How often should a 3-4 Mo old Beardie poop? He did POOP!

Stormikins · Sep 27, 2016

On Friday, I picked up an adorable beardie from the store. He is attentive, lively, and very much interested in being handled and spoken to.
I have him in a 40g tank, with carpet, and proper heating and basking. (Tank has two thermometers stuck to the wall. I'm around 95-100 on the hot side).

He gets fed salad made up of mustard greens, collared greens, acorn squash, apple, sprinkled with vitamins and calcium (reptical), and i also feed him dusted small crickets. He will lose his mind when he just sees the cricket container. I'm serious, he will try to get out of his tank the moment he sees me bring the cricket "condo" around.

He has pooped once on Saturday, but has not pooped since. The poop saturday looked good. I cleaned it right away, and we moved on with life. I have actually not fed him crickets yesterday, and figured I give him a break. (He might be pissed with me at this point)

But as of this morning, he has not pooped since saturday.

He is not sluggish, he is not bloated looking, his appetite is on point, he will eat from his dish, or from my hand, and he will seriously try to break free to get to them crickets. If I drop some in the cage, it's the most entertaining thing to watch him hunt. I gave him a warm bath, I rubbed his belly and felt nothing.

Now, the question is this: Should I worry that he has not pooped since Saturday? (Today being Tuesday) How often does he need to poop? Should I lower the rate of feeding him crickets, or maybe try feeding him something else? This is my first beardie so obviously, despite all the reading I am doing, I don't think I have seen anything about what should be an optimal poop rate, but lots of horror stories about impacting.

BruceLarryOzzie · Sep 27, 2016

Beautiful dragon. Im not an expert but when my Larry was that little he pooped twice a day. Give him a really warm bath like 96-100 degree water. That consistently got mine pooping.

The basking spot for a baby should be hotter. More like 105-110 to help with digestion. And needs a UVB light asap if you don't have one.

Stormikins · Sep 27, 2016

BruceLarryOzzie":gbl0z9t7 said:
Beautiful dragon. Im not an expert but when my Larry was that little he pooped twice a day. Give him a really warm bath like 96-100 degree water. That consistently got mine pooping.

The basking spot for a baby should be hotter. More like 105-110 to help with digestion. And needs a UVB light asap if you don't have one.

I have UVB as well, on the other side of the tank. The Basking light I have is a 150W light. I upgraded him from a 100W cause that did not seem to be hot enough. His tree branch is about 4-5 inches from the heat on the highest point, and he will bounce between high and low. Sadly the thermometer I have is stuck to the back wall of my tank under the light, so not sure if it's reading right. I do see a lot more movement out of him on his basking branches with the higher power light than the 100W one.

Will go place his little butt in some warm water and see if I have any luck. Was thinking maybe a drop or so of olive oil on some collard green bits might help lube things up.

kyleena29 · Sep 27, 2016

So as everyone will tell you, you should get the digital thermometer with probe and place it directly on the basking spot as the stick on kind can be way off. Since temps could be off he may not be digesting properly. The best way to do supplements is 5x calcium/on 1 meal per day and 2x vitamin on the other 2 days/1 meal. Don't use both on the same day. He is a growing boy so you can put veggies in there but he might not touch them, he needs the protein, crickets or whatever. I would feed him 2-3x day depending on your schedule, as much as he can it within 15 minutes. If you had phoenix worms or roaches I would leave them in a bowl all day long personally. Can't leave crickets in all day unfortunately. If he will eat a shredded piece of apple you could try dipping it in olive oil and try to get him to eat it to help him poo.

Stormikins · Sep 27, 2016

kyleena29":1gt7qk4t said:
So as everyone will tell you, you should get the digital thermometer with probe and place it directly on the basking spot as the stick on kind can be way off. Since temps could be off he may not be digesting properly. The best way to do supplements is 5x calcium/on 1 meal per day and 2x vitamin on the other 2 days/1 meal. Don't use both on the same day. He is a growing boy so you can put veggies in there but he might not touch them, he needs the protein, crickets or whatever. I would feed him 2-3x day depending on your schedule, as much as he can it within 15 minutes. If you had phoenix worms or roaches I would leave them in a bowl all day long personally. Can't leave crickets in all day unfortunately. If he will eat a shredded piece of apple you could try dipping it in olive oil and try to get him to eat it to help him poo.

