I don't know what's wrong. :(

[traceyb73]

I have a 12 week old, have had her for 3 weeks. The last couple of days she isn't pooping normally. Sunday and yesterday she would poop normally early in the day, then urates with mucus looking light brown fluid and will leave a water spot around it about the size of a half dollar (we have newspaper then paper towels in her viv. Today she didn't poop at all until almost 4 PM and its only this urate/mucus mix. It does seem like she is straining. Not sure if it matters but she did move out of her smaller viv to a 40 gal. on Sunday, even though it stated right before we moved her. I can post a pic of this mix that comes out of her if you really want to see it. I don't have applesauce n hand, so I took 2 small slices of an apple, cut it up real fine is it's like applesauce but she hasn't touched it. I tried to put some on her mouth just so she could get a taste of it, but she won't go to her dish. I feed her twice a day (crickets), sometimes she will eat over 60 a day, this morning she only had 5 and I had to really make them dance to get her attention as she wasn't really interested. Greens are the same as they have been for 3 weeks. Mainly dandelion greens, some kale mixed in. UV is a reptisun 10.0 (new), basking spot gets around 102-104. And idea what can be wrong? Oh, and she did have a fecal done through the breeder and everything was normal. She does get a soak every night but will NOT poop in the bath. Do you think an apple/oil mix should be pushed? It is almost time for her second feeding so I wil post as to how that goes. This just isn't normal. When she does poop normally, it smells normal. When it's this mix, it smells almost like anal glands on a dog. She has been drinking quite a bit when I put water on her mouth and I know the soaks help, but I am starting to wonder if it's enough.

Please help me!

 

[Loganator]

Horrid smell, especially if that's normal, can indicate parasites or some other issue. I'd get a new fecal done. In the meantime, try some canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling) or squash baby food with a little mineral oil mixed in. You get pick up a needleless syringe or liquid medicine dropper from the pharmacy (usually given with kids liquid meds) and feed it that way. But the bad smell could mean a vet trip to get a fecal done. I think someone on here was doing fecals fairly inexpensively.

 

[AHBD]

Well, she is going to go through a certain amount of relocation stress even though she didn't leave your house, she is in a new tank and this may be causing the problems. See what happens in a few days, she'll probably be fine.

 

[Loganator]

But she said this started BEFORE moving her to the new tank.

 

[AHBD]

Yes, I know she said it started right before, but every dragon can have an odd poo or two. It's just the way they are. But if you add her being in a new tank, that could cause stress and an upset tummy or spike in otherwise low parasite level. You may be right about parasites,though, but waiting a few days may see a difference as she settles down.

 

[BeardieMommy3991]

Looks like the verdict is to wait a few days. If she is still having really wet/smelly poop, then it is probably parasites. It only takes 1 feeder cricket/roach/worm with parasites. Xp

 

[traceyb73]

*Edit - I posted this BEFORE I noticed anyone responded...didn't mean for it to sound snippy.

Ok, first of all, she didn't eat. I couldn't get her to drink and she "pooped" on me but it was only white (urates). I put her in the smaller cage to feed her and instead of eating the crickets, she just glass danced. It's the same cage she used to be in and she never danced like this. Hindsight, I can see how that would be confusing for her... She is even acting different. I am guessing if she doesn't eat by tonight I should force something? One thing I completely forgot about was my daughter getting her crickets on Sat (the day before this started) and she got big ones. Before I could stop the kid, Zoey at 2. they were really big and she seemed to have a tough time with the second one. It was almost as if she didn't swallow it all the way for a few seconds...she was kind of smacking her gums. She has had a few good poops since then, but this not pooping at all is really scaring me.

 

[BeardieMommy3991]

Could it be a possible impaction? The crickets couldv'e made her poop hard to pass. I would give her tons of water and baths. Maybe also some oil and applesauce? Just to help clear her system.

 

[traceyb73]

Yes, I know she said it started right before, but every dragon can have an odd poo or two. It's just the way they are. But if you add her being in a new tank, that could cause stress and an upset tummy or spike in otherwise low parasite level. You may be right about parasites,though, but waiting a few days may see a difference as she settles down.

We are at about 6 or 7 now. Not just 1 or 2. When she poops and it's normal, it smells like poop. When its this runny mucus stuff, it smells like anal glands on a dog. If you don't know the smell, it's not too far off from a skunk...different, but very strong.

I knew there would be relocation stress, and I'm sure that's why she stayed in one little area with the things she is familiar with. I expected that. Plus she is so close to a shed that I feel like I should be itchy. As long as no one thinks this pooping thing is dire, it puts my mind at ease a bit. It's just heartbreaking to see her not feeling good.

As far as those crickets, as soon as I saw what she was feeding her I started massaging her belly, gave her a nice warm bath after she basked for a while and she has had at least 2 good poops since then. I just hope that one of them didnt somehow still manage to block her up. I'm going to try to apple/oil combo.

 

[BeardieMommy3991]

In my personal opinion, I still think she has parasites. If you say it smells like anal glands, I don't think just stress could cause that O.O especially if it's been happening multiple time.

 

[traceyb73]

Someone on here does fecals? I mean I send a sample and they check it? Would probably be much cheaper than a vet visit!! What do I need to give her to get rid of parasites though? Would I still need to see a vet for meds? And what do I do about the (enter 4 letter word here) crickets? How do I keep this from happening again? Ugh...I think I need a drink. lol

 

[BeardieMommy3991]

There are usually meds needed to get rid of them. Not sure if anyone on here does fecals- Tracie /might/. But if you do have to get a fecal from the vet, I know that tracie sells meds for it, and can help you dose them. (drache613)

 

[AHBD]

Oh, O.K., so the large crix can cause all that distress, so there's a real possibility that that's the problem, or at least part of the problem. It's always dangerous to feed a too large cricket, that is probably why she doesn't want to eat. So yes, a bit of veg oil and/or applesauce/canned pumpkin to help clear things out.

 

[traceyb73]

Oh, O.K., so the large crix can cause all that distress, so there's a real possibility that that's the problem, or at least part of the problem. It's always dangerous to feed a too large cricket, that is probably why she doesn't want to eat. So yes, a bit of veg oil and/or applesauce/canned pumpkin to help clear things out.

I freaked out when i saw the kid feeding her that! But those 2 crickets made me nervous, that's why I did the massage and barely slept until she pooped. Like i said, she did have 2 (may have been 3) good ones after, but before this started. (Not being sarcastic) after pooping twice do you think those crickets could still be the problem?

 

[AHBD]

The good thing is that it doesn't affect larger babies as severely as small babies. Just give her some time to see how she does. She's been healthy since you got her, so whenever they act differently, like this, you always firstly look at what changed. The fact that she had large crix is definitely a factor. I don't thnk she's in danger, just upset tummy and passing unusual stools. If she DOES have parasites, it wouldn't necessarily cause immediate loss of appetite, unless the batch of crix were unusually heavily loaded with them , but it's probably that they were too large. Could be a combination of both. Hopefully she'll bounce back in a day or two. She's been healthy all along, so she'll get through anything better than an unhealthy dragon. They are tough critters !