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Soaking, Is It Really As Good As People Claim?

beardielover17

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I frequent many reptile forums and almost every one I go on I have been seeing debates on the benefits of soaking. People claim it is not the best method of hydration for the animal and in very sick animals can cause more harm than good. Also another thing mentioned was how truthful is it when people claim they absorb a significant amount of water through their vent. What is your take on this?

I am a person who soaks my dragons and soaked my baby dragons as well to help with sheds and to promote good mental well being and exercise. I personally don't think it is better than orally taking in water and I'm not sure I believe them being able to take in a significant amount of water through their vent. All of my animals down to my Frilled drink from standing water and I never showed them to do so. I was always a firm believer in offering a water dish to all of my animals because eventually they will learn to utilize it. Now as far as it doing more harm than good, depends on the situation, if you didn't dry your dragon off and place them directly under their heat bulb I feel it can make them get sick since they are cooler after getting out of the water. For very sick animals I can see the stress and fear of the tub along with being cold after getting out causing a problem too . Like I mentioned before, I don't see it as the most reliable way of hydrating an animal but I don't see it being a bad thing to do for a healthy animal and as long as the animal is properly dried off and placed under heat to warm back up.
 

zebraflavencs

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Interesting topic... you been learning beside Francis, Candice ?

Okay to address this using my limited experience.
Yes, in captive animals I do feel this is beneficial, however I will allow that certain illnesses would be complicated by soaking.
Mine all get a once a week soak, while I do cleaning in their enclosures.
Then they get weighed in, and back into clean vivs.
Some are more active while in the bath, actively paddling around, while others just sit, plop down their tushes, and soak the warmth, as well as look around at new scenery.
I can't comment on how wild dragons respond to pools of water, other than I have "heard" it mentioned they don't drink from still water, due to possible health dangers, that may be ingrained into the species.
Janie
 

beardielover17

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zebraflavencs said:
Interesting topic... you been learning beside Francis, Candice ?
You could say that. I like to sit in the shadows and observe people and my animals and it definitely has been something on my mind for a while now. I dropped my amount of soaks to once a week a while ago. I never noticed a real benefit (with hydration wise) that my animals didn't already get from drinking water from a clean bowl. And with the rescues I used to take in (not just beardies) majority of them were severely dehydrated and while I tried soaking them, it seemed to have gotten them nowhere whereas orally administering liquids made a huge difference in a relatively short amount of time. In cases with certain species like Uros, you aren't supposed to really soak them because the kinks in their tails never dry and can cause them to rot. So in a situation like theirs I always wondered how they kept themselves hydrated which is a combination between freshly washed/misted greens and drinking water from somewhere.
 

li

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So this is my take. A beardie needs water (hydration). What they do or do not do in the wild is really not relevant because they aren't in the wild. We control every aspect of their life. Since they need hydration we have to provide it. Many beardies don't drink out of a bowl. So that means we have to provide hydration for them. Yes, they will get much of it from their food. For instance, when I gave my guy greens, I always misted them so they had lots of water, and the live food they eat contain some amounts of water. But as for him drinking, no way. Spyro got a 15-20 minute soak 1-2x a week to be sure he was well hydrated. I always made sure that this soak was many hours before lights out. I also made sure that he was well dried off before returning him to his tank.
 

beardielover17

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li said:
Many beardies don't drink out of a bowl.
*Disclaimer* In no way am I trying to argue. These darned written words always make things seem so rude when they aren't but...

That statement, it seems like an opinion to me, one that a decent amount of people share too and there's nothing wrong with that. There to me is no concrete proof that they do or don't. I firmly think they will learn what a water bowl is and will learn to drink from it but IMO most keepers don't give the dragon's enough time to learn what the water bowl truly is. There must be some natural instinct left in them that tells them that water must be drank but some take longer to act on the instinct.

The saying that "many don't drink from a bowl" is what most people will say for a number of reasons some of which are pretty valid too. People think water bowls raise humidity too high. This I have yet to experience with ANY reptile enclosure I've had to set up for any species. I wish a water bowl added as much humidity as people claim because my Frilled Dragon enclosure would've been perfect for no extra money lol.

To me, unless your dragon physically drinks the bathwater I don't see how it can be a good hydration method especially when no other method is used like misting, wetting greens, etc.
 

li

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Nope, don't think you are arguing. You've got some good valid points.

What I am stating is just from experience with my guy and others that I have dealt with for many years. Even after keeping waterbowls in their tanks for years, many don't drink. I am sure that along with the many that don't drink from bowls there are some that do. I have actually heard of a few learning to drink from those "hampster thingys".

But for the ones that don't, yes soaking is a good way of hydration. Actually we do know that they absorb the water through their vents. That is why when a beardie hasn't had a bm in a while we say a warm soak. The water absorbs through the vent to help moisture get into the stool to help it along. Water doesn't get absorbed through scales though.

You are right about the best way to get your beardie hydrated is orally and you are right, but the next best thing....the other end, lol!
 

