Hydration is as important for your bearded dragon as it is for you. New and existing bearded dragon owners may be struggling with the small amount of water their beardie is drinking, if they are drinking at all. It’s a concern if you think your dragon may be dehydrated, something you want to avoid to ensure your bearded dragon remains in optimum health.
Bearded dragons come from the deserts of Australia. They are used to low humidity levels and high temperatures and as a result, it’s important that they remain hydrated at all times.
Most other pets, you put down a water bowl and don’t think about it again, it’s not that easy with a bearded dragon that gets the majority of its moisture through eating vegetables, taking baths and eating insects.
In the wild, a bearded dragon gets it’s water from insects and plants that it eats. They have adapted to the dry conditions, but living in captivity is different to the wild and it’s your responsibility to ensure your bearded dragon remains hydrated and healthy.
Where you live can play a role in whether your bearded dragon is hydrated or dehydrated. Here are a few things you need to understand:
- Dry climates – Dry climates with low humidity levels will mean your beardie should have constant access to water. Place water in a shallow bowl in the tank and refresh it daily.
- Moist climates – Wet and humid climates mean that putting a water bowl in the bearded dragon cage could push up the humidity levels. Rather add a bowl of water to the tank for a couple of hours each day.
Further reading:
How to Tell If Your Bearded Dragon Is Dehydrated
Dehydration can be very serious in reptiles, as it is in humans and therefore you want to ensure you keep your beardie well hydrated at all times. There are some signs and symptoms to look out for, which can help you identify if your bearded dragon is dehydrated, these include:
- Sunken eyes
- Wrinkled skin
- Loss of appetite
- Struggling to shed
- Not defecating
- Pinch skin test – skin remains elevated and doesn’t bounce back into place after being pinched.
It is possible your bearded dragon is dehydrated due to no fault of your own. If all your efforts to rehydrate your pet fails, ensure you seek veterinary assistance as soon as possible.
Note: Loss of appetite and energy can also be a sign of brumation, which is normal for bearded dragons. See our bearded dragon care sheet for more information about brumation.
How to Tell If Your Bearded Dragon Is Overhydrated
It is possible that your bearded dragon can get too much water. The most common sign is a runny stool with the beardie defecating at regular intervals. Another sign is that there is undigested food visible in the stool.
This can be due to numerous reasons from the beardie having too many baths or simply drinking too much to having high water content in their vegetables.
Vegetables that contain the most water include cucumber, celery and cabbage, to name a few. Reducing the high water content veggies, fruit and greens for a few days should help get your beardie back to normal.
It’s recommended when you suspect your bearded dragon is too hydrated that you reduce the number of baths and mistings your beardie is enjoying. If you do leave a water bowl in the tank, only leave it there for a couple of hours a day until their stool returns to normal.
Ways To Keep Your Bearded Dragon Hydrated
Keeping your bearded dragon hydrated is much easier than you may think. You can:
- Introduce plenty of greens, vegetables and fruits that contain water.
- Give your bearded dragon regular baths – play for up to half an hour in a sink of water.
- Add a water bowl to their tank. Some dragons may not recognize the water as standing water isn’t something they see in nature. You may need to create small ripples in the bowl to show them.
- Use a small syringe filled with water and gently drop one or two drops directly into the beardie’s mouth to help hydrate them.
- Mist your bearded dragon– Misting is debatable among bearded dragon community. Half of the community claims that missing is not natural in the desert environment and can cause upper respiratory infections. Misting or not misting is up to you. But remember to use warm water and always mist outside the tank to reduce humidity.
Keep Your Bearded Dragon Hydrated During Brumation
Brumation is a period that some (not all) bearded dragons go through. Brumation is a type of hibernation that usually happens when temperatures drop.
Bear in mind that your beardie doesn’t live in the wild, so while they receive constant temperatures, they are still inclined to go into a semi-hibernation, which can last anywhere up to a few months.
It’s very important during this time that you keep your dragon hydrated. At the end of the brumation period, your beardie should be the same healthy weight and reptile that you have grown to love.
In the wild, a bearded dragon going through brumation will drink water from a pool of water on the ground or they will dig down into the ground to get water.
In captivity, things are different and it’s your responsibility to ensure that your beardie is getting enough water during this process.