Awesome info! I read so much conflicting info on the supplements. Some say mix it, others say, don't. It's crazy! Maybe I have just spent too much time reading.
I have the digital thermometer on order actually, because my local pet smart is out of the digitals. ( please insert super sad face here! )
I will try to coax this little bugger into eating something that will help him poop. Truth be told, he has such a good disposition, and he is so lively, that if anything was to change, I would notice, but I also don't want to leave it alone and have it go too far.

Please keep the advice coming, cause this little mama is worried for her beardie!

BruceLarryOzzie · Sep 27, 2016

He is super cute by the way. Lucky dragon to have such a caring mama.

Make sure the crickets and his food are very small. He will eat stuff bigger than he should and can get impacted and then it's hard to poop etc.

kyleena29 · Sep 27, 2016

So I'm not sure what kind of set up he has or the size of his enclosure and the temperature of the environment outside of it but 150w seems high unless he has a really tall cage. I have a hard time controlling the temp for mine and he's in a 4x2x2 but there isn't a lot of air flow where he's at either and I use a 50w bulb that needs a dimmer since the temp in the room fluctuates. I kept trying various watt bulbs but in the end the dimmer seemed the best option. Most people will comment that the 10.0 reptisun T5 high output tube is best or the arcadia tube if not in the US. I don't know what you're using for uvb but if you have one of those you need to change them yearly regardless if they put out light. The other bulbs have their various issues and need to be changed every 6 months. Just make sure he can get within the suggested distance and that no glass or plastic is between the baby and the bulb.

Stormikins · Sep 27, 2016

BruceLarryOzzie":3mwgxc8w said:
He is super cute by the way. Lucky dragon to have such a caring mama.

Make sure the crickets and his food are very small. He will eat stuff bigger than he should and can get impacted and then it's hard to poop etc.

Yes the crickets are the smallest I can find. I actually will just leave the bigger guys in there if I think they are on the plump size.

kyleena29":3mwgxc8w said:
So I'm not sure what kind of set up he has or the size of his enclosure and the temperature of the environment outside of it but 150w seems high unless he has a really tall cage. I have a hard time controlling the temp for mine and he's in a 4x2x2 but there isn't a lot of air flow where he's at either and I use a 50w bulb that needs a dimmer since the temp in the room fluctuates. I kept trying various watt bulbs but in the end the dimmer seemed the best option. Most people will comment that the 10.0 reptisun T5 high output tube is best or the arcadia tube if not in the US. I don't know what you're using for uvb but if you have one of those you need to change them yearly regardless if they put out light. The other bulbs have their various issues and need to be changed every 6 months. Just make sure he can get within the suggested distance and that no glass or plastic is between the baby and the bulb.

He is in a 40gal tank, and has metal mesh between him and the light. He has about 6 inches from the bulb to the branch. I have a 100W bulb and a 150W bulb for basking light. I got home and found that my digital thermometer arrived, so that is going in the cage right after I finish writing this. I will see from there if I have to adjust my heat. I also bought more decorations for his tank so that he can have various heights to perch on. I want a reptisun bulb not the long light. Digging for better options for that for UVB honestly.

What do you guys think about Solar Glo? http://www.beardeddragon.co/index.php?route=product/product&path=63&product_id=221

Going to give him a hot bath, then some shredded apple with olive oil. I will have to feed him today, since he got no crickets yesterday, and he hates me, I'm sure. He is active as all get out right now, and he ate a lot of his veggies (yey!).

Will update once the above is done. Wish this mama luck!

BruceLarryOzzie · Sep 27, 2016

Do you have a water thermometer? I use the digital probe we have. 100 degree water is just about a nice warm bath. Like you would a human baby. Not hot. Don't scald him.
Can't be cold either. I add wa water and scoop out the cold to keep it warm. And only 1 inch of water for that little dude.

kyleena29 · Sep 27, 2016

I have a MVB also and don't use it anymore. It just can't cover the whole tank. I had a lot of trouble getting the temperature right. Since you can't use a dimmer I had to use a lamp stand and adjust it. The problem is with a screen and having to put the bulb so high up didn't seem like he would get enough uv to me. Personally I would get the one I mentioned and it can be set on top of the screen.

