Bearded dragon impaction is one of the health hazards which pet owners needs to be aware of as this apparently simple matter can lead to the death of your much loved pet dragon. Impaction develops when a bearded dragon’s gastrointestinal tract is impeded by a mass leading to an obvious bump on its spine. Other symptoms of impaction include trembling limbs, having a hard time walking, and paralysis in the limbs. This document will focus on the causes of bearded dragon impaction as well as what to do to stop it.

There are 3 major causes of bearded dragon impaction . First and foremost is the sort of food which your bearded dragon eats. Foods which are so large can cause impaction simply because they cannot proceed well inside the gastrointestinal tract. Generally speaking to make sure that what you feed to your pet is tiny enough and will not induce blockage, the food must fit between space between the bearded dragon’s eyes. In addition, feeding your bearded dragon too much insect with hard chitin shells such as mealworms, large crickets, as well as superworms can as well raise the risk of bearded dragon impaction, especially when the dragon isn't yet fully developed.

Another cause of bearded dragon impaction is the substrate that is employed within the enclosure of the dragon. It's been noted that play sand, calcium sand, pellets, pebble-like substrates and other plant-based substrates can induce impaction. As a result some people opt to use risk-free substrates just like newspapers, paper towels or even carpets for their pet’s vivarium. Nevertheless if you do not wish to replace these substrates with the safer alternatives, then you need to feed your pet on a plate and never on the enclosure floor, so it will stay away from ingesting these potentially harmful substrates.

Last but not the least, inadequate temperatures can likewise bring about bearded dragon impaction. When the enclosure of the bearded dragon is not heated enough after a meal, then the dragon is vulnerable to not digesting the food appropriately. To stay away from this from taking place, you could put a thermometer underneath the heating light in order to make sure that the temperature is constantly at 100 to 155 degrees.

Also, check the temperature occasionally so that you could help make the necessary modifications if the enclosure gets cooler.