Normal Poop

[Runsnoopy]

Slowly but surely I am getting my BD to where it needs to be. I tried doing some research but not able to find anything so hoping someone can help me with the questions.

When I first got the BD, he was pooping once a week, hard black and white). Then no poop at all for 2 1/2 weeks, so I made the following changes -- got rid of sand and replaced with tile, got rid of Zilla light and replaced with Reptisun 10, bought UVA light on one side (100 watts) and heat emitter on the other side(100 watts). I leave them all on for 12 hours each day and shut everything at night. The tank is 40g. Cool side is reading 80+/-, miidle is 91 and hot side is 93-95.

To clear out the blockage, I gave him organic baby applesauce and mineral oil and it cleared the system. Since all the changes, he's been eating 8 large crickets each day and eating veggies too. Appetite is good and poops everyday, twice yesterday but the poop is no longer hard and black but soft, not watery and brown. I also noticed some cricket remnants in the poop. Is all this normal or do I need to be concern? Thanks!

 

[Claudiusx]

How old is your dragon?

Undigest parts are often a sign that the basking temp is too cool.

You said the the middle is 90 and the hot side is 93-95.

Their are 3 places you should get your temps from, Cool side, hot side, and basking SURFACE.
How are you measuring your temps?

Do you know what your basking surface temp is?

-Brandon

 

[Runsnoopy]

He is about 7 months old. The temp is being measure with the dial type gauge on each side and a digital in the middle. Reptisun in the middle, UVA on left and heat emitter on right. No I do not know the temp for the basking surface. He actually had his mouth opened yesterday.

 

[Claudiusx]

Well you need to find out.

Temperature is not something you want to guess at. It is probably the single most important thing to a dragons health. Without sufficient heat they can't digest there food. With too much heat they won't bask long enough to digest there food.

Dial thermometers are horribly inaccurate. The can only measure the air around the glass you put it, and even then they can be off by as much as 20 degrees.
Your temps should read like this:

Cool side: 80
Hot side: 90ish
Basking surface: 100-105

And until you get either a digital thermometer with a probe, or a temp gun, you are really only guessing.

-Brandon

 

[Runsnoopy]

Is the basking side where the heat emitter aims?

 

[Claudiusx]

The basking side should be wherever you put the basking spot.

Why do you have a ceramic heat emitter on during the day? They usually are only used at night if the temps drop bellow 65 degrees.

The only lights you need during the day, is the basking bulb and the uvb bulb.

The basking bulb should be over the basking spot, where the dragon perches to bask. And the spot where the dragon basks should get to 100-105 degrees.

I can only imagine that it is much too hot in your tank with a basking bulb and a ceramic heat emitter. It really is important to get a digital thermometer with a probe.

-Brandon

 

[Runsnoopy]

Petco actually told me to leave the heat emmitter on 24 hours. The log where he bask in under the heat emitter. Even at night, the temp only goes down to 70 at the lowest. Looks like I need to place the UVA light under the basking spot.

 

[jirish617]

Petco actually told me to leave the heat emmitter on 24 hours. The log where he bask in under the heat emitter. Even at night, the temp only goes down to 70 at the lowest. Looks like I need to place the UVA light under the basking spot.

Many stores like Petco, Petsmart, all those places information is incorrect. Most of the time their dragons and other animals don't get the proper care they need. Your dragon should be basking under what your calling a UVA bulb, which is what many places label their basking bulbs. Essentially you can use a indoor flood lamp bulb, its ideally the same thing. As Brandon said above, it is extremely important that you use a digital thermometer WITH a probe and/or an infrared thermometer. Your CHE only needs to be on at night when your UVB/Basking bulb are not on. Even still you might not need one, not everyone does. The general rule of thumb is to keep the tank warmer than 65* F at night. I personally use a CHE even though my tank is 72*F w/o it, but I do it to bring the overall ambient temps up just a little bit. At 7 months old your beardie should be eating WAY MORE than 8 crickets a day. Lenny was eating 30-40 per sitting twice a day at 2 months old. Undigested crickets can be from a number of causes, like Brandon mentioned, possible not basking enough to digest(how much time do you allow for your beardie to bask after its last meal before the lights shut off?) Change in diet could cause it, as well as a number of any other things. Make sure your beardie is able to get within 6-8 inches of the UVB bulb as well. If your beardies poop is no longer 'hard' it could be parasites if it is runny and smelly. Overhydration can cause a more liquidy bowel movement as well. For example, if you ever feed watermelon OCCASIONALLY, you'll typically notice your beardies next BM will be extremely liquidy.

