Beardie never poops

[Srgeorge2177]

I’ve had my beardie probably about 7-8 months now, and the previous owner said that he didn’t poop very often. Once every couple weeks, which I found to be true with me also. He is THE PICKIEST dragon I’ve ever met. Only eats Dubias and hornworms. I only give him hornworms once in a great while. But I give him dubias a few times a week. Will not eat his greens. I’ve tried every which way and every method. I’ve had to resort to blending them up and syringe feeding him greens and veggies. But he eat his insects fine. I have great uvb for him, Arcadia brand and basking bulb plenty warm. I soak him 2-3x a week (he likes being soaked) but he hasn’t gone in about 2 months now. I’ve tried a car drive (which has helped my other reptiles before actually and him before) I’ve massaged his tummy gently, he’s still eating normal. He is also along with being the pickiest he is also the laziest. So he doesn’t move around much. But he’s always alert and likes being loved on. Is this normal for him to go this long without pooping??
He’s also about 4-5 years old so he is a big full grown boy.

 

[Claudiusx]

It's not uncommon for adults to go long times in between poos.

That being said, he is way too picky an eater for his age, he needs to be eating salads at this age. What is his weight?

-Brandon

 

[KarrieRee]

I’ve had my beardie probably about 7-8 months now, and the previous owner said that he didn’t poop very often. Once every couple weeks, which I found to be true with me also. He is THE PICKIEST dragon I’ve ever met. Only eats Dubias and hornworms. I only give him hornworms once in a great while. But I give him dubias a few times a week. Will not eat his greens. I’ve tried every which way and every method. I’ve had to resort to blending them up and syringe feeding him greens and veggies. But he eat his insects fine. I have great uvb for him, Arcadia brand and basking bulb plenty warm. I soak him 2-3x a week (he likes being soaked) but he hasn’t gone in about 2 months now. I’ve tried a car drive (which has helped my other reptiles before actually and him before) I’ve massaged his tummy gently, he’s still eating normal. He is also along with being the pickiest he is also the laziest. So he doesn’t move around much. But he’s always alert and likes being loved on. Is this normal for him to go this long without pooping??
He’s also about 4-5 years old so he is a big full grown boy.

It is normal for dragons when they get older they don't poop very often- where is the uvb in the tank or on the screen - the screen is a fine mesh or wide holed type- this will determine placement and distance- I would not bathe him as much too many bathes will dry his scales out

 

[Srgeorge2177]

It's not uncommon for adults to go long times in between poos.

That being said, he is way too picky an eater for his age, he needs to be eating salads at this age. What is his weight?

-Brandon

He’s a good weight, I took him to the vet for just a general checkup a few months back and they weighed him and said he is a good weight. (He’s a little chubby) but not overweight, about 580-600 grams if I remember right

 

[Srgeorge2177]

It is normal for dragons when they get older they don't poop very often- where is the uvb in the tank or on the screen - the screen is a fine mesh or wide holed type- this will determine placement and distance- I would not bathe him as much too many bathes will dry his scales out

This isn’t anything blocking his uvb! I make sure there is nothing blocking it, and I did not know that about the baths! I will cut it back, he just loves his baths that’s why i do it weekly.

 

[KarrieRee]

It's not uncommon for adults to go long times in between poos.

That being said, he is way too picky an eater for his age, he needs to be eating salads at this age. What is his weight?

-Brandon

This isn’t anything blocking his uvb! I make sure there is nothing blocking it, and I did not know that about the baths! I will cut it back, he just loves his baths that’s why i do it weekly.

Ok so the uvb is not obstructed- is the uvb a 12% bulb?

 

[Srgeorge2177]

Ok so the uvb is not obstructed- is the uvb a 12% bulb?

Yes Arcadia pro t5 12% 24 watt

 

[Srgeorge2177]

Yes Arcadia pro t5 12% 24 watt

I do 12-14 hrs on and 10-12 hrs off

 

[KarrieRee]

I do 12-14 hrs on and 10-12 hrs off

Ok so the distance should be 12-15 inches directly over the basking decor - it sounds like its just the dragon - basking temps are good if they are surface basking temps 95-100-- your dragon is huge for 600 grams -- try getting him some BSFL also known as phoenix worms nutri grubs or calci worms --- order large and do not dust them -- feed first thing in the morning use as many as you want add them to the tops of his salads in front of him -- this will draw his attention - you can also use silk worms they stick to everything- how is the he getting water? Besides the horn worms they are a good hydrating worm -- here is a website for nutrition ignore the kale thing Nutrition Content
are you giving a vitamin w/ beta carotene since hes not eating salads?

 

[Claudiusx]

I asked about the weight because I was going to suggest stopping bugs completely and offering only salads until he starts eating salads.

A lot of times, picky adults need to have bugs cut out completely to get them to start eating salads. It's not uncommon for an adult in this situation to go up to 2-3 weeks without eating much before it finally caves and starts eating salad. Sometimes it's sooner, but most will start eating it once they get hungry enough. He's missing out on a lot of important health benefits by forgoing his salads. A lot more loss then he will by not eating any bugs for a few weeks.

