June 13, 2024

Why My Bearded Dragon Is Not Pooping?

Bearded dragon’s poop provides valuable insights into their digestive health, hydration levels, and different health condition. 

Just like in humans, the characteristics of poop,  its color, consistency, frequency, and even smell reveal a lot about what’s happening inside a bearded dragon’s body. The poop of your pet is a great topic to be discussed if you are a pet keeper. If Bearded dragon is not pooping then it should not be good for their health.

In this post, we will learn everything related to your bearded dragon’s poop. Everything from normal poop to poop problems a bearded dragon has to face. So, keep reading!

Read more : Enhance Your Bearded Dragons Lifespan

How Often Should a Bearded Dragon Poop?

The frequency of bowel movements can vary based on age, diet, and environmental conditions. 

This is how often you can expect your bearded dragon to poop at different stages of its life.

Baby Bearded Dragon Poop

How Often Should a baby bearded dragons?  Baby dragons are typically considered those up to five months old and tend to poop more frequently than older dragons. It is common for baby bearded dragons to poop every day or even multiple times a day. Generally, they poop once a day, or sometimes they poop three times a day. 

REASON: This high frequency is due to their rapid growth and the high-protein diet they require during this stage.

Young Bearded Dragon Poop

How often do young bearded dragons poop? Young bearded dragons, typically aged between five months and eighteen months, usually poop less frequently than babies but more often than adults. You can expect them to poop anywhere from every day to every other day. Most frequently, they show one or two bowel movements in a week. 

REASON: Their diet includes more vegetables and insects, which can affect their bowel movement frequency.

Adult Bearded Dragon Poop

How often do adult bearded dragons poop? Generally,, they are older than eighteen months and tend to have less frequent bowel movements than younger dragons. On average, an adult bearded dragon will poop once a day, although some poop more often, especially if they are fed a protein-rich diet.

Do Bearded Dragons Pee?

Bearded dragons do not pee in the traditional sense. Instead of excreting liquid urine, they produce a solid waste called urate, a white or yellowish substance accompanying their feces. 

Bearded dragons use urate to expel excess nitrogen from their bodies, conserving water in their arid natural habitats. Therefore, bearded dragons do not usually pee.

Observing the color and consistency of urate and feces can provide insights into a bearded dragon’s hydration and health condition.

How Often Do Bearded Dragons Pee?

The frequency of urate excretion is similar to that of poop. It varies depending on factors like diet, hydration, and individual metabolism. Generally, bearded dragons will expel urate and feces during each bowel movement. 

Healthy adult bearded dragons typically have bowel movements, including urate excretion, about once a week. However, this frequency can vary based on the factors. 

Read more : Leatherback Bearded Dragons – A Complete Guide

5 Reasons Why Your Bearded Dragon is Pooping a Lot

Due to several factors that contribute to a bearded dragon pooping more frequently than usual:

1. Dietary Changes

Introducing new foods or sudden changes in diet can stimulate bowel movements as the digestive system adapts to the new nutrients.

2. High-Fiber Diet

A fiber-rich diet of vegetables and greens can promote healthy digestion but also lead to more frequent bowel movements.

3. Hydration

Proper hydration is essential for maintaining regular bowel movements. If your bearded dragon is well-hydrated, it results in increased urination and more frequent pooping.

4. Stress

Environmental changes, handling, or other stressors can disrupt a bearded dragon’s digestive system, leading to increased bowel movements as a response to stress.

5. Parasites or Infections

Internal parasites or bacterial infections can cause gastrointestinal upset, resulting in more frequent pooping as the body tries to expel the invaders.

Read more : How to Setup A Bearded Dragon Habitat?

What Does Healthy Bearded Dragon Poop Look Like?

If your bearded dragon is pooping healthy, it has typically the following characteristics:

Brown Color

The fecal part of the poop is usually brown in color, resembling that of many other animals.

Well-Formed

Healthy poop is well-formed and solid, indicating efficient digestion and absorption of nutrients.

Accompanied by White Urate

Alongside the fecal matter, there is usually a bearded dragon white poop or off-white component known as urate. This solid uric acid waste is normal for reptiles and helps conserve water.

Minimal Odor

Bearded dragon poop smell like a mild odor; healthy bearded dragon poop should not have an overwhelmingly foul smell. Excessive odor could indicate an issue with digestion or health.

Regular Frequency

Bearded dragons typically poop on a regular schedule, with frequency varying based on age, diet, and other factors.

Why is Bearded Dragon Poop White and Brown?

