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we just got a new beardie today and he stinks.....i gave him a bath with just water and he pooped in it!!! i dont think that he ever had a bath at the pet store....how do i get him to smell better??
lea

Hi - Others will answer, too (I hope), but from what I understand that the the really smelly poop (OK, it ALL stinks) can be a sign of parasites. Pet stores are notorious for keeping lizards in less than basic needs and crickets often carry parasites. I would collect a poop sample and bring to you vet for a fecal test (looking for parasites). In the menatime you can pkce him in warm shallow water to poop, then flush it down the toilet.
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i will do that but since it is sunday i have to wait a day or two.....he pshycially stinks and i was wondering if i could bathe him in something other than just plain water so we can at least handle him.....i dont even want to set his cage up with sand until we can fix the stinky problem.....
lea

you can lightly brush an old soft toothbrush over the dragons' body with a little bit of very mild non scented soak [ie ivory] to clean them up. it is normal for dragons to poop in water, so when that happens, just dump the soiled water, rinse the container used for the bath or sink, refill with luke warm water and continue to bathe him.

parasites can cause poop to be runny [healthy poop is nicely formed and solid, not runny or soft] and very stinky. though all poop will stink, if it smells so powerful it makes you want to run out of the room, it could be parasites. it is also safe to bring a sample of poop to a vet as soon as possible, to be on the safe side. if you are not sure your dragon will be obliging and poop just before you take it to the vet, you can store the poop in the fridge over night in a small zip lock bag or plastic container. something that you don't care to get back again.

as your dragon is new, i suggest not trying to handle him much for the first couple weeks. just handle him only as needed to bathe him and take to the vet, if the fecals do test possitive for parasites. [the vet wi ll want to weigh the dragon to determine proper dosages of panacur or albon, depending on what kind of p arasites found]. also, if your dragon is young, under 10 inches long, don't use sand at all. instead just use plain papertowel, newsprint, non-stick self liner [duck brand at walmart seems to be the popular one] or plastic table cloth [like the stuff used to cover banquet tables at weddings and large gatherings]. if you are using sand bought at the petstore [ie any calcium based sands or crushed walnut] take it back before opening the bag and get your money back. these sands are notorious for causing impactions and other problems with bearded dragons. the calci-sands are not digestable as is claimed on the packaging. though calcium based sands will eventually break down, it is not fast enough to prevent blockage. these sands are very coarse and tend to neutralize stomach acids, as well as clump up in the stomach and intestines, which cause blockage over time. experiments have been done by at least one person who posts here and even with strong acids over a long period, no noticeable breakdown of calcium was noted.

about the only sand i have seen in petstores that should be safe with older dragons, is the desert sand, by t-rex or exo terra, i can't remember which. but it is actually fine desert sand, not calcium or crushed walnuts. you can tell the grain is very small and i suspect this will be as safe as washed children's playsand, which is recommended to use, once the dragon is over 10 inches long, if sand is to be used. however, despite this, it is still better to get the children's playsand, as it is much more cheaper, about five dollars for a fifty pound bag, compared to about ten dollars for a 5 pound bag. the prices may very as i am quoting canadian prices, instead of american. but the ratios are the same.
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PHLdyPayne

Hey Lea,

I am having the same problem, but with a uromastyx. He smells awful, but everything I have tried has failed.

I might try the ivory soap and toothbrush if push comes to shove.

I know this did not help, but I just wanted you to know that you are not the only person dealing with a smelly lizard. (not the poop, the lizard itself!)
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Kelly Wood

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