HYDRATION

[clyde612]

Hi there,
I'm trying to figure out the best way to keep my beardie hydrated. He's 3 month old now and I've had him for a month. I drop water on his nose sometimes but this is very tedious. I've used a plastic (not-sharp) syringe but he doesn't really like it. I was using a spray bottle but I tried drinking some of the water from it this morning and it tasted like plastic! No bueno. The misting/spraying seems like a good option for him, but where can I find a glass sprayer or one that is okay for reptiles (even when using warm water, which he prefers)? The white part of his poop is usually at least a little bit hard if not pretty hard... how hard/soft should it be? I currently bathe him once a week, should I up bathing? I live in a dry area (Colorado) so he has a water bowl in his tank, but I don't think he drinks from it and he doesn't even drink his bath water when I bathe him (unless I run some drops over his face). I always use britta water but it seems like he is too much like me and doesn't drink enough :/

 

[KarrieRee]

Are you feeding salads -- most dragons get their hydration from the salads they eat -- rinse before serving --- http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html
Add the BSFL in front of him so it gets his attention DO NOT dust them --
Make sure your staple insect feeder is gut loaded w/ a good hydrator --like carrots etc -- that too will keep him hydrated
His poop should be firm moist and dark - urate white formed and moist -- no chalky or dried out looking --

 

[clyde612]

Yes I feed salad every day, but he is little so his diet is mainly insects, I give his roaches endive. I think I'm going to get bsfl, but why shouldn't I coat them? His urinate is not usually chalky but also not soft.

 

[KarrieRee]

The urate will have some firmness to it that is normal -- the BSFL are calcium enriched -- please dont dust them -- feed the salads first thing in the morning w/ your BSFL on top - you want him eating some of those salads even if a little -- you can also put your roaches in the bowl after hes eaten from the bowl for like a hr or so then add the roaches --- it will bring him back to that bowl --