My beardie Mercury is scared of baths

[ssimons0203]

I tried giving Mercury a bath today and he seemed okay the first time I gave him a bath, but today he was trying to get out and he was puffing up. When I went to pick him up he climbed on my arm with no hesitation and when I started petting him he calmed down. Now hes clinging to my arm and hand and wont let me put him down. How can I get him to like baths?

 

[KarrieRee]

I would not push it--- dragons dont need daily or weekly baths unless they have pooped all over them selves -- you can mist/ spray him in the tank --- hes going to get most of his hydration thru his salads / greens hes eating --- rinse the greens before serving make sure your gut loading the crickets / or roaches your feeding as a staple feeder--- if you need more help please ask ---

 

[ssimons0203]

Thank you if I don't have to give him baths daily I won't. I don't want to stress him out. But I was glad he ran to me for comfort instead of darting off and hurting himself.

 

[KarrieRee]

Just make sure you have the correct lighting in your tank ---- NO coil UVB's --- bright white basking bulb that keeps temps 105-110 taken w / a digital probe thermometer --- NO colored bulbs NO sand NO heat rocks or mats ---- if you need more help please ask

 

[Gail]

I generally bath babies at least once a week, more of a chance to drink then a actual bath.
Keep the water shallow, it only needs to cover the feet and just touch the belly.

I drip some across the head/lips and if they start licking, slowly push the head down until lips touch the water and they drink. Some dragons just don't get how to lower their head to drink.

Now that sam is a little older, I only give a bath when he is shedding, gets dirty or hasn't been eating his greens well and might need a drink. In the 2 months I've had him, he's only drank twice. I've had some dragons who never drank, ever.