My Beardie isn’t digesting his crickets!

[Kiley]

(my friend is using my acc) I’m a first time beardie owner and I raised my beardie from a baby and he’s never had these issues. He’s almost a year old now. I fear it might be a stomach infection, the crickets just come out whole in a huge clump that’s wider than his tail, which concerns me. What should I do?

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Sorry your dragon is having some trouble. Can you review your tank setup with us, just to be
sure everything is good. Are those large, winged crickets? You could try maybe some smaller
ones, in case they might be a little too big for him.
Let us know what his basking temperatures are, his UVB lighting, supplementation & substrate
are.
How late in the day does he eat?

Tracie

 

[Kiley]

Normal temps 90-105, non-winged crickets, carpet substrate, right kind of UVB, and 20 gal bc he is about six months. Oh and he eats dinner from 6-8 pm

 

[EddyRancid]

When do you turn off the lights for the evening? From what I've read, dragons need at least 2 hours of heat/light to adequately digest their food, so if he's being fed right before bedtime that could be the issue?

Also, is that a live cricket next to the feces? Hard to tell as I'm on my phone- if there are a number of feeders loose in the tank it could lead to stress, which I'd imagine could cause digestive issues, or if crickets eat the feces, could result in a very unfortunate sort of "gut loading"

 

[Kiley]

I turn it off around 10 so he has time to bask, sometimes earlier. its not, all the crickets in the photo are dead and clumped in a ball. That one you see he pooped out.

 

[MapleDeer]

You sure that is feces? It looks like vomit to me.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

What type of thermometer are you using to measure the temperatures?
Be sure he has some heating right after he eats, for a couple of hours to help him with digesting.
How is he doing today? You could get some probiotics to try & help out his tummy, in case he is
having some GI tract problems. Have you considered getting a fecal done on him?

Tracie

 

[Kiley]

I have considered it but im low on funds, and I can't afford expensive meds. Im using a thermometer that came with a cage package (looks like the petco circle therm.) so we could save money, It seems to work well.

 

[kingofnobbys]

I have considered it but im low on funds, and I can't afford expensive meds. Im using a thermometer that came with a cage package (looks like the petco circle therm.) so we could save money, It seems to work well.

I'd invest in a few of these or similar https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Aquarium-LCD-Electronic-Digital-Thermometer-Fish-Tank-Water-Detector-Practica-BU/252762165947?_trksid=p2385738.c100677.m4598&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20160908110712%26meid%3D6ac464a2a1b24339be32c744b2ff5cf9%26pid%3D100677%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D15%26sd%3D201577608563
3 of these in his tank , one fastened to the basking spot , one in the air in his warm zone and the other in the air in his cool zone .
I am betting the tank temperatures are way out and the tank is not the temperature you think it is , those kit thermometers are rubbish as they are highly inaccurate and unreliable.

What time are the lights and heat turned on and off each day ?
When do you give the dragon it's two feeds per day of LIVE insects ? and of greens/salad ?
What is the diet you have him on ?

At 1 year old he should still be getting AT LEAST ONE FEED of LIVE insects of suitable size per day , I'd have him on 2 feeds of live insects per day.
NO DEHYDRATED INSECTS !!!

No crickets bigger than 1/3 - 2/3 size for a yearling. If the crickets are longer than the gap between is eyes they are too big.

If the viv is too cool , the dragon can not digest it's food PERIOD. I'm hoping for your dragons sake this is just a temperature or too short a photoperiod period (not enough basking time) issue. These are EASY REMEDIED.

It needs to be warm when fed and have at least 2 hrs of basking time (35 - 40 degC) to digest it's else the food will simply rot in it's gut and make it sick.

How old is the UV globe or tube and exactly what is it (Brand, wattage, type = compact coil, tube (T8 or T5ho) or globe) , what is it's UVB rating in %UVB , how is it mounted and where (how far from the basking spot and ontop a mesh lid ?

I think your dragon have an intestinal blockage (this is very common when given superworms or mealworms or dehydrated insects) and needs to urgently to be assessed by a reptile vet, this is very important.
Treating the issue now is going to be a LOT cheaper than letting your dragon's condition deteriorate and become a very critical issue with a longer more expensive treatment becoming necessary.

 

[Kiley]

I think it was the dehydrated crickets, i ran out of the water crystals both times this happend