Puffing up when in bath

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I know that some people have asked this similar question, but my beardie is a little different than those who asked.

I have had "Buddy" for about 1 month. I have been giving him one bath a week, and he NEVER likes it. He freaks out and tries jumping out. One time last week he actually calmed down and swam a little. (Super cute) I thought that he might have gotten over his fear of water.

The last two days he has been "Puffing" up like a balloon when in the bath. He has never done this in the bath. He puffs up like a balloon and freaks out and tried to jump out. When I pick him up, he continues to huff and puff quickly like he is breathing fast but puffing up at the same time.

Water temps: I tried 80 degrees several times and he always hated it. I matched his body temp, 95 degrees, and that is when he swam around. I have tried 95, 90, and 80 degrees and he has been doing that puffing thing the past few days.

I do mist him twice a day, but I don't feel its good enough for him. I also make sure that his veggies are wet, he eats lots of them.

Tank/Beardie: 40 Gal Br, 105 degree basking, 72 degree cool side, mercury bulb for UVB and UVA, night time ceramic heat for 100 hot side and 70 cool side at night, humidity is steady at 30 percent but trying to hit 35, collard greens, dusted crickets, dusted dubia, poos once to twice a day(normal looking), dusted multivitamins twice a week, handle him at least once a day for 20 min, good appetite, fairly active and attentive.

Thank you
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
Bathing is very stressful for many bearded dragons, especially if you run the taps in their presence.

Bathing is only needed if the dragon has soiled itself.

If he doesn't like the baths , don't bath him unless it's ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.
 

sparrowstune

Member
Original Poster
kingofnobbys":21xlub76 said:
Bathing is very stressful for many bearded dragons, especially if you run the taps in their presence.

Bathing is only needed if the dragon has soiled itself.

If he doesn't like the baths , don't bath him unless it's ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.

Thanks for your input! I want to ensure that he is hydrated. Is this something he will get used to? Baths I mean.
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
sparrowstune":2ont5nfj said:
kingofnobbys":2ont5nfj said:
Bathing is very stressful for many bearded dragons, especially if you run the taps in their presence.

Bathing is only needed if the dragon has soiled itself.

If he doesn't like the baths , don't bath him unless it's ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.

Thanks for your input! I want to ensure that he is hydrated. Is this something he will get used to? Baths I mean.

Bathing him will do ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to hydrate a bearded dragon UNLESS HE DRINKS the bath water.
Their skink is impervious to water , and they do not take in water via the cloaca.
Only water moisture gets into a bearded dragon is via the mouth.

Bearded dragons have evolved to survive extremely long periods of drought ( in their natural range droughts can frequently last over 10 years , and there is very little natural standing or running water in their natural range , this means they have evolved to conserve water and if their die is good, they can get all the moisture they need to survive from their food (which is mainly insects and smaller animals in the wild).
 

sparrowstune

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kingofnobbys":2jrd981z said:
sparrowstune":2jrd981z said:
kingofnobbys":2jrd981z said:
Bathing is very stressful for many bearded dragons, especially if you run the taps in their presence.

Bathing is only needed if the dragon has soiled itself.

If he doesn't like the baths , don't bath him unless it's ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.

Thanks for your input! I want to ensure that he is hydrated. Is this something he will get used to? Baths I mean.

Bathing him will do ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to hydrate a bearded dragon UNLESS HE DRINKS the bath water.
Their skink is impervious to water , and they do not take in water via the cloaca.
Only water moisture gets into a bearded dragon is via the mouth.

Bearded dragons have evolved to survive extremely long periods of drought ( in their natural range droughts can frequently last over 10 years , and there is very little natural standing or running water in their natural range , this means they have evolved to conserve water and if their die is good, they can get all the moisture they need to survive from their food (which is mainly insects and smaller animals in the wild).


A lot of people online say that having them in the bath for 15 mins is a good way to hydrate. That’s the majority of the answers I get. I guess that’s not true huh?

I totally get that! But these bearded dragons have never even seen the desert, so they have weaker systems due to being kept in captivity - so does the “evolved” comment still stand for beardie a kept in captivity?

Thanks for much for your replies! I love all the help I can get to be a good owner.
 

CooperDragon

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Baths will help hydrate them if they drink from the bath. I just use baths when they need to be cleaned. Most hydration comes from their food so fresh veges and well hydrated bugs are important. I offer extra hydration via drops of water on their nose that they lick up. They've been seen in the wild licking dew off of plants and tilting their head forward during rain to funnel the water down to their mouth so they can lick at it.
 

sparrowstune

Member
Original Poster
CooperDragon":thi7er0q said:
Baths will help hydrate them if they drink from the bath. I just use baths when they need to be cleaned. Most hydration comes from their food so fresh veges and well hydrated bugs are important. I offer extra hydration via drops of water on their nose that they lick up. They've been seen in the wild licking dew off of plants and tilting their head forward during rain to funnel the water down to their mouth so they can lick at it.