Bearded dragon poop is typically a combination of white and brown components due to their unique digestive system.

  1. Brown Fecal Matter: The brown part of the poop is the fecal matter, which consists of undigested food, waste products, and bacteria from the digestive tract. It gets its brown color from bile pigments and other food breakdown products.
  2. White Urate: The white part of the poop is called urate, which is a solid form of uric acid. Instead of excreting liquid urine like mammals, reptiles, including bearded dragons, excrete uric acid to conserve water. Urate is typically white or off-white in color and helps reptiles efficiently remove nitrogenous waste from their bodies.

The separation of fecal matter and urate in the poop is a natural part of the bearded dragon’s digestive process. It allows them to efficiently eliminate waste, which is particularly important for animals adapted to arid environments.

What Does Bearded Dragon Green Poop?

Green poop in bearded dragons can be a worrisome sign, potentially indicating various health issues. While a sudden change in diet, particularly an increase in leafy greens, temporarily causes green poop, persistent green stool warrants attention. 

It could signal digestive problems, bacterial infections like Salmonella, or the presence of parasites such as coccidia. Liver issues, like liver disease, might also lead to green-colored stool due to improper bile metabolism.

Ingestion of non-food items or substrate can cause green poop. Regular monitoring of poop color, along with observation of accompanying symptoms, is crucial. If green poop persists or is accompanied by other concerning signs, consulting a reptile veterinarian promptly is advisable for proper diagnosis and treatment.

What Does Blood in Bearded Dragon Poop Mean?

Bearded dragon pooping blood, also known as hematochezia. This mucus-unhealthy bearded dragon poop can indicate several potential health issues. 

  1. Internal Injury: Blood in the poop result from internal injuries, such as trauma to the gastrointestinal tract from ingesting sharp objects or from rough handling.
  2. Digestive Disorders: Conditions like gastrointestinal infections, parasites, or inflammatory bowel disease can cause irritation or damage to the intestinal lining, leading to bleeding.
  3. Impaction: Ingesting foreign objects or substrates that cause an obstruction in the digestive tract can lead to irritation and bleeding.
  4. Rectal Bleeding: Sometimes, blood in the poop originates from the rectum itself due to conditions like rectal prolapse or hemorrhoids.
  5. Dietary Causes: Certain foods, particularly those high in oxalates or with sharp edges, can cause abrasions or irritation in the digestive tract, leading to bleeding.

Overhydrated Bearded Dragon Poop

Overhydrated bearded dragon poop occurs when a bearded dragon consumes excessive amounts of water or ingests watery foods, leading to loose or runny stools. While hydration is essential for bearded dragons, excess water intake can disrupt their digestive system and result in diarrhea-like poop. 

Causes of overhydration include 

  • Improper bathing techniques
  • Offering watery foods such as fruits with high water content
  • Suboptimal habitat conditions lead to excessive humidity levels. 

Overhydrated poop also indicates underlying health issues like kidney problems or infections. Suppose you notice consistently watery poop in your bearded dragon. In that case, it’s crucial to assess their hydration levels, diet, and habitat conditions and consult a reptile veterinarian to address any underlying health concerns.

Why My Bearded Dragon Is Not Pooping?

Due to the following reasons, your bearded dragons can stop pooping. 

Brumation is one of them that stops the pooping of bearded dragons. During brumation, bearded dragons reduce their activity and food intake, leading to fewer bowel movements. This is a natural behavior and not necessarily a cause for concern.

Further, the same factors contribute as those to pooping a lot.

  • Dehydration
  • Dietary Issues
  • Impaction
  • Health Conditions
  • Stress

All these conditions may also lead to bearded dragon runny poop, watery poop, bloody poop, and dehydrated bearded dragon poop. 

How to Get a Bearded Dragon to Poop?

Getting a bearded dragon to poop can sometimes be a concern, especially if they haven’t had a bowel movement for a while. 

Following are the factors that encourage your bearded dragon to poop:

Provide a Warm Bath

Place your bearded dragon in a shallow, warm water bath (around 85-90°F) for 10-15 minutes. The warm water can help stimulate their digestive system and promote bowel movements.

Gentle Massage

While your bearded dragon is in the bath, you can gently massage its abdomen using a circular motion. This can help stimulate the muscles of the digestive tract and encourage poop to pass.

Increase Hydration

Ensure your bearded dragon has access to clean, fresh water. Proper hydration is crucial for maintaining regular bowel movements.

Adjust Diet

Review your bearded dragon’s diet to ensure it includes a variety of appropriate foods. Offer plenty of leafy greens, vegetables, and appropriately sized insects. Fiber-rich foods can help regulate bowel movements.

