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Bathtime! Yes, Pogona Vitticeps (Bearded Dragons) are desert creatures in the wild, but they still require good hydration. Bathing serves 2
purposes. To rehydrate and to clean. Regular mistings just isn't enough. "Bath" doesn't have to be a scary word or a big ordeal. Follow a few
simple rules and your dragon will have a safe splash :)
1) Make sure the water isn't too hot - or even too cold!
I don't expect you all to have a thermometer in your tubs so lets start by saying run the bath WARM.... Add a little hot water to gain the perfect
temperature. The water should be around 90°F for babies and 100°F for adults. Remember that Bearded Dragons are Ectothermic... They attain
their body temperatures from their surroundings. So remember the "hot-side" of the warm scale. Don't forget the bath water cools down so be
attentive to that and add more hot water as needed to bring the temperature back up to a comfortable zone for your dragon.
2) Not too deep!
While Bearded Dragons are capable of swimming, they shouldn't feel like they were dropped in the middle of the ocean with no dry land or retreat in
sight. Keep the water to around "shoulder" level. That way they can swim, do the famous BD Paddle, float or whatever they want but have the option
to set their feet down and relax and stand there to catch their breath.
3) Do not use any soaps, bubbles or oils!
I know it sounds silly for me to even mention that but you would be surprised to know that there are some people out there that want to give their
Dragons a full blown spa day haha. Seriously, it's not good. They don't need bubbles, soaps, or oils to become clean. The water and their
swimming is generally enough.
Here is a tip: Have any old toothbrushes around? Soft or Medium is best. Don't throw those toothbrushes out! Sterilize them, and keep them in a
safe place to use for your next Beardie Bath session. It helps with any stubborn spots, and especially the feet, and at the base of the tail. BE careful
not to rub too hard and do not put the bristles near or on your dragons cloaca (vent). The soft brushing motion even helps if your dragon is going to
shed soon, or is in the process of shedding. After each bath make sure to re-sterilize the tooth brush... and DON'T put it on the bathroom counter -
someone may use it! (eww).
When dragons are in the water it stimulates a bowel movement 90% of the time. If you want to save yourself from having to empty and re-fill the tub
over and over again, then have a container near by to scoop out the poop immediately after it is released. You don't want to leave it there a)
because it's gross and b) because if they start swimming immediately after it can break open the "sack" that contains the feces and if that happens
there is NO hope of scooping it out then. You will have no choice but to empty and refill.
Some bearded dragons look like they are in a panicked frenzy in the water. Some are! There are dragons out there that actually love the bath. My
Olive and Florida absolutely LOVE the water. But each of them enjoy it in a different way. Florida swims around very calmly & relaxed, often closing
her eyes and floating for a bit. She actually gets upset when I take her out of the bath and a couple of times actually jumped out of my hands BACK
into the tub as if to say "Aww, mom 5 more minutes"!
Olive on the other hand is just phenomenal! If you can believe it Olive swims under water! Yes folks, she actually pushes herself up and does a
nose dive under the water and will swim & torpedo the parameter of the tub over and over again. I have never seen any other dragon do this. That
isn't to say that it hasn't happened though. I almost fell over the first time she did it. She is truly like a little dolphin in the water. You will have a good
laugh. She also protests when its time for her to come out of the water. To see a few videos of Olive Swimming under water click on the following
links: Video1 Video2 Video3
(You will need a media player that supports .MOV files ie: quicktime)
Try and give your Dragons a good 10-20 minute soak a week. If they are in shed or close to shedding you can give them a bath more often. Use
your own discretion.
When it's time to come out, give them a quick towel dry to absorb most of the excess water and put them back in their enclosure(s) in the basking
zone.
Things some people panic about:
"Why does my bearded dragon's belly inflate like a balloon, did she/he swallow water"?
It is perfectly normal for your bearded dragon to inflate their belly during bath time. It allows them to become buoyant in the water. They do this by
"swallowing" air. No, they did not swallow water to make their belly bloated. Some dragons inflate & release many times during their bath session.
"Why does my bearded dragon look like they are dead in the water, often tipping onto their side"
Your dragon is buoyant at this particular time, his/her belly is inflated with air and they are in what I call "The Zone". Your dragon is relaxed, eyes
closed & floating.
"How come my bearded dragons jump all over each other in the bath and hold each other under the water"
You should never leave bearded dragons unattended in the bath, especially when there are more than one. It's every dragon for themselves in the
water and they WILL jump on each others backs & heads to feel "safer". Chances are your water is too deep and they are looking for a safety zone
whether it be someone else's back, head or rock. Pogona Vitticeps (Bearded Dragons) are very inconsiderate in the tub! So please don't leave them
alone because they could drown or drown another dragon.
