Bahaman Anole

Question
Two out of three of my lizards are Bahaman Anoles, the other is Green. The two seem to have become paralyzed in their hind legs and have what seems like small seizures. If I put more calcium into their diets, what is the chance they will regain use of their back legs?

Answer
Hi Taylor,

There is no way to estimate their chances of recovery without knowing the exact nature of the damage. I can tell you that it is worth the effort to help them because improvement and at least partial recovery has happened in many cases with similar symptoms. They may never be fully mobile enough to be released by can survive in a captive environment.

It does sound like a calcium deficiency. That affects both the nerve impulses and the skeletal strength which can both contribute to paralysis. As the spinal vertebrae soften and bend they can put pressure on the spinal cord which can cause temporary paralysis. With luck the cord has not been permanently damaged or severed and will improve once the bones regain strength. Softening of the long bones in the legs will also cause weakness and impair movement.

Vitamin D3 is critical to the absorption of calcium. Without it the added calcium will simply be passed. I would recommend both a dietary source of calcium with vitamin D3 (and no phosphorous) such as RepCal and exposure to a good quality UVB source such as a ZooMed Reptisun 5.0 or 10.0 fluorescent tube. UVB exposure will help them synthesize their own vitamin D3 as they would naturally when they bask in the sun.

Stress, such as handling can trigger the calcium related seizures you have noticed and those seizures can be fatal. Try to keep handling to an absolute minimum.