Alright, I wasn't home for a few days and now I come back to my baby having very runny poops. What could be the cause of this? My friend is having the same problem in his adult dragon (though he's crazy and thinks he's an expert but is wrong. We've been sneaking her the right foods)
New! Please help!
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PodunkKhaleesi
Hatchling Member
Runny stool in beardies can fall into several categories:
1. Dietary. Foods with a high water content (butternut squash, hornworms, fruit) can cause runnier bowel movements.one of my beardies would eat nothing but butternut squash and hornworms if I let her, and while these are very healthy foods for a beardie they need to be balanced with leafy greens and other feeder insects to avoid diarrhea.
2. Stress. You said you were moving. Did this take place over the past few days? If so there may be a little relocation stress still going on.
3. Environment. The basking and cool side temps are exactly what they need to be (and are being measured with a temp gun), correct? And the Reptisun UV light is up and running?
4. Parasites. Coccidia and pinworms are some of the more common parasites that can cause runny stool, but there are usually other symptoms present when this is the case (no appetite, not basking, the bowel movements have a much stronger stench). Because it sounds like your beardie is otherwise eating well and basking normally, I don’t think it’s likely parasites that are the culprit.
Relocation stress or a temporary upset tummy sound like the most likely cause. We can go over what your beardie’s eaten in the last 48 hours to see if there’s a clear dietary link. You can drip water on the baby’s nose to see if she’ll lap it up (with true diarrhea dehydration can be an issue). If this hasn’t been going on for very long and the behavior and appetite are normal, this may just be a temporary blip.
1. Dietary. Foods with a high water content (butternut squash, hornworms, fruit) can cause runnier bowel movements.one of my beardies would eat nothing but butternut squash and hornworms if I let her, and while these are very healthy foods for a beardie they need to be balanced with leafy greens and other feeder insects to avoid diarrhea.
2. Stress. You said you were moving. Did this take place over the past few days? If so there may be a little relocation stress still going on.
3. Environment. The basking and cool side temps are exactly what they need to be (and are being measured with a temp gun), correct? And the Reptisun UV light is up and running?
4. Parasites. Coccidia and pinworms are some of the more common parasites that can cause runny stool, but there are usually other symptoms present when this is the case (no appetite, not basking, the bowel movements have a much stronger stench). Because it sounds like your beardie is otherwise eating well and basking normally, I don’t think it’s likely parasites that are the culprit.
Relocation stress or a temporary upset tummy sound like the most likely cause. We can go over what your beardie’s eaten in the last 48 hours to see if there’s a clear dietary link. You can drip water on the baby’s nose to see if she’ll lap it up (with true diarrhea dehydration can be an issue). If this hasn’t been going on for very long and the behavior and appetite are normal, this may just be a temporary blip.
His stool is normal today, thank God. But I'm worried about my friend's beardie. She was out and about when she had diarrhea on him. It smelled really bad. I don't know how long she's been having it, but I do know he only feeds her mealworm. His mom and I have been sneaking her salad, but I'm worried
PodunkKhaleesi
Hatchling Member
Your friend’s beardie gets no salad and is fed only mealworms? That’s as bad as it gets from a dietary standpoint. For the sake of that animal I’d encourage you to share either a link to the nutrition info on this website or print out the Beautiful Dragons nutrition chart. Mealworms are incredibly tough on a beardie’s digestive system and have little nutritional value, which is why they’ve long been considered a feeder insect to avoid for beardies. Unfortunately, because they’re incredibly cheap and have a high resale value, many pet stores will happily buy them in bulk to sell customers, claiming they’re fine to feed bearded dragons (even babies). I met a former Petco employee that said a large amount of their baby bearded dragons had impaction issues from the mealworms her manager ordered her to feed them, and it was common to lose several in a group by the end of the week. There are so many insects that are not only safe but have the vital nutrition beardies need, so I don’t understand why anyone would want to feed a bearded dragon a steady diet of mealworms. And vegetation is vital (it’s supposed to make up 70-80% of an adult bearded dragon’s diet, but babies that develop a love of their greens have a much easier time transitioning to an adult diet). Basically, you can ask your friend, “If you had a child, would you feed it nothing but french fries?” Hopefully the answer is no. But at this point you can tell your friend that feeding a bearded dragon nothing but mealworms is the equivalent of feeding a child nothing but french fries and expecting them to have any kind of long and healthy life. And if your friend is wondering why her beardie’s bowel movements are so horrifying, it’s because of what she’s been feeding him. Unlike your situation, which was temporary and can be perfectly normal from time to time, her beardie’s bowel issues are the result of a digestive system struggling to cope with a barrage of high fat, hard to digest protein (and no veggies to add fiber/hydration to help balance things out). Just as you’ve learned a lot of information about beardies and their needs recently, you can share this information with your friend and help him make better decisions when it comes to his pet’s health. I hope for that beardie’s sake that he’s motivated to do what’s best the animal. And given what you now know, if there are any other issues (unknown temperatures, improper UV lighting) maybe you can help him rectify those. Maybe you can be this beardie’s fairy godmother. 
