Bearded dragons have a total of 5 toes or digits, each with a toenail, on each of their four limbs. Toes and nails are vital as they help these pets climb, walk well, and even burrow.
Common problems that may affect a bearded dragon’s toe include the following:
1. Toes or digit missing
A missing toe can be due to untreated infection, burns, accidents, including being entangled by carpet, caught by a door, among others may be the reason why your bearded dragon does not have one or more toes.
Secondly, it may be bitten off by another pet or bearded dragon. Young and juvenile bearded dragons often nip each other’s toes unknowingly, thinking it’s a feeder insect.
Furthermore, during shedding, some skin fails to shed off on their toes, and it may cut blood supply to this area, which, if not fixed, can make the toe to die and fall off. Always check if their toes shed well. In such a case, help this lizard to shed well by soaking, misting, and rubbing the affected area with a soft toothbrush to help the get rid of remaining.
Remember, once lost, a bearded dragon’s toes don’t grow back. However, nails may grow if their root or germinal matrix is not damaged.
2. Toes twitching
Their toes may twitch due to metabolic bone disease, hypocalcemia (low calcium in the blood), infections, exposure to toxins, low blood sugar levels, or any other thing that can cause muscle twitches and spasms.
3. Curled or pointing upwards
A bearded dragon’s toes may curl upwards if broken, they are sitting on a hot surface, making this reptile to curl them upwards, or it could be a relaxing stance, including as they lie down.
However, if the upward curled toes and accompanied by jerky movements, swollen limps, and so on, it would be a sign of metabolic bone disease.
4. Fused
If their toes are fused, this could be a congenital problem (born that way) or stuck together as they were healing after an injury.
Also, they could temporarily stick together in case of shedding problem, if they are injured, and the dry blood binds them together or they something else sticking is holding them together.
Soak their feet in lukewarm water and use a reptile safe antibiotic ointment such as the Vetericyn Plus Reptile Wound and Skin Care. A vet visit will be necessary if the injury is severe.
5. Swollen
A bearded dragon’s toes may swell if they are injured, broken, or infected. A vet check, as well as X-ray, may reveal the cause of the swelling.
To help pinpoint the cause, look at the other clinical signs presented since each of these cases won’t fail to show clinical signs.