Stool problems, very confused. Am I doing something wrong?

[Khaleesi]

Ok, so my girl is an Argentine B&W Tegu and is about 25 inches long. Not sure of her age. I have her in a 6x2x2 with a bar uvb across the top and a 100w heat on one side, Water bowl on the cool side. I'm concerned with her stool patterns though. Whenever I feed her mice or worms her stool is solid and healthy. If I feed her ground turkey, salmon, egg, or chicken her stools end up liquidy(don't even get me started on the smell) I encountered this problem a few weeks ago and was told to add calcium powder to her diet. So I got her "REPTI CALCIUM" - ultrafine precipitated calcium carbonate supplement with D3. I've been using this the last couple weeks and no change. Her stools are completely normal when it comes to feeding her mice or worms but liquidy with raw meats. Any reason for this?? What can I so to make her stool solid with all foods?? help please, I'm worried about my little girl.

 

[Artemisace]

I haven't had this issue with my Nile but he easts mice all the time. I have had this issue with my Burmese before though and it's usually when I feed her whole birds. I think that just some foods cause this to happen, it may be different with the giant snakes, but she has no health problems at all. it just happens when I feed her quail or chicken whole. If you're worried about a sickness or something a vet visit is always a good idea. (edit) I also just got a tegu who is eating ground turkey and haven't noticed this issue, but she's on eco earth so it might be hard to see.

 

[dpjm]

I'm just going to comment on your setup, particularly the UV light placement. It's not related to runny stool. Most fluorescent tube UV lamps put out usable UVB up to about a foot away from the lamp. So anywhere after a foot away, there is really no UVB. If your lamp is sitting on top of a 2 ft tall enclosure, is your tegu getting close enough to it. Also, having the lamp shine through a screen reflects a large amount of the UV output. You might consider trying to hang the lamp inside the enclosure to get the most out of it. I would get a calcium supplement without D3 added because you don't want to provide much D3 in the diet if you are using UVB lamps.

 

[Khaleesi]

I'm just going to comment on your setup, particularly the UV light placement. It's not related to runny stool. Most fluorescent tube UV lamps put out usable UVB up to about a foot away from the lamp. So anywhere after a foot away, there is really no UVB. If your lamp is sitting on top of a 2 ft tall enclosure, is your tegu getting close enough to it. Also, having the lamp shine through a screen reflects a large amount of the UV output. You might consider trying to hang the lamp inside the enclosure to get the most out of it. I would get a calcium supplement without D3 added because you don't want to provide much D3 in the diet if you are using UVB lamps.

My UVB and heat are inside of the enclosure, it's a melamine enclosure with sliding glass front so they are attached to the inside of it. Andd I have a basking spot underneath the heat and UVB. And ok so you think maybe she is intaking too much D3 with the supplement and the UVB?

 

[Khaleesi]

I haven't had this issue with my Nile but he easts mice all the time. I have had this issue with my Burmese before though and it's usually when I feed her whole birds. I think that just some foods cause this to happen, it may be different with the giant snakes, but she has no health problems at all. it just happens when I feed her quail or chicken whole. If you're worried about a sickness or something a vet visit is always a good idea. (edit) I also just got a tegu who is eating ground turkey and haven't noticed this issue, but she's on eco earth so it might be hard to see.

If it keeps happening I'll take her to the vet. I just don't want to feed her ONLY mice cause well, we all know that's not a healthy diet.

 

[dpjm]

My UVB and heat are inside of the enclosure, it's a melamine enclosure with sliding glass front so they are attached to the inside of it. Andd I have a basking spot underneath the heat and UVB.

Ok good.

And ok so you think maybe she is intaking too much D3 with the supplement and the UVB?

It's a possibility. Just get some calcium with no D3 added.

 

[Khaleesi]

Ok good.



It's a possibility. Just get some calcium with no D3 added.

Ok, Thank you!

 

[Artemisace]

If it keeps happening I'll take her to the vet. I just don't want to feed her ONLY mice cause well, we all know that's not a healthy diet.

My nile eats just mice and he's fine, I also know that underground feeds there adults rodents almost exclusively. Whole prey is actually quite healthy from what I've read

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[Walter1]

My nile eats just mice and he's fine, I also know that underground feeds there adults rodents almost exclusively. Whole prey is actually quite healthy from what I've read

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Whole prey is an excellent staple for Argies, but some variety is important- raw egg, fruit, wet dog food, etc.

As for the Nile, if well-fed, he'll be a velociraptor in no time.

 

[Artemisace]

Whole prey is an excellent staple for Argies, but some variety is important- raw egg, fruit, wet dog food, etc.

As for the Nile, if well-fed, he'll be a velociraptor in no time.

He's already a velociraptor lol [emoji23] or he thinks he is. My tegu hasn't touched anything but ground turkey just yet, but I'm sure she will as she grows.

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