not basking much = bloody urate/stool?

[SRT12141992]

Hey there, the last two times my beardie pooped it has been bloody, he goes every 2-3 days. I am wondering if the blood is due to the fact that he has not been basking much lately? he doesn't seem to want to bask as much lately. The poop also had what appeared undigested lettuce/cricket heads in it. He also looked like he was straining to poop today

 

[Goodtruant]

You should get a fecal check done by a vet. It could be parasites....hookworms maybe.

The bad stomach could be causing him to not want to bask.

What do you mean by lettuce? What kind of greens are you feeding him?

Good luck, hope he's well!

 

[SRT12141992]

You should get a fecal check done by a vet. It could be parasites....hookworms maybe.

The bad stomach could be causing him to not want to bask.

What do you mean by lettuce? What kind of greens are you feeding him?

Good luck, hope he's well!

Hm do you know how much a fecal would cost? Im in north seattle area, the only reptile i vet i know if is really pricey and has a bad rep. I flushed his poop down the toilet and he won't go again for a few more days. I was worried because he was straining pretty hard today. I gave him a bath last night and a bath today, should I maybe give him baby food? Will it digest/come out easier?

Usually give him chard, collard greens, kale sometimes, i check the food via the nutrition chard on the beautiful dragon chart. also freeze dried crickets.

Also can I give him olive oil to make him poop again faster? The blood was dark, so I'm starting to really worry. I'm also having difficulty locating a reptile vet near me that i can drop a sample off, i live in Kenmore, WA specifically and the only nearby one i know of is extremely expensvie with a bad reputation.

 

[dragonlover3]

Hi,
I'm sorry your beardie is having problems. If you've posted this info before I apologize for asking but it will help.

Are you sure it's blood?

What are the 3 temps in the enclosure, the basking surface, hot end, cool end?

What substrate is your dragon on?

What size bugs do you feed him?

You said he is straining to pass his stool. Is the urate {white part with stool} hard or soft, you'll have to smash it with a gloved finger or lay tissue over it and smash to feel it. It should not be hard like chalk or dense. If it is, he can be dehydrated. It should be soft but hold it's form til smashed, good consistency is a bit softer than custard.

To help with passing his stool, soak your dragon 2 or 3 times a day in shallow warm water, enough to cover the waste vent. He will absorb water thur this vent which will help hydrate him and some water will remain in the bowel to stimulate stool to pass.

Yes you can give a few drops of olive oil, veg. oil or mineral oil mixed well into about a teaspoon of baby food apple sauce.

Although worms and parasites usually cause loose, runny, mucousy stools that smell much worse than usual, he does need a fecal done because you are seeing what you believe is blood along with the straining to move his bowels. You can check on line for mail fecal testing and see what you find. Some places will have you mail a sample for examination and a small fee. They don't prescribe meds for it usually. You can contact an expert member Tracie...Drache613 is her username....based on results, she may be able to recommend a med if needed and help dose calculations based on weight.

Beardies will want to hide when they don't feel well, that's what they would do in the wild, so it's no surprise he doesn't want to bask. I'd gently put him back to basking when ever you see him not basking. He needs the heat for proper digestion to occur and he is already having gut issues .

I hope this helps. Others will come along with suggestions too!
Amanda

 

[dragonlover3]

Also, your beardie should see a vet if you believe he is passing blood!
Amanda

 

[SRT12141992]

I found a vet nearby who will do the fecal for only 20 woohooh, now just to wait till he poops again (also scared for him to poop again, don't want him having more bloody poops). I'm giving him the second bath of the day right now hopefully it helps. The last couple days he has sorta lost his appetite and has been laying around more. Hot side around 92 cool side 75, hot side used to be warmer but it was too hot so i switched the 150 watt bulb to a 100 watt bulb. He is on a repti carpet. I feed him freeze dried crickets and i cut their bodies in half so that they are small enough. I'll have to check the urate when he goes again, the urate was big (like an inch long) and the poop was big as well

Hi,
I'm sorry your beardie is having problems. If you've posted this info before I apologize for asking but it will help.

Are you sure it's blood?

What are the 3 temps in the enclosure, the basking surface, hot end, cool end?

What substrate is your dragon on?

What size bugs do you feed him?

You said he is straining to pass his stool. Is the urate {white part with stool} hard or soft, you'll have to smash it with a gloved finger or lay tissue over it and smash to feel it. It should not be hard like chalk or dense. If it is, he can be dehydrated. It should be soft but hold it's form til smashed, good consistency is a bit softer than custard.

