Little bit of blood in poo...help

[Nikki1292]

My beardie Gizmo is about full grown and I noticed two days ago that his poo had a few spots of blood, nothing major but concerning. I kept an eye on him and he went today and his poo had spots of blood in it again, not a lot but still...

His appetite has not changed at all and he eats his crickets and salads perfectly well. He is on sand BUT he gets fed outside the tank so he does not accidentally eat any of the sand. I've had him on sand for over a year and this is the first time I have ever noticed blood.

I plan on taking him to the vet but I was wondering just how serious this may be? What might be causing there to be blood in his poo???

 

[jeritta]

giving a bump hope you get some answers

 

[Jiffy]

Have you fed him any red foods lately? Sometimes what looks like blood in the poo may be a bit of strawberry or raspberry or something.

 

[Nikki1292]

No, he doesn't eat anything red.

 

[Deemac6]

Even if you don't feed him on the sand you should know all beardies lick things, everything, its possible he did and this could be the cause. I have sand but only in a bin on the side of her tank, she never uses it, and its mostly there incase she get gravid so I have a forwarning. I can see the sand being the cause of this. Sand has sharp edges if he ingested it enough I can see it causing something like this. Hope the vet can answer your questions, as for sand I recommend getting him off of it.

 

[beardie parents]

Have you had a fecal done? I've heard that if you beardie has hookworms that can cause blood in their stools. Of course, it could be something else if you don't feed them anything red, such as strawberries. It could be time for a vet visit.

 

[Nikki1292]

I have his vet appointment set up for next Wed. He went in the tank again but this time I saw that the blood was MUCH less. Though that makes me feel a bit better, he's still going to the vet. As for the sand...he has been on sand for a long time and I have not had any problems with it so far. I did just change from giving him crickets from a local petstore to crickets from another where they are cheaper. It might be possible that he got a parasite from the new crickets. Unless my vet tells me otherwise, I plan to keep him on the sand. That is just my opinion on the sand matter. He gets a bath every four to five days and goes poo in the tub every time. Tonight is bath night so hopefully he will "go" again.

And on another note, this one more personal, I understand that sand can be a touchy subject but all I ask is that no one gives me a hard time about it. Not saying anyone has, but I've had arguments with people I know who have their beardies or other reptile on something else. My beardie Gizmo is like my baby, my kid. If I thought for one second that the sand was killing him or something I would take him off it in a second. I'll wait to make a decision about the sand after the vet visit.

 

[beardie parents]

All I know about sand is if he's a licker, you will have a possible impaction problem. Don't use calcisand regardless as, if he's not a licker, it will stain him the color of the sand. I have read what fresnowitte (Zak-n-Wheezie's mom) said about her beardies after she stopped using sand. She said she hasn't had any parasite issues with her beardies since she's stopped using sand.
I'm not ragging on you about your use of sand. Some people have used sand and not had any problems, especially if they poop outside of their tanks.

I'm sorry for not checking up on this thread sooner, I've been busy, but I'm wondering what the vet said when you took him in.