hard poop?

[youheartsme]

Hey guys my friend has a BD thats probably about 5 months old right now. He's in a 20L tank and the side with the heat lamp ranges from 100-105 F and the other side usually stays around 80 F. He feeds him freeze dried crickets and sprays them with water along with giving him water daily. He does have sand as the substrate and I was wondering if it's causing an impaction with his beardie. He said that he hasn't really pooped that much for the past couple of days like he normally does. He did poop a little not that long ago but my friend said that it was hard. Is it something that he should worry about?

 

[Embee]

Hey guys my friend has a BD thats probably about 5 months old right now. He's in a 20L tank and the side with the heat lamp ranges from 100-105 F and the other side usually stays around 80 F. He feeds him freeze dried crickets and sprays them with water along with giving him water daily. He does have sand as the substrate and I was wondering if it's causing an impaction with his beardie. He said that he hasn't really pooped that much for the past couple of days like he normally does. He did poop a little not that long ago but my friend said that it was hard. Is it something that he should worry about?

Hard poop is usually a sign of dehydration. Not pooping can be impaction, but also can be the result of dehydration or possibly, not eating as well or as much as one should. Let's see if we can troubleshoot.

First, how long has your friend had the beardie, and what SIZE (tip of nose to tip of tail) is he, in inches?

When you say the temps on the "heat lamp side" are from 100-105, are you talking just that "area" of the tank, or are those the temps DIRECTLY under the basking light? If just that side of tank is 100-105, the temps under the basking light are probably much higher and therefore likely TOO HIGH, which can cause rapid dehydration, or worse. To take temps accurately in the tank, a "digital with probe" thermometer is essential, so that the probe can be placed directly onto the basking surface for accurate basking temp. It's important to know EXACTLY what beardie is experiencing DIRECTLY under the heat lamp. Can you tell me what he using to gauge temps?

Does he feed him any live feeders? Live feeders provide much more adequate nutrition than freeze dried, and also WATER, which is an essential element to be getting from a feeder. Spraying feeders can help, but can't take place of gut loading live crickets with water (in the form of prepared cricket water gels, or fresh water-full veggies) and nutritive foods such as beardie pellets, perpared cricket foods, greens, squashes and fruits. A young beardie should be fed live feeders 2-3 times per day, as many as he will eat in 10-15 minutes. Is he dusting with calcium and vites?

Bathing is essential for beardie hydration as they take the bulk of their water in at the vent (where they poop). Misting can be helpful for interim, but there is no substitute for regular bathing: 2-4 (or more) times per week, baby warm water, up to shoulders, for a good 15-20 minutes.

Because he hasn't been bathed that I can see, and temps might be too high, dehydration is probably what you're dealing with BUT, since he is on sand, it would be certianly important to check for impaction. Have your friend gently feel down the right side of beardie's belly, from arm pit to vent. Does he feel any hardened lumps? If so, that would be an impaction. For dealing with impaction, he'll want to bathe beardie frequently, once, twice per day until beardie passes whatever is impacting him... have your friend massage as I described above, while bathing. In addition, your friend can make a mixture of unsweetened apple sauce, with a bit of olive oil and dab only to beardie's nose, and see if he can get him to lick it off.

Indeed, I recommend that the sand be removed from the tank. It is a considerable impaction risk, especially for babies and juveniles. Safe substrates for beardies include, reptile carpet, tile, slate, shelf liner, or just plain old paper towel or newsprint.

And then, can you tell me what your friend is using as a UVB source type (coil, compact, tube), and brand (ReptiSun, ReptiGlo,etc.)?

How is beardie behaving otherwise? Active? Lethargic? Hiding, or basking? How is his appetite?

If you could get back to me on the questions I've asked (see Italicized), that would be most helpful.

Thanks,
Em

 

[youheartsme]

I'm not exactly sure how big he is but I would estimate just under 12" from head to tail. The temperature 100-105 F is the area under the heating lamp. He uses the temperature gauges from petco so he does have a "digital probe". As for giving him baths he gives him frequent baths at least once a week plus misting him about once or twice daily and he actually gave him 2 baths today. He hasn't have any LIVE crickets for about a month but they are calcium gut loaded before hand and he sprays them with a vitamin spray. And for UVB he uses a tube, I believe is ReptiSun 10.0 and besides not pooping normally regularly he hasn't been acting any differently, he has been basking, active and eating but he does look bloated. Thanks for your help.

 

[Embee]

I'm not exactly sure how big he is but I would estimate just under 12" from head to tail.

Ok, so size wise, doing ok. A little on the small side, but not overly so.

