The Case of the Bearded Dragon and the Runny Stool?

I'm an experienced herp owner, so my beardie has got the full setup: 10% UVB, 105 degree Fahrenheit basking spot, and the likes. He's currently on well washed playsand and eating 15-20 adult crickets a day (spaced out through the day) as well as a collard green salad (w/ carrots daily, apples, and sometimes yellow squash and green, yellow, orange, and red bell peppers). I realize that carrots pose the threat of Vitamin A toxicity, but he doesn't get enough to worry about it. i also recognize the potential threat of impaction with the sand, so thanks for focusing on the question at hand.

He has recently been spending 80% of the day in his hide cave (made out of clay, also his basking spot on top). I attributed it to it being a warm location, so he just didn't feel like exiting the hide spot. But, as of today, he's had runny droppings. Once in his cage, once in his bath. He's currently shedding, so this is one of his infrequent baths. I get my crickets from Premium Crickets, normally,but got these in a box of 1000 from a petstore in Richmond. These are the same crickets I have been feeding to 4 other reptiles for a couple years and they have never had a problem with parasites. However, I'm not ruling it out. I plan on starting a treatment of some reptile Xtra Anti-Parasite meal tomorrow. Also, he had a small amount of bacterial growth in his water bowl today. Might that be playing a role?

Finally, if all else fails, I was thinking I might put some bird seed in his salad. I do that for my mali uromastyx to aid digestion. Perhaps this would help my bearded dragon? thanks for answering!

You might also like to know that he is approximately six months old with an eight-inch body and a nine inch tail.

Bravo to you. Everything sounds really good and the occasionally runny stool is really no problem. All of mine have it from time to time but it does not go on. Bacterial growth is never good as I am sure you already know. Just clean it will and disinfect it in a bleach solution and that should cure that problem. I don't think I would use the bird seed as it is not recommended for beardies but is for uros. He could have picked up something in the new box of crickets. That is always possible. If he were mine I would just watch him and see what happens.

The occasional runny stool is ok. My dragons have them from time to time. Sometimes it is something not getting washed off on the food, or on your hands, or on the ground when the taste it. It may be from the water bowl or the new crickets. I would not worry to much about it. If it continues for about a week then I would be concerned. I would also ask you to remove the play sand. If you want the sand look try crushed english walnut shell. It has the same look and feel and it is full digestable. Too much sand inside can play a role on runny and hard to not at all.