best way to keep a dragon hydrated?

[3HUNNA]

I just got a new adult male, and he has not drank from his water bowl. I have started misting him every day, but i heard that it is bad. I plan on giving him a bath once a week, misting daily, and spraying his veggies with water. Am i doing ok, or is there something i should change? suggestions?

 

[Taterbug]

Well hydrated feeders, fresh juicy veggies and if he will lick water off his lips the spraying/dripping will work.

Misting is only bad of you raise the humidty excessively for extended periods of time. It won't offer hydration though - they can't absorb water they the skin really.

 

[TheDragonKeepers]

Definitely a bath once a week at least - try splishing the water gently by wiggling your fingers in it, and dripping water on the end of his nose when he's in the bath - he'll start licking it off his lips, then start lowering his head into the "moving" water to drink more easily. All my gang, when thirsty, now happily drink straight from the bath.

You can also offer smoothies by syringe - I use a high quality baby food (they particularly like the butternut squash puree), to which you can add a little vitamin powder, calcium, any other supplements, a little more water if necessary for extra hydration, then gently "dib" it on their upper lip using the syringe tip.

Tsam gets particularly excitable when a tube-o-tasty-paste arrives - he'll gleefully grab hold of the syringe so I can squirt a big glob gently into his mouth for him. He likes puree-time, nearly as much as raspberry time!

Oh, which reminds me - melon. Almost every dragon I've ever met LOVES sliced melon. Nice, easy to grab strips go down a real treat, especially in the summer.

 

[3HUNNA]

Well hydrated feeders, fresh juicy veggies and if he will lick water off his lips the spraying/dripping will work.

Misting is only bad of you raise the humidty excessively for extended periods of time. It won't offer hydration though - they can't absorb water they the skin really.

Is it ok if i mist him outside his cage, cuz thats what ive been doing

 

[BlueMorpho]

It is ok to mist him outside the cage once in a while, but not really necessary if he's getting the regular baths, nose drips, and juicy foods that have been suggested.
As Tater said, they don't absorb water through their skin.
Too much misting and exposure to water vapor can cause resperatory problems, and too much water left on his skin can cause other problems like infections and developing fungus, and you want to do your best to avoid that.
Baths that he can drink from and absorb water through his vent, and getting a good mix of moist food (but not too much, in case of diarrhea), is all he really needs.

What a lucky guy to have an owner willing to research and ask questions!

 

[Taterbug]

It's fine if you do that, I find my guy likes a good spray down some times other times he gives me the sink eye and runs off.

For the most part enclosures are usually dry enough that misting in the cage won't be a problem - of course monitor your humidity if you choose to do this. Constant dampness is not a good thing, basically. However, It's dependant on your environment though - I could mist several times a day and not get my humidty to budge but someone in Florida may have the opposite problem.

There isn't much evidence supporting getting adequate hydration soaking unless they drink - nothing wrong with a bath but I woud not rely on it at the expense of offering hydrating foods.

 

[Stolzieren]

a bath or two once a week helps a lot, also feeding them fresh greens and feeders will give them plenty of moisture.

I wouldn't mist him too much, now and then is okay and I'd say outside of the enclosure too. make sure he's able to get dried off quickly though