Posted by:
PHLdyPayne
at Sat Jan 14 12:30:58 2012 [ Report Abuse ] [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by PHLdyPayne ]
The hard white substances in the poop are urates, the solid form of urine all reptiles pass. These are perfectly normal.
Keeping your dragon well hydrated is best way to ensure regular bowel movements. A healthy diet is also good, with plenty of greens fed daily.
I can't remember if you posted what age your dragon is. Adult dragons should be fed about 80-90% vegetable matter (assorted greens, vegetables etc) with the rest being insects. Typically about half dozen superworms, a couple silkworms or hornworms are more than enough. Half a dozen adult crickets are fine as well. Or you can give a feeding of insects a couple times a week.
Dragons under a year old should receive insect feedings every day with salad offered daily as well. The younger the dragon the more frequent insects should be offered. Hatchlings would need 3-4 insect feedings throughout the day, with greens always available.
Washing greens to ensure they are crisp and damp is a great way to help keep dragons hydrated.
A good basking temp with ranges between 100-120F (with tiered or multiple basking areas so the dragon can choose how high of basking temp they want at any given time is far better than just one single temperature for a basking spot). UVB is also very important and the basking area should be fully exposed to UVB, the tube ones typically should be 8-12" above the basking spot (further for the higher rated ones, 8.0-10.0) or about 18" for mercury vapour bulbs or coiled florescent tubes.
Avoid lose substrates like calcium based sands, as these can cause issues in the intestinal tracks such as impaction. Also, the heavier grains do not break down in the digestive system and extremely little if any, are absorbed. Better to use the ultra fine calcium powder in addition to a healthy calcium rich diet of greens (collards, mustard greens etc) ----- PHLdyPayne
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