Like other animals, bearded dragons also need water to stay hydrated. As a new bearded dragon owner, you might be wondering how often your pet needs water. Giving these reptiles too much water can also cause some health issues. That’s why you have to be careful about this matter as well.
The question is, do bearded dragons like water? Providing your beardie with clean and fresh water doesn’t mean they will drink it. That will become a problem when the bearded dragon refuses to drink water. In this article, you learn more about bearded dragons and water.
Do Bearded Dragons Like Water?
It depends since not all bearded dragons like to drink water, especially in a bowl. They don’t have water bowls in the wild. The source of water they have from nature is also limited. Bearded dragons usually get hydration from the moisture of plants and insects that they consume.
When they are in captivity, it’s better to provide your beardie water from the bowl, but the bearded dragon may or may not drink from it. Giving them access to drinking water is still better. But not all bearded dragons know how to drink from a water bowl. They can’t see stagnant water.
The best thing to train your beardie by adding a little juice to the water. The smell will help your bearded dragon to locate the water. Once the beardie tasted the water, it will keep on coming back for more. Make sure to keep adding a little juice until your beardie is good to go.
Can Bearded Dragons Have Too Much Water?
Bearded dragons can have too much water, but it rarely happens. Typically, beardies have an issue when it comes to staying hydrated. They don’t usually drink enough water, and it can become a problem. Most of the time, you will need to find different ways to keep a beardie hydrated.
Some owners observed that their bearded dragons even cough the water while bathing. They don’t like drinking water that much. Although if your bearded dragon consumes too much water, whether, from food or the water bowl, it can cause diarrhea for them. Try to avoid giving them food with high water content in the meantime.
Is It OK to Put a Bearded Dragon in Water?
Yes, it’s okay to put your bearded dragon in the water. In fact, they enjoy playing in the water so that you can do this regularly. The beardie will have some fun while getting hydrated at the same time. Use a storage bin that is twice longer than your beardie to have an instant swimming hole.
If you decide to do this, make sure that the water temperature is at least 80 F. The water level should not go deeper than the elbows or knees. That way, the bearded dragon will not end up scared of drowning. Use a water conditioner if using tap water since beardies drink from their bath.
Alternatively, you can use spring water for the beardie’s bath but not distilled water. Add small toys for your bearded dragon to play with as well. It will enjoy in the water. During the warm days, you can put the swimming hole outside. The beardie will enjoy swimming under the sun.
Can I Put My Bearded Dragon in Water Every Day?
Yes, you can put your bearded dragon in water every day. You can do bath time around three times every week instead. That will be enough to keep your beardie clean and stay hydrated. But if you can’t bathe your bearded dragon long enough, you can do it once a day.
If the beardie has constipation or shedding, bathing your pet will be helpful. Bearded dragons need to have fresh water every day. Aside from offering it to drink from the water bowl, you can also have their food misted and have a regular bath time. It will keep your bearded dragon hydrated.
Bearded dragons can be hydrated from the insects and vegetation that they eat. As long as they have a good and balanced diet, your beardie should be fine. But you still need to provide your pet water from the bowl. It’s also best to try other ways to keep the reptile hydrated and healthy.
Make sure to provide your beardie with a healthy and consistent diet. It should contain high-quality feeder insects, greens, veggies, calcium, and water every day. These ways will help your bearded dragon be healthy and live a happy and longer lifespan. This means your beardie will be with you for a long time.
How Often Should Bearded Dragons Water?
Bearded dragons need to drink water daily to keep themselves hydrated. Knowing how much water they need is also essential. That way, your beardie will not end up consuming too much or too little water. The amount of water they need depends on the size and age of the beardie.
If you have a baby bearded dragon, their water intake should also increase as the reptile gets bigger. It will support their nutritional needs into adulthood. Below is a guide on how much daily water intake you should provide a bearded dragon.
Based on the 24-hour recommended water intake for your reptile.
| Weight | ml | oz |
| 10 | 0.1 | 0.003 |
| 20 | 0.2 | 0.006 |
| 30 | 0.3 | 0.010 |
| 40 | 0.4 | 0.013 |
| 50 | 0.5 | 0.016 |
| 75 | 0.75 | 0.025 |
| 100 | 1.0 | 0.033 |
| 125 | 1.25 | 0.042 |
| 150 | 1.5 | 0.050 |
| 175 | 1.75 | 0.059 |
| 200 | 2.0 | 0.067 |
| 250 | 2.5 | 0.084 |
| 300 | 3.0 | 0.101 |
| 350 | 3.5 | 0.118 |
| 400 | 4.0 | 0.135 |
| 500 | 5.0 | 0.169 |
| 600 | 6.0 | 0.202 |
| 700 | 7.0 | 0.236 |
How Long Should Bearded Dragons Be in Water?
