Bearded dragons DO NOT absorb water through their cloaca.

[Oniwa]

So I’ve been told by my vet to give my dragon daily baths because my dragon is dehydrated. I always thought this was a strange request because I regularly bathe my dragon anyways because that’s the information you see online, people telling you about how soaking them rehydrates your dragon. This information is widely spread amongst the beardie community and I don’t think vets have done actual testing to prove this concept.

If your bearded dragon actually drinks their bath water then of course that is different, but they do not absorb any water through their cloaca.

Proof : https://youtu.be/OiCF_hd3aHw

 

[Ellentomologist]

Hi,

So, first of all, I want to say that the topic of your post is 100% correct and I don't disagree with you at all. The whole "hydration through cloaca" thing is absolute bunk, and I'm glad you posted about it!

However, I do want to address one of the reasons a vet might recommend bathes for a dehydrated dragon. We all know the importance of substrate regarding fecal impaction, however a lesser known cause or co-cause impaction is dehydration. Many studies even site chronic dehydration as a more common cause of impaction than improper substrate. Additionally, as many of us are familiar, most Bearded Dragons love to poop in their bathwater because they're weird, gross little animals. In fact a common first-response treatment to most cases of impaction will generally be a long, warm soak. This treatment is often quite successful, particularly in cases of impaction that are caused by dehydration (and therefor hard urates) as opposed to foreign bodies like the impaction caused by the consumption of sand or other loose substrates.

Because of this, making sure to give appropriate bathes to a dehydrated dragon is an entirely appropriate care measure. The bathes themselves are not so much to fix the primary issue of dehydration as to prevent/treat one of the most deadly symptoms of dehydration - impaction. Especially since it may take a little time for orally administered fluids to affect this particular aspect of the problem the bathes help prevent other treatments providing hydration from becoming "too little, too late" if the dragon's dehydration was causing impaction.

While it sounds like in your case your vet explicitly said the bath was to re-hydrate your dragon as opposed to help with it's bowel movements, I just thought I would share this nugget of information to anyone reading so they don't ignore vet's orders. Essentially I believe your vet was giving you a correct treatment for incorrect reasons. Regardless, I hope your dragon is doing better!

Hope this is helpful,
-Ellen

Some sources on dehydration and impaction:
1) "Two Common Disorders of Captive Bearded Dragons (Pogona vitticeps): Nutritional Secondary Hyperparathyroidism and Constipation" from Journal of Exotic Pet Medicine
2) "Constipation in Reptiles" by VeterinaryPartner
3) "Dehydration" by Beautiful Dragons Reptile Rescue

 

[Claudiusx]

Correct,

It's false information that had been spread for quite some time now, but recently I feel that it's pretty much stopped, at least here. I'm not really too active in other communities but for most part I think we are well on the way to stopping the myth

Baths still have a benefit like Ellen elaborated on. But when it comes to hydration, its only if the dragon drinks.

Here is another link to some info:
https://www.facebook.com/TheReptileDoctor/posts/1044643215584358

-Brandon

 

[kingofnobbys]

Nor do they absorb water through their skin, being evolved for life in very arid areas where wild dragons can go their entire lives and never once see rain, or running water, or a body of permanent (semipermanent) standing water ,they have evolved to be able to make do with very little water ( getting their water needs from the insects and smaller reptiles and animals and from herbs they eat in the wild and from early morning fogs), their skin is quite impervious / impenetrable to moisture, water will not soak through or diffuse through the skin of a dragon.

The only way to get water into a dragon is normally via the mouth. In extreme situations dehydrated dragon can be rehydrated medically via Intravenous (IV) cannulation .

Like said , hydration via the cloaca is an urban myth and has no foundation in fact what so ever. As does soaking in a bath to get the dragon hydrated ( this only works if the dragon drinks while in the bath , water doesn't soak in via the skin or cloaca, it only goes in via the mouth ).