tummy is a bit puffy and I worry that he might be constipated (since I read that MBD can cause that).

As far as calcium goes, I don't give either of the lizards calcium, since I thought they are living outside in the native environment and on top of it are exposed to way more greens than they would have been in the desert.  But I can now see that I should have.  Mr. Dhub (the large lizard) who has been with us for 3 years has been doing fine and the little guy has grown from a baby on that diet for 2 years.  Honestly, I didn't think there was anything wrong with what they ate until I started reading about possible causes of the leg paralysis in reptiles.
So your suggestion is to give him calcium supplements and more variety of greens?  I haven't seen him eat much, so shall I get liquid calcium and what is the dosage for that size  a lizard?  What are the chances of him regaining the use of his hind legs?  
Thank you again for your help!
Elle

Answer
Hello Elle,
Well, that is good news, perhaps he was trying to use his back legs.  His spine "appears" straight to me.  
I think the combination of feeding cabbage & no calcium has possibly taken a toll on him.  He probably doesn't get everything he would in the wild in the area provided to him.  Either that, or the cabbage has hindered absorption.  Yes, a wider variety of greens & veggies would help.  In captivity, beans are a good protein source.  If he is not eating much then he wont be getting calcium from his food, really.
You can get some powdered calcium or liquid calcium whichever is easiest for you.  If you get liquid calcium, I can dose it for you if you need.   
The chances of him regaining the function of his back legs are pretty good.  It will take some time
though if it is beginnings of metabolic bone disease.  How is your other one doing?

Tracie