Doesnt poo often?

[OpalAndZayde]

Hello! So my 2yo beardie, Opal has been eating as usual with a great appetite, and her viv is a 4x2x2' with a T5 24" tube around 10-12 inches from closest spot, as well as a 125watt heat bulb over the hot side. She sleeps on her driftwood and wont use hides. She has always been active and healthy but this past year she has generally been pooping every 7-8 days and sometimes longer. She will get really heavy-set looking as if she's bloated but I think its from her eating all week without pooping. I dont understand why this is and Its worrying me. Any ideas? maybe her tank isnt warm enough at night?

Thanks

 

[KarrieRee]

Hello! So my 2yo beardie, Opal has been eating as usual with a great appetite, and her viv is a 4x2x2' with a T5 24" tube around 10-12 inches from closest spot, as well as a 125watt heat bulb over the hot side. She sleeps on her driftwood and wont use hides. She has always been active and healthy but this past year she has generally been pooping every 7-8 days and sometimes longer. She will get really heavy-set looking as if she's bloated but I think its from her eating all week without pooping. I dont understand why this is and Its worrying me. Any ideas? maybe her tank isnt warm enough at night?

Thanks

Tanks should be 65-75 at nite they like cool and dark --- your UVB is inside the tank or top of screen? It is not uncommon for older dragons to go 3 weeks to a month before they poop -- mine are pooping about that -- poops should be dark formed and moist and urate white formed and moist if they are dry and chalky looking they are dehydrated

 

[OpalAndZayde]

the uvb bulb is on top of the screen however it is more of a heavy duty bird wire (1/4inch squares in between wires) sort of thing rather than a mesh screen. Okay!
Thanks

 

[KarrieRee]

the uvb bulb is on top of the screen however it is more of a heavy duty bird wire (1/4inch squares in between wires) sort of thing rather than a mesh screen. Okay!
Thanks

Since your using a 24" height it is best to get it inside the tank --- distance is too high for effectiveness of the rays unless your decor piece is really high the distance of 12-15 inches anything higher its not going to be effective it the decor needs to be directly underneath -- here is some stuff I use in my two tanks its like a Velcro strap cut into strips then wrap around your fixture GE 15 ft. Cable Ties, Hook and Loop Spool, Black-10375 - The Home Depot I would do this ASAP-- here is a pic for referance of one of my tanks

 

[blue11]

Hi there -

So if your temps / UVB is good and your substrate is safe - and she’s consistently going once a week then things should be okay. I have an 11 year old that is on about the same poop schedule as yours - about once a week. It sounds like you’re pretty regular … like she is actually going vs. not going at all. In my experience, as dragons transition from baby to juvie to sub-adult to adult, some start to go longer between poops.

But - if it goes longer, and she’s literally not pooping - then you can always try warm water soaks (she may be getting those anyway) … you can also use some canned pumpkin and/or some apple sauce (and put a teeny tiny bit of olive oil in it) … the combination of these things has honestly always helped my girl in the past whenever she has had this issue. And as always make sure there is good water intake / oral hydration. I know it’s super worrying!

Past that, there is the impaction possibility - for which I think is more of a veterinarian issue (X-rays to check, etc) … but from your post it does seem as if she is pooping on a regular schedule .

 

[squaamatesllc]

Hello! So my 2yo beardie, Opal has been eating as usual with a great appetite, and her viv is a 4x2x2' with a T5 24" tube around 10-12 inches from closest spot, as well as a 125watt heat bulb over the hot side. She sleeps on her driftwood and wont use hides. She has always been active and healthy but this past year she has generally been pooping every 7-8 days and sometimes longer. She will get really heavy-set looking as if she's bloated but I think its from her eating all week without pooping. I dont understand why this is and Its worrying me. Any ideas? maybe her tank isnt warm enough at night?

Thanks

 

[blue11]

Since your using a 24" height it is best to get it inside the tank --- distance is too high for effectiveness of the rays unless your decor piece is really high the distance of 12-15 inches anything higher its not going to be effective it the decor needs to be directly underneath -- here is some stuff I use in my two tanks its like a Velcro strap cut into strips then wrap around your fixture GE 15 ft. Cable Ties, Hook and Loop Spool, Black-10375 - The Home Depot I would do this ASAP-- here is a pic for referance of one Just noticed one in the viv …

is that a stick on thermometer?

