Ok, well..Ithought it was worth letting you all know how Zorro has been. Maybe this will help fellow owners about odd beardie habits.
That last day (Sat) poor Zorro sat in front of the food bowl with his head hovering over the bowl but would not eat. I coaxed him a bit, he really looked like he wanted to eat but just wouldnt do it. His food bowl is on the cool side of his viv at about 83-87 degrees respectively. He spent all day there. He never really got a
black beard but hid often in his little cave for the Saturday and the beginning of Sunday. I was unhappy that he would not go to the warm side even when i placed him there. This would not end well if he continued to behave this way.
On Sunday, it was cage cleaning time and time for his warm
bath. (I soak him for about a half hour, once a week). Zorro spent the majority of the time just soaking but just before I took him out, he left a huge poop. There was nothing odd about it - it was formed and healthy looking, it just looked very long in length. It made me think he could have been constipated. Since then he has reverted back to normal - basking and eating his crix.
I write this to remind beardie parents not to underestimate the good that comes from those long soaks. The warmth and the absorption of h2O truly seem to be an important part of beardie maintenance. The things that could potentially cause impaction have never been used. He's not housed on sand and he hadn't eaten a mealworm in a long time. Even though he loves those superworms, he only gets one every 3-4 days (they give him the runs). That said, I did think about giving him a few to promote soft stools but when he had his bout of diarrhea, he had the blackest beard I ever saw! What an upset tummy he mustve had!
I soak Zorro because he will not drink from a bowl. I find the soaking sessions keeps him very well
hydrated along with the large amounts of fresh veggies and fruits he gets daily.
Anyway..it's a relief he's back to his active contented self. Lets hope these episodes are not a common thing.
