Hydration Tips?

[nocontextlizard]

Hey all! My beardie refuses to drink water. He winds up getting fairly dehydrated and a little wrinkly, so I shoot water water into his mouth with a syringe. I try not to do this often because I don’t want to accidentally aspirate him. He gets baths every other day, sometimes daily if I think he needs to extra boost. Does anyone have any other tips on how to keep them hydrated when they hate water? He gets fruit, but if I give him too much he will refuse to eat any greens (such a diva). Thanks!

 

[Rocky2022]

Hi, please be careful - 1 bathe my beardie 1x week.
Did you try bee pollen on the greens? Did you try to hand feed him the greens?

 

[xp29]

You can use an eyedropper it's more precise than a syringe. You can add in a little none citrus fruit juice to give it flavor, just drop it on his snout. Be sure to use a wet paper towel or wet wash cloth to wipe away any that runs down their chin. No need to take a chance on causing bacteria or fungus to start in their scales.
Also like Rock2022 said to many baths can cause scale issues.

 

[nocontextlizard]

You can use an eyedropper it's more precise than a syringe. You can add in a little none citrus fruit juice to give it flavor, just drop it on his snout. Be sure to use a wet paper towel or wet wash cloth to wipe away any that runs down their chin. No need to take a chance on causing bacteria or fungus to start in their scales.
Also like Rock2022 said to many baths can cause scale issues.

What kind of scale issues? He doesn’t poop in his enclosure, only in the bath. So I have to bath him every 3-5 days or he gets impacted. I’m not sure how to get him to poop in his enclosure again. I’ll try the eye dropper for sure! I’ve tried dropping the water on his snout, but he just sits there. It doesn’t seem to bother him enough to lick it off. He will just let it dry up.

 

[nocontextlizard]

Hi, please be careful - 1 bathe my beardie 1x week.
Did you try bee pollen on the greens? Did you try to hand feed him the greens?

The issue isn’t greens, it’s water! He also hates bee pollen

 

[nocontextlizard]

The issue isn’t greens, it’s water! He also hates bee pollen

I have to bath him every 3-5 days because he only poops in the bath. Do you know how I can get him to poop in his enclosure again? He got impacted one time because he refused to go in his enclosure. It was really scary for us.

 

[Alinannyms]

The issue isn’t greens, it’s water! He also hates bee pollen

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe bearded dragons get most of their moisture from greens. If anything, you could try spritzing the greens with water? That would mean he gets his water with his food.

 

[Rocky2022]

Right @Alinannyms If the beardie eats greens, which are spritz/rinsed first, you are satisfying the water (hydration) and feeding the beardie. You've got it!

 

[SkittlesK]

You could also try dripping/spraying water on his snout in the afternoon/evening when he's most thirsty.
Gut-loading stuff like that man.

I'd cut down on the baths
& Stop shooting water down his throat...

These are desert Australian creatures.
They have reptilian instinct to survive & they do live longer in captivity if cared for properly.

 

[nocontextlizard]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe bearded dragons get most of their moisture from greens. If anything, you could try spritzing the greens with water? That would mean he gets his water with his food.

Right @Alinannyms If the beardie eats greens, which are spritz/rinsed first, you are satisfying the water (hydration) and feeding the beardie. You've got it!

It still seems like the greens don’t hydrate him enough, unfortunately. I think he may need actual water, his greens are always washed and sprayed. I’m not sure why he still is dehydrated.

 

[nocontextlizard]

You could also try dripping/spraying water on his snout in the afternoon/evening when he's most thirsty.
Gut-loading stuff like that man.

I'd cut down on the baths
& Stop shooting water down his throat...

These are desert Australian creatures.
They have reptilian instinct to survive & they do live longer in captivity if cared for properly.

He doesn’t poop unless he is given a bath. Do you have any tips on how to get him to poop in his enclosure again?

 

[SkittlesK]

If that's how he poops that's fine.
Don't give him too many baths.

Give him some unsweetened applesauce W/ 100% pure pumpkin.
It should help him pass stool.
Natural laxatives.

I've also heard psyllium husk can help them pass stool.

We all do it differently here.

 

[nocontextlizard]

If that's how he poops that's fine.
Don't give him too many baths.

Give him some unsweetened applesauce W/ 100% pure pumpkin.
It should help him pass stool.
Natural laxatives.

I've also heard psyllium husk can help them pass stool.

We all do it differently here.

He doesn’t have trouble pooping, he just only does it in the bath - if that make sense. So, he has to be put in the bath every 3-5 days depending on how much eats or he will get backed up. Is this considered too many baths?

 

[Groggyfroggie]

He doesn’t have trouble pooping, he just only does it in the bath - if that make sense. So, he has to be put in the bath every 3-5 days depending on how much eats or he will get backed up. Is this considered too many baths?

It’s fine then, just dry him and let him bask afterwards. Some beardies are like that. Can we get a picture of him btw? Like how dehydrated is he? If he eats his greens well there shouldn’t be a problem with hydration.

 

[SkittlesK]

Aim for 3X & see if you can have him going like that.
Make sure humidity isn't too high in the home if you're bathing him like that.

What age is the bearded dragon.?