I’m really glad Marbles is doing better. Runny bowel movements can happen from time to time, and while they’re not exactly pleasant to deal with, they usually aren’t cause for alarm.
I’m really glad Marbles is doing better. Runny bowel movements can happen from time to time, and while they’re not exactly pleasant to deal with, they usually aren’t cause for alarm.Well the main problem is that he's had beardies before and thus thinks he's an expert. Doesn't help that he's literally crazy. He's got her in sand, with 2 lights he keeps on at all times, not the uv light you told me to get, no temperature gun.. it's a mess. It doesn't help that she's a rescue and the setup he has is what she was in when he got her. I don't really know how to rectify the situation, as every time I offer to show him this site, he refuses
PodunkKhaleesi
Hatchling Member
Wow, that’s really heartbreaking. I don’t know how he can claim he “rescued” that animal when he refuses to provide it with the bare minimum requirements a bearded dragon needs to be healthy. It’s mind blowing that he doesn’t care whether the temperature of his tank is forcing that reptile to fight for its life every day in a desperate attempt to thermoregulate and process all those high chitin mealworms he insists on feeding it (and I’ll go out on a limb, based on his willful negligence, and assume he grabbed a random cheap compact light off a shelf and that the beardie is getting virtually no UV). Reptiles in these sad situations tend to have short and miserable lives. The fact that he doesn’t want to learn anything about the needs of the animal whose health is in his hands is very disturbing. There’s a wealth of information on these animals, and if he doesn’t want to know any of it and can sleep soundly never wondering whether his animal is deathly hot or sick to its stomach because it’s too cold to have normal metabolic functions then he can never call this pet a “rescue.” This animal needs rescuing from him.
He keeps her in the exact conditions he took her from. What made her a "rescue" was the fact that the owners boyfriend was abusing her, so she sold her. He doesn't even seem to care about her anymore, having tried to sell her, and when asked who would take care of her this week while they're out of town, he just shrugged. Normally he's a very smart caring guy, but lately he's fallen into what I think is a very deep depression. I am worried for both of them. In other news, Marbles has developed an orange color behind his ears. It's very pretty, but I just wanted to make sure it is normal.
It might take time. Try just short trips outside at first. He may prefer an enclosed space like a playpen with a zippable top to protect from predators but will still allow sunlight through. Try just holding him on your lap to get some sun while you're outside and not putting him on his own. If he acts stressed, bring him back in.
PodunkKhaleesi
Hatchling Member
Sometimes a new environment can be overwhelming, and if this was his first glimpse of the outdoors then it’s understandable if he was a bit on guard/nervous. He may have spotted a bird or another animal that frightened him, or he simply might have been overwhelmed by all the unfamiliar sounds and sights. Over time, as the environment outside becomes familiar, he should relax. As beardies mature they become a lot more easygoing and adaptable. My last baby was initially a neurotic mess whenever she was introduced to anything unfamiliar (a new room to explore, a new person, etc.). Now she’s quite the adventurer and she loves exploring new terrain or lounging outside on my lap when the circumstances allow. CooperDragon’s playpen suggestion can also help a skittish beardie enjoy some outdoor time while eliminating the fear that she’ll bolt/get lost. Just remember to always supervise any outdoor time. Hawks, snakes, coyotes, and cats will look at your beardie as a culinary offering, so depending on where you live, just make sure it’s secure from predators.
As for the coloring, even the normal/typical beardies found in pet stores can have little splashes of red, yellow, or orange in their coloration, so it sounds like Marbles just has a sassier pattern than his cohorts.