Bearded dragons will benefit from staying in the water. Just make sure not to use soaps or detergents when bathing your reptile. Most likely, the beardie will also be drinking the water. Soap can harm the bearded dragon’s health. If you’re using tap water, dechlorinate it first.
When bathing your bearded dragon, you can splash some water to play with it. You can also use a paper cup and pour water on your beardie’s back and tail. Make sure to avoid its eyes and nose and let the beardie splash around, and enjoy its bath.
Most bearded dragons, if not all, love to play in the water. They will enjoy having a nice dip a few times a week. You can let your bearded dragon soak in the water for between 15 to 20 minutes. That will help their skin to be healthy. Soaking in the water will also make shedding easier for the bearded dragon.
Treat your beardie for a bath so it will enjoy while increasing its water intake at the same time. Even if they can’t drink their skin, they can do it through their vent. It’s the opening at the base of their tail to poop but can also take water. It can be helpful for bearded dragons who seem to dislike drinking water directly.
Give your Bearded dragon a 20-minute bath a few times a week to increase its hydration levels. It will enjoy taking a bath while it drinks water.
Moat beardies don’t like drinking from their water bowls. Bathing it will help your reptile to get enough water it needs to stay healthy. Just don’t overdo it to ensure that your beardie will be fine.
Why Is It Important for Bearded Dragons to Be In the Water?
Bearded dragons came from the desert of the Australian outback. It will be good for them to take a regular bath in captivity. Having a dip can help the beardie stay cool and in good health. It can also prevent bacteria and fungus from building up around their bodies.
Bathing is beneficial for bearded dragons. It can help them in different ways. Like other pets, you also need to give your beardie bath time. It can be done at least three times a week or evwn daily if the weather is warm. Below are the benefits of having a bath for bearded dragons.
1. Hydration
Taking a bath will help to hydrate bearded dragons. Aside from the moisture from food, you can also mist your beardie daily. The problem with these reptiles is that they don’t like to drink water. If you put a small and shallow water bowl inside its tank, you will notice that the water is still there.
It could be troublesome if the beardie didn’t have enough water every day. It can cause dehydration which is bad for their overall health. Bathing can help your bearded dragon to hydrate itself. When they are surrounded by water, it will entice them to drink. It’s the best thing to do to ensure that your reptile will get the right amount of water.
2. Healthy Skin
When the bearded dragon is hydrated, it will also improve their skin health. These reptiles like basking, which makes their skin dry. Although having dry skin is not an issue for them. The problem will arise when it’s time for them to shed.
Dry and rough skin will make the shedding process difficult for bearded dragons. That’s why they need to have q regular bath. It will make their skin hydrated and make shedding easier. Soaking in the tub can help them get rid of the old skin.
3. Better Hygiene
Bearded dragons are not the cleanest pets around. They can even live in their own waste, which can be disgusting. Some can end up crawling in their feces and get it all over the tank. The enclosure can quickly become a breeding ground for bacteria and diseases. It can spread around your house when you pick up your bearded dragon
Bathing will help to clean the bearded dragon regularly. It will prevent the bacteria from spreading all over the place. But keep in mind that bathing the reptile alone cant get rid of all the bacteria. You have to also clean and disinfect the enclosure regularly to eliminate this problem.
4. Improves Digestive Health
Regular baths can help bearded dragons to improve their digestive health. This is because the reptile will get extra hydration from taking a bath. The bearded dragon will drink the water as it enjoys swimming and soaking from it.
Suppose your beardie suffers from impaction; it’s essential to have a regular bath. Impaction happens when the beardie eats the substrate or hard foods. It can be life-threatening for reptiles. Drinking enough water can help the beardie avoid this condition. If the reptile is not drinking, bath it instead.
Do Bearded Dragons Need a Water Bowl in Their Tank?
Yes, bearded dragons need to have a water bowl inside the tank. It’s the easiest and most obvious way to keep a bearded dragon hydrated. Even if you notice that your pet is only drinking very little, keep the water bowl in the enclosure. Make sure also to refresh the water every day.
Before getting a water bowl for your beardie, make sure to choose the right size. The water bowl should allow the reptile to fit its body inside it. The water level should only be the same as your beardies elbow. Some bearded dragons don’t drink water directly. They prefer to submerge their bodies in the bowl and drink from their vent instead.
Even if you notice that your beardie seems to dislike drinking water from the bowl, you should still keep on offering it. If you have a new bearded dragon, it cant see the water in it. It’s essential to train your pet to drink from the water bowl first.
Change the water from the bowl at least 2 to 3 times a day. Bearded dragons are known to urinate or poop in their water bowl. Refreshing the water a few times a day will ensure clean and safe for bearded dragons to drink. Keep on giving clean water to your beardie to help it stay hydrated.