The best way to do this is to give your beardie a bath at least once a week. Baths help to moisten the skin and also hydrates the beardie. Misting is another popular choice to keep the skin moist, along with a healthy and well balanced diet of plant and animal material.
Keep Your Bearded Dragon Hydrated During Shedding
Shedding is something all bearded dragons go through. The younger they are, the more rapidly they grow, the more they shed. An adult beardie will shed around twice per year.
Keeping your dragon hydrated during this time is essential to help keep the skin moist and make it easier for the dragon to go through this process.
There are numerous ways you can help your bearded dragon remain hydrated during their shedding period, including:
- Vegetables – leave a fresh supply of leafy greens and vegetables in the tank – these are filled with moisture.
- Baths – give your bearded dragon a bath every couple of days to moisten the skin and help hydrate your beardie.
- Misting – Misting more frequently can also help to moisten the skin and help the shedding process while keeping your beardie hydrated.
- Water dropper – A water dropper enables you to drop water directly into your beardies mouth while reducing the risk of humidity in the tank.
FAQs
How to Tell If Your Bearded Dragon Is Overhydrated. It is possible that your bearded dragon can get too much water. The most common sign is a runny stool with the beardie defecating at regular intervals. Another sign is that there is undigested food visible in the stool.
Can bearded dragons throw up from drinking too much water? ›
Just as it is important to keep your bearded dragon hydrated, it is also important to make sure that your pet is not over-hydrated. When bearded dragons become over-hydrated, they will throw up water. The vomit of a bearded dragon that has consumed too much water will be clear and slimy.
Can you soak a bearded dragon too much? ›
As a general rule, bath time three times a week should be sufficient to keep your dragon clean and hydrated. If your dragon absolutely hates baths, then once a week may be a reasonable goal. If your dragon can't get enough bath time, you may want to do it more frequently, maybe even once a day.
How can I hydrate my bearded dragon fast? ›
What are some natural ways to encourage a bearded dragon to drink and hydrate?
- Have a soaking dish in your dragon's enclosure so that they can soak anytime.
- Add Reptile Electrolytes to the soaking dish.
- Offer your Bearded Dragon a warm soak in a tub with added electrolytes once every 7-10 days.
Let your beardie soak for about 15 – 20 minutes. Once bath time is over, gently pat your pet dry with a soft sowel. This is very important! If he's still damp when you put him back in his tank, the substrate may stick to him.
How do bearded dragons act when dehydrated? ›
Signs of dehydration include: wrinkled skin. the saliva tackiness, double strands forming when the mouth opens. decreased elasticity in the skin, the skin tents when gently pinched.
How do you rehydrate a sick bearded dragon? ›
- Offer water or diluted electrolyte solutions such as sports drinks, Pedialyte or Ricelyte near the reptile's head for easy, convenient drinking.
- Use an eyedropper or needle-less syringe to drip water onto the reptile's snout. As the reptile licks the moisture off, continue offering drinks in this way.
A bath 1-2 times a week is best for your bearded dragon. Doing this regularly also allows for good bonding time between you and your dragon and will help it take full advantage of the benefits. During shedding, you may want to increase the frequency to 3-4 times a week to help ease the old skin off.
Do bearded dragons absorb water through their vent? ›
The cloaca is inside of the vent area in a reptile where the urinary tract, gastrointestinal tract and reproductive tract all come together. The cloaca does absorb fluid (and salts) but is functionally there for water conservation by absorbing the last bits of water from the feaces and urates before being expelled.
What happens if a bearded dragon is in the water for too long? ›
Bearded dragons are capable swimmers; they are able to inhale air, float on the water and hold their breathe for a couple of minutes should they go underwater. However, a bearded dragon can drown if they are in deep water for too long (10-15 minutes+) and are too exhausted to remain afloat.
Bearded dragons do not absorb water through their skin. Instead, they remain hydrated by obtaining water through the vegetables in their diet, by drinking water provided through misting and taking in water through their vent. It is known for some bearded dragons to drink from a bowl too.
How can you tell if a lizard is dehydrated? ›
Signs of Dehydration in Reptiles
- Wrinkled and/or saggy skin.
- Dented/cracked scales.
- Trouble shedding.
- Loss of skin elasticity.
- Sunken eyes.