I use this fixture https://www.amazon.com/6500K-Aquarium-Light-Freshwater-Extendable/dp/B016X3LD4E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1475014015&sr=8-1&keywords=B016X3LD4E and I take off the cover and swap out one of the bulbs for the uvb. This way there is also a nice bright bulb along side it.

I use this bulb http://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/reptile/reptile-habitat-hoods-and-lighting/zoo-med-reptisun-100-uvb-t5-ho-lamp

Stormikins · Sep 27, 2016

BruceLarryOzzie":1lrcp2k6 said:
Do you have a water thermometer? I use the digital probe we have. 100 degree water is just about a nice warm bath. Like you would a human baby. Not hot. Don't scald him.
Can't be cold either. I add wa water and scoop out the cold to keep it warm. And only 1 inch of water for that little dude.

Yeah I have a thermometer I used. I had to constantly swap out water, but he was more interested in being on my hand, than the water itself. Little bugger is huge on contact, so i have to have my hand in with him, which of course is far better to climb than the water.

kyleena29":1lrcp2k6 said:
I have a MVB also and don't use it anymore. It just can't cover the whole tank. I had a lot of trouble getting the temperature right. Since you can't use a dimmer I had to use a lamp stand and adjust it. The problem is with a screen and having to put the bulb so high up didn't seem like he would get enough uv to me. Personally I would get the one I mentioned and it can be set on top of the screen.

I use this fixture https://www.amazon.com/6500K-Aquarium-Light-Freshwater-Extendable/dp/B016X3LD4E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1475014015&sr=8-1&keywords=B016X3LD4E and I take off the cover and swap out one of the bulbs for the uvb. This way there is also a nice bright bulb along side it.

I use this bulb http://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/reptile/reptile-habitat-hoods-and-lighting/zoo-med-reptisun-100-uvb-t5-ho-lamp

Problem is with my setup, that type of light is not really going to sit nicely. I'd have to try it out. Going to see if petsmart has any.

Update:
So we took a bath, which left him thoroughly unimpressed. Then he took a couple of licks of some olive oil, but did eat a few pieces of collard greens in olive oil.
While I was messing with the new probe, I put him back in his tank, and he begun the feed me dance. I am sure most of you are familiar with this. He was bouncing up and down on the glass, on whichever side of the tank I was. He was not pleased there had not been crickets, I'm sure. So I brought the cricket condo out, and I thought my dragon was gonna lose his tiny mind. His bouncing increased, and I'm pretty sure he has some dog dna in him at this point. So I fed him some crickets, made sure he got more veggies, and now he is actively checking out the probe. I'll keep an eye out on the temperature, and praying for poop. Also those are a few words I never thought I will write... EVER.

BruceLarryOzzie · Sep 27, 2016

Sounds like one spoiled little

I'm sure the poop will come soon.
My older ones go once every three days and it drives me crazy. But when the go, they go! Sometimes I feel like I need hazmat gear. Love them anyway.

Stormikins · Sep 27, 2016

We have Hit the 105F Mark on the basking spot with the 150W light and the probe. I may have squeaked a little with delight. Going to keep an eye on that to make sure that it doesnt get too hot, but his branch setup offers different heights if he needs to cool off a bit. (Yes he has a cool side of the tank too.) Fat beardie is chilling contently and dozing off, while me, the faithful slave, is freaking out still.

kingofnobbys · Sep 27, 2016

Larger volume tanks are harder to get a controllable basking temperature in , and harder to establish a good thermal gradient in. Tanks with mesh tops are BAD when it comes to trying to establish a good thermal gradient and good thermal convection (air circulation) as most the warm air created by the basking globe will be lost almost immediately as HOT AIR RISES (through the mesh into the room space).

Practice here in Australia is NEVER to have a mesh top on reptile tanks , the tops are ALWAYS solid MDF or plywood, this promotes very good air circulation inside the tank , the warmed air rises and is deflected by solid timber top and so lower wattage basking globes are required to attain the same basking temperature and warm zone temperature than you will need for tank which essentially is open topped. This makes a big difference to the quarterly electricity bill too if you have a large collection of pet reptiles.