Should You Mist Your Bearded Dragon?
Yes, misting is another way to help your bearded dragon to stay hydrated aside from offering it water in the bowl. Use a spray bottle to increase the water intake of your pet. But there are some misunderstandings about misting. One of them is that beardies don’t drink through their skin.
Bearded dragons drink when misted by lapping up the water drops that run down their face. It will help your pet to stay hydrated without directly drinking the water from the bowl. You can do this outside the enclosure to increase the bearded dragon’s water intake. It will keep their skin healthy as well to help them shed easier.
Misting your bearded dragon is an excellent idea, especially if your pet is not drinking water. This will help the reptile to stay healthy and allow proper organ function. Reptiles don’t need to drink water directly to keep themselves hydrated. They can get it from their food, bathing, and thorough misting. There are two ways of misting you can try.
1. Misting Food
Increasing the water intake of your bearded dragon will help them to stay healthy. They can get water from the food they eat, so might as well try misting their food as well. Many fruits and veggies have high water content. But it depends on how fresh they are and how long it’s been left inside the tank.
Fruits and veggies will dry out within the day because of heat. Misting them is a great way to keep their moisture. It will help your beardie increase hydration when it eats the fruit or veggies you prepared. Misting the food is more manageable and doesn’t require too much effort to get done.
2. Misting the Enclosure
It’s a clever way to ensure that your beardie will have enough hydration. Misting the enclosure will provide water for the bearded dragon. These reptiles will lick everything they want to understand. It will trick them into drinking some water while understanding their surroundings.
Licking is a necessary behavior for bearded dragons. They will do this to familiarize themselves with their environment. You should mist the glass as well as the decorations from the enclosure. The beardie will be licking the water drops immediately. It’s an excellent technique to trick your pet drink water if it’s not drinking using the water bowl.
What Happens If Bearded Dragons Don’t Get Enough Water?
If the bearded dragon is not drinking enough water, it will end up dehydrated. This will cause different health problems when dehydration persists. Your beardie may also develop some illnesses. At first, the beardie will become disorientated, lethargic, and weak. Severe dehydration can also be fatal for bearded dragons, so watch out for the signs.
Signs of Dehydration in Bearded Dragons:
- Wrinkles on the side of the body
- Sleepy eyes
- Slime threads are running down the mouth
When you notice any of the signs of dehydration, it’s best to increase their water intake right away. Plumping their food is an excellent way to increase their hydration levels. To plump their food, you have to soak worms in the water before feeding it to your beardie. Worms can absorb enough water to increase the reptile’s hydration levels quickly.
Use phoenix worms as they are best for plumping and absorb a good amount of water. Feed it to your bearded dragon immediately to help it to be hydrated. It’s better if you can immediately notice the signs of dehydration. That will help you to provide an appropriate solution to this concern.
Always ensure that your bearded dragon is getting enough water every day. Long-term dehydration can end up in developing severe health issues like kidney future. When the bearded dragon is not drinking enough water regularly, it will be dehydrated. Over time, kidney failure may follow, resulting in death in some cases.
If the bearded dragon has been dehydrated for a couple of days, you have to do something about it immediately. Provide your beardie with clean water and do different misting techniques. Food plumping is also an excellent way to hydrate your dragon. If none of them seems to work, visit the vet right away to help save your bearded dragon’s health.
FAQ
1. How Long Can a Bearded Dragon Survive Without Water?
Bearded dragons can survive without water for as long as two weeks. But as the beardie became dehydrated, it would become lethargic and feel unwell. Prolonged dehydration can cause kidney failure and later on death. That’s why bearded dragons must stay hydrated.
2. Can a Bearded Dragon Drown?
Yes, bearded dragons can drown if they remain underwater longer than 15 minutes. Even if these reptiles can hold their breath between 10 to 15 minutes underwater, they need air to breathe. It’s essential to have the water level shallow when bathing your beardie.
3. Should You Put a Water Bowl in The Bearded Dragon’s Tank?
Yes, bearded dragons need to have a water bowl in their tank. Even if it seems like they are not drinking the water, provide clean drinking water every day for your pet. It’s best to change the water 2 to 3 times daily. Keep the water in a shallow bowl to prevent drowning.
4. Can Bearded Dragons Drink Water Through Their Skin?
No, bearded dragons cant drink through their skin. Although as desert lizards, beardies have different ways to keep themselves hydrated in the wild. They can get water from the food they eat, such as insects and vegetation. Their vent is another way they can take in water.
5. What Kind of Water Should You Give a Bearded Dragon?
Tap water should be fine for bearded dragons if you live in a city with a good quality water treatment system. Usually, the contaminants in the water will be too low, so it should be safe for bearded dragons. But if you live in an area with low tap water quality, you should use filtered or bottled water instead.