-Brandon

 

[Srgeorge2177]

Ok so the distance should be 12-15 inches directly over the basking decor - it sounds like its just the dragon - basking temps are good if they are surface basking temps 95-100-- your dragon is huge for 600 grams -- try getting him some BSFL also known as phoenix worms nutri grubs or calci worms --- order large and do not dust them -- feed first thing in the morning use as many as you want add them to the tops of his salads in front of him -- this will draw his attention - you can also use silk worms they stick to everything- how is the he getting water? Besides the horn worms they are a good hydrating worm -- here is a website for nutrition ignore the kale thing Nutrition Content
are you giving a vitamin w/ beta carotene since hes not eating salads?

It’s is about 13 inches from his basking area, I dust his insects rotating between calcium powder and then a multivitamin, I’ve tried the worms on the salad and he won’t eat it unless I take the worms off the salad.. he’s literally against salad I swear. That’s why I’ve been blending it up and syringe feeding him the veggies and greens because he lets me do that now and he does fine with that. I don’t leave a water dish because I don’t want to increase humidity. That’s another reason I soaked him weekly was so he stayed hydrated, I can add a water dish if need be though. And my dragon is big yes, but he is not “fat” he is very long and large I’m not sure what morph he is but he’s just big in general

 

[Srgeorge2177]

I asked about the weight because I was going to suggest stopping bugs completely and offering only salads until he starts eating salads.

A lot of times, picky adults need to have bugs cut out completely to get them to start eating salads. It's not uncommon for an adult in this situation to go up to 2-3 weeks without eating much before it finally caves and starts eating salad. Sometimes it's sooner, but most will start eating it once they get hungry enough. He's missing out on a lot of important health benefits by forgoing his salads. A lot more loss then he will by not eating any bugs for a few weeks.

-Brandon

I have tried this once, but I only made it to a week and half before caving because I wasn’t sure how long he could go without food. What’s the longest he could go or the most weight he should lose?

 

[Claudiusx]

I have tried this once, but I only made it to a week and half before caving because I wasn’t sure how long he could go without food. What’s the longest he could go or the most weight he should lose?

A healthy dragon won't allow himself to starve to death. That's why I always mention the timeframe when I make the suggestion because most people believe that a dragon will shrivel away to nothing if not fed voraciously every day. As adults, they really can go quite a long time without food, even without loosing any significant amount of weight.

The main point to get over, is the fact that you're providing him with food, he's deciding not to eat it. He knows it's food. He knows he can eat it if he needs to. He will once he gets hungry enough.

However, they are smart creatures, and he's learned that he can hold out and get bugs. Once you reprogram that thinking and teach him that he can eat his salads and still get bugs, then mission accomplished.
Like I said, I've seen people have to go 3+ weeks before their dragon's finally ate their salads. That's not to say that the dragon might not have been nibbling at the salads when no one was looking and it just wasn't fully noticed, but they all come around eventually.

I've had to do this with rescues I've had once I was able to get them back to a healthy weight. If dragons start off as youngin's eating their salads, these issues don't arise, which is why I am a huge proponent of making hatchlings/babies/juvies eat salads too.

-Brandon

 

[Srgeorge2177]

A healthy dragon won't allow himself to starve to death. That's why I always mention the timeframe when I make the suggestion because most people believe that a dragon will shrivel away to nothing if not fed voraciously every day. As adults, they really can go quite a long time without food, even without loosing any significant amount of weight.

The main point to get over, is the fact that you're providing him with food, he's deciding not to eat it. He knows it's food. He knows he can eat it if he needs to. He will once he gets hungry enough.

However, they are smart creatures, and he's learned that he can hold out and get bugs. Once you reprogram that thinking and teach him that he can eat his salads and still get bugs, then mission accomplished.
Like I said, I've seen people have to go 3+ weeks before their dragon's finally ate their salads. That's not to say that the dragon might not have been nibbling at the salads when no one was looking and it just wasn't fully noticed, but they all come around eventually.

I've had to do this with rescues I've had once I was able to get them back to a healthy weight. If dragons start off as youngin's eating their salads, these issues don't arise, which is why I am a huge proponent of making hatchlings/babies/juvies eat salads too.

-Brandon

I will start this tomorrow then! I think it will be harder for me than him.. I wish I would have had him as a baby so I could have got him started young, sadly I don’t know his past but I know he’s had several homes. So I’m just trying to give him the best rest of his life (hopefully a long time).
Back to the original question though, 2 months without pooping isn’t to long? I don’t think he’s ever gone this long without going since I’ve had him

 

[Xjrosie]

You could try dropping his bugs into his fresh salad. My Thor always gets a few bites of salad that way. Once he's had a couple bites, I stop giving him bugs, and he will quit eating the greens and go pout, but then later, I'll see him over there chowing down.