Hey Beardie peeps!
So Kapu isn't my first bearded dragon, but he is my first with chronic prolapse issues after pooping. My last beardie never had a prolapse, but Kapu has a 4/5 chance of prolapsing when he poops in the last 2 weeks. Currently pooping almost every day, as opposed to once every 3-4 days before. Poop quality though does not appear to have changed. Cloacae does not retract on its own(I start taking action after it's been more that 5 minutes, and he's had a bath).
I've been able to get the prolapse to retract every time(sugar baths, gentle q-tip massages, lots of patience because he's squirming while covered in sugar). I've got a vet appt to test stool, and give him the official health exam, but the earliest they could get me in was in a month. Once he's had the exam I can bring him in quickly(guess that's something you don't get if you're not already a member? This is my first beardie in a big city so the wait times aren't great, but at least there's actual exotic vets around here).
Some of these prolapses have led to small tears, so I'm concerned this might be too late if I can't pinpoint the cause. Prolapses have been small, like tippy tip of a pinky. Tissue still looks healthy.
Info on the beardie(other than age, none of this has changed since I got him, and now)
-Around 1.5 years old (he was a rehab baby, and came from a breeder in really bad shape. He was the only member of his clutch to survive. Because of the shape he was in, the rehaber isn't 100% sure his age, so that's a guess).
-Incredibly active. During his free-lizard time he sprints between the window to bask, to the closet on the other side of my office, then runs laps around all the hidies I've got set for him. When in his enclosure he rotates running between his basking spot and cool den. He's been like this all 3 months I've owned him.
-Eats well. Usually leaves a little bit at the end of the day, but generally eats everything.
-Good attitude, isn't scared of anyone. Once the sun starts to set he demands snuggles.
-Poops look good. Firm, somewhat smelly, urate, puddle of fluids half the time. No insect shells, sometimes definitive plant chunks. Always fairly wet, so maybe too hydrated? Never seems to strain much to poop. Just flex, poop, continue running around.
I was wondering if y'all had some ideas as to what I'm missing in my husbandry that's causing it. Here's what I got:
-55 Gallon glass enclosure, screen top that is off when I'm in the office(I work from home, so the screen is off most of his life)
-Reptile carpet substrate
-Basking rock near the light(for some toasty stomachs to ease digestion)
-Basking temps ranging 95-105, 150 watt basking bulb
-Nighttime I've got a ceramic bulb for peaceful sleeping
-Arcadia 24w T5 D3+ Dragon UVB long bulb, 3 months into service. Bulb is directly ontop of cover, or hanging right where it would be when cover is removed.
-Shallow water dish that he generally ignores other than when he tromps through it
-Feed a combo of 4-5 finely-chopped veggies a day including Collard/Mustard/Turnip greens, Prickly pear(skinned to remove spines), butternut squash, and a rotation of randos like Basil, apple(rare), and mint. Topped with calcium powder. Lately I've tried adding a drop or two of olive oil(though he's not having any issues pooping, so not sure if that's actually helping?), and am about to start using some pumpkin puree.
-Protein is once a day or every other day. He either get 1-2 dubias(med), 4-8 med crickets, or 5-10 BSFL. My guess is my dubias are the most likely culprit, but unsure. As of 3 days ago, when we had the first tearing, I've stopped insect feeds.
-Normally he has a stick in there, but I've got it covered in a towel so he doesn't catch on it if I haven't caught the prolapse yet.
Alright so what tips? What am I missing/getting wrong here? Pic of both him and enclosure from today posted.
So Kapu isn't my first bearded dragon, but he is my first with chronic prolapse issues after pooping. My last beardie never had a prolapse, but Kapu has a 4/5 chance of prolapsing when he poops in the last 2 weeks. Currently pooping almost every day, as opposed to once every 3-4 days before. Poop quality though does not appear to have changed. Cloacae does not retract on its own(I start taking action after it's been more that 5 minutes, and he's had a bath).
I've been able to get the prolapse to retract every time(sugar baths, gentle q-tip massages, lots of patience because he's squirming while covered in sugar). I've got a vet appt to test stool, and give him the official health exam, but the earliest they could get me in was in a month. Once he's had the exam I can bring him in quickly(guess that's something you don't get if you're not already a member? This is my first beardie in a big city so the wait times aren't great, but at least there's actual exotic vets around here).
Some of these prolapses have led to small tears, so I'm concerned this might be too late if I can't pinpoint the cause. Prolapses have been small, like tippy tip of a pinky. Tissue still looks healthy.
Info on the beardie(other than age, none of this has changed since I got him, and now)
-Around 1.5 years old (he was a rehab baby, and came from a breeder in really bad shape. He was the only member of his clutch to survive. Because of the shape he was in, the rehaber isn't 100% sure his age, so that's a guess).
-Incredibly active. During his free-lizard time he sprints between the window to bask, to the closet on the other side of my office, then runs laps around all the hidies I've got set for him. When in his enclosure he rotates running between his basking spot and cool den. He's been like this all 3 months I've owned him.
-Eats well. Usually leaves a little bit at the end of the day, but generally eats everything.
-Good attitude, isn't scared of anyone. Once the sun starts to set he demands snuggles.
-Poops look good. Firm, somewhat smelly, urate, puddle of fluids half the time. No insect shells, sometimes definitive plant chunks. Always fairly wet, so maybe too hydrated? Never seems to strain much to poop. Just flex, poop, continue running around.
I was wondering if y'all had some ideas as to what I'm missing in my husbandry that's causing it. Here's what I got:
-55 Gallon glass enclosure, screen top that is off when I'm in the office(I work from home, so the screen is off most of his life)
-Reptile carpet substrate
-Basking rock near the light(for some toasty stomachs to ease digestion)
-Basking temps ranging 95-105, 150 watt basking bulb
-Nighttime I've got a ceramic bulb for peaceful sleeping
-Arcadia 24w T5 D3+ Dragon UVB long bulb, 3 months into service. Bulb is directly ontop of cover, or hanging right where it would be when cover is removed.
-Shallow water dish that he generally ignores other than when he tromps through it
-Feed a combo of 4-5 finely-chopped veggies a day including Collard/Mustard/Turnip greens, Prickly pear(skinned to remove spines), butternut squash, and a rotation of randos like Basil, apple(rare), and mint. Topped with calcium powder. Lately I've tried adding a drop or two of olive oil(though he's not having any issues pooping, so not sure if that's actually helping?), and am about to start using some pumpkin puree.
-Protein is once a day or every other day. He either get 1-2 dubias(med), 4-8 med crickets, or 5-10 BSFL. My guess is my dubias are the most likely culprit, but unsure. As of 3 days ago, when we had the first tearing, I've stopped insect feeds.
-Normally he has a stick in there, but I've got it covered in a towel so he doesn't catch on it if I haven't caught the prolapse yet.
Alright so what tips? What am I missing/getting wrong here? Pic of both him and enclosure from today posted.