Questions about bathing

[RockMySocks]

I am getting my first bearded dragon on Friday. I've been doing so much research to make sure I am 100% prepared. I just got my 40 gallon breeder tank yesterday (which was on sale for $47 btw!!). I have a couple questions I haven't found answers to yet. How often do I need to bath my bearded dragon? I've searched the site and haven't seen anyone ask this. Also, in his tank, do I need a large enough water bowl for him to be able to submerge in? I've read some people say yes it's a must and some people say no just mist every day and a small water dish he can drink out of is fine. One more question, do I need a long tube UVB light or can I use the UVB light that screws into a dome lamp?

 

[TheDeac]

let me say congrats on the new beadie and cant wait to say pics and AWESOME DEAL ONT HE CAGE!!

that being said there are alot of ppl that know more about them then me but this is what ive learned here

i bathe mine twice a week untill he starts to shed then daily as for the water bowl i have one that he can soak in comfortably i dont recomend misting keep in mind these guys are native to the red sands region of austrailia a desert they do not require high humidity and to much can cause resp infcections and bacterial infections on the skin. as for the uvb bulb use the long florescent tube 10.0 reptisun from zoomed is best petmountain.com sells them fairly cheap. on a side not i wouldnt personally recomend putting them in such a large tank right awak (assuming he's a baby) your little guys sometimes have trouble hunting for food and get lost with basking/cool sides of the tank in your bigger tanks i kept stubble in a 20gal till he was about 15inches long.

 

[RockMySocks]

I know I shouldn't mist them inside the tank. I've read to take them out to mist them and have a little water dish. But I think I want to have a dish big enough for him to soak in I think he would be happier. Another question about bathing. Do you bathe in the bathtub or the sink? Or do you just fill up a large bowl? I was thinking about bathing in my kitchen sink but I wasn't sure since we do rinkse our dishes out in there and dont know if/how that would affect my beardie.

Thank you for the recommendation on the UVB bulb and where to get it. I will order that today.

I have a spare 10 gallon I was going to use to house crickets. But I'm too worried about the gradient temps in a 10 gallon to put a beardie in there. Another option i have is to move my hatchling snake, Nigini, into the 10 gallon and my new baby beardie into Nigini's 20 gallon long tank for a little bit. Or I was thinking about getting a divider for the 40GB.

 

[RedBull]

When i got my baby i kept him in the 40G tank, he had no issues with it but i did keep a close eye on him to make sure. Also I feed him in a plastic tub that fit in the 40g tank, idk maybe you can give that a try before you shift your pets around.

 

[TheDeac]

yea i have to hand feed stubble (he is literally so spoiled he will not hunt anymore) but i used a plastic tub as well when i first got him the divider is what i would do personally a piece of plywood should be more than enough i used a 20gal till i built is cage stubble bathes in the bathtub now (keep in mind he's almost 28inches long lol) but while he was a baby i put him in a small plastic tub with warm water with my hand chilling in it so he could rest on it and again i wouldn't mist at all you should honestly never need to what substrate you going to use?

 

[bambichik39]

I don't use a water bowl. It can raise humidity in the tank, and honestly its pretty pointless since my beardie doesnt drink from standing water (as most wont). They absorb their water in their baths, so its important to bath. I use both the tub and the sink (bathroom sink). Also, I would never mist. Its pointless. They absorb water through their vent, so misting isnt going to do anything. If anything it'll probably make them more prone to URI.

 

[Bwalter]

When I got my baby, she was 4" long, I put her in a 40 gallon breeder tank, but when I fed her I had a big see through tub then put criclets in with her a few at a time. I also had a plastic see through tub to bath her in, make sure you put something down on the bottom so she/he won't slide around. I used a wash cloth.

 

[nikipop]

When I got my baby, she was 4" long, I put her in a 40 gallon breeder tank, but when I fed her I had a big see through tub then put criclets in with her a few at a time. I also had a plastic see through tub to bath her in, make sure you put something down on the bottom so she/he won't slide around. I used a wash cloth.

I do it the same way my baby is 5" there is no water dish in the tank as it affects the humidity in my set up. I also drip water on his lips and watch him lick it up at least once a day.

 

[RockMySocks]

This is all really great info! I am going to use paper towel for his stubtrait. I Like the plastic tub idea for bathing and feeding. I'm thinking about feeding him in the 10 gallon for right now. But I also have big tubs (too big to fit inside my 40 gal) that we used when we moved into our new house. I can definitely use one of those for feeding. I'm going to try the bathroom sink and get a smaller tub to see which one I like better. I knew he wouldn't drink the water in the tank but wasn't sure if he would feel the need to soak himself. I didn't know it would affect the humidity that much but it makes sense. So if I don't keep water in with him do I need to soak him every day or just take him out and drip water on his lips till he drinks every day?

 

[RandyMarsh]

I'm relatively new to having a beardie but I have what you call ONE SPOILED BOY. He literally disregards his food dish, full or not, no matter WHAT i put in it, and just loves to be fed by hand. My gf and I think it's so cute we don't care anymore...he's mezmerized us with his smexyness.

That being said, I have a dish that goes in his lair SOMETIMES? but I don't use a water dish. I've taught him to drink out of the spray bottle he gets misted with! So when i get it out he knows right away it's drinkin time! It's the cutest thing ever. Also I bathe him about twice a week now, unless he get's all poopy as he is prone to do at times.

I wouldn't be too concerned with a water dish in your tank, your lizard wont even give a dang. Just keep him hydrated as naturally as you can. I mean in the wild i don't think they'd go in the water unless they fell in right?

Good luck with your new pal! He won't care about you like you care about him, but he'll know what he likes and its so cute when they get used to being at home with you!!!
My only tip to you is to handle him a TON!! Make sure he get's the correct amount of Rays, but the more you handle him the more awesome and comfortable with you he will get! It's kinda scary at first but when he snuggles into your ANYTHING the first time and goes to sleep you will be in LUV@@@@ :mrgreen:

 

[RockMySocks]

Awesone! I can't wait!! I set his tank up already and it just looks so empty without him. He's gonna be in heaven when he gets home though. I decked out his rig!

 

[bambichik39]

You don't need to bath daily, or spray water on his lips. Bath about 3 times a week. Their greens will also keep them hydrated. I would never suggest spraying your dragon, as again, it can cause URI, which aren't that uncommon in beardies.

 

[AHBD]

Bathing is fine, but it also can pose risks to a new baby [ look up threads on drowning / near drowning, coughing , etc.] Especially clutch of babies in a tub can easily hold one another down and drown [ I know personally of one breeder this happened to ] Also, because of slight risk of aspirating water, there is also the chance of developing a URI from that. As far as spraying their heads, I have done that with all my babies through 16 years of breeding, it is the way many, if not most, breeders hydrate their tiny babies , and can be done throughout their juvenile period. Just don't blast them, use a gentle stream, and don't soak the cage. Baths when they are a bit older, and no, don't use the kitchen sink. There is a thread in the health forum about one person's newborn [ human ] baby contracting salmonella and almost dying. The bathroom or a plastic tub for beardies, and even those should be washed thoroughly afterwards.

 

[AHBD]

Oooops, the account about a member's infant child getting salmonalla is under the "Infectious diseases" forum, not the "health" forum. Very important if you have small children.

 

[TheDeac]

i keep the waterdish because stubb's loves to soak in it even with regular baths once again im against misting ive seen alot of beadies get URI but i know its common with breeders for clutchs personally i just always set with my hand in the tub for stubble to climb on and he loved it good bonding and that funny bout having to hand feed i have to handfeed stubble as well or he will go on a hunger strike