Can supers cause dehydration?

[Selkie1993]

Hi there!

I just started feeding my beardie some supers. I give him 2-3 large everyday. Today I noticed when he pooped, he also excreted a hard ball of urate that was chalky. This has never happened before; he usually excretes alot of liquid when he goes poo lol.

Do you think this was from the supers or mealworm beetles I gave him?
Also want to mention hes shedding and extremely irritable

Selkie

 

[KarrieRee]

Yes they tend to get really crabby when shedding -- how is he getting water? I am feeding mine super worms every day in the salads but have not had the dry chalky urate --- I am not sure if supers would cause that--- is he eating salads ? If he is start washing / rinsing before serving and he will get moisture from that as well as really good gutloaded insects --- I feed my roaches carrots along w/ dubia food at nite so when feeding the next day they are good and gutloaded -- I do not feed my dragons carrots --- too much Vit A ---
Karrie

 

[Selkie1993]

Yes they tend to get really crabby when shedding -- how is he getting water? I am feeding mine super worms every day in the salads but have not had the dry chalky urate --- I am not sure if supers would cause that--- is he eating salads ? If he is start washing / rinsing before serving and he will get moisture from that as well as really good gutloaded insects --- I feed my roaches carrots along w/ dubia food at nite so when feeding the next day they are good and gutloaded -- I do not feed my dragons carrots --- too much Vit A ---
Karrie

Thats the thing: its just his hands are shedding but I have a feeling the rest of him well shed eventually too. I usually do spray the salads, but because hes been on and off eating with these shedding hormones, sometimes he eats a few leaves and othertimes (like today) he looks at his food like its garbage >_< hes also been more sleepier than usual but when he comes out hes skittish and hyper.

 

[KarrieRee]

Well you can always bath him and see if he will drink in the bath or syringe feed him water or drop water on his nose see if he will lick it off --- mine have been really laze here too -- Blaze slept all day yesterday in his hide never came out today--- that was a different story ---- took a huge poop its like did that come out of you??????????? And then was running the tank -- I got him out and spent some time w/ him but that didnt do the trick -- he was still crazy all over --
Karrie

 

[Selkie1993]

He's pretty good with baths, but doesn't enjoy them or want anything to do with water. Sometimes when I spray his snout he'll drink, but othertimes he just shakes his head and closes his eyes -__-

I'm hoping this dehydration thing was just a rare occasion since I just ordered more supers and he's trying dubias for the first time soon.

In your experience, have your beardies acted off even weeks before theyre supposed to shed? Drogon is a sunburst, but I can see his skin is dulling. There's just so many variables with beardie behavior it's a lot to follow. :study:

 

[KarrieRee]

If he's dull he's probably gonna shed and yes they can be off-- make sure you hydrate those dubias w/ carrots- he will get moisture thru them too-
Karrie

 

[Selkie1993]

If he's dull he's probably gonna shed and yes they can be off-- make sure you hydrate those dubias w/ carrots- he will get moisture thru them too-
Karrie

Is just potatoes okay for supers and mealworms? They dont seem to go for anything else

 

[KarrieRee]

From what I understand that others on here feed them yes
Karrie

 

[Claudiusx]

Potatoes and carrots are what I mainly feed. Mainly carrots though. I find potatoes go bad quick in their bins.

They also get fruit and veggie rinds on occasion. I've found they LOVE cantaloupe rind with a little flesh on it still.

-Brandon

 

[Selkie1993]

Okay! Based on my post, do you think the supers caused dehydration issues?

 

[MrSpectrum]

According to most sources I've seen, superworms generally contain more moisture/water than dubias.
Feeder Insect Nutrition Facts for Reptile Keepers
This isn't to say you couldn't have had a batch of drier supers, but as noted, raw carrots & other rot-resistant veggies should provide them with enough moisture. Some folks feed them cucumbers for more moisture.

FWIW, I've used both (dubias & supers) as staples, and Z's dragon-droppin's are always accompanied by a copious amount of water.

 

[Selkie1993]

Yes, I now included potato in all my feeders. I'm surprised that even the BSFL are attacking it

Today his poo is back to normal, so I'm wondering if it's just good old shedding hormones messing up his body.

 

[Claudiusx]

Okay! Based on my post, do you think the supers caused dehydration issues?

Well, a couple things here.

Firstly, any time a new insect is introduced into the diet, it almost always cause some sort of change in the stool. Especially if a large enough quantity of them are provided. Not sure exactly why, but it's what we tend to see.

And secondly, 1 off poo's are nothing to worry about, as there are millions of reasons for a poo to be weird. It's only when they are consistently weird do you need to put any thought into them IMO.

So yes and no, the supers could have caused the weird stool, but that doesn't mean they will continue to cause it, and 1 hard urate doesn't instantly equal dehydration either

-Brandon

 

[Selkie1993]

Thank you!

I will continue to monitor him, especially since dubias are coming in tomorrow!
Drogon's just been an all around pain since the shedding hormones kicked in, but *sigh* I still love his scaly orange butt xD

Selkie