Beardie Baths?

[ironclaw37]

I'm new to bearded dragons and I just bought one six days ago, he's been very stressed lately and I've heard some things about giving beardies baths. How should I do this?

 

[EllenD]

In general, beardies don't really need baths unless they are dirty or become impacted or have other troubles pooping. Some beardies like baths, some don't, it's hit and miss. So if you have a beardie that likes to soak in a bath then you can give them one a couple of times a week, it won't hurt them as long as you only put the water up to their shoulders, always be watching them and keeping their head above the water, and never, ever, ever leave them unsupervised or take your eyes off them. Sometimes they relax a lot and can actually fall asleep and drop their heads below water, so you can't ever leave them in a bath alone. Also, they can easily aspirate water into their lungs if they dip their head below water or they drink the bath water very quickly, which can result in an upper respiratory infection, pneumonia, and death, so again, be careful and never leave them unsupervised.

Also, they do not absorb hydration through their vents, that's a old myth that is completely untrue. Putting your beardie in a bath when you think that they're dehydrated will not help at all UNLESS THEY DRINK THE BATH WATER. So if your beardie likes baths and drinks his bath water, then it's a good way to hydrate him, but if he doesn't drink his bath water then there is no point to bathing him for hydration, nor is there any reason to waste Pedialyte or Gatorade by putting in their bath water, it's pointless...

I give mine a bath at least once a week because they do get dirty, and I'll do it every other day when they're shedding because it does help loosen the skin and stop itching. None of my 3 drink the water, nor do they really care for it, they all just try to get out. So if they're dirty, shedding, or haven't pooped in more than a week or so I'll give them a bath. Again, my 3 don't like it. I use my bathtub and fill up to their shoulders and that's it. They like the water in the 90's, not hot, but not lukewarm either. Like a baby's bath temperature... Again, there is no harm in giving them baths a couple of times a week if they actually drink the bath water or if they like it. However, if they don't drink the water then a bath will not hydrate them, and if they are constantly trying to climb out and are anxious the entire time then this means they don't like it, and so all you're doing is stressing them out, and since it doesn't hydrate them, in this situation there is no reason to bath them.

 

[kingofnobbys]

I concur with Ellen.

Only times my beardies get baths are :
>> when they've soiled themselves
>> when they are too hot (theoretically it's an option to help cool an overheated dragon ... carefully)
>> when they have a stubborn area of shed
>> when they are impacted (20mins with tummy rubs)
>> when they have an open injury that needs to be kept clean (dilute betadiene soak)

My Toothless has never needed a bath, the breeder told us she gave baths to encourage the hatchlings to drink, Peppa has had maybe 3 baths.
Peppa loves her bath and thinks she's a crocodile.... tries to swim in the very shallow water in the babys bath and really brighten up (happy colours) , I put the bath on the lounge next me and she wants to get in of her own accord.
Puff and Rex never had a bath.

If your beardie enjoys his baths it fine to endulge him.

If you decide to bath your beardie
>> don't do this in the sink or bathtub , there is a chance they will poo in the bath which will mean you need to sterilize the surfaces
>> don't run the taps with the lizard present (the hissing sound of the taps will freak him out)
>> add warm / hot to cold , this way the risk of scaulding the beardie is reduced greatly , water that's too cold will only make beardie sleepy.
>> use as small a bath as possible , for a hatchling a 600ml plastic food tub is perfect
>> don't bath where if the dragon leaps out and runs he can land on a hard / unforgiving surface ( I bath mine on the coffee table and the floor is carpeted so soft and forgiving , better still , sit on the carpeted floor next to the bath which is on the floor, if beardie leaps out , he'll not fall.