Thanks for the reply! I notice his skin looks dry sometimes, that’s one reason I feel giving a bath is important? I could be wrong. But that is good to know, maybe I’ll give baths a try?

I took em out today and misted him in my hand, he didn’t seem to mind it at all! So maybe he just doesn’t like it in his viv .
 

CooperDragon

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
It's OK if their skin is dry as long as they are hydrated. They often look wrinkly or have loose skin too and this is because they need the ability to puff out and increase surface area for basking. Having relatively loose/pliable skin allows them to do this. You can use the spray bottle to spray his nose and give him some water to lick up too. Sometimes they prefer that to drops of water and vice versa.
 

sparrowstune

Member
Original Poster
CooperDragon":327fbrhh said:
It's OK if their skin is dry as long as they are hydrated. They often look wrinkly or have loose skin too and this is because they need the ability to puff out and increase surface area for basking. Having relatively loose/pliable skin allows them to do this. You can use the spray bottle to spray his nose and give him some water to lick up too. Sometimes they prefer that to drops of water and vice versa.



Thank you so much for your reply!
 

ncc74656

Hatchling Member
they puff up to float in the bath, they have little ballast tanks :). bathing can be stressful but i find if you allow your beardie to have their own path in and out of the water they will become comfortable. my beardie will dive in the bath tub and swim under the shower water as she plays, she has a towel draped over the tub so she can climb out easily but i came to find she can jump high enough to get into the tub from the floor... had no idea she could jump that high. she has gotten regular baths for most her life and is quite happy in water these days
 

Crewdog00

Hatchling Member
I am just going to give my very humble direct option. Your BD is not a water monitor or an otter. They don’t and haven’t been recorded floating in a pond or going for a swim unless it’s to get food or to swim away from being Food. I only put my guy in a bath or sink or tub of water when he has a stuck shed or is covered in poop. Stop torturing your BD. That’s why he is puffing. My DB hates being or going outside. After a summer worth of safe attempts I accepted the fact that my guy tolerates being held and petted but isn’t gonna walk on a leash or hang with me outside on the back patio.
 

sparrowstune

Member
Original Poster
Crewdog00":1hey7vuc said:
I am just going to give my very humble direct option. Your BD is not a water monitor or an otter. They don’t and haven’t been recorded floating in a pond or going for a swim unless it’s to get food or to swim away from being Food. I only put my guy in a bath or sink or tub of water when he has a stuck shed or is covered in poop. Stop torturing your BD. That’s why he is puffing. My DB hates being or going outside. After a summer worth of safe attempts I accepted the fact that my guy tolerates being held and petted but isn’t gonna walk on a leash or hang with me outside on the back patio.

Humble “option”? Try - Sarcastic “opinion”.

Thank you for the obvious input, and “trying” to treat me like a child. I know that my BD is infact a BD and not a otter. I am not torturing my BD, just trying to learn if he is a BD that likes baths. Sounds like you did that for a whole summer. I only did it a couple times. Sounds like YOU mistreated your BD. Hypocrite.

I found out he likes extremely shallow water in the bath. He enjoys swimming now. He was ONLY NERVOUS at first.
 

sparrowstune

Member
Original Poster
ncc74656":36yo1v3g said:
they puff up to float in the bath, they have little ballast tanks :). bathing can be stressful but i find if you allow your beardie to have their own path in and out of the water they will become comfortable. my beardie will dive in the bath tub and swim under the shower water as she plays, she has a towel draped over the tub so she can climb out easily but i came to find she can jump high enough to get into the tub from the floor... had no idea she could jump that high. she has gotten regular baths for most her life and is quite happy in water these days

That’s awesome! Thanks for the helpful advise. I did what you said. I gave him a way in and out and made the water warm and shallow. Now he enjoys bath time with me!

That’s cool about how high your BD can jump!
 

Beardeddtagonlover

Hatchling Member
baths are important i also had my juvenile beardie for 1 month at first he freaked out as well but i left in there i been bathing him every 2nd day but today it really surprised me he was in there for over 30 minutes and he was actually swimming the last couple of times he has really enjoyed it thats how they get hydration as well when i first got my beardie he drank lot of water but now he does not at all.

ps: this is my very first time i owned a beardie but i did and been doing lot of research and i been following and i adjust with my beardie behaviour i think hes very happy lol.beardies when they are young there just like a spoiled bratt but they need to get used to bathing lol.
 

sparrowstune

Member
Original Poster
Beardeddtagonlover":1eebb33j said:
baths are important i also had my juvenile beardie for 1 month at first he freaked out as well but i left in there i been bathing him every 2nd day but today it really surprised me he was in there for over 30 minutes and he was actually swimming the last couple of times he has really enjoyed it thats how they get hydration as well when i first got my beardie he drank lot of water but now he does not at all.

ps: this is my very first time i owned a beardie but i did and been doing lot of research and i been following and i adjust with my beardie behaviour i think hes very happy lol.beardies when they are young there just like a spoiled bratt but they need to get used to bathing lol.


Haha, love it! Thanks for the helpful input! I’m glad your having a good time with your beardie.
 
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