- Yellow/orange urate.
- Loss of appetite.
- Lethargy.
Bearded dragons and other reptiles benefit from the electrolyte soak if they drink the water during their regular soakings.
How do you save a malnourished bearded dragon? ›
4 Ways to Correct Malnutrition in Your Bearded Dragon
- Fruits and vegetables – most importantly, leafy greens – but you can also give them fresh treats like apples, carrots, mango, peaches, squash, and strawberries in moderation.
- Feeder insects – like superworms and dubia roaches.
During the day, the optimum basking area temperature for a Bearded dragon is 40-42°C (104-107°F) with the cool end sitting at around 22-25°C (71-77°F). A heat source placed in one end of the enclosure is usually enough to keep the temperatures within the required range across the entire thermogradient.
What does a dehydrated bearded dragon look like? ›
You'll see if a bearded dragon is dehydrated by the quality of its skin. When you gently pinch the bearded dragon, the skin should spring back to normal quickly, but when dehydrated, the skin will stretch back slowly.
Do bearded dragons need to soak in water? ›
The Importance Of Giving Your Bearded Dragon A Bath. Despite coming from dry and arid environments, bearded dragons can benefit from regular bathing. A dip in the tub can help keep your beardie in good health while also preventing the buildup of harmful bacteria or fungus.
How do you force feed a bearded dragons water? ›
Apply pressure to the sides of the bearded dragon's mouth to force it to open. Use your thumb and fore finger. Slide your fingers about three centimeters back from the top of the nose and apply pressure to the crease between the upper and lower jaw. The pressure should force the lizard to open his mouth.
Why do bearded dragons flatten out in water? ›
If their terrarium is too cold, bearded dragons may attempt to regulate their body temperature by flattening out in order to absorb as much heat as possible. If you notice your dragon pancaking a lot in his tank, this is likely the cause.
Do bearded dragons drink standing water? ›
Bearded dragons are lovely pets, but they can be very difficult when it comes to drinking. That's because they don't generally recognize standing water as something that will quench their thirst. However, they can learn to drink from water bowls if you can show them that the water is drinkable.
A small water bowl should work just fine for managing your pet's water needs. Tops of jars often make suitable "bowls" for thirsty bearded dragons. Always refresh your lizard's water supply on a daily basis. Dirty water is a major no-no.
What happens if you feed your bearded dragon too much? ›
A different issue faces them once they're grown up – too much junk food. Feeding adult Bearded Dragons too many fatty insects, such as worms, can have an effect similar to fast food for humans. Too many of this type of food can lead to drastic weight gain.
How often should a bearded dragon drink water? ›
In the wild they mainly derive water from the insects and plant materials they eat. When kept in captivity, bearded dragons need a clean, fresh water source. It is necessary to provide them fresh, clean water every day so they remain hydrated.
What happens if a bearded dragon drinks tap water? ›
Bearded dragons can drink tap water; however, it is a good idea to use one of the commercially available dechlorinating products to treat the water. There are chloramines and chlorine in the water that you want to remove as well as unwanted minerals present in the water.
What does an overfed bearded dragon look like? ›
Signs of Overfeeding
Signs that your baby bearded dragon has been overfed or is suffering from internal injury include lethargy, lack of appetite, bloated appearance, dragging or hindered movement in the hind legs, and the inability to control movement in the rear portion of his body.
Why does my beardie look bloated? ›
Bearded dragons rely on the sun's UV rays to provide them with the minerals and vitamins they need to remain healthy. What is this? It's often noticed that dragons will bloat their bellies in order to increase the surface area covered when basking, ensuring to soak up as much of the sun's rays as possible.
How do you know if your bearded dragon is getting too much calcium? ›
General weakness, lethargic behavior, and constipation are all common signs that your beardie is absorbing too much calcium. There will also be a lack of mobility since the muscles and soft tissue will begin to stiffen.
Why do bearded dragons cough after drinking water? ›
Why is my bearded dragon coughing after drinking water? The same as with food, your bearded dragon may aspirate its drinking water causing it to cough.
Do bearded dragons drink cold or hot water? ›
Check the water temperature.
Bearded dragons are cold-blooded, so it's important to use lukewarm or warm water (between 90 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit is a good rule of thumb). Cold water will make your dragon sick.
