Uro parasite??? Please help, urgent

Question

Underside of uro 'loop   Hi Cathy,

I've had my uro for 8 months but he is about 3 years old. He used to be super active and run around his cage for a couple hours a day and ate like an elephant. He is kept in a 4x2x2 glass/wooden terrarium on 3 inches of sandbox sand. His food is kept in a dish so he rarely ingests any sand from what I see. His diet is a daily salad of swiss chard, parsley, and sometimes broccoli greens and seeds. He has a ceramic heat 'lamp' that stays on 24/7, a 150W basking bulb and an up to date UVB bulb (both ExoTerra brand), and his basking spot is roughly 110F. He gets regular exercise outside his cage.


The problem: at the beginning of the winter he started to sleep more under his rock and eat less, and I thought it was just because of the temperature drop. But it's warm again now and his behavior hasn't changed. I tried lowering the basking heat but that didn't do anything. Then I took him out the other day and noticed these white loops under his legs (see picture) I have no idea what they are but I just noticed them a week ago, but they may have been there for much longer as i didn't take him out much in the winter. He also has gotten muscle twitches in his arms and legs and his reaction time is a bit slower if I dangle food in front of him. He seems to choke on his food pretty often now so I've made everything into really small pieces, however he still eats regularly, just not as much. He also has a very hard time having bowel movements. They are normal-ish and regular but he has a hard time. His shedding is kind of irregular and he's looked like a half peel banana since I got him (which is why I gave him baths-see picture). He has NO leg dragging or serious loss of appetite.

The only source, if it's a parasite, I can think of are the seeds I was feeding him which included pumpkin and I think sesame seeds, form and organic health food store, and he only gets a few a day but loves them to death. I'm willing to take him to a vet if he needs a prescription.  

Thanks for taking the time to answer this; I'm leaving in a week for the summer so I really need to figure out what to do for him so a friend can take over whatever it is.

Laura

Answer
Hi Laura,  This sounds like metabolic bone disease.  This is caused by an imbalance in the levels of calcium, phosphorous and vitamin D in their bodies.  The cause  is when  dietary levels of calcium or vitamin D are too low, phosphorous levels are too high, and/or when inadequate exposure to ultraviolet-B wavelengths of light hinders normal vitamin D production and calcium metabolism in a reptiles body.  all this being said the symptoms are limping, bowed legs, hard lumps along the legs, spinal column or jaw, softening and unusual flexibility of the lower jaw and difficulty raising the body off the ground.  Ur little guy can recover with dietary improvements. he needs calcium and vitamin D supplements.  And greater access to full spectrum ultraviolet light.  U can incorporate feeder insects sprinkled with and  dusted with an appropriate vitamin and mineral supplement.  The insects should also be gut loaded.  If u can get him to a vet please do so.  These little guys are hardy but once they start going downhill its hard to get them back.  U should put him in a warm bath at least once a week, this will help him shed as well as help him go to the bathroom.  Just make sure to dry him off really well before u put him back in his enclosure.  Try to feed him a spring mix of salad.  No more broccoli please it is not good for him.  Let me know what happens.  Good luck with this little guy.
Cathy