Let's Talk About Poop

[brettagostini]

So I'm new to Beardie's. Here's the question.

What is "normal" for poop? How often, appearance, consistency, etc. And does it also reek to high heaven??

On a related note, the strong musky odor in the tank... is that normal, or a sign of something?

Thanks.

 

[021414]

I think a lot of the answers to your questions will be based on how old your beardie is and what s/he eats. Normally, the poops should be solid and have a white clump at the end (uric acid). If your bearded primarily eats veggies the poop will probably have a green tint to it. Otherwise, if the diet is mostly protein, a dark brown poop would be normal. If there is a lot of liquid with the poop then get a fecal flotation test done at the vet (most will do this without the office visit fee). The smell is subjective, but if its really bad and makes you feel like vomiting, do a fecal float. If you could provide us with a bit more information we may be able to answer your questions a bit better. For example, age/sex of beardie, enclosure specs, lighting, temperatures, diet, etc.

Hope this helps!

 

[SkeptiBee]

I also think the smell is a subjective thing. Some people might be more sensitive to the odor but I don't think it smells any more or less foul than when my cats poop in their litter pans. The reptiles just smells more veggie due to his diet.

 

[brettagostini]

I just got these guys from a co-worker. They are ten years old but VERY small. I still don't have adequate lighting or heat, but am working on it.

I was told "just come pick it up... we have the whole set up! Everything you need. You won't have to buy anything!" But once I got there I FOUND deplorable conditions, malnourished dragons, and a completely inadequate setup. I am getting them set up correctly as fast as my checkbook will allow.

The poop looks as described. They seem to be regular, but... slimey? For lack of a better word. The odor, however, is NOT subjective.... this stuff is horrendous. However I believe they have been living soley on "beardie pellets" for years. Little or no vegetation or crickets. So, I've begun feeding greens and crickets and am hoping this will clean them out a little.

Here's another question on a tangent.... what's with the "wet spot." When they move, they frequently leave a wet spot on the tile. This doesn't look like urine... more like sweat from their underside. Is this normal?

I hate people who get pets before doing their research, but I was supposedly getting a complete setup from an "expert." Now I'm in catchup mode.

 

[021414]

I completely understand your frustration. At this point, I would keep on the track you're on (correct lighting, temps, diet, etc.). what is the current set up, I won't judge because I understand the position you're in. Can you post pictures of them and give their length? As for the wet spot, does it smell bad? It could be a bit of clear diarrhea, perhaps? I can link you to some products that are less expensive than pet store items if you'd like?

 

[DragonCleopatra]

referring to the "wet spot"... I was just reading a book "277 secrets your snake and lizard wants you to know", which says
"According to Herp Help by Lenny Flank Jr., male lizards have large pores on the inside of their thighs, which secrete a waxy substance that helps the male grip the female during mating."
that might be the cause.

 

[Esther19]

Proper temps and UVB are essential. You can use a regular, clear household bulb for heat/basking. For their age, try around 100 for basking. 95 is the absolute minimum for digestion. We recommend the ReptiSUN 10 TUBE bulb for UVB. (Not ReptiGlo)
Mount the fixture in the tank using command hooks, or the like. Remove any plastic cover from the fixture. Here is lighting info:http://www.beardeddragon.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=148006

Give them baths daily and offer water orally via syringe or dropper. They might drink in the bath. They are probably dehydrated.

Go easy on the crickets/superworms at first. Too much protein too soon can cause organ issues. No mealworms, as they have little nutritive value and can cause impaction. Here is a link to proper foods for beardies: http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html

Any type of loose substrate is not recommended. Instead, newspaper, paper towels, tile, or non-adhesive shelf liner work well.

If their poopers smell really bad, it could be a sign of parasites. Give them a chance to settle in , then in a few weeks, take stool samples in for testing if you can.

I hope this isn't too much info. It's too bad that you were taken by surprise by the improper set-up. They are very lucky to have had you adopt them. Please keep us posted on their progress.

 

[brettagostini]

I've ordered a 24" undercabinet light and a Reptisun 10.0 24" bulb. I've also ordered the Acurite thermometer. Once I've gotten those in place, I'll have a better read on the temperature.

I really, really hope the smell subsides. It is overpowering!

I have a few other questions, but they are off this topic, so I'll start a new thread with those.

Thanks so much for all the input!!!!

 

[DragonCleopatra]

I'm not sure if this will help or not but when I got mine I had to wash all the decorations and everything in very hot water. I figured they absorbed the smell just like walls and curtains do when people smoke. I have read somewhere that it helps when they shed. But that is only if they have been living in a stinky cage. Yours more sounds like the actual poo stinks.

 

[fancybearded]

Sorry to cut in w a question. ..why take the plastic cover off the light fixture?

 

[snazzyglasses]

Sorry to cut in w a question. ..why take the plastic cover off the light fixture?

Plastic (even clear plastic like the "lens" that comes on a lot of T8 fixtures) blocks out 100% of UVB rays.
Glass blocks all UVB as well, and screen filters out anywhere from 30-80% of the UVB rays depending on the size of the mesh.

 

[fancybearded]

Awesome just removed it from mine.

 

[Goonie]

[Moved from General to Health]

 

[brettagostini]

OK, I've had the UV bulb, a CHE, and a basking light in place for about 1 week. Average day time temp is around 110. Night time in the cool end is about 67-70.

Feeding dandelion greens or escarole daily. Occasional kale or chard. Crickets once a week.

Both dragons still have extremely loose watery stools. Part brown watery, part completely clear watery. Followed by watery uric acid. Makes it very gross and necessitates very frequent cleanings of both tank and beasts.

Hypothesis: (based on absolutely no facts or experience whatsoever) I am watering them too much?? I spray them two to three times per day. I also soak down their greens at feeding time. Every other day they get a bath. (Because the are getting poop all over them.) I spoke to the woman I got them from and she said she only misted them one time, heavily, about three times per week, and that their stools were always firm and formed. (However, she only fed them two or three times a week also.) How much watering is too much?

Is there another variable that I am missing? I don't think it's parasites, because the problem only appeared when I began caring for them. Is there some other variable I am missing? They are very active, have good appetites, and besides the intestinal issues seem fine.

Thanks!!!!

 

[021414]

I found that kale gave my beardie diarrhea, now I'm not sure that this is the case with you, but I wouldn't rule it out. I have experimented with a lot of different diet combinations, and here's what I would try:

Daily:
Dandelion greens and Collard greens
Yellow summer squash and/or Spaghetti squash

Twice a week in sparing quantities:
Carrot
Parsnip
Yam

This combination has produced the most manageable stools even when my Beardie had a bacterial overgrowth in her intestines (just got that treated with Albon).

Honestly, I wouldn't believe everything that the woman you got them from says if they were in such bad shape to begin with. In terms of the over-hydration, it's possible but if the smell is so bad its also possible that there is some kind of bacterial infection that they were both harboring. Since they were being fed so infrequently, the bacteria were in a state of static growth due to insufficient nutritional needs. Now that you are feeding them everyday, the slow growing colony may be experiencing exponential growth. I'm not sure that this is whats going on, but I wouldn't rule it out.

I bathe Kijuju about once per week, but I also keep a small amount of water in her enclosure because she likes to "swim in place." When she was still having issues with bacterial overgrowth I had to bathe her almost every day because she would run through her mess. My vet wasn't too concerned with this because he suspected something else was happening (which it was).