intestinal occlusion in my bearded dragon

Question
My 6,5 years  old bearded dragon have died from  intestinal occlusion. She always ate well, greens, fruits, silkworms, dry food and a bit of veggies.
the substrate in her terrarium was "desert sand" from Exo-Terra, which should be very suitable for the dragons.
My questions are:
1) Is intestinal occlusion  common in reptiles?
2) What can I do to avoid it ?
Thank you,
Brigit


Answer
Hi Brigit,
I am so very sorry for your loss.
This can be and is very common in reptiles for various reasons.  Intestinal blockages can be caused by the so called edible sand, other loose substrates such as litter, bark, etc. The problem with sand (even childrens play sand which is the safest)with some beardies is that they do end up eating it, even though it may be accidental. I would use newspaper or vinyl flooring or slate floor tiles.  The ceramic or slate(or other flooring "stone") comes in various sizes, many have texture for footing, hold heat well and look very natural. Its my choice for any reptile.
The problem with products sold for reptiles is that there really are no laws that govern what is safe or not safe for reptiles in bedding, substrate, supplements and even food. Many companies print in very tiny print on the back of the bags of substrates that it can cause blockages and recommend moving the reptile to another area for feeding.
Also, with dry foods, they act like sponges when the reptile eats them.  When feeding a dry food its best to soak it in warm water so the food is soft at least 1/2 way through.
If the reptile is not taking in a good amount of water and is even a little dehydrated, the dry foods will cause even more dehydration, if fed dry.
Allowing your dragon to soak several times a week in a warm bath helps with hydration and gives them a chance to drink.
Mist the greens prior to feeding and any time you see they need more.
Also, if you notice that your beardie is a bit constipated, using some babyfood prunes will help greatly. As to fruits, if they like watermelon, its one of the best fruits for hydration.
Again, I am so sorry for your loss.  It has happened to many people with their reptiles and sometimes even the very best of care isn't enough because there can always be some unknown internal problem, be it genetic or other, that can cause problems.
You don't mention a good source of uvb for your dragon.  I do suggest that you read the following link since there have been some recent findings about good and bad uvb sources.
http://www.uvguide.co.uk/index.htm
There have been changes made on these "problem lights" but there are still some old ones out there.  Here is a link where you can read how to know the good from the bad on the compact uvb lights. The  link will take you to my discussion group and to a post that tells how to tell the new compacts from the old ones.    http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/UVB_Meter_Owners/message/6721