Maybe your friend would consider surrendering the beardie to a reptile rescue? He clearly doesn’t care about the animal’s well-being, and if it’s to the point where the beardie starves when he goes on vacation, then I don’t know why he’d insist on keeping this animal. Very few people are going to look at his setup/the way he cares for that animal and offer to buy it, for fear that they’re investing in an unhealthy pet with a questionable outcome. At least a reptile rescue can rehabilitate the beardie, give him proper UV lighting and the nutrition he needs, making adoption possible. It’s a really sad situation and I hope he can find it in himself to do what’s best for the animal if he has no intention of ever giving it the care it needs.
So otherwise Marbles seems to be doing well? Is he still a voracious little eater? Also, you can always post some recent photos of Marbles and his new digs if you want some feedback on his coloration or his current setup.
As for the coloring, even the normal/typical beardies found in pet stores can have little splashes of red, yellow, or orange in their coloration, so it sounds like Marbles just has a sassier pattern than his cohorts.
Maybe your friend would consider surrendering the beardie to a reptile rescue? He clearly doesn’t care about the animal’s well-being, and if it’s to the point where the beardie starves when he goes on vacation, then I don’t know why he’d insist on keeping this animal. Very few people are going to look at his setup/the way he cares for that animal and offer to buy it, for fear that they’re investing in an unhealthy pet with a questionable outcome. At least a reptile rescue can rehabilitate the beardie, give him proper UV lighting and the nutrition he needs, making adoption possible. It’s a really sad situation and I hope he can find it in himself to do what’s best for the animal if he has no intention of ever giving it the care it needs.
So otherwise Marbles seems to be doing well? Is he still a voracious little eater?
Also, you can always post some recent photos of Marbles and his new digs if you want some feedback on his coloration or his current setup.PodunkKhaleesi
Hatchling Member
That’s great. Shedding = growing. Their bowel movements can fluctuate from time to time, just like with people. You mentioned a new addition to his diet, so it may take him a little while to adjust. As long as the runny bowel movements aren’t a long-term occurrence and aren’t accompanied by worrisome symptoms (no appetite, the beardie stops basking, etc.) then it’s not a cause for concern.
The supplements are really important and will contribute to healthy growth/strong bones so with your new UV light, your temp gun, and a good calcium and multivitamin powder, you now have the most important elements to raising a happy and healthy beardie covered. Kudos to getting all of that taken care of during a financial situation that sounded pretty rough. Your supplements should last a long time, particularly if you don’t make the mistake a lot of newbies make: dousing feeder insects with so much calcium that they look like walking powdered donuts. You just need a very light dusting.
One thing I wish I’d done with my first beardie but have done with subsequent beardies is to measure their growth each month. It’s fun to see how quickly they grow. Take a picture of Marbles lined up with some measuring tape this week, and a year from now you can take the same photo for a fun contrast.
Really glad to hear he’s doing so well. Now you can relax and watch your tiny little twerp rapidly grow into a mini Godzilla.
Their bowel movements can fluctuate from time to time, just like with people. You mentioned a new addition to his diet, so it may take him a little while to adjust. As long as the runny bowel movements aren’t a long-term occurrence and aren’t accompanied by worrisome symptoms (no appetite, the beardie stops basking, etc.) then it’s not a cause for concern. The supplements are really important and will contribute to healthy growth/strong bones so with your new UV light, your temp gun, and a good calcium and multivitamin powder, you now have the most important elements to raising a happy and healthy beardie covered. Kudos to getting all of that taken care of during a financial situation that sounded pretty rough. Your supplements should last a long time, particularly if you don’t make the mistake a lot of newbies make: dousing feeder insects with so much calcium that they look like walking powdered donuts. You just need a very light dusting.
One thing I wish I’d done with my first beardie but have done with subsequent beardies is to measure their growth each month. It’s fun to see how quickly they grow. Take a picture of Marbles lined up with some measuring tape this week, and a year from now you can take the same photo for a fun contrast.
Really glad to hear he’s doing so well. Now you can relax and watch your tiny little twerp rapidly grow into a mini Godzilla.
PodunkKhaleesi
Hatchling Member
You may want to get more specific, as that’s pretty broad. There are a lot of items beyond pet shop reptile decor that are safe. Example: some members find their own large branches and bake in the oven/sterilize them to kill any potential bacteria or parasites before placing in the terrarium. Anything in particular you were thinking about putting in the cage?
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