HOW MUCH WATER?

[EmilyRussom]

Now we are four, I think...

Tiki will take about 10 bites of a salad, then quit. I've tried to add squash, cucumber, strawberries (saw that tip on here, just as a treat and that they like colourful things). I can drip water on her nose - no dice.

She's a stubborn little dragon, but she gets a bath every night for about ten minutes in the kitchen sink while I put dishes away. She does have fun though, she'll nose dive and try to swim underwater.

 

[bandit27]

Now we are four, I think...

Welcome to the wait

 

[bandit27]

I guess no-one knows then :wink:

 

[Sherri]

Seems the best we can do is change the question to; *Is my beardie getting enough water from the bath* *sigh* lol

If they look well hydrated and their urates are not all chalky and they are eating fine etc. then I guess they are gettin enough :roll:

I plan to try giving baths 3x per week and compare that to 6x per week and see what happens...appears that is what we have to do to know :mrgreen:

~Sherri

 

[AHBD]

To answer your question Sherri [ and others ] there are actually many factors that come in to play. For instance, just like with people and other animals, high temps., over all health and age and diet play a role. In this heat, every one needs to drink more.....and so if a dragon is exposed to higher temps. in his tank he will probably drink more often and more regularly. Baths are fine, I'm not against them, but I've raised all my babies with oral hydration primarily for almost 17 years. I use a spray bottle to lightly spray the tops of their heads from the time they are hatchlings. They don't get regular baths until they are older unless they are dirty. They get a full body spray to help with shedding, which is often, and which goes very smoothly because of the spraying. Just don't soak the tank, or you can use an eyedropper if you are worried about any puddling water. Excess water is wiped up easily with a paper towel. They instictively lick the drops as they channel down to their mouth. No respiratory infection from this method,they are never dehydrated, and it's much more reliable than just bathing. Dragons also get hydrated from their food, insects contain quite a bit of moisture, but veggies contain about 80- 85 %. That is why I start my hatchlings on finely shredded greens from about 1 week...by 2 - 3 weeks they all eat the greens that I have shredded and drop down in to the cage. So oral hydration, some bathing and their diet all contribute to a well hydrated dragon.

 

[bandit27]

Thanks AHBD, i have been waiting for your reply :wink: i was gonna pm you if i hadn't heard by the weekend....My guys don't eat a huge amount of veg, will not drink in the bath, or willingly take drops of water from a syringe or by dropping it at the tip oif the nose. I have started giving them about 1ml every other day. Once i have the syringe in their mouth they will drink it :roll:

Do you think that is a sufficient amount of water to give, or should i give more??

Thanks
Kerry

 

[AHBD]

Yes, that's fine, as long as you can see they are swallowing, just make sure you do it slowly. Have you tried a spray bottle.? I think when people hear the word " spray" , they think of a huge shower of water all over the dragon. If you set the nozzle so that it comes out slowly in about a 2" shower [ not a wide shower or a tight stream ] and spray gently on their heads, the usually start drinking . If they are not used to it, they make take 20 - 30 seconds to realize that it's a drink, so you can pull the " trigger" 2 - 3 times, then wait, repeat and usually they will begin drinking. My adults will only drink every other day like that, but the young ones drink very regularly. Sometimes they eat so much salad that they will only drink a little bit. You can also try spraying them while they are in the bath once or twice a week, or dribble water on their heads. If your dragons eat hornworms or insects that have a very high moisture content, then they may still be well - hydrated even though they don't drink a great deal.

 

[bandit27]

Thanks...yeah they do swallow it i just drip it into their mouths.... i will try the spray bottle whilst they have a bath so they get used to it.

Thanks
Kerry

 

[AHBD]

You're welcome ! And yes, you can give them more than 1 m.l., let them drink until they stop on their own.