Too much hydration?

[beardie_love]

Okay so my dragon's poop comes out with lots of fluid.

I wash their greens, but do not dry them off. So there is water in it. I also spray them twice daily, or 3 times when they shed. They also get weekly baths.

Is this too much water intake for them?

I'd also like to add, is romaine lettuce and green leaf lettuce not so good? I don't give them just that, I change their greens almost weekly, for variety.

 

[renich]

Romaine is not that great for them. Just a bunch of water and not much nutrients. Same with green leaf, a bit better, but still not that great. Some better greens are collard greens, mustard greens, carrot tops.

As far as too much water, I don't know for certain, but I would say it is possible, just like humans can have too much water. Is the poop smelly?

 

[zebraflavencs]

The inclusion of those lettuces alone in their weekly diet can indeed cause the poo and urates to be watery, to the point of diarrhea. remove those, and replace with the collards,mustards or turnip greens, squashes too, and you should see a change in the consistency if parasites are not involved.
hope this helps out !
Janie

 

[pscaulkins]

Carrot tops are good?? Wow, I will try those this summer when our garden gets going.

 

[zebraflavencs]

Use them as treats to start with, Sandy.
Janie

 

[beardie_love]

Renee, the poop does smell, but shouldn't poop BE smelly? lol.

Janie, as you were saying about the squashes, are you saying to remove them? Or keep them. The wording kind of got me confused.. sorry!

They get squash every day - they love it! Is this okay? And I will surely switch out the lettuces. I shall see what happens!

 

[zebraflavencs]

Poop smells.. but it shouldn't clear a room smelly... that's the difference.
Yes keep squash. Sorry wasn't more clear.
Janie

 

[beardie_love]

Umm well when I walk into my room (my door is always closed) I can smell that they pooped. My room is always reeeeeally warm (again, door closed), so that seems to contribute to the warm smell of poop. It does not smell as if you're sticking your face right in poop. I know the way I'm wording things is kinda gross, but it's easier for ya'll to understand (at least I hope). ;D

 

[li]

You know it can never hurt to run a fecal test. But with a door closed most likely you will smell it. I think you would...it would really knock you over.

A lot of liquid with a poop is just a sign of a beardie being well hydrated. What greens are you feeding on a daily basis? How many soaks a week are you giving?

 

[renich]

Yeah, we get it. We're the ones asking about the poop! If you are not gagging from the smell, it is most likely the lettuce. It wouldn't hurt to have a fecal done - just to clear out parasites.

Lisa, you beat me to it. Still posting my fecal statement.

 

[beardie_love]

Lisa, I change their greens almost weekly. I've used Romaine, Green Leaf, Collards, Mustards, and a Spring Mix salad. And I usually give them 1 bath weekly, unless they get messy! (walking in their poop and getting it on them)

Renee, no gagging here! I'll see how switching out any types of lettuce completely goes.

 

[li]

No romaine...that could be some of the problem. "Lettuce" of any kind isn't a good choice. Lots of water, but no nutrients. Green leaf, collard and mustard are okay...spring just occasionally. Some other good choices, dandelion, escarole, bok choy, swiss chard, all easily bought at your local super market.

 

[Pogie]

Hi

I'm no expert but heres my 2cents anyway

Pogie gets butternut squash daily mixed with either green beans / snap peas / Swiss chard / Rockette / Endive

Mist her daily and give weekly baths....

Her poop is also watery, her VIV is closed up with only the vents in the top and does smell (But her viv is closed) and like mentioned, doesnt knock me out, just smells like poo does.

So yes lettuces arent so good, but if her poop stays watery and gets really really bad smelling, have a fecal done, otherwise I also think your BD is just well hydrated

I also read a while back that well hydrated dragons poop is watery.... Not to worry about if fecal comes back clean

 

[beardie_love]

Got some dandelion greens and some carrots (with the tops!). Hopefully all goes well.

About the fecal... well, I've never gone to the vet for my pets. Can someone tell me the vet bill I should be expecting when I go? I'm just being a Curious George. ;D

 

[li]

Some vets will do just a fecal test and some will want a full exam especially if you haven't established yourself with them. The test can really range. I wouldn't say a test should be more than $25.00. But like I said, an office visit might also be charged. If you can just do the fecal, then you get a sample and get it to the vets office within 24 hours. The faster the better.

Great about the veggies. Just remember the greens on of the carrots can be feed daily, the fruit of the carrot should only be given as a treat. Too much carrot isn't good. I actually used to just shred a bit over Spryo's salad.

 

[beardie_love]

Okay sounds good! 25 bucks seems a alot to test some poo LOL but oh well, it's not toooo much money. And for the carrots, I give it to them once a week or once every 2 weeks. Since I've been giving them the butternut squash, I've been giving them very limited amounts of carrot. ;D

 

[staylor]

since we are now talking about foods, can they get spinach? I know it says leafy greens but never seen anything specifically about spinach?

 

[Pogie]

Hi heres a link to Beautiful dragons nutrition table, it is actually a nice list to have since they have colour coded the fruits/veggies and greens into categories of when to feed and how often.

Spinach falls under the yellow category - Listed as a questionable veggie...
http://www.beautifuldragons.503xtreme.com/Nutrition.html

Here is another list, with pictures of the leaves/fruits and veggies
http://www.repticzone.com/articles/lettuceandleaves.html

This one is my favourite... even tells you how to prepare the stuff
http://www.blackninjakitty.com/herps/care/troystuttlegreeniglist.htm

It says
Spinach High in Calcium, Oxalates and Goitrogens. Finely Chop. - Occasionally

Hope this helps.

 

[zebraflavencs]

Spinach will actually bind the calcium from being readily absorbed/used by the dragon.. I would use that sparingly, say as a treat a couple times a month, not a couple times a week.
Hope that helps.
Janie

 

[beardie_love]

Oh and I was wondering... Well, I tear, chop, etc the greens in the morning before I go to school. It takes up a lot of my time. Is it possible to pre-cut/chop the greens and veggies, put them in a ziplock bag, and store them in the fridge without getting all gross? Because I seem to find my nice stalks of greens get a bit gross like 2 days after I buy them.