Since your using a 24" height it is best to get it inside the tank --- distance is too high for effectiveness of the rays unless your decor piece is really high the distance of 12-15 inches anything higher its not going to be effective it the decor needs to be directly underneath -- here is some stuff I use in my two tanks its like a Velcro strap cut into strips then wrap around your fixture GE 15 ft. Cable Ties, Hook and Loop Spool, Black-10375 - The Home Depot I would do this ASAP-- here is a pic for referance of one of my tanks

Just curious - is that a stick on thermometer?

 

[KarrieRee]

is that a stick on thermometer?


Just curious - is that a stick on thermometer?

Yes I have 2 digitals in the tank one stick on and 2 IR guns for temps --

 

[blue11]

Yes I have 2 digitals in the tank one stick on and 2 IR

Yes I have 2 digitals in the tank one stick on and 2 IR guns for temps --

Ive never actually done a direct experiment with a stick on for ambient and my digital for ambient. I know they can read considerably different temps, but idk why I’ve never actually directly compared them side by side - I guess I’ve never had a stick on, but part of me kinda wants to randomly get one just to see the definitive differences. Does yours register a lot different from your digi? Sorry this is a bit off the OP … but still related, considering they are asking about temps and all.

 

[KarrieRee]

Ive never actually done a direct experiment with a stick on for ambient and my digital for ambient. I know they can read considerably different temps, but idk why I’ve never actually directly compared them side by side - I guess I’ve never had a stick on, but part of me kinda wants to randomly get one just to see the definitive differences. Does yours register a lot different from your digi? Sorry this is a bit off the OP … but kinda related.

Not really they are pretty close to ambient temps I have never used the basking surface measurement tho w/ stick ons its always the probe or the IR gun

 

[blue11]

Not really they are pretty close to ambient temps I have never used the basking surface measurement tho w/ stick ons its always the probe or the IR gun

Same here for surface temps - good temp guns are a god send.

 

[blue11]

the uvb bulb is on top of the screen however it is more of a heavy duty bird wire (1/4inch squares in between wires) sort of thing rather than a mesh screen. Okay!
Thanks

the uvb bulb is on top of the screen however it is more of a heavy duty bird wire (1/4inch squares in between wires) sort of thing rather than a mesh screen. Okay!
Thanks

Im wondering if it might be worth it to cut a UVB strip length slot out of the bird wire …

Just had a thought - does the UVB strip have any sort of plastic over over it? Also, Im wondering if it *might* be worth it for you to cut a narrow UVB tube length strip out of the bird wire … just so those beautiful awesome UVB rays could come through w/o any sort of barrier at all - but totally up to you! Or as Karrie mentioned, mount inside … in my rescues tank, I bought a GE T8 fixture (you have a T5, but this is was many years ago before T5 were more developed and popular and alot of us used T8’s - and I still use a T8 in my 11 year olds) - but I used heavy duty Velcro to mount inside. And there’s always the ties as well as in the pic Karrie shared - always lots of great options! How is Opal doing? Is she still going regularly once a week or has it gone past that?

 

[KarrieRee]

Just had a thought - does the UVB strip have any sort of plastic over over it? Also, Im wondering if it *might* be worth it for you to cut a narrow UVB tube length strip out of the bird wire … just so those beautiful awesome UVB rays could come through w/o any sort of barrier at all - but totally up to you! Or as Karrie mentioned, mount inside … in my rescues tank, I bought a GE T8 (you have a T5, but this is was many years ago before T5 were more developed and popular and alot of us used T8’s - and I still use a T8 in my 11 year olds) - but I used heavy duty Velcro to mount inside. And there’s always the ties as well as in the pic Karrie shared - always lots of great options! How is Opal doing? Is she still going regularly once a week or has it gone past that?

GE T8--- I would get a Reptisun 10.0 T 8 that is a reptile bulb and better quality

 

[blue11]

GE T8--- I would get a Reptisun 10.0 T 8 that is a reptile bulb and better quality

I have never used a GE bulb, always used Repti Sun 10.0 T8 ….

The GE was just the brand of the fixture my Repti Sun bulbs went in, with the plastic covered popped off. There was never a GE bulb used. GE fixture.

 

[KarrieRee]

I have never used a GE bulb, always used Repti Sun 10.0 T8 ….

The GE was just the brand of the fixture my Repti Sun bulbs went in, with the plastic covered popped off. There was never a GE bulb used. GE fixture.

oopsie sorry -- does that fixture have reflector in it?