Dragon Pooped While Asleep

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Krypton

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My girl is sleeping. Earlier she moved a bit in her sleep and I peeked at her and her body was all puffed up (like they do when they puff their beards out). I assumed she was having some kind of dream. Then, just a little bit ago (maybe an hour after she puffed up), I heard a quiet ‘pop’ noise come from her direction. When I went to check on her, I discovered she had pooped a puddle while asleep. It was all liquid with her wax worms still solid. It was super gross and smelly. She’s had a few poops like this before, two of them recently.

She’s about 1 1/2 - 2 years old. Her cage is a 40 gal long with a hammock on each side. One is her cool side and one is her hot side with a mercury vapor bulb on it. She also has a Reptisun strip uvb light. However, she has been spending most of her daytimes this summer outside (in a dog pen with a shade spot). Our temps this summer have been in the low 80’s to high 90’s.

Her diet lately has been collard greens, blueberries, and wax worms. I dust with calcium and vitamins once a week (each, separate days) and make sure to dribble some water in the salad. She also gets a bath once a week. She’s a pretty good eater and loves her berries and bugs, but will also eat her greens when she feels like it.

She looks healthy to me, a little plump and eager to eat. Her ‘usual’ poops could often be a bit wet...but not a puddle. She has stressed pooped like this before, such as when I first brought her home and another time when there was a dog around and she was stressed out by it.

I’m thinking I should take her in for a parasite check? Could she have just gotten stressed out by something? Has anyone else had their dragon poop in their sleep?

Also, now that I think of it, one of my past dragons I had, he would eat a blueberry and it was like a laxative or something (at least the first few times). Could she be eating too many blueberries? I give her 3 or 4 each day. Maybe I can try cutting back on them and see what it does..
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
I hear blueberries are high in sugar -- this causing sugar over load
Karrie
 

Drache613

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hello,

This can happen to them. It's a possibility she ate too close to bedtime & didn't digest real
well. As suggested, try cutting some of the fruit out maybe just giving it a few times per
week. How many waxworms did she eat?
The waxworms can sometimes go straight through them especially if they don't chew them up
very well.
What other insects do you feed her right now?

Tracie
 

Krypton

Member
Original Poster
I am only feeding her wax worms for bugs. She gets 8-10/day. When I first got her, she was eating super worms. Maybe she wasn’t as warm when I brought her in from outside (early evening) and so she didn’t properly digest. Usually when I bring her in, I put her to bed. On days where she hangs out outside all day, should I bring her in a little earlier and keep her under her light for a bit before she goes to bed so she can be sure and digest? Should maybe I feed her in the morning (or *evening) and keep her in the cage awhile, then let her out (*after bringing her in)?

Also, should I sill consider a parasite test? Or should I make some changes and see if she does better?
 

Claudiusx

BD.org Sicko
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I would make some changes first.

It's good practice to allow them two hours or so in their tank after eating so that they can properly digest.

The blueberries do tend to cause runny or loose stools.
But I'd imagine this was simply a case of not properly digesting before bed :)

However, I would cut out the waxworms completely. They are not a suitable feeder insect to be feeding that often. They are extremely high in fat and will potentially lead to fatty liver disease, especially in older dragons. Do you have access to other feeders? Think of waxworms as a Hershey's bar. Good for a treat, but you wouldn't let your kids live off them.

As far as salad items go, collard greens are a great staple item. You should try to add some variety to the salads though such as adding in mustard greens or some squash, bellpeppers, bok choy. There are lots of options. Variety is very important. Nothing has every single nutrient in the amount the body needs. That's why it's best to offer a wider range of foods to help fill any nutritional deficiencies.

-Brandon
 

Krypton

Member
Original Poster
I’m able to get other feeders. What should I give her as a staple? Super worms ok? I’m hoping to get some horn worms sometime for her. Roaches are ridiculously expensive, so I’ve avoided them.

As for greens, I recently got her mustard greens and she wouldn’t touch them. I occasionally get her dandelion greens or turnip greens when they’re available at the store and she seems to like the dandelion greens.

Also, do these really wet poos mean she could get dehydrated quicker?
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Have you tried on line for dubias? Or are you or can you get them where you live? You can try BSFL here is a website for them https://symtonbsf.com/--- I get my dubias from www.dubiaroaches.com-- they charge for shipping but are pretty good on prices for horn worms butter worms silk worms etc--- try there
Karrie
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
Good info from other posters so far. Superworms are def. better than waxworms if those are your only choices. If you feed her superworms just give her 6-7 at a time maybe 2-3 X a week. BTW, do you have pics of her ?
 

Drache613

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hello,

How is your dragon doing today?
I agree, superworms are a good staple item, but even better if you have another feeder
to use in combination with them for a good variety.
At least she is eating her dandelion greens some, they are very healthy for her! So, if
she wont eat other greens but will eat dandelion greens, then that is alright.
If she is excreting too much liquid for too long it can dehydrate her, yes. So, avoid the
real watery foods right now.

Let us know how she is doing.

Tracie
 

Krypton

Member
Original Poster
She seems ok today. No poops in her sleep. I only gave her collards and some fresh green bean and a couple wax worms today and plan to go get more bugs when I can (supers and maybe roaches). I held up a pinch of greens and a green bean piece and she chomped at them. I’ll try to post some pics I have of her that I recently took.
 

Krypton

Member
Original Poster
Not sure how to post pics...it’s been years since the last time I was on this site.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
She can eat more veggies than bugs-- I would feed her the greens over bugs-- CK out the feeding board there is a website for nutrition there-- the bugs I would give her 2 times per week --
Karrie
 
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