I would immediately go out and get the proper thermometers, and monitor the temps. Try to get your beardie to eat more as well(is it being picky or your only allowing it to eat that much?) If you have any other questions post back, and keep us updated . As Brandon mentioned, temperature is one of the most important things in a beardies health.

 

[Runsnoopy]

I just went to Walmart and purchased a Acurite Therometer with wired outdoor temp probe. I came back to another messy BM - watery but did not see any cricket remnants. I'll need to wait a while to see where the temp settles since I removed everything to clean the tank. The cool side right now is 75, middlenis reading 82 and the location where the basking light is, currently reading 88 but it's going up just not settled yet. He has been eating a lot of veggies and I fed him mealworms the other day, maybe I need to stop feeding him mealworms. The crickets are big and I feed 6-8 because that's what he stopped at when I tried to see how he would eat in a 15 minute timeframe. I feed him the crickets in the morning before leaving for work, around 7:00 am and leave veggies in there at the same time. I also adjusted the log so that it's against the side and closer to the UVA vs. The logg flat on the tank. Only veeie I fed him have been squash, endive and romaine lettuce.

 

[Claudiusx]

You should give each spot about half an hour or 45 minutes to read the temperature just to make sure of everything. The basking spot is the main thing you need to test.

-Brandon

 

[Runsnoopy]

I just checked and the basking side was reading 93 and I moved the probe closer to the tip of the wood where he sits and it's reading 87. How do I get the temp to go higher?

 

[Claudiusx]

You need a higher wattage bulb.

-Brandon

 

[Runsnoopy]

Is 150 enough or do I need to get 250? I think they only sell 75-100-150-250. I was just at Petco today and asked the guy about a basking light and he said to get 100 watt for a 40g tank-- agh huh! Can I use both the heat emitter and basking light on the same size to increase the heat until I get a chance to get the higher wattage bulb?

 

[Runsnoopy]

When their mouth is open, does it mean they're trying to regulate temperature that's too hot or too cold? What is the right humity % for a 40g tank?

 

[jirish617]

Is 150 enough or do I need to get 250? I think they only sell 75-100-150-250. I was just at Petco today and asked the guy about a basking light and he said to get 100 watt for a 40g tank-- agh huh! Can I use both the heat emitter and basking light on the same size to increase the heat until I get a chance to get the higher wattage bulb?

Honestly you'll have to experiment. When I was in my college apartment a 75w bulb did the job, since I have moved back in with my family, I had to move up to 100w. Most likely a 150w will be too much for a 40gb tank. I bought the adjustable ZooMed light stand, to give me a little play in the temps allowing me to bring the bulb closer and farther from the tank. You will definitely have to bring up those basking temps. From my understand babies and juvies like it 105-110* and the adults like them a tad bit lower.

As far as your beardies BM, I would get a fecal test done to be on the safe side. Not to be gross, but does it smell pretty bad. Runny BMs as well as fowl smelling are usually a sign of parasites. Which might be why your beardie isn't eating a whole lot. That is what my current situation with Lenny, but he is now under-going treatment. I would try to avoid the mealworms, nutrition wise aren't the best. If you can switch to repti worms, or dubia roaches. Try some supers as well IF your beardies is 16inches at the minimum in length. Only use the large crickets if they are not bigger than the gap in his eyes as well.

Going back to the basking bulb. Personally I would try a 100w bulb with an adjustable light stand, and maybe even a 75w. What current size bulb are you using?

As far as humidity, that area is kind of a blur for me. I have read 30-50% is safe but someone please correct me if I am wrong.

If you don't mind, could I see what your tank looks like? Just nosey