# Constipated Bearded Dragon



## NikkiC (Oct 1, 2011)

Hi

Has anyone any suggestions on how to make my Beardie poo? He seems to be going longer and longer between going. He used to go every other day. I gave him a bath last week and he did go in that (it wasn't pretty)

It's now a week since then and I gave him a bath yesterday but it didn't help.

He seems really lethargic these days (he's about 8mths old).

I recently changed his substrate from aspen bedding to sand (from the reptile shop) and I'm now worried it's impaction(?)

Can anyone help?


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## Bab1084 (Dec 9, 2011)

Keep bathing him in warm bath water and you could try and add a small drop of olive oil to either his food or end of his nose to lick off. 

Are his temps correct as this can stop a beardie digesting there food properly. 

What are your temps, basking, warm and cool side and how are you measuring these dial or digital thermo?


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## NikkiC (Oct 1, 2011)

His basking end is just over 90 and his cool end just under 80.

I will try another bath shortly though he doesn't like them!

Thanks
Nikki


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## Big_Rich (Aug 11, 2011)

NikkiC said:


> His basking end is just over 90 and his cool end just under 80.
> 
> I will try another bath shortly though he doesn't like them!
> 
> ...


Is 90 the basking temp or the hot end temp?


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## Stevey (Feb 4, 2009)

A stomach rub (whilst in warm water) to the end of its rear will help also. Might be to early to introduce sand yet?


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## NikkiC (Oct 1, 2011)

Sorry am still new to all of this. 

Left hand side of tank with his heat lamp in is the 90 F and the 80 F is the right hand side.

I also changed his UV ligt recently too as I thought perhaps that wasn't working.

Nikki


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

How recently did you change over to sand? if it's fairly recently it's unlikely to be impaction unless he's eating it with a spoon.

but your basking spot should be high, towards 110 which will cause problems.


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## NikkiC (Oct 1, 2011)

Changed to sand a couple of months ago I think as I thought he was picking up some of the aspen with his food. 

He tends to hang out in the cooler end of the tank these days.

He had a log at the hot end which he would just hide under all day so I have removed it.

I guess I am going wrong somewhere!!!


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

How are you measuring the temperatures?

dial or digital thermometer? if he's hanging out in the cooler end, maybe the hot end isn't 90 but a lot hotter and it's too hot. If it's too hot and he hides in the cool end, it won't be hot enough to digest his food.


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## NikkiC (Oct 1, 2011)

I have a dial thermometer. Should I invest in a digital one then?


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

aye, dial ones can be out by quite a bit. Digital aren't perfect (infra red if the most reliable) but if they are out it's only slightly.


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## Bab1084 (Dec 9, 2011)

Yep defo get a digital one the dial ones can be ridiculously out! you can get a cheap digital thermo from ebay, look for the aquarium ones ya can pick them up for about £3 each


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## Dannyk79 (Feb 15, 2012)

Yeah get yourself a digital thermometer as dial ones are well known to give faulse temps...Also as stated earlier the temperature you have under the basking lamp is too cool and should be measuring around 105-110F..

Danny


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## NikkiC (Oct 1, 2011)

Do I need a stronger bulb then? I currently have a 75w basking spot exo terra one.


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

Wait till you've got your digital thermometer first. 

If your dial thermometer is reading too high, you don't want to use a higher wattage bulb and make it even hotter. As it could be too hot which is why he's in the cool area a lot.
Once you've got an accurate reading, we can take it from there.


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## Bab1084 (Dec 9, 2011)

Before you change any bulbs i would get a decent thermometer to check your basking temps, you dont want to change it incase you fry your beardie.

EDIT: Meko beat me to it! lol


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

Just noticed you're in Surrey.. run down to Surrey Pet Supplies and pick a thermometer up. Even at normal pet shop they're only about £7


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## NikkiC (Oct 1, 2011)

I have just ordered a digital aquarium thermometer from ebay so hopefully it will be here in a day or so.

In the meantime I will give him another bath today and keep an eye on him. He wants to come out but I am so worried he may poo as it really does stink on the carpets!!!!!


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## NikkiC (Oct 1, 2011)

Unfortunately I am car-less as just sold mine and hoping to find a new one ASAP.

Surrey Pet Supplies is great, and where I got all my kit from originally. But it's not very local to me.


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## Bab1084 (Dec 9, 2011)

NikkiC said:


> I have just ordered a digital aquarium thermometer from ebay so hopefully it will be here in a day or so.
> 
> In the meantime I will give him another bath today and keep an eye on him. He wants to come out but I am so worried he may poo as it really does stink on the carpets!!!!!


Do you not have a room where there is no carpets you could let him out? your beardie might be like mine and not like pooping in his viv.


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## NikkiC (Oct 1, 2011)

He's just had a bath but he stands there rigid the whole time.

He's now walking around the bathroom which doesn't have carpet.