The temperature 100-105 F is the area under the heating lamp. He uses the temperature gauges from petco so he does have a "digital probe".

Great. When he places the probe under the lamp, make sure he's leaving it for a full 45 minutes before reading temp. Do you happen to know the wattage of the basking bulb?

As for giving him baths he gives him frequent baths at least once a week plus misting him about once or twice daily and he actually gave him 2 baths today.

So at least once per week usually then? Let him know that 2 would be minimum on a regular basis (3 -4 even better). It sounds like he's doing more than usual today, which is a good idea. If it's impaction or dehydration, the baths can really help. Has he had a chance to feel the right side beardie's belly?

He hasn't have any LIVE crickets for about a month but they are calcium gut loaded before hand and he sprays them with a vitamin spray.

Is there a specific reason he stopped offering live feeders? Going with the timing, I'd say there is a very good chance that the change in diet could certainly be playing a part here. Indeed, freeze dried are gutloaded and calcium fortified, but as I mentioned, they don't offer the caliber of nutrition or water that a live feeder does, think about the difference between the freeze dried food we eat sometimes (say, like the kind we'd take on a hike--just add water :wink: ), or a freshly made salad, and piece of fresh lean protein, a nice glass of water. The operative word in freeze dried, is "dried." Not matter how you try to amend that, it's impossible for them to be any more than that, dried. Young dragons need live feeders and lots of them, for proper growth and nutrition.

And for UVB he uses a tube, I believe is ReptiSun 10.0

If it's a ReptiSun, then great. If you'd like to check the bulb itself, JUST to be sure, that would be good. The only reason I mention it is there is another bulb, with similar name (ReptiGLO) which has been causing problems for some beardies, so it's good to know for sure. How OLD is the tube, do you happen to know? If it's getting on 5 months or so, it's time to think about replacing it. For the ReptiSun, make sure beardie can get to within 6-8 inches at basking area and have him align the two bulbs as follows (if they aren't already this way, of course ):

__________tube
0 basking bulb

... so that beardie has benefit of both bulbs while basking for optimum UVB rays for calcium processing/D3 synthesis, and so that the bright white light of the basking bulb can guard beardie's eyes while basking.

and besides not pooping normally regularly he hasn't been acting any differently, he has been basking, active and eating but he does look bloated. Thanks for your help.

It's good that he's active, but definitely keep an eye. Beardies in the early stage of a "discomfort" will often try to hide the ailment (as they would in the wild as not to appear vulnerable to predators). If they get to a place of lethargy, it's usually because the ailment has gone into a rather advanced stage. The bloated appearance is a concern, as impaction can cause that. Let me know what you find there, if anything. If yes, than have him continue the baths WITH massage, until beardie is able to pass whatever it is that is impacting him. During that time, best to offer the applesauce/olive oil mixture only, as you don't want to cause further discomfort by offering too much food. If it's not an impaction issue, than it sounds like a feeder/hydration issue. I would then still continue the frequent baths, switch back to live gut-loaded feeders, and of course, offer fresh greens/veggies/fruit every day. Dust 5 meals per week with calcium WITH D3, 1 - 2 meals with multi-vites.

In the meantime, in any case, if he hasn't done so already, I would have him dump the sand and even if it's just temporary, plop in some paper towel. If this does happen to be an impaction issue, than we don't want beardie near anything that could make things worse.

Lastly, I would recommend upgrading to a larger enclosure as soon as it's possible. A 12 inch beardie in a 20 gallon is starting to push things. A 40 gallon would be the minimum size for an adult beardie, but many go bigger. We were able to find a 40 breeder on Craigslist, by just checking everyday for about 3 weeks, and then VOILA. Might try that, if he's looking to save some money. (We had to clean the thing within an inch of it's life mind you, but for $40, it was worth the extra work.)

Let me know about any impaction you might feel, and feel free to throw out any more questions. Happy to help!

The best,
Em

 

[youheartsme]

UPDATE!
My friend gave his beardie another bath this morning and was rubbing his stomach and he rub one spot and everything just came out! haha. Thanks for your help.

 

[Embee]

UPDATE!
My friend gave his beardie another bath this morning and was rubbing his stomach and he rub one spot and everything just came out! haha. Thanks for your help.

This is great news. *whew* Like I said, those baths/massages can REALLY help. I'd keep the frequent baths up for awhile, along with the other suggestions for modifying husbandry and routine (substrate, regular baths, live feeders, etc). With an impaction, things don't always work out this "smoothly." Best to do what he can to prevent any future happenings.

Thank you very much for the update.

The best,
Em