undigested crickets. any mail in fecal exams?

[Jayson745]

A newly acquired female has felt quite full the last couple days, then didn't hardly bask yesterday, then just now pooped and there was undigested cricket corpses in it. Shes a great eater, and has been acting completely normal other then that, and I see shes basking again right now. I sleep odd times so they have gotten light/heat on a less then perfect schedule, so I'm going to get a timer.

but that did get me thinking about a fecal exam for her and the boy I picked up. Anyone know of an online site I can mail poop to for a reasonable price? Or anyone here want to look at my beardie poop with corpses in it? I'm going to try and avoid the vet markup/drama, sense I know it just takes someone who knows what their doing a couple minutes with a microscope and I'm completely broke. Dont be shy now, whos gonna look at my beardie poop?

It seems like there would be a how to guide somewhere online, with blown up pictures of parasites so anyone with a microscope would know what to look for. :idea: But thats not going to help this second sense I dont have a microscope

 

[fresnowitte]

Hello and gratz on the new beardie.

There is a parsite ID chart that you can purchase at beautifuldragons.com for only $5. However without the microscope and other supplies, or money to do so, it doesn't do much good. :roll: http://www.beautifuldragons.503xtreme.com/Microscopes.html

Some vets will allow you to overnight fecal test without having to actually go in.

However I'm thinking you are seeing the cricket parts because of the lighting and temps.
But a fecal is a great idea too. I personally would wait a couple of weeks if possible to get a fecal test done. The reason being that beardies go through a period of relocation stress which normally last a couple days to a couple of weeks. During this time the coccidia count is going to be higher than it actually is due to stress. Once your beardie is settled in the coccidia count will lower on it's own. Often beardies are treated for coccidia with harsh antibiotics that they really could have been avoided if the owner knew to wait till settled in first. :wink:

If you don't mind my asking how long per day do you usuallly have the lights on?
What type of UVB are you using?
What is the distance from UVB bulb to the actual basking spot?
What are your basking temps?
What are the night time temps in the viv?
What type of thermometer are you using to take temps with?


PS
This is the only site I know of that we don't mind looking at poop. :lol:

 

[wizbee]

I think Barbara is right about the lights. How long are they on the lizard after she eats?

 

[Vacren]

I had the same issue about three months ago with my baby and reptiworms, she was actually pooping live worms. I got her a timer to switch her heat/lighting and switched her to straight greens for a couple days and she was good.

Good luck.

~V

 

[Jayson745]

I guess I'll do that then. I've had them for a couple weeks now, but will wait a couple more, then call around about mailing someone some poop(am I immature if "poop" is still funny?). They haven't been lacking in light, if anything my schedule has had the lights on a little more then desirable but I figure to much is better then not enough when it comes to that. I'm not new to beardies, I used to breed them, but couldn't bring them with me when I moved. Now I"m moved again, so got a new pair. They are both separated in inclosers made for beardies with reptisun 10.o bulbs, heats right, got calcium/multivitamin, and all that good stuff. I already have a timer, but I let my pops borrow it and he keeps forgetting to bring it back.

thanx for the comments/suggestions