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My bearded dragon's leg is swollen and stiff. What should I do now?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Reptile | Bearded Dragon | Male | 3 months and 28 days old | 0.19 lbs

Hello my bearded dragon has a swollen leg and it’s very stiff but I don’t know what to do the photos below are comparing the two front legs

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1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Angel Alvarado, LVT

Licensed Veterinary Technician

Published on October 15th, 2018

The swollen leg may be due to injury, infection or nutritional deficiency. Ideally, Rainn should be physically examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles to diagnose and treat the underlying cause. This may require x-rays and lab work. Review his diet and environment with your veterinarian. The basics required include a 10 gallon tank (at minimum), UVB lighting, a heat lamp focused on a basking spot, 2 hides (one on the coolside, one on the warm side and a shallow water bowl. The heat lamp should provide a temperature gradient across the enclosure. Substrate can be reptile carpet, slate, paper towels or wood chips. A balanced diet of appropriately sized prey (crickets, dubia roaches, mealworms, Phoenix worms, etc) and fresh greens and vegetables should be offered daily. Vitamin supplements and calcium supplementation should also be provided. You can review dragon care at the link below. http://www.anapsid.org/bearded.html

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