DerangedLava
Member
Hi!
My girl Phoebers is 2 years old now and I have a concern about her feces. A couple months ago she started having more loose stool, kind of a little undigested and I was concerned. I have my girl trained to poop whenever I give her a bath, but she had started having more "accidents" as I like to call them, and it was almost as if she could even control her own bowels at some points. I got blessed with a very clean dragon, she actively avoids getting dirty at all costs and even refuses to relieve herself in her cage not wanting to dirty it, so when she kept doing it randomly I knew something was up. Her urate was fine but her feces was always smelly and loose and would come with a fair amount of liquid that was either clear, tinted yellow-green or sometimes brown. That was the only symptom of something wrong she was having, no lethargy, eating like a pig, very normal behaviour and alert, never stressed. I was doing research and I thought that it might be a parasite, since she does enjoy the occasional live insect treat, but she wasn't showing any other symptoms except for the loose stool so I was confused.
But, it did concern me, so, I took her to the vet about a month ago and for starters they called her fat
and said she had to lose a 50-100 grams. She's only 16 inches and stunted so I guess it makes sense, a smaller beardie can't be as heavy as a normal adult bigger one. I got a fecal done and the results came back as pinworms, which I was told was pretty common in beardies and often could go untreated, but I guess they found the numbers high enough to mention to me....? anyways, I did two weeks worth of medication and she stopped having her "accidents", which I was happy about, less cleaning for me. But, I guess I was under the impression that the medication would cure her of the loose stool, only to be surprised when her stool now is the exact same it was before she took the meds. She only gets fed every second day now to help her shed a few grams, mostly salads with arugula, carrots and butternut squash. She gets 20 crickets about once or twice a week, which are blanched and frozen with the occasional mealworm or hornworm treat. Her temps are 110 F and 90 F and she has a basking bulb and two UVB bulbs, one with her basking light and another tube one. I do notice that she prefers to be cooler compared to other dragons, she has since she was a baby, so she doesn't bask a lot directly but she does sit on her heat rock occasionally. She's very happy, alert and feisty. She jumps and plays with her toys, runs around and watches her fish tank beardie TV every day and I don't think she even notices what I do. She also loves candy, she's stolen it right out of my hand multiple times but the last time was at least two months ago so I don't think that's the issue, she sleeps like a log in her plush bed for the princess she is, so no issues there (I know, she's spoiled to death) But, I really can't think of what could be causing this gross feces. I've gone through her diet, her temps and her UVB, a potential parasite now that's been treated and she doesn't show any other signs of being sick or upset and I'm just stumped.
She also had major surgery and had her ovaries removed because of a chronic egg laying genetic condition a year ago (The reason she is stunted), so I start to wonder if she has some sort of other genetic abnormality with her digestion maybe? no clue
I wonder if it's possible that this is just the way she is...? I read that some beardies just naturally have gross feces even though they are completely healthy. Maybe there's something else I should check and see what's causing the issue. The vet didn't appear concerned for her at all and said she was in very good health, it's just this one thing that's driving me crazy. I don't mind cleaning up after her, but I'm just worried that she's not feeling well, as reptiles are known to hide when their sick pretty well, or if there's a way I can help fix it. I just don't want her in any discomfort or bad digestion if I can avoid it. I would appreciate anyone's advice. Thanks!
My girl Phoebers is 2 years old now and I have a concern about her feces. A couple months ago she started having more loose stool, kind of a little undigested and I was concerned. I have my girl trained to poop whenever I give her a bath, but she had started having more "accidents" as I like to call them, and it was almost as if she could even control her own bowels at some points. I got blessed with a very clean dragon, she actively avoids getting dirty at all costs and even refuses to relieve herself in her cage not wanting to dirty it, so when she kept doing it randomly I knew something was up. Her urate was fine but her feces was always smelly and loose and would come with a fair amount of liquid that was either clear, tinted yellow-green or sometimes brown. That was the only symptom of something wrong she was having, no lethargy, eating like a pig, very normal behaviour and alert, never stressed. I was doing research and I thought that it might be a parasite, since she does enjoy the occasional live insect treat, but she wasn't showing any other symptoms except for the loose stool so I was confused.
But, it did concern me, so, I took her to the vet about a month ago and for starters they called her fat
and said she had to lose a 50-100 grams. She's only 16 inches and stunted so I guess it makes sense, a smaller beardie can't be as heavy as a normal adult bigger one. I got a fecal done and the results came back as pinworms, which I was told was pretty common in beardies and often could go untreated, but I guess they found the numbers high enough to mention to me....? anyways, I did two weeks worth of medication and she stopped having her "accidents", which I was happy about, less cleaning for me. But, I guess I was under the impression that the medication would cure her of the loose stool, only to be surprised when her stool now is the exact same it was before she took the meds. She only gets fed every second day now to help her shed a few grams, mostly salads with arugula, carrots and butternut squash. She gets 20 crickets about once or twice a week, which are blanched and frozen with the occasional mealworm or hornworm treat. Her temps are 110 F and 90 F and she has a basking bulb and two UVB bulbs, one with her basking light and another tube one. I do notice that she prefers to be cooler compared to other dragons, she has since she was a baby, so she doesn't bask a lot directly but she does sit on her heat rock occasionally. She's very happy, alert and feisty. She jumps and plays with her toys, runs around and watches her fish tank beardie TV every day and I don't think she even notices what I do. She also loves candy, she's stolen it right out of my hand multiple times but the last time was at least two months ago so I don't think that's the issue, she sleeps like a log in her plush bed for the princess she is, so no issues there (I know, she's spoiled to death) But, I really can't think of what could be causing this gross feces. I've gone through her diet, her temps and her UVB, a potential parasite now that's been treated and she doesn't show any other signs of being sick or upset and I'm just stumped.She also had major surgery and had her ovaries removed because of a chronic egg laying genetic condition a year ago (The reason she is stunted), so I start to wonder if she has some sort of other genetic abnormality with her digestion maybe? no clue
I wonder if it's possible that this is just the way she is...? I read that some beardies just naturally have gross feces even though they are completely healthy. Maybe there's something else I should check and see what's causing the issue. The vet didn't appear concerned for her at all and said she was in very good health, it's just this one thing that's driving me crazy. I don't mind cleaning up after her, but I'm just worried that she's not feeling well, as reptiles are known to hide when their sick pretty well, or if there's a way I can help fix it. I just don't want her in any discomfort or bad digestion if I can avoid it. I would appreciate anyone's advice. Thanks!
