Bearded Dragon cant poop

Question
My son's bearded dragon is having a hard time pooping.  We can see it and it looks like he is trying to push because it is moving but nothing comes out.  About 3 weeks ago we moved him into a bigger cage with sand and he was doing fine.  About a week ago we started noticing him not pooping.  We got a bigger bulb for his heat lamp to raise the temperature in his basking area yesterday.  He is eating but not like normal, every other day, every two days, etc.  Is there something I should try?

Cheryl Reeve

Answer
Hi Cheryl,

There are several potential causes for constipation or blockages in reptiles. I can suggest a couple things that you can try but if he is not able to go at all then I would really suggest a vet visit rather soon. Reptiles have only a single waste opening through which both stool and the white urates (urine) portion and fluid is excreted.  Both are collected in the cloacae before being expelled. You can imagine that with both intestine and kidney waste being blocked that the potential physical injury to your pet is much greater, not to mention the discomfort.

Soaking in just slightly warm water can often relax and trigger a bowel movement in reptiles and that would be my first suggestion. It also helps hydrate them and dehyration can often play a role in blockages.
It sounds like you have addressed any heat issues. He should have a basking temperature in the 95 - 110F range. Their metabolism and proper digestion are very temperature dependent. Calcium deficiency can also cause constipation. The calcium affects nerve transmission and muscle contractions. In a calcium deficient situation the normal movement of the intestinal walls that push food along can become sluggish.
If he is still eating then you incorporate some high fibre foods like squash or pumpkin into his diet. Using pureed or baby food versions is often easier and you can add a few drops of mineral oil (used for human constipation) to it as well. Dabbing some on his snout can encourage him to take it.

Whether the move to sand played a role or is just coincidence is impossible to say but I would be tempted to move him onto newspaper until this is resolved. Loose substrate is always a potential risk for ingestion. In the wild, beardeds live on hard-packed sandy dirt rather then a loose beach type sand.


Pinworms are also a common problem with beardeds and these can flare up to the point of causing physical blockages. These are reptile pinworms, not the type that infect humans so you need not worry about transmission to your family but a vet visit would be required to remedy that cause. Good luck.