is this normal? (Pics included)

[stef0723]

sorry for the graphic pics, but i need some opinions. my 4yr old beardie that i just got yesterday pooped this out. it looks a little wierd and my other beardie has never pooped anything like this. there wasnt any liquid with it and the urate was kind of hard not mushy and it has those wierd little bumpy things attached. it smelled sort of bad too. its the first time i saw him go since i got him yesterday so i dont know if he always goes like this or what.

any help would be great, thanks!

 

[KairaandTaz08]

I've seen a lot of odd stools, but never one like that. What is he eating? It looks really hard and possibly like there is undigested food. Somebody else will come along with some better ideas. I wouldn't say it's "normal", but it doesn't look horrible (I'm not an expert, though).
Abi

 

[Ethelia]

Hi there,
The white is the uratus (solid pee) and is fine. The poop does look a little hard, although that may be because it dried in the heat before you took this picture?
Was the poop like this immediately or did you just find it this way?

 

[stef0723]

Hi there,
The white is the uratus (solid pee) and is fine. The poop does look a little hard, although that may be because it dried in the heat before you took this picture?
Was the poop like this immediately or did you just find it this way?

I found it like that. That was maybe 10 minutes after. It was pretty hard and looked a little undigested. I was concerned about the little bumpy things attached to it. any ideas what that would be?

I just got him saturday night from someone else. they said he was fed dandelion flowers, grapes, avocados, strawberrys, collards, mustard greens, and crickets.

 

[hannicharlophi]

OMG no avocados!!!!! Ahh theyre poisonous to beardies!!!! (Along with citrus fruits)

 

[KairaandTaz08]

What are the basking temps? It does look undigested, though. Too low of basking temps can cause this or other digestive problems (parasites are one).
Here's a good site for veggies & everything:
http://www.beautifuldragons.503xtreme.com/Nutrition.html
NO more avocados though, they are toxic to beardies. I'd hold off on the grapes and strawberries, too. They are good for treats, but not all of the time and not when he's having problems. I know you said you just got him, so what have you been giving him? The others are good, you could add squash, if you'd like. Mine LOVE butternut squash. It may help "replace" the grapes/strawberries he is used to.
Personally, for daily greens, I give mustard, turnip, and collard greens (switching every so often for variety) and butternut squash.
Are you dusting his crickets? Are they smaller than the space between his eyes?
Please look at that site, though. And PLEASE do not give him avocados anymore.
Abi

 

[stef0723]

his temps are between 95-100, checked with a digital thermometer. Before i got him the old owners didnt have his heat lamps for i dont know how long so i think that is why it was so undigested.

I defiantly have not given him avocados at all, i knew they were bad but his previous owners fed them all the time for the last 4 yrs. Right now he is eating baby food squash with a little bit of apple sauce because he cant really eat on his own all that great. i mix in a little repta-aid too. I did try feeding him a mix of turnip, collards, and mustard greens with a little squash because its what my other beardie loves, he is just having some trouble eating them. i do offer them just incase he wants to try and eat them.

I am not feeding him crickets right now cause they are to hard for him to catch.

 

[KairaandTaz08]

Oh, ok. So, there's a lot more going on? Why is he having trouble eating? MBD? (just a guess...jaw deformities?) Has he been to the vet? What about calcium for the poor guy?
You're doing a great thing. Sorry, I didn't know you had another beardie...I just tend to try to go over the basics.
Abi

 

[stef0723]

yes he has MBD, and his jaw is a little messed up. He can eat crickets he just struggles to catch them and takes a while for him. I am trying to get him to the vet this week. I know the damage is probably permanent and he will never be completely normal and healthy, im just trying to make everything a little easier for him. i am mixing some repta-cal with the pink label in with the baby food, i am also going to try and find the liquid calcium.

Sorry, I didn't know you had another beardie...I just tend to try to go over the basics.
Abi

Its no problem! I appreciate all the help!

 

[KairaandTaz08]

yes he has MBD, and his jaw is a little messed up. He can eat crickets he just struggles to catch them and takes a while for him. I am trying to get him to the vet this week. I know the damage is probably permanent and he will never be completely normal and healthy, im just trying to make everything a little easier for him. i am mixing some repta-cal with the pink label in with the baby food, i am also going to try and find the liquid calcium.

Sorry, I didn't know you had another beardie...I just tend to try to go over the basics.
Abi

Its no problem! I appreciate all the help!

First, I just have to say thank you for accepting my help and questions openly...sometimes I try to help and people just disregard anything I say or any advice I may try to suggest, like no mealworms :roll: (sorry venting a bit).
Anyways, it sounds like you're doing everything you can and a great job. Some of it is probably premanent, sadly, and he will need the extra attention you are giving him (which I think is terrific you are taking the extra time to get him what he needs!), but he maybe able to overcome some of those "deformities" from MBD, you never really know. The only thing I would say is (and you probably already know this, but I just have to check) that too much calcium can cause problems too, so just make sure you have the right amount of RepCal mixed with the baby food. I don't know the "correct" amount, though, I just know that I've had some people ask me how much to give them and when I don't know, they go by the bottle/container, which isn't always right for that beardie, with that problem, at that size.
I think you're doing a great thing for this poor guy and he is in much better care now.
Abi

 

[MelissaGray]

This may be helpful or not... My beardie has MBD and has a slight underbite. I put everything in a food processer till it is minced. That may help her be able to eat normal food after her jaw strengthens up. Also, if you wear the crickets out a bit, you can pick up the lil buggers with tweezers and feed them that way. I chase them around the tank til they are tired then grab them by the back legs. Mine snatches it from the tweezers. I've also heard you can pull the back legs off the crickets so they don't move as fast. It's a long road back from MBD, but it's worth it Good Luck!

 

[ArchiesFamily]

This may be helpful or not... My beardie has MBD and has a slight underbite. I put everything in a food processer till it is minced. That may help her be able to eat normal food after her jaw strengthens up. Also, if you wear the crickets out a bit, you can pick up the lil buggers with tweezers and feed them that way. I chase them around the tank til they are tired then grab them by the back legs. Mine snatches it from the tweezers. I've also heard you can pull the back legs off the crickets so they don't move as fast. It's a long road back from MBD, but it's worth it Good Luck!

Picking off one of the back legs does keep the crickets from hopping off. They can still move around, but they are lop-sided so aren't able to get far or escape a feeding bowl.

 

[KairaandTaz08]

I've also heard that putting them in the fridge/freezer for a little while (not til they die lol ) really slows them down and helps disabled beardies to be able to still eat live prey. Just another idea
Abi