Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was just wondering how critical bath time is for beardies? To me it seems like it would just piss them off. Should I bath my beardie? He is 12.5 inches long, or is he to small?

My beardie LOVES bath time, at first she was freaked out by it but i started with real shallow water, and after doing it a few times she relaxed. Now she enjoys splashing around, and letting water run over her.

It is pretty important because it maintains their hydration and of course keeps them clean. Maintaining hydration is important for beardies since they dont usually drink standing water and their ambient humidity has to remain low. Renal damamages, according to Phillipe De Vosjoli, are more common in beardies than was once though. Health issues such as urate stones can also be avoided by regular baths.

and of course, it keeps everything flowing smoothly

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Baths are an excellent way for them to get hydrated and get some excercise. My 3 really enjoy swimming. You have better luck starting their baths when they're young babies. But it's not too late. He may not like it at first, but he will get used to it. A lot of dragons like to poo in their baths, it makes clean-up a lot easier. Unfortunately mine seem to like pooping after their baths, usually on my bed...lol.
Just place him in shoulder deep warm, not hot water and let him at it. It's quite amusing.
-Nicky
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Loneliness it shadows me, quicker than darkness
Crawls to the surface of my skin, visibly surrounded by it
Black is all I feel, so this is how it feels to be free
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ok thanks guys. What would be a apropreaite tempature for the bath water?? I think I am going to start to give my little fella a bath and see how he reacts.

Around 90-95 degrees. If you use a temp-gun for measuring basking and other temps it is great for bath water since you can test the surface. if it is too hot for you then it is too hot for him.

I began his baths at a few months and he gets 2x/day now - he will always poop in the tub so now we have a routine. Within the first hour of being awake I put him in and he poops. I then place him in a clean tub or clean him under running water which he seems OK with so long as I don't turn him upside down. Then in the late afternoon or evening we do it again.

I would begin with water no higher than shoulders and slowly work up the depth. Just never put him in so much water that he HAS to swim w/o something he can climb onto. Give him time and I am sure he will get used to it - have fun!
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