If you are new to caring bearded dragons, irregular pooping schedules will most likely worry you especially if you don’t know what is going on.
Differing pooping schedule and pooping rates can be normal to some extent. But for some instances though, changes in pooping frequency may indicate potential problems.
So, how often do bearded dragons poop?
The answer to this question may significantly vary depending on the bearded dragon’s age, diet, and size. Younger bearded dragons tend to poop more frequently than adults. However, the bearded dragons in general, poop 1-7 times a week.
It is also important to note that apart from age, diet, and size, health problems could also potentially affect the pooping frequency of your bearded dragon.
Sickness will only negatively affect the pooping frequency but also the color and texture of the poop. If you notice these changes in your bearded dragon’s poop, you better investigate what is going on.
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Comparison between Juvenile and Adult Bearded Dragon Bowel Movements
As mentioned, juvenile bearded dragons tend to poop more frequently than adults. Juveniles poop at least once to thrice a day in their healthy state.
This frequency happens in normal health conditions. But if your bearded dragon is suffering from health issues, these numbers may vary.
Adult bearded dragons, on the other hand, may poop once to seven times a week. They are far less frequent compared to their younger counterparts.
The pooping frequency difference between the young and adult bearded dragons is due to the amount of food they are eating.
The reason why juvenile bearded dragons tend to poop more frequently is that they eat more than their adult counterparts. This is because more food is required for its speedy growth.
Younger bearded dragons do not just eat random food. But they like foods that are rich in protein. This is the main reason why a juvenile bearded dragon eats more bugs than vegetables to get their protein needs. The more bugs they eat, the more frequently they will likely to poop.
Nonetheless, you should ensure that your bearded dragon gets a proper and balanced diet. They also need green leafy vegetables.
Related Article: What Can I Feed My Bearded Dragon to Make Him Poop? Best Care Tips
In some cases though, juvenile bearded dragons may poop more than 1-3 times a day. There are many factors that could affect the pooping frequency. Genetics and health issues are some of them.
As the bearded dragons grow older, they will eat less and therefore poops less. The amount of protein they consume will also decrease. This is because they have achieved their growth plateau. So they don’t need as much protein as they used to.
In normal situations, adult bearded dragons poop once a day to once a week. These numbers though can vary depending on many factors.
While less frequent pooping schedule in adult bearded dragons is normal, far less frequent pooping schedule may be a sign of potential problems that you need to attend to immediately.
What I mean by this is that, if your bearded dragon won’t poop for more than a week or so, something wrong is going on. Constipation can be one of the issues. But certainly, there are other more serious physical problems.
Bearded Dragons’ Bowel Movements Potential Problems
Like humans, bearded dragons can also suffer from many bowel movement problems. The common issues are constipation and diarrhea.
But unlike humans, lizards cannot tell you what’s going on. They won’t tell you what is painful in their body. Your only way to notice their health problems is by paying attention to their bowel movements.
One of the common reasons for constipation and diarrhea is stress. And some of the most common stressors are extreme temperatures (low or high), changes in set up, low humidity, not enough space to roam around, etc.
If you made changes to their tank, or you moved to a new house, this could potentially cause stress to your bearded dragon. You’ll notice afterward that your bearded dragons won’t eat as they used to.
This is a normal reaction though. As your bearded dragons get used to the changes, they will recover and their diet will go back to normal.
Less amount of food could also cause stress to your lizards. It is important for them to have a balanced diet between greens, bugs, and worms. Be aware too that these foods have a certain effect on their bowel movements. Foods should be balanced.
If your bearded dragon is suffering from constipation, there are some basic steps to help your lizard get back to normal pooping.
Quick Note: If your bearded dragon won’t poop for weeks, please consult a vet. Something must be wrong. Don’t wait any longer because your bearded dragon may have suffered from a more serious problem.
Steps to Help Your Bearded Dragons Recover from Constipation
1. Give them enough water
This sounds basic, but most of the time we tend to forget it. I am guilty of this sometimes. It is important to remember that water is essential for regular and healthy bowel movements. So give them enough water to drink for the entire day.
When giving water, do not just put it in the bowl. Bearded dragons don’t drink much in stagnant water. They like running water to drink from. A fountain is great for your lizards.
2. Set the tank properly
Stress can also be the result of inadequate habitat which in turn causes constipation in your bearded dragons. So give your lizard livable environment.
3. Give them appropriate diet
Giving your bearded dragons more greens and calcium will help them poop. Greens will speed up the bowel movements of your bearded dragons.
4. Give them a few drops of olive oil
Another quick way to stop constipation is to give your bearded dragons a few drops of olive oil. I want to emphasize here that there should be no other types of oil to use. Just olive oil. Some people recommend vegetable oil. However, I don’t use it for my bearded dragons.
5. Give them a warm bath
Bathing, especially in warm water, could also help your bearded dragon poop. Water will trigger pooping.
What Does Bearded Dragon’s Color Mean?
You probably notice that your bearded dragons’ poops have varying colors. Each color may indicate the health of your lizards.
The following are the common poop colors and their implications:
- Brown or white usually suggests that your bearded dragon is in normal health condition. The color like this is the result of the combination of urate and poop.
- Green means that your bearded dragons have eaten more vegetables.
- Red could mean a normal health condition if only occasionally. However, if this is frequent, it may be a sign of impaction or constipation.
- Black can be a sign of more serious health issues. In some instances, it may be the result of internal bleeding. I suggest that you consult a vet to correctly diagnose the problem.
- Yellow may suggest that your bearded dragons are consuming a lot of calcium-rich foods. You can fix this by simply reducing the amount of calcium in their diet.
- Brown with white spots or lines usually the outcome of the combination of urate and poop. Sometimes it could also result from having parasite, especially tapeworm. If there’s no tapeworm, then it is probably normal.
Related Article: Bearded Dragon Turning White: The Real Causes
If you have an adult bearded dragon, you normally see green poops in them. This is because most adult bearded dragons tend to eat more green leafy vegetables. So this is normal unless you see unusual consistencies in their poops.
It is important to remember that food is the most determinant of the poop color. So before you get panic, check the diet of your bearded dragon first. This should help you determine what is causing the changes in the poop color.