I think what's the most worrying thing is that he has always gone to toilet in roughly the same place in his viv since we got him.

Pets are worse then kids! :gasp:


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## Big_Rich (Aug 11, 2011)

Bab1084 said:


> Do you not have a room where there is no carpets you could let him out? your beardie might be like mine and not like pooping in his viv.


Ahh...not just mine then:lol2:


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## Bab1084 (Dec 9, 2011)

Big_Rich said:


> Ahh...not just mine then:lol2:


Nope lol he has only been like that since i took out the sand tho, when i can find a decent sized box i am going to put a box full with a sand soil mix in for him.


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## rosabuttons (May 20, 2009)

It's a bit unconvential, but prune syrup works wonders!!
Completely natural and you only need a few drops!! And I mean a few! It's a natural laxative for humans and so you only need a tiny amount for the beardy (as obviously it's much smaller than a human).


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## NikkiC (Oct 1, 2011)

Still no poo!

Do I put the drops in his mouth? Prune juice or olive oil?


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## Bab1084 (Dec 9, 2011)

if you put it on the end of his nose he should lick it off, the olive oil will help with his shed but i would try which ever one you feel comfortable giving him. just remember a couple of drops not to much lol


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## GeekyGoth (Jul 23, 2009)

When I was trying to get Rhuu to start pooing I gave him gentle belly massages in the bath...


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## NikkiC (Oct 1, 2011)

Well, I've put 2 drops of olive oil on his nose and he has started licking it off.

Fingers crossed!!!!


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

put too much on and you'll be crossing your fingers, but he'll be crossing his legs


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## Jeffers3 (May 18, 2010)

Lots of things here....

First of all, I'd suggest getting rid of the sand. The risk of impaction is small, but real. Why take the chance? I've got slate tiles down for mine.

Whatever thermometer you have, you need to check it. Dial thermometers are not significantly less accurate than digital ones. Neither are likely to have been properly calibrated unless you buy expensive ones. The IR temperature "guns" should be the best, but these only measure surface temperatures and the instructions for use need to be followed carefully, since different surfaces have different emmisivities.

What is your beardie eating? He should be starting to eat more veg by now. Also, make sure his live food is well gut loaded.

Lastly, I noticed a distinct change in behaviour in my beardie around this age. He went off his food and paced around a lot. It passed after a month or so, but worried me at the time.


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## Varanaman (Apr 13, 2007)

*Constipated Beardie*

Olive oil is DIGESTABLE so will not help the constipation :gasp:, just increase the calories ingested. What you need is *Liquid Paraffin* from you local chemist and a 1 ml & 2 ml syringe.

Administer 1 ml every day until his poo is normal / loose. You need to open his mouth and place the paraffin in the back of his throat.

If the abdomen is distened (swollen) you could try GENTLY administering 2 ml of the olive oil into the cloaca before giving him a warm bath.

Once eating make sure he has plenty of greens and other veg.

_Richard _


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## nicnet (Apr 3, 2011)

Agree with the advice on the thermometers.

I did notice however that your not making any distinction between his hot side temp and hit basking temp. They are two different things.

His basking temp is the temperature directly under his basking light on that surface. This is his basking surface temperature. Put a digital thermometer probe *directly in contact* with that surface and directly under the light to get his basking temperature. As stated already, and infrared heat gun would be better, but a digital thermometer is a lot better than those dial ones.
This temperature wants to be set at between 105 and 115F. It does not have to be at exactly one temperature and will deviate between the two a bit, this is fine. Every lizard has his own preference to what his basking temperature is, you can tweek it later and either make it hotter or cooler for him. You'll get to know this by how long he basks so its worth keeping a good eye on his basking habits until you get to know. If your ever in doubt don't alter out of that basking range until you've had some advice.

His basking area also wants to be at different levels so he can choose how hot he wants it. This is known as his 'basking temperature gradient' 

Having a single level basking platform with no gradient means he has only got one heat to choose from in that area and may be avoiding it if its too hot.

Put up some pictures so we can have a look and advise if needed.

His hot side temp. If you imagine a big x from corner to corner on the side panel on his hot side. That is where you want to put his 'hot side' probe. That is his hot side temperature. Wants to be around 90F.

As I said I think your confusing your hot side temp with your basking temp. This is something you will need to get to grips with fairly fast as it is a major part of keeping your beardie healthy.

If his basking temps are not suiting him he will not be digesting properly so will not be pooping properly either. We find that a lot of problems with beardies can come down to their temps not suiting them as they like it.

When you can afford to then its wise to invest in an infrared heat gun as they do give more accurate temperatures nearly instantly.

*Note* that a IR gun might read that basking surface temperature as slighly higher than your thermometer is. That is normal. Set it at the right temperature by the thermometer until you get to know the difference between the two temperatures. The digital thermometer is reading air temperature while the IR gun is reading surface temperature.

.


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