Heres a tip:
Have a bath time rock! You can put a retreat or safety zone in the bath for your dragon. They will go there when they need a breather. Just make
sure they don't live on the rock during bath time or they aren't getting clean and rehydrated.
purposes. To rehydrate and to clean. Regular mistings just isn't enough. "Bath" doesn't have to be a scary word or a big ordeal. Follow a few
simple rules and your dragon will have a safe splash :)
1) Make sure the water isn't too hot - or even too cold!
I don't expect you all to have a thermometer in your tubs so lets start by saying run the bath WARM.... Add a little hot water to gain the perfect
temperature. The water should be around 90°F for babies and 100°F for adults. Remember that Bearded Dragons are Ectothermic... They attain
their body temperatures from their surroundings. So remember the "hot-side" of the warm scale. Don't forget the bath water cools down so be
attentive to that and add more hot water as needed to bring the temperature back up to a comfortable zone for your dragon.
2) Not too deep!
While Bearded Dragons are capable of swimming, they shouldn't feel like they were dropped in the middle of the ocean with no dry land or retreat in
sight. Keep the water to around "shoulder" level. That way they can swim, do the famous BD Paddle, float or whatever they want but have the option
to set their feet down and relax and stand there to catch their breath.
3) Do not use any soaps, bubbles or oils!
I know it sounds silly for me to even mention that but you would be surprised to know that there are some people out there that want to give their
Dragons a full blown spa day haha. Seriously, it's not good. They don't need bubbles, soaps, or oils to become clean. The water and their
swimming is generally enough.
Here is a tip: Have any old toothbrushes around? Soft or Medium is best. Don't throw those toothbrushes out! Sterilize them, and keep them in a
safe place to use for your next Beardie Bath session. It helps with any stubborn spots, and especially the feet, and at the base of the tail. BE careful
not to rub too hard and do not put the bristles near or on your dragons cloaca (vent). The soft brushing motion even helps if your dragon is going to
shed soon, or is in the process of shedding. After each bath make sure to re-sterilize the tooth brush... and DON'T put it on the bathroom counter -
someone may use it! (eww).
When dragons are in the water it stimulates a bowel movement 90% of the time. If you want to save yourself from having to empty and re-fill the tub
over and over again, then have a container near by to scoop out the poop immediately after it is released. You don't want to leave it there a)
because it's gross and b) because if they start swimming immediately after it can break open the "sack" that contains the feces and if that happens
there is NO hope of scooping it out then. You will have no choice but to empty and refill.
Some bearded dragons look like they are in a panicked frenzy in the water. Some are! There are dragons out there that actually love the bath. My
Olive and Florida absolutely LOVE the water. But each of them enjoy it in a different way. Florida swims around very calmly & relaxed, often closing
her eyes and floating for a bit. She actually gets upset when I take her out of the bath and a couple of times actually jumped out of my hands BACK
into the tub as if to say "Aww, mom 5 more minutes"!
Olive on the other hand is just phenomenal! If you can believe it Olive swims under water! Yes folks, she actually pushes herself up and does a
nose dive under the water and will swim & torpedo the parameter of the tub over and over again. I have never seen any other dragon do this. That
isn't to say that it hasn't happened though. I almost fell over the first time she did it. She is truly like a little dolphin in the water. You will have a good
laugh. She also protests when its time for her to come out of the water. To see a few videos of Olive Swimming under water click on the following
links: Video1 Video2 Video3
(You will need a media player that supports .MOV files ie: quicktime)
Try and give your Dragons a good 10-20 minute soak a week. If they are in shed or close to shedding you can give them a bath more often. Use
your own discretion.
When it's time to come out, give them a quick towel dry to absorb most of the excess water and put them back in their enclosure(s) in the basking
zone.
Things some people panic about:
"Why does my bearded dragon's belly inflate like a balloon, did she/he swallow water"?
It is perfectly normal for your bearded dragon to inflate their belly during bath time. It allows them to become buoyant in the water. They do this by
"swallowing" air. No, they did not swallow water to make their belly bloated. Some dragons inflate & release many times during their bath session.
"Why does my bearded dragon look like they are dead in the water, often tipping onto their side"
Your dragon is buoyant at this particular time, his/her belly is inflated with air and they are in what I call "The Zone". Your dragon is relaxed, eyes
closed & floating.
"How come my bearded dragons jump all over each other in the bath and hold each other under the water"
You should never leave bearded dragons unattended in the bath, especially when there are more than one. It's every dragon for themselves in the
water and they WILL jump on each others backs & heads to feel "safer". Chances are your water is too deep and they are looking for a safety zone
whether it be someone else's back, head or rock. Pogona Vitticeps (Bearded Dragons) are very inconsiderate in the tub! So please don't leave them
alone because they could drown or drown another dragon.
Heres a tip:
Have a bath time rock! You can put a retreat or safety zone in the bath for your dragon. They will go there when they need a breather. Just make
sure they don't live on the rock during bath time or they aren't getting clean and rehydrated.
Written by: Robin Moniz 2007
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