Weird Crystals in Poop??

[jadybot]

My dragon had a weird poop yesterday, this is the second time I've noticed these weird "crystals" in his poop (Picture Below). Im not sure what this is or if it is bad. I don't think Ive ever seen this in his poop before. I will also say his poop has smelled REALLY bad lately. Although that could be because there is no ventilation in the room I'm in but still worth mentioning! I feed my dragon collard greens as a staple, I give fruit and other random veggies as treats and also supers as treats. I get crickets when I can. He is almost 2 years old. His heating arrangement is a Reptisun UVB 10.0 bulb and a Reptisun heat bulb (he is due for a new UVB bulb). I also uploaded some pictures of him below. let me know if this is something I should be concerned about I just really hope its not a sign of a parasite!! thank you!

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

He looks very good & alert.
A lot of times, the urates look this way. Does he drink water from an oral
syringe or dropper to stay hydrated?
What is the supplementation schedule for him like? Sometimes too much
supplementation from calcium or vitamins can cause the urates to be too
hard.
What type of the Reptisun bulb are you using, the tube bulb or the compact/
coil bulb?

Tracie

 

[kingofnobbys]

I'd say :
excess calcium intake & likely insufficient UVB and perhaps not warm enough to metabolize the dietary calcium ==> very orange urate.

Not dehydrated , I see plenty of moisture around the poo, if anything hyperhydrated.

 

[jadybot]

Thanks for the replies! About the supplements, If anything I haven't been the best with supplementing. I hardly ever do it honestly. When I DO have crickets which is not often I sprinkle them with a calcium and vitamin powder. Thats about it. as for moisture and water intake I will say where I live it can be very humid. The tank is pretty humid so I never mist inside the tank or keep water in the tank. So when I feed him his greens, I make sure there is plenty of water on them so he is drinking while eating. I also try to bathe him regularly. I will say though that his bathing schedule has also been off. Like I said I have just moved so both of our routines have been thrown off! The bulb I use is a compact reptisun 10.0 UVB bulb the coil kind. I am planning on replacing it with a tube. It needs to be replaced. The temps in the tank stay very hot. 110-120 and cool side 80-70. 65 degrees at night. Yes he is super alert! overall besides the poop he is acting normal

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Personally, I usually recommend the basking temperatures more in a
range of 95-110, with a cooler end of around 78-82. He could be a bit
dehydrated perhaps, just due to the higher basking temperatures.
Since you don't supplement much, that shouldn't be the issue. He may
be low in calcium though. Even adults need calcium at least 2-3 times
per week. He might not be absorbing his calcium well, since he isn't
taking much in.
Replacing the Reptisun 10 compact/coil bulb to a tube bulb will help
out for him & he should absorb his calcium & vitamins more efficiently.
How is he doing today?

Tracie

 

[kingofnobbys]

Thanks for the replies! About the supplements, If anything I haven't been the best with supplementing. I hardly ever do it honestly. When I DO have crickets which is not often I sprinkle them with a calcium and vitamin powder. Thats about it. as for moisture and water intake I will say where I live it can be very humid. The tank is pretty humid
<<<< what is the max relative humidity ?

so I never mist inside the tank or keep water in the tank. So when I feed him his greens, I make sure there is plenty of water on them so he is drinking while eating. I also try to bathe him regularly. I will say though that his bathing schedule has also been off. Like I said I have just moved so both of our routines have been thrown off! The bulb I use is a compact reptisun 10.0 UVB bulb the coil kind. I am planning on replacing it with a tube. It needs to be replaced. The temps in the tank stay very hot. 110-120
<<<< way TOO HOT , see this : viewtopic.php?f=5&t=233516 , never expose your dragon to temperatures beyond 41 degC.

and cool side 80-70. 65 degrees at night. Yes he is super alert! overall besides the poop he is acting normal

 

[RockyTurner]

Hello. Your guy is super cute
If his poop is extra stinky and weird in appearance, I would definitely have it tested. I just catch the stool in a clean, plastic container and take it to my vet.
I agree that the basking side sounds a little hot. I would offer a bowl of water for him to bathe in everyday. If you have a healthy dragon and you put them in a shallow bath they will either, soak, drink, or crawl out, but at least that way he can let you know what he needs.
You said that you give him a few crickets when you can get them. Dragons still need protein once they are over 1 year. It just changes to 20% protein instead of the 80% needed when they are young. We have great luck ordering Dubia roaches from breeders on-line
I have learned over the last 4 years to keep a close eye on my dragons and pay attention when something changes. Make sure that your guy has a reputable vet who knows how to care for dragons. ?

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Any updates for us? Let us know how things are going.

Tracie

 

[jadybot]

Hey guys! he just pooped again today and NO crystals. Which is good! I double checked the temps on my tank they're actually much lower than I thought, around 95-100. the cool side is still 80-70. I will try giving him calcium on a schedule. Its a bit hard to find good bugs where I live, Dubia roaches are illegal to own and are not sold anywhere. So he usually only gets crickets and supers. The humidity in the tank is pretty high around 60? where I moved its very humid especially in summer months so I make sure to keep water out of the tank. Any tips on lowering humidity? thanks.