The other advantages of solid timber tops on tanks are :
--- you can stack tanks on top of each other if floor space is limited
--- you can hang the basking and uv fittings from under the lid very securely and easily.
--- cat proof

SO I recommend getting a piece of MDF or 1/2in plywood cut to size and you use this to replace the existing mesh top .

kingofnobbys · Sep 27, 2016

Stormikins":2afqejou said:
On Friday, I picked up an adorable beardie from the store. He is attentive, lively, and very much interested in being handled and spoken to.
I have him in a 40g tank, with carpet, and proper heating and basking. (Tank has two thermometers stuck to the wall. I'm around 95-100 on the hot side). <<<< are the thermometers digital with a remote probe on the end of cable or dial type analog ?... dial analog types are worthless , can be 30% in error (or reading 10 - 20F too high or too low.

I use these http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/4x-LCD-Digital-Thermometer-for-Fridge-Freezer-Aquarium-FISH-TANK-Temperature-/301366689152?hash=item462adabd80:g , they are very practical , cheap , and accurate and the little batteries inside them last over 12 months.

He gets fed salad made up of mustard greens, collared greens, acorn squash, apple, sprinkled with vitamins and calcium (reptical), and i also feed him dusted small crickets. He will lose his mind when he just sees the cricket container. I'm serious, he will try to get out of his tank the moment he sees me bring the cricket "condo" around.

<<< he looks about 3 months old, he should be getting a MINIMUM of TWO live insect feeds per day , as many live bugs as he will eat per feed . I'd hold off on putting the greens and veg in with him until his last live insect meal, else he will fill up on low protein greens and veg and not have space for his bugs ---HE NEEDS LOTS of live bugs per day at his age to grow and develop properly, if he likes his greens and veg that's a bonus.

Peppa and Toothless were each eating 16 medium crickets + 4 - 6 medium silkworms per day at his age (crickets in am, silkworms in pm).

THE MORE BUGS HE EATS , the more frequently he'll poo, IF the basking temperature and warm zone temperatures are good (they need heat to digest their food properly).

He has pooped once on Saturday, but has not pooped since. The poop saturday looked good. I cleaned it right away, and we moved on with life. I have actually not fed him crickets yesterday, and figured I give him a break. (He might be pissed with me at this point)

But as of this morning, he has not pooped since saturday. <<<< I suspect he may not have been warm enough (his metabolism is temperature dependent) and he may not be getting enough bugs each day.
All mine pooed daily at 3 - 4 months old.

He is not sluggish, he is not bloated looking, his appetite is on point, he will eat from his dish, or from my hand, and he will seriously try to break free to get to them crickets. If I drop some in the cage, it's the most entertaining thing to watch him hunt. I gave him a warm bath, I rubbed his belly and felt nothing. <<<< is OK to drop a few crickets at a time in with him and let him chase and catch them - great exercise and great mental stimulation for him, plus fun to watch. He'll soon be watching you and you hand when he's eaten his bugs asking you more if he's still hungry.

Now, the question is this: Should I worry that he has not pooped since Saturday? (Today being Tuesday) How often does he need to poop? Should I lower the rate of feeding him crickets, or maybe try feeding him something else? This is my first beardie so obviously, despite all the reading I am doing, I don't think I have seen anything about what should be an optimal poop rate, but lots of horror stories about impacting.

Get a feeding syringe and a 12G feeder crop needle , you can then easily get the needle past his teeth and give him 0.2 ml of olive oil .... this usually works wonders in getting a lizard pooing next day.
http://vetafarm.com.au/product/reusable-feeding-syringe/
http://vetafarm.com.au/product/medication-tube-crop-needle/ these are stainless steel wide bore needles with a very bunt end with ball on the end, you only need get the end of the needle past the lips to give olive oil .

The crop needle and feeding syringe will handy to have on hand if you ever need to give pureed or special foods if he gets sick.

I pop the crop needle on the end of 1ml disposal syringe to give my lizards their olive oil when they've not pooed for over 5 days (it does happen).

I also suggest keeping indepth records of his habits , feedings, shed's etc and weighing him weekly.

How often should a 3-4 Mo old Beardie poop? He did POOP!

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