Question about bathing....

[Snickkerz]

I was reading that if a dragon does not poop for 4 days or so, they need to be givin a bath to help them out....
How would you bath them ? and what should the water temperature be ?
Also, how much do they shed ? and is it like once a year or monthy ? and for how long ?
sorry about all the questions ! im trying to learn as much as possible so i can take the best care of my beardie

 

[li]

Soaking a beardie is always good even if pooping isn't a problem. It is a good way though to help one to poop. How old is your beardie?
If your beardie is a baby then you can use a tupperware container or a small footbath. Fill it just enough to cover their vent (under the tail). The water should be warm...not hot.
If your beardie is older and good size you can do it in a sink or bathtub. Again, the water should not be higher than their shoulders, much lower if you have never done this before.

 

[zebraflavencs]

Might I also add... always totally supervise each bath ?
It doesn't take much for a baby or adult to drown in.

Hope this helps !

 

[Snickkerz]

Okaay thanks ! that is good information
I dont have a beardie yet, but i wanna know how to take care of them before i do buy one

 

[li]

I noticed that after reading your other post. I think it is wonderful that you are getting information BEFORE getting a beardie.

One other thing....if and when you decide to purchase...we have a couple of great breeders on here. Better choice than buying from a pet store.

 

[zebraflavencs]

Okay.. here goes..
Water temp baby warm ( or around 90-100*F not sure what the Celsius temp would be); depth enough to cover the vent or base of tail; duration should be 5-15 minutes, and Always Totally Supervise, as I mentioned above.

You can use while the dragon is small, a plastic shoe box, and as he/she grows longer, a larger container, big enough that the dragon can totally turn around without brushing the sides with the tail.

Hope this helps out !

 

[Snickkerz]

Yes that helps alot thankyouu !
Imma write all this information down so can remember it all ;p lol

 

[packfan74]

My vet suggested I soak my beardie (Henry) in a covered container so that the vapors also help hydrate him. They used a Rubbermaid portable file box. I happened to have the exact same kind, so that's what I use too. Henry is about 15 inches and the file box fits him perfectly. He can't turn around but I've never seem him try. He seems to enjoy it cuz he'll occasionally catch a nap in there. The container is also clear so it helps me keep an eye on him, plus it's got a handle on the top, so I can take him from room to room while I'm doing other stuff. Water temp should be warm not hot - as if you were bathing a baby. Test temp w/yur wrist.

Vet said if he's having pooping probs - soak him up to twice a day for 10-20 minutes (no more than 20 minutes at a time). If all is good, once a day is fine. My guy does not drink his bath water, so I still mist him in the morning too - he drinks from the water bottle every other day or so.

Henry shed every month until he was about 7 months old. Right now he is brumating (he's 9 months) so he stopped for now. When he WAS shedding, he'd do it over his entire body; not all at once. Usually his head first, then his hands & feet, then his tail, etc.....I saved some of his baby hands.....gross to some but cute to a mother!

Its a leaning curve you'll quickly catch on to. Every dragon is different. What works for some doesn't work for all but basically if you get the general stuff down (and it can be alot), care is simple....not easy, but very doable for if you're a dedicated, responsible owners.

 

[li]

I don't see a huge problem with that, but many do love to swim. Have you ever tried him in a bathtub. My guy used to absolutely love swimming. Swam all over the place and under the water.

 

[packfan74]

No, Henry doesn't swim. I do soak him in the bath tub when I'm up-stairs doing chors in the morning - he never moves from the spot in the tub I put him. I think this is cuz one time I was taking a bath myself and I decided to kill two birds with one stone and I put Henry in w/me and he SANK!!! I screamed, he was trying to do the snake thing (hands at side, tail going flat out back & forth) but since he was underwater and it was so deep, I freaked and grabbed him up as quickly (but slowly) as I could. I was afraid of water getting into his ears and causing problems....as if? Since then, I've never seen him swim, even though the water is usually up to his sholders at the shallow end. I think I gave him a phobia.

 

[li]

LOL..oh no! Just so you are aware...that is actually how they swim underwater. Just like a croc. How old is he? I would keep trying...it is great exercise for them to swim. Maybe you could push his little bottom around to simulate swimming. Maybe he will get the message that it is okay.
BTW...when you do put him in the tub and do chores...you don't leave the bathroom do you? Although they are very good in the tub with swimming, accidents can happen.

 

[packfan74]

Well, honestly, I have left him for short periods but since he never moves, its not be a problem.....now, with that said - just this morning the "never been a problem" happened.....go figure, Murphy's Law.

I was doing my normal thing, waking Henry up, preping his veg, ran his bath, put him in the tub while I straighten up, and then, all HOLY HECK broke loose. I suddenly realized it was 20 til 10:00, everybody in the house was still asleep (late nite) and we all had to be in Chuch for a youth group thing from 10-12:00. I ran out of the bathroom arms above my head, sounding the fall out alarm, flinging bodies out of beds, throwing jeans, t-shirts, boots, coffee, oranges & toast at everybody and then collapsing in the chair once the van pulled out of the drive @ 2 minutes til.

I then commenced w/cleaning up the mess I made in the kitchen (peanute butter off the floor - sugar off the stove), and then I starting my chores in the laundry. After that, I started to prep dinner, when I turned on the sink, it hit me.....OMG, I FORGOT HENRY IS STILL IN THE BATH TUB!!!!!! I scaled a flight of stairs in two steps, snatched a nearly white dragon from cold water and couldn't stop saying Mommy's sorry, Mommy's sorry as I ran back to his viv and stuck him under his heat lamp. He'd been in there nearly 40 minutes!

Fortunately he colored right up within a few seconds and even ate a little veg for me. I then starred at him for the next hour as he glared right back as if to say, "What the _____ were you thinking?"

Goes to show, never take your eyeballs off the little buggers! Kinda wish they'd make noise sometimes - might help. Anyhoo, won't be doing THAT again anytime soon!! Live & learn.....think is my lesson "what not to do" number 108 by now.

 

[li]

Yikes....you were very lucky. As a wife and a mom I can see how that happened though. During all that time, do you know if swam. I guess you wouldn't know since you were in there, but was he at least in a different place than where you left him?

 

[packfan74]

Sorry for the delay....big sale @ IKEA today half the free world was there! Your question bout swimming - nope, he didn't move. True to his nature, he was in the exact same spot I left him - bad Mommy!

See, Henry is a very spoiled guy, he gets whatever he wants cuz he's such a good boy. He listens to exactly what I tell him and cooperates perfectly 90% of the time. We got him when he was very young (maybe 4 weeks) and he's been handled alot; mostly by me. I kiss and hug him all the time and we have very nice conversations about what he'd like to do today....climb the Christmas tree, play catch me if you can on the slippery kitchen floor, play freeze tag in the toy bin, hide-n-seek in the laundry pile, head bobing to the oldies in the mirror or waven to his birdy friends out the window. So when I told him to stay in the tub and be nice, he did exactly what he was told. Now, if I could only get the 4 men in my house to take out the trash I'd be a miracle worker!

And yes, I've played tug boat with him around the tub before but it didn't seem to motivate him to doggie paddle or croc crawl....??

I KNOW, right! I (we) were very lucky. No more alone zin time for him. From now on, we're partners in crime....even at bathtime.

DISCLOSURE: I've had too much sugar - IKEA cinnabuns and real coffee is obviously making me silly - yes, I'm a cheap date.