About my Bearded Dragon

Question
QUESTION: Hello Nguyen,

Wow you all have beardies over there now?  How interesting!!
How did her nail get hurt?  Did she catch it on something in her tank?  
What type of substrate is in the tank, carpet, paper towels?  Do you have any rocks that she could have hit it on?
Is there any blood?  I would soak the area in some diluted betadine (can get at a drugstore) & then put some neosporin or polysporin antibiotic ointment, daily to keep it from getting infected.
What is your UVB lighting like?  I need the type & brand, & is it a flourescent tube or a compact or coil?  I ask because you are in another country & sometimes the lighting is cruddy & not safe.
Do you supplement calcium?

Tracie


I don't know how did she do that :-?? !
Substrate ? Paper towels ! No Rock ! No blood !
My UV lighting, a flourescent tube, Sylvania Lighting's brand (UVA + UVB - For Reptile Only). Calcium...3 times/week.
Can she grow the nail back :( ?
Thank you !

ANSWER: Hello Nguyen,
Well, if she completely ripped the nail out of the nail bed then no, she wont grow the nail back.  If a nail just breaks but is not ripped out of the bed, it will grow out again.  It sounds like though she completely ripped it out, unfortunately.  It is ok, she will be ok without a nail though.  Good there was no blood involved.  She must have hit it on something.  
Good you are using paper towels for substrate though.  
If she is under 1 year, calcium needs to be given 5 times a week.  
For your UVB light, here is a link that gives you the UVB output for that particular light I believe.  You are going to have to get another one, as I had thought.  It does not have near enough UVB output for a bearded dragon that has such high requirements for UVB.  They cannot absorb calcium properly without proper UVB exposure.
http://www.reptilesdownunder.com/reptile/enclosure/uvlightingtestsa.php


The best flourescent tube bulbs are either the Reptisun 10, Reptiglo 8, or the Arcadia D3.  Please steer away from the Reptiglo 10, ALL Zilla/ESU lights, ok?  The first 3 I mentioned are the only decent ones around.  Here is a chart with those 3 lights I mentioned, so you can compare the UVB emissions from your light you have currently to the others.

http://www.uvguide.co.uk/fluorescenttuberesults.htm

Let me know how things are going.

Tracie


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

QUESTION: Dear Tracie !
Well, at the toe which it's nail drop out..I see something...it's hard, apaque, looks like KERATIN ! I don't know what's exactly ! Do you have Yahoo ID or something ? I'll take some pics and send to you ! Can we talk directly by chat ?
In Vietnam, finding a UV light...it's very hard ! I bought mine from a friend who just travelled to Thailand !
So...if I need to change my light, what brand I can chose ?
The distance from the UV output to my Bearded is about 10 cm ! My UV light, 15W, 6500k is not suitable for her, is it ?
Anyway, I hope she can grow the nail back !
Can I use the calcium in liquid state ?
Thanks for your helps !
Kind regard !

ANSWER: Hello Nguyen,

Well, the nailbed was probably torn a bit.  I am not sure how that would have happened.  It is ok if she can't grow the nail back, really it wont hurt her.
You can take some pics & send them to:  Drache613@tampabay.rr.com  
That is my email.  I have MSN messenger which is compatible with Yahoo.
The light has good full spectrum Kelvins (color temperature) at 5000-6500K that is fine.  However, that particular light does not have the correct wavelenght of UVB to be effective in helping your dragon synthesize D3.  
Go online & shop it is fairly easy to get them.  Try:
www.reptilesupply.com
www.bigappleherp.com
www.petmountain.com

Get either a Reptisun 10 flourescent tube, a Reptiglo 8 flourescent tube, or an Arcadia D3 flourescent tube.  Do not get a Reptiglo 10, a Zilla or any compacts or coils.
Any of those lights that you get will need to be 6-8 inches from your dragon.  

Now, if you want to keep that current light you have since it is bright, that is fine.  However, you will need the basking light for heating though & a better UVB.  So why don't you get a double flourescent light fixture which will hold 2 flourescent tube bulbs.  You can use the one you have now & then one of the new UVB's that I have suggested, then your basking light.  He will be good with lighting then.  What type of basking light do you have?

Tracie

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

QUESTION: Hi Tracie !
If the nail won't grow back, it's so bad :( !
Write me your MSN messenger, ok ?
Thank you so much !
Kind regards !

Answer
Hello Nguyen,

How are things going?  
Don't worry about the nail, it will be ok as long as there is no infection.  
My MSN/Windows live messenger is:  Drache_613@hotmail.com
I am on quite a bit so you can either IM me or send me a message.  Or you can email me at the address you have used already.  
Are you searching for UVB lighting?

Tracie