Why is my bearded dragon's urate strange? Is it dehydration or kidney?

Thanks for reaching out about Thelma. Sunken adipose pads are not necessarily a bad thing unless you believe she is loosing a fair amount of weight. Check and correct husbandry for environmental temperature, humidity and UVB exposure. Renal disease is a common finding in aging bearded dragons and can manifest in drinking higher amounts of water. Intestinal conditions can lead to poor nutritional absorption and weight loss. A veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. Good luck.

When soaking a bearded dragon to increase hydration, I recommend having a Tupperware container that is only used for Phantom (reptiles have the potential to shed Salmonella when they don't feel well, and we don't want to cross contaminate anything in your home). You also want to get a thermometer (a human one will work) to measure the temperature of the water. Ideally it will be 90F for soaking. It can be chin deep, as long as Phantom can hold his head up. if you are doing this for maintenance (i.e. he is not sick), you can soak twice weekly for 15-20 minutes. If you are doing this because Phantom is sick or dehydrated, then I would recommend soaking him twice daily for 15-20 minutes. I personally don't utilize Pedialyte for soaking bearded dragons, as it can get quite sticky and sometimes they don't like the taste of it. Often they will drink while in their baths, and after that will urinate and defecate. I hope that helps to answer your question, and good luck!

Thanks for reaching out about Shelley. Including a photo might help determine the nature of the cracks. The scutes typically have growth rings but these are symmetric around the scutes. They can vary on their width dependent on growth spurts. As for the white substance in the urine. Reptiles excrete kidney waste in two forms: clear urine and white, thick urates. The urates are a method to conserve water in the body. Large amounts of urates can be an indication of dehydration. Another possibility of white in the urine is calcium deposits. Excess calcium in the diet is excreted in the urine. This increased concentration of calcium in the urine, can be a precursor to a bladder stone. Different species (not identified by you) of tortoises are more prone to calcium stones. Research proper husbandry and nutrition for your tortoise to ensure long term health. A veterinary visit is recommended, at least annually, just as if for humans, dogs and cats. Good luck.

Submit a stool sample to diagnose intestinal parasites. Monitor Drogon for difficulty breathing, blowing bubbles, lethargy, or odd sounds while breathing. These are symptoms of an upper respiratory infection. Parasites or URI may cause the condition you are seeing. Bump cage temps up by about 5F for a few days. Soak him in a warm 50/50 solution of water and unflavored PediaLyte twice daily for 15-20 minutes. Make sure the UVB light source is not older than 6 months and use quality vitamin and mineral supplements. If Drogon gets worse or does not begin eating soon, have him examined by an experienced herp veterinarian.

Soak once or twice weekly in a warm 50/50 solution of water and unflavored PediaLyte. Feed lower protein prey (mealworms, nightcrawlers, crickets). Avoid high protein prey such as locusts, dubia roaches and waxworms. Blood work may need to be monitored to track progression. Further treatment (steroids, phosphate binders, calcium supplements, fluid therapy) will depend on status. The waxy substance may be normal secretions from the pre anal pores. This is used for marking branches and letting other geckos know who is in the area.

Thanks for reaching out about Rex and including a photo. Unfortunately you did not include a photo of the belly and black spots. But, Rex appears thin and dehydrated in the photo. A veterinary visit is recommended to assess health and to examine the black spots. Good luck.

Hi Katie. Any abnormalities you are seeing with Zillo should be checked out by your vet. I don't see anything outwardly abnormal based on those photos. Most health issues that we see in reptiles is due to improper husbandry (diet, lighting, housing, etc) so I suggest you check and make sure you are doing everything 100% correct. Here is a good reference for you to read about Beaded Dragon husbandry. I also suggest you get him an exam with a reputable reptile vet - he could have intestinal parasites causing that are causing his problems. ( http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Care-Sheets/Lizards/Bearded-Dragon/ ) If you don't already have a vet that you use, I found this one in your area that will treat reptiles. ( http://applevalleyanimalhospital.com/wellness/avian-exotic/ ) Hope this helps. Best wishes.