 

[EllenD]

Very good advice from Kingofnobbys on how to bathe your beardie safely. I was going to quickly mention that there was a post a few months ago from a new member who thought that their new baby beardie had an upper respiratory infection, and he wanted our opinions on whether it did in fact sound like he had a respiratory infection. After questioning the OP about if he had given their new baby a bath in the few weeks since he had gotten him, he said yes, a few times, but after the last bath he had given him is when the baby had started wheezing, clicking, and having other breathing issues and had also started coughing a lot, and had lots of mucous coming from his nostrils and mouth...I asked him if he had seen him drinking his bath water and he said no, but then he said "I don't know what happened, I ran him his bath, it was nice and warm, and when I put him in the tub the water was right below his shoulders, so everything was the same as I had done many times before. After letting him soak for 10-20 minutes I walked back into the bathroom to find his eyes closed and he was having trouble keeping his head above the water, so I figured he was sleepy and I took him out, dried him really well, and put him back in his tank...The next morning is when he started wheezing and clicking when he took breaths..."

So the OP had actually been running a bathtub of warm water, putting his 6" baby beardie in the tub of water up to his shoulders, and the LEAVING THE BATHROOM FOR 10-20 MINUTES WHILE HIS BABY WAS SOAKING!!! I was absolutely shocked that the baby hadn't drowned, he had gotten him 3 weeks earlier and was doing this every other day since, leaving him completely alone in the tub full of water for up to 20 minutes. That guy should play the lottery because 99% of people who would do that even once would have walked back in to a dead bearded dragon...Never leave them in water unsupervised, I don't even take my eyes off of them for longer than a second or two at a time. They do get quite relaxed in the warm water if they enjoy it, and they actually fall asleep...

 

[ironclaw37]

Thanks for the tips! I have three more questions for you guys if your willing. I'm replacing a UVB light that I bought for a new one that will give my Beardie a good amount of UVB rays I would rally appreciate any recommendations for a light and where to put it.

 

[kingofnobbys]

Thanks for the tips! I have three more questions for you guys if your willing. I'm replacing a UVB light that I bought for a new one that will give my Beardie a good amount of UVB rays I would rally appreciate any recommendations for a light and where to put it.

See my cheatsheet, there is a good guide in it : viewtopic.php?f=6&t=234738&p=1806050#p1806050

10%-12% UVB T5HO in a reflector hood , mounted UNDER THE LID , one end close as possible to the basking light , choose a tube about 2/3 the length of the viv . Aiming for about 190 microW UVB / sq.cm at the basking spot.

 

[funmom]

I have been reading all the information on baths not being necessary. Guess I ve also gotten wrong info lol. So my question is how do they get water? I thougth a bath was to keep them hydrated and ours poops when he baths sometimes. I don't keep water in his cage so how does he ever get a drink of water?

 

[kyleena29]

You can try offering water by dripping it on his nose till he drinks. Many do not drink water and will get enough through their veggies though.

 

[funmom]

You can try offering water by dripping it on his nose till he drinks. Many do not drink water and will get enough through their veggies though.

Ok thanks. Good to know. We have done that before. I guess it needs to be filtered or only distilled water?

 

[kyleena29]

I would do distilled water yes. I buy water conditioner, the type that removes chlorine yet safe for reptiles, when I give baths.

 

[CooperDragon]

Regular tap water shouldn't be harmful to them either. You could pass it through a filter to remove the chlorine if you want but it's not really necessary, especially for bath water. I just use plain warm tap water for baths and when I offer water from syringes for drinking I use the filtered tap water that I drink.

 

[nathb1]

I'm new to bearded dragons and I just bought one six days ago, he's been very stressed lately and I've heard some things about giving beardies baths. How should I do this?

I give mine a bath once a week, he doesnt poo in his cage he poos in the water or outside when weather permit. I bought a cat litter tub at dollar store. I put it on the counter in the kitchen or table, (I have two cats so better to be up then on floor) and watch him take a bath, pooring water on him, talking lol etc.. its like a bonding thing...mine doesnt drink water from it, never has. He dunks his head under and swims around. Never inhaled water but you never know, eyes on beardie at all time just in case!

As baby it took two months to do anything in the water, used to just stand there and pooed , he wasnt stressed or anything just looked at me funny ... but he came to love baths. I always find after a bath his scale is bright and fresh! To me anyways...

To hydrate him I buy him hornworms and always put a little fresh water on his veggies....