Help!!!! my beardie constipated how do i help him go

[mypetdino]

Hi My name MJ my beardie is about 18 months and i have a few questions, first... How much should a beardie his age eat as far crickets and super worms? i was told feeding him everyday at his age is too much and i should feed him every second day? I tried look on the internet to find answers but everybody does it differently. Also i was gone for few days and my roomate forgot to give him veggies and fruits .Could this be why he cant go to bathroomm. His tummy not hard its soft and he is still active and eating, im just wondering if there is anything i can give him to help him got to batroom. Been two days since hes went and today he had calcium come out but no poop so im a little worried

 

[Luthien]

Hi MJ, first off don't panic Your beardie is just a little constipated for some reason and if caught soon enough can be treated easily. I need to ask what kind of substrate do you have him on? None of the things you've mentioned should make him constipated but having him on sand will. So in case you do have him on sand get him on a hard substrate ASAP, tiles, reptile carpet, newspaper, shelf liner, paper towel will all work.

Now for "unblocking" your beardie. Give him a nice warm bath! That's all there is to it. Fill up your bathtub or sink, if this is his first bath I suggest the sink, till the water reaches your beardies knees. Make sure the water is warm but not to hot! While he's in the water gently massages his lower belly and the base of the tail on his back at the same time till he goes to the bathroom. Water seems to help beardies go easier. After the bath make sure to towel dry him off and put him back under his lights so he can stay warm.

 

[Rukii]

I agree with everything Luthien said about the warm baths and change of substrate if your beardie is on sand. I could also recommend giving him some plain canned pureed pumpkin or plain baby food mixed with a few drops of olive oil, that should help loosen things up.

As for feeding, I would recommend a softer worm for a staple rather than superworms. The exoskeleton on supers and mealworms could help cause the constipation. Reptiworms/calciworms/Phoenix Worms, silkworms, etc would be a better and all around healthier alternative. Crickets, when gut-loaded and dusted are also a good staple.

Be sure to update us on your beardie

 

[mypetdino]

Thank you sooo much, we are changing his substrate to tiles He did finally go last night after two baths. I felt so bad for the little guy. Im going be changing his worms. How many shoulf he eat. I was told feeding him up to 7 large crickets and 4 Worms every two days. Is that enough? or too much?

 

[Luthien]

Make sure not to feed him anything larger then the space between his eyes. Anything bigger then that space will be hard for him to digest. It doesn't really matter what kind of protein you feed him on which days just give him some and leave it in his tank for 10-15 minutes, what he eats he eats and what he doesn't take out. He knows how much he needs to eat to fill his belly, just let him do it.

 

[mypetdino]

well Dino did go but just one day now been two days again and today all that came out was the white calcium but nothing followed after it except tiny spot and looked liquidy. Im getting fustrated and i do tend worry because my first one Zilla i got him through add and he was old and easy to take care of. I lost him not long ago. Dino was just baby when i got him. Hes almost two 22 months now and hes alot smaller in size compare to zilla. Do they still grow after 18 months? i was told he adult now but just started puberty at leazt that what i was told due to behavior and head nodding, and he been around my two cats since i got him home and he always like them until now...twice now ive taken him out and tried bully my cat lol kinda funny when i have a huge 20 some pnd cat. I find hes small but oudgy around arms and legs. Is there such a thing as a fat beardie?

Also what food can i give him to help him go? Is it pumkin filling? or baby food? i did make vet apoint but not till next week. Im just petrified to lose my lil guy due to something i could of prevented.

 

[mypetdino]

I read so many things and i make sure im properly taking carw of him. The only sand ive ever used been vitamin sand thats sooo fine it looks smaller then sugar. i have list of what veggies and fruits that best and which ones to avoid. temp perfect, am however having humidity issue. He does not drink out of his bowl. Im mist him manully with spray bottle at least 3 to 4 times a day,i bath him every second day except now because of stool problem i feed him ,give him 15 min of play time in my livingroom and i then bath him,ill rub his belly to try help him go. If he only eats proteine every sec day is he still going poop everyday?

 

[mypetdino]

i notice a typo, what i meant to say is we were using vitamin super fine sand now its tiles sorry for confusion. Also found the post above about pumkin and little olive oil..

 

[munchkins9802]

Sorry to burst your bubble, but the vita-sand is NOT good for him-one of the number one causes of impaction (besides mealworms). Unfortunately some books and MOSt petsmarts do not realize that just because it says safe for dragons to eat does not mean that is TRUE,
Please follow earlier advice--you can do paper towels or newspapers for now if money is an issue
What type of UVB bulb does the one have? (Brand name, type-compact, coil tube?)
EXACT Temps of basking SURFACE, hot side, cool side--how is temperatures taken
at 18 mos I beleive they can have 5-10 protein feeders 5 days a week with calcium every other day (when they are younger they need it 5x a day. BUT their main diet is to be veggies and fruit (beautifuldragon.org has a beautiful chart telling you what you do and don't need)Does he also get the vitamins a couple times a week?
How long is your dragon head to toe?
how often do you bath him?

The white part when he poos is not the calcium but his urates (pee).

I am sure there are more questions I forgot to ask but this should help us get started

 

[wilddanny88]

Take the waterbowl out and stop misting him-this is causing the humidity problem. Just give him a bath a few times a week and he should be fine. Also do take out the sand and replace it with tile.

 

[mypetdino]

I would like to thank everyone for the help and advice. dino back on track so he seem. I did change substrates, has pooped twice today I took away super worms pickk up silk hornes and crickets. Everything seems ok for now... Now that i know what to feed him and not i can relax a little. You guys are life savers for new beginners like me. Im used to snakes but this lil lizzard that i fell in love with has really had me baffle lol... I will measure him because his size baffles me for his age.

This site is the best ive ever found and once again thank you for all the help. I will let you know what the vet says on Monday

 

[Esther19]

Good to hear that he has improved. Please remember to give us the vet's report. We'll be anxious to hear what he says.

 

[mistygirl]

I find it just mystifying that pet stores even sell beardies with sand!!! Beardies are always touching everything in their viv with their tongues. Glad you have your baby off the sand. My beardie likes butterworms and silkworms and hornworms too. Give her waxworms every so often as a treat but they are kind of fatty and not the best worm for a steady diet. It is more like giving them a treat every so often. SHE LOVES THEM though. Eats them extremely fast and looks for more. She is so funny. a 10.0 repti sun works best for me. Keep us posted on your baby's progress. Hope all goes well at vet.