Can we clear up this misting thing?

[JAKO91]

Hey guys,
I'm pretty confused on the topic of "regularly misting your beardies cage". It seems to be another one of those practices, much like substrate choice, that everybody has a different (and hard-pressed) opinion on. Some people tell me that they need the daily moisture, some people tell me that they need as little humidity as possible and that they get all the moisture they need from greens and prey.
Does anybody have any proper information to back either of these statements up?
I soak my BD every couple days and i don't mist. Common sense tells me that the moisture from misting plus the high temps would cause huge bacterial growth? Surely that viv would be like a giant petri-dish! Or can any of you die-hard misters out there give me a reason to get the spray bottle out?

Just thought it would be cool to get to the bottom of it.

 

[Em Lynch]

Hey guys,
I'm pretty confused on the topic of "regularly misting your beardies cage". It seems to be another one of those practices, much like substrate choice, that everybody has a different (and hard-pressed) opinion on. Some people tell me that they need the daily moisture, some people tell me that they need as little humidity as possible and that they get all the moisture they need from greens and prey.
Does anybody have any proper information to back either of these statements up?
I soak my BD every couple days and i don't mist. Common sense tells me that the moisture from misting plus the high temps would cause huge bacterial growth? Surely that viv would be like a giant petri-dish! Or can any of you die-hard misters out there give me a reason to get the spray bottle out?

Just thought it would be cool to get to the bottom of it.

Hi I'm in the same situation as you, i really don't want to mist my BD's viv daily because i don't want to increase the humidity and risk bacterial and respiratory problems. I spray her sometimes when she's shedding to help things a long and bathe her regularly to make sure she doesn't de-hydrate. I tend to mist her greens before i give them to her so she gets added moisture from them. Bearded Dragon's originate from a desert climate so i doubt not misting regularly would cause massive problems because they don't get misted in nature, sorry i don't have any solid fact. I hope that helps a little

 

[jessica domke]

i wud agree, i think it may be more so an option some choose 2 take & others choose not. i, myself, do mist a couple times a day. it's a very light mist & i just start on like his mid back & he's so use 2 it, by the time i get 2 his head, he already has his eyes closed. i mist a couple times, stop 2 give him time 2 breath, mist a couple more times & call it good. i don't mist his enclosure, cuz that is un neccessary & wud cause high humidity. or there's the option of just using a lil dropper & drippin it on2 ur beardie's nose. i choose 2 mist my beardie cuz it's somethin i read from many different sites & i just don't want my lil buddy 2 get dehydrated. i also bath him once a week & more if he is shedding.

 

[Germ]

I have never recommended misting the enclosure, quite the contrary for the exact reasons that you have mentioned. As pointed out in my care sheet, it is beneficial to mist the BD itself.

Misting/Bathing: A twice weekly misting from head to tail with a fine spray mister of room temperature water helps hydration and shedding. Two or three times a month let your dragon have a bath in chest deep warm water, not too hot. Most Dragons seem to enjoy soaking and it may help to assist in hydration & clearing of minor impactions or constipation. Dragons will often defecate in the bath water, change the water immediately and run a fresh bath, they will only soil their water once on most occasions. Baths are ideal prior to allowing your dragon out of the enclosure as it helps to prevent "accidents". Do not leave your dragon unattended!

Read more: http://www.beardeddragonforum.com/index.php?threads/basic-bd-care-sheet-a-place-to-start.5177/#ixzz1sUqmZCui​

Quite often young BDs will not take to their greens at the beginning & in this case more frequent misting & warm soaks are necessary to aid in Hydration & Shedding. Many get quite carried away & state that misting should be done 2-3 times a day, this is not necessary & in my opinion only adds to the stress, particularly to a newly acquired BD. Being sure to keep your feeders well hydrated so they will pass it on to the BD when fed is important. Introducing them to greens as soon as possible is also important.

Comparing certain aspects in captivity to the wild is also not the best of plans. A BDs mortality rate in the wild, for many reasons is seriously not very good & natures way of compensating for this, is their extraordinarily large reproduction numbers. Only the strong & smart survive, a true case of 'survival of the fittest'. In captivity, we would like to have a much, much better mortality rate so therefore added measures are needed, Hydration is one of those precautions.

 

[Em Lynch]

Thanks for clearing that up Germ

 

[JAKO91]

Thanks Germ, awesome advice as per usual!

 

[Aleena]

I mist my hatchlings a few times a day, because they seemed so starved for moisture. Greedy little kiddos. In my opinion, though, it is completely unnecessary to mist your juvenile-adult BD as long as it is bathed once or twice a week, and an extra bath when they're working off a shed.

 

[PôřkÇhöp]

I only mist during shed otherwise it's baths 2-3 times a week only. My .02

 

[ThDude]

i dont even mist, i give baths every other day to every two days or so. this is the only time he drinks so thats kinda what its so often.

 

[Spikeleebd]

i mist my enclosure due to the low humidity in my house it dries up pretty quickly and i don't do a heavy misting i just mist my beardie and the wall because he loves to lick the droplets running down the wall or i will mist him in my hand and he will drink the water droplets on my hand

 

[Brett]

I soak every cpl day. If you mist do it outside the enclosure and you should be fine.

 

[drgnfly2265]

I don't mist at all. Both of my girls have water bowls in their viv, so when they get thirsty or want to swim (like Midna loves to do) they can get water when they want it. I'll give them a bath once a week or every other week

 

[Spikeleebd]

it just goes to show you that everybody has their own methods for their dragons

 

[Josh]

I like to mist every once in a while. Maybe a couple times a week. Nothing crazy. Just like a miniature rainstorm