Quick poop question.

[ThDude]

Ok so it's day 4 to owning my beaded dragon and he's been eating around 6-9 crickets a day, he has only pooped twice I think. Maybe three times. It is eating some greens too

Is this normal for a dragon With this amount of food intake? I would figure at how much he's eating he would be doing it twice a day.

 

[Josh]

It is possible that they were underfeeding him wherever you got him. I would expect him to poop at least once per day given how much you are feeding. Give him a bit more time and see if it changes...​

 

[ThDude]

Ok, see he pooped the first day but it was very small. So I would also think it may have been under feeding.

Wild you happen to know how long digestion takes for them?

Yea all the crickets are right around the size of the space between his eyes. I dont want to over feed him either

 

[Germ]

Youngsters are little eating machines, it is not uncommon for it to 40-50 crix/day, I always limited mine to 30-35/day, if they wanted that many. They should get as much prey as they will eat in 10-15 minute period, 2-3 times a day with a constant supply of fresh greens available to it, whether it eats them or not. Some Young BDs don't take to their greens for months, others right away. Proper heat determines the digestion process. Generally one poop a day, sometimes 2, sometimes skip a day. Keep the Basking spot @ 105-110F with a heat gradient to 80-85F on the cool side & you are good to go. Daily misting & weekly warm soaks aid in hydration, shedding (More often when shedding) & more times than not, will promote a poop in the warm Bath water. Be sure that it can also get close enough to the UVB, for it to be effective.

Good Luck

 

[ThDude]

So next feeding should I dump like 10 in and see if he eats them all? I have only been doing 4 at a time, he doesn't seem to concerned about eating them and let's one or two roam around

 

[Germ]

4 at a time is fine too, if it eats them, then give 4 more, etc for 10-15 minutes 2-3 times/day. Some have larger appetites than others & the daily intake varies from BD to BD. 15-30/day seems to be the norm, some more, really shouldn't be much less, but as long as it's eating & pooping, it should be fine. Be sure to remove any straggler uneaten crix at night, before lights out.

 

[ThDude]

Ok, thanks. I am going to set up my old 10 gallon tank for crickets and buy like 100 or so online

 

[Aleena]

Ok, thanks. I am going to set up my old 10 gallon tank for crickets and buy like 100 or so online

How big of crickets are you feeding him? Are they pin heads or smalls?

 

[jessica domke]

sounds gr8 thdude. totally agree w/everything germ said! germ has always given me & many others the best advice!!!! don't 4get 2 dust ur crix w/calcium & multi-vitamin powder as well!

 

[ThDude]

How big of crickets are you feeding him? Are they pin heads or smalls?

I believe they are from 1/8 an inch to 1/4 an inch. So they are not pin heads.

@domke I'm dusting them like a crop plane...but without the harmful stuff

 

[jessica domke]

haha wonderful thdude! that's funny

 

[Aleena]

I believe they are from 1/8 an inch to 1/4 an inch. So they are not pin heads.

@domke I'm dusting them like a crop plane...but without the harmful stuff

Okay. With pin heads your little guy would need more, smalls less. You may want to see if it will eat in your ten so you don't have to check behind and underneath everything at night! Just a thought. It seems like the more there are, the bigger the feeding frenzy is triggered sometimes. Try more and see what happens.

 

[ThDude]

So put him in the 10 gallon for feeding? That actually sounds like a good idea. Untill I start using it for raising crickets at least.

 

[Aleena]

So put him in the 10 gallon for feeding? That actually sounds like a good idea. Untill I start using it for raising crickets at least.

It might work, it might be too shy to eat in the new environment. I've tried it with my beardies and had hits and misses.

 

[ThDude]

He's still new to the set up I have now. I think I will give it a few more days for him to settle in before I do anything new.

 

[Aleena]

He's still new to the set up I have now. I think I will give it a few more days for him to settle in before I do anything new.

Good idea to try for later probably.

 

[jessica domke]

that's exactly wut i use 2 do w/my baby. put him in his old 10 gallon 4 feeding

 

[Aleena]

that's exactly wut i use 2 do w/my baby. put him in his old 10 gallon 4 feeding

Cuts down on the crickets you have to chase down inside their tanks!

 

[ThDude]

^agreed. Well he pooped twice yesterday and once today already. I think he's doing good now.

It also looks like he ate some veggies

 

[Aleena]

Woohoo!