To help with passing his stool, soak your dragon 2 or 3 times a day in shallow warm water, enough to cover the waste vent. He will absorb water thur this vent which will help hydrate him and some water will remain in the bowel to stimulate stool to pass.

Yes you can give a few drops of olive oil, veg. oil or mineral oil mixed well into about a teaspoon of baby food apple sauce.

Although worms and parasites usually cause loose, runny, mucousy stools that smell much worse than usual, he does need a fecal done because you are seeing what you believe is blood along with the straining to move his bowels. You can check on line for mail fecal testing and see what you find. Some places will have you mail a sample for examination and a small fee. They don't prescribe meds for it usually. You can contact an expert member Tracie...Drache613 is her username....based on results, she may be able to recommend a med if needed and help dose calculations based on weight.

Beardies will want to hide when they don't feel well, that's what they would do in the wild, so it's no surprise he doesn't want to bask. I'd gently put him back to basking when ever you see him not basking. He needs the heat for proper digestion to occur and he is already having gut issues .

I hope this helps. Others will come along with suggestions too!
Amanda

 

[dragonlover3]

Hi,
That's great on the fecal for $20. His loss of appetite is concerning. It's good you are bathing him a few times a day.
The basking temp is not warm enough. The quicker you can get the right temps for him the better it will be for him.
What has this been your general temps? At 1 1/2 years old he needs to be 95*F to 100*F basking surface. about 90 on the hot end and 80 on the cool end. He's too cold! Right now I'd aim for the 100*F basking and keep him hydrated with soaks.
Since freeze dried cricket have no moisture, they are dehydrating to your beardie and I believe could be a problem
to digest for some beardies. Live crickets don't have great nutritional value so I can only imagine they have even less when
freeze dried.
In my opinion Beardies do better and are healthier being fed live bugs. It is very good you follow beautifuldragon nutrition list. I follow that as do many here.
Crickets are adequate when dusted once a day with calcium powder.
This is only my opinion, but the pet industry didn't do bearded dragons any favor when they started selling hard, dried food and dehydrated bugs,
Has he have a poo yet?
Amanda

 

[SRT12141992]

Hi,
That's great on the fecal for $20. His loss of appetite is concerning. It's good you are bathing him a few times a day.
The basking temp is not warm enough. The quicker you can get the right temps for him the better it will be for him.
What has this been your general temps? At 1 1/2 years old he needs to be 95*F to 100*F basking surface. about 90 on the hot end and 80 on the cool end. He's too cold! Right now I'd aim for the 100*F basking and keep him hydrated with soaks.
Since freeze dried cricket have no moisture, they are dehydrating to your beardie and I believe could be a problem
to digest for some beardies. Live crickets don't have great nutritional value so I can only imagine they have even less when
freeze dried.
In my opinion Beardies do better and are healthier being fed live bugs. It is very good you follow beautifuldragon nutrition list. I follow that as do many here.
Crickets are adequate when dusted once a day with calcium powder.
This is only my opinion, but the pet industry didn't do bearded dragons any favor when they started selling hard, dried food and dehydrated bugs,
Has he have a poo yet?
Amanda

Hm I'll try to fix the basking situation in the morning.
I've tried to make up for the freeze dried crix by drenching his greens with water and more baths but over the last month i got a bit lazy on giving him baths (regretting that now!). i also do dust the crix with calcium and vitamin supplements.

He hasn't pooped yet, it should be coming tomorrow or sunday, i'm worried it's gonna hurt him or that he'll prolapse he strained so much the last time. So if I gave him olive oil would it soften the stool or just hurry up the stool process?

 

[Goodtruant]

Is the hot side a 92 degree air temp, or is that the surface temp? How are you measuring the temps?

We take our beardie to the exotic vet in Bothell. It's a really great place that takes exotics only. And the head doctor is one of only 8 board certified reptile vets in the world....pretty cool if you ask me! http://www.theexoticvet.com/

A fecal is $25 there.

 

[SRT12141992]

Is the hot side a 92 degree air temp, or is that the surface temp? How are you measuring the temps?

We take our beardie to the exotic vet in Bothell. It's a really great place that takes exotics only. And the head doctor is one of only 8 board certified reptile vets in the world....pretty cool if you ask me! http://www.theexoticvet.com/

A fecal is $25 there.

Its the air temp i think, he has a basking hammock under his basking light. i use a digital thermometer. I called that place but they wouldn't do a fecal without an initial visit which is to expensive for me right now, and parents think it dumb to spend money on a lizard.