Provide Environmental Stimuli

Bearded dragons often poop in response to environmental cues, such as exposure to natural sunlight or the warmth of their basking spot. Ensure their habitat is set up with appropriate temperature gradients and lighting.

Monitor Activity

Pay attention to your bearded dragon’s behavior and activity levels. Increased activity, basking, or digging in their substrate indicates they are preparing to poop.

Maintain Clean Habitat

A clean and hygienic enclosure can promote healthy bowel movements. Regularly remove feces and uneaten food to prevent bacterial buildup and digestive issues.

How to Get Your Bearded Dragon to Poop During Brumation?

During brumation, bearded dragons have reduced activity and eat less, resulting in fewer bowel movements. To encourage pooping, provide warm baths several times a week to stimulate digestion. 

Ensure they have access to fresh water and offer appetizing foods to stimulate their appetite. Monitor their behavior for discomfort or distress, and maintain a stimulating environment in their enclosure. 

How Long Can a Bearded Dragon Go Without Pooping?

Bearded dragons can vary in how long they can go without pooping depending on factors such as age, diet, hydration, and overall health. 

Generally, it’s normal for a healthy adult bearded dragon to have bowel movements, including urate excretion, about once a week. However, some adult bearded dragons go slightly longer between bowel movements without any cause for concern, especially if they eat less or are less active.

For baby and juvenile bearded dragons, they typically poop more frequently, sometimes multiple times a day, due to their rapid growth and high-protein diet. If a bearded dragon, regardless of age, goes significantly longer than usual without pooping, it indicates an underlying issue such as constipation, impaction, dehydration, or digestive problems. In such cases, monitoring their behavior closely and consulting a reptile veterinarian for guidance and potential treatment is essential.

Do Bearded Dragons Eat Their Poop?

Bearded dragons generally do not eat their poop as part of their natural behavior. However, there are instances where they accidentally ingest feces while exploring their environment or during feeding. 

In captivity, inadequate habitat conditions, stress, or health issues could lead to abnormal behaviors such as coprophagy (eating feces). Observing your bearded dragon exhibiting this behavior frequently indicates an underlying issue such as nutritional deficiencies, parasites, or digestive problems.

In such cases, it’s essential to consult with a reptile veterinarian to address the root cause and ensure your bearded dragon’s health.

How to Clean Bearded Dragon Poop?

Cleaning bearded dragon poop is a necessary part of maintaining a hygienic habitat. Here’s how to clean up poop from various places:

Enclosure/Substrate

  • Remove solid waste with a paper towel or reptile-safe wipes.
  • Scoop out the affected area for loose substrates and replace with fresh substrate.
  • Disinfect with reptile-safe cleaner and allow to dry before returning your pet.

Furniture/Decor

  • Remove soiled items and clean them with reptile-safe disinfectant or mild soap.
  • Rinse well and air dry before returning to the enclosure.

Clothing/Bedding

  • Rinse under cold water to remove poop.
  • Pre-treat the stained area, then wash it according to instructions.
  • Ensure the item is dehydrated before reuse.

Skin/Scale

  • Gently wipe the affected area with a damp cloth or paper towel.
  • Use reptile-safe soap if needed, then rinse and pat dry.
  • Regular cleaning helps maintain a healthy environment for your bearded dragon.

FAQs

What If My Bearded Dragon Hasn’t Pooped in 2 Weeks?

If your bearded dragon hasn’t pooped in 2 weeks, it could indicate constipation or impaction, which requires immediate attention from a reptile veterinarian. Consult a vet to determine the underlying cause and provide appropriate treatment, including hydration therapy, dietary adjustments, or manual assistance to alleviate the issue.

What If My Bearded Dragon Poop Yellow?

Yellow poop in bearded dragons can indicate various health issues, such as dietary imbalances, liver problems, or dehydration. Monitor your dragon’s diet and hydration closely, and consider offering water-rich foods and consulting a veterinarian for further evaluation.

The Bottom Line

To keep your bearded dragon healthy, provide a balanced diet, ensure proper hydration, and maintain a clean and stimulating environment. Regularly cleaning their enclosure and monitoring their behavior can prevent many common health issues.

Share your experiences and tips with us. Have you discovered any helpful tricks for maintaining your dragon’s digestive health? Join the conversation in the comments below or on our social media pages. Your insights could help others take better care of their pets. Let’s work together to keep our bearded dragons happy and healthy!

Olivia Eva
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