Craiger

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Personally, I've always wondered about this myself. So, I've adopted the habit of dripping water on their nose while taking a bath. Both eagerly lap it up for quite some time. Sometimes, they'll even dip their heads and drink it straight from the tub water. This way, I know they're getting hydrated regardless of how they do it naturally. I've sat and watched them while taking their baths and have wondered if there was any physical evidence that they were taking water in through the vent. Not saying they aren't, just haven't seen any signs of it. So....hence, the drip method. Gives me peace of mind.
 

beardielover17

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Do you have an article you can reference me to on the topic of absorbing water through the vent? I love a good read. In my years of keeping, breeding and looking after beardies I can honestly say I have yet to see one that doesn't drink from a bowl *shrugs*.

I always thought the warmth of the water is what stimulated them to make a BM. Much like how adult mammals will often lick their newborns to stimulated them to either urinate or make a BM. I know for humans too that warm water will stimulate us to go too. I didn't think that water would physically help the fecal matter move along the tract. Water doesn't have much viscosity like veggie/mineral oil would. Unless the water was administered through an enema I didn't see it loosening much up.
 

li

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I will check around and see if I have anything in writing on it. Have a lot of information, but lost a lot a couple of years ago when my computer died :'(. Will see.
 

beardielover17

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li said:
I will check around and see if I have anything in writing on it. Have a lot of information, but lost a lot a couple of years ago when my computer died :'(. Will see.
Aww that sucks. I know how that can be when your computer dies on ya. *crosses fingers that you can find it*
 

beardielover17

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Thanks Janie. Those links were good but not quite what I was looking for. I am looking more for a documented study on how much (if any) water is absorbed through the vent of the animal. I mean I'm sure some does get absorbed but the amount being significant is what I kinda don't buy.
 

zebraflavencs

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I know.. I did try a couple of different searches.. Perhaps Francis might have something of his, or he has access to , that will help this topic out ? Lisa also said she would look... There may be someone else we can ask...
Janie
 

beardielover17

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zebraflavencs said:
I know.. I did try a couple of different searches.. Perhaps Francis might have something of his, or he has access to , that will help this topic out ? Lisa also said she would look... There may be someone else we can ask...
Janie
Oh I definitely appreciate the effort on both your part and Lisa's. I have done tons of searches on this myself but have yet to find anything concrete. Just opinions.
 

zebraflavencs

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Same here... I've done a search on this before some weeks back, can't rightly remember the actual, just the fact I did look.
Janie
 

staylor

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Here are my thoughts on soaking. I found that when I first got Slyder and he was dehydrated and was working to save him the soaks did help. He was not eating and not drinking from bowl or drops on his head. He perked up after a soak and would eat a couple of crix. Now that he is health, I know what you all are going to say, but he only gets a bath once a week now. For hydration I give him foods with high water contents every other day. He has great poop with clear liquid, and no signs of dehydration. Another reason I limit his baths is because he stresses a lot and after a bath, shuts down on me for a couple of hours, will not bask, just sits on the floor of his viv pouting. So I think for him it is better to limit soaks. I do however bath him daily when shedding to help speed things up.

Oscar seems to get baths almost everyday because he glass dances after he poops and gets it all over him and his viv. I try to get it but most days do not see it until it is too late and all over everything. I also like to soak him b/c he seems to really enjoy them. He holds his breath, closes his eyes and goes under water. (freaked me out the first few times but now I just let him be until he decides to come up for air).

I guess what I am trying to get at here is, it depends on the beardie but may not be as important as some may think.
 

staylor

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I also drip water on their heads in the bath but neither of them lick it off. I have seen Slyder lap some up in the bath but not much. I do keep water bowls in the viv but this is just for me and it also helps to keep the humidity levels good in the vivs. I have never seen either of them drink from them, so once again the water bowls being in there is just for me not them. I have even taken the bowls out for a couple of weeks as an experiment. Hydration levels in both dragons seemed to stay the same. My personal opinion is ingested water from foods is much better then soaking for hydration. Their fav "hydration" food is red bell peppers. But soaking is good for stimulation of the digestion tract and mind.

Great topic Candice!!!
 

Pogie

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I also drip water on their heads in the bath but neither of them lick it off. I have seen Slyder lap some up in the bath but not much. I do keep water bowls in the viv but this is just for me and it also helps to keep the humidity levels good in the vivs. I have never seen either of them drink from them, so once again the water bowls being in there is just for me not them. I have even taken the bowls out for a couple of weeks as an experiment. Hydration levels in both dragons seemed to stay the same. My personal opinion is ingested water from foods is much better then soaking for hydration. Their fav "hydration" food is red bell peppers. But soaking is good for stimulation of the digestion tract and mind.

Pogie doesnt drink from her water bowl either, the closest she gets too it is running through it, spalshing everything. LOL
She also used to take droplets from her nose, but today for the first time she lapped it from the bath. She gets a weekly bath and daily misting. Her veggies are also very moist, daily is squash and green beans misted, so her poo is very watery, but at least I know she gets in lots of moisture.

What are red bell peppers???? Do they look like this?
images


And do they come in green and yellow too, cos then theyre called sweet peppers here...
 

staylor

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yup that is them. My baby will about bit my finger trying to get his red peppers. He loves them so much he can not wait for me to put the bowl down before trying to eat them. I have to feed these later in the day b/c he will fill up on these and not eat the rest of his veggies.
 
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