Some Bearded dragon owners had no idea bathing them was even a thing
Giving your bearded dragon a bath is something you should do once in a while especially if they’re having issues shedding
So hang out with us and follow this guide on How to bathe a bearded dragon
If you’re an absolute beginner to bearded dragons check out this post
Table of Contents
How to Bathe A Bearded Dragon
Later on ill be explaining the benefits of giving your bearded dragon a bath but ill show you the steps first
Fill up a container that is bigger than them with warm water. You can actually use your bathtub if you want to. I use a plastic container since i find that easier but its up to you
Something I’ve noticed
You will get splashed…. so don’t wear your favorite shirts while doing this
Bearded dragons can easily drown if you’re not careful so make sure you do not fill up the tub you use with too much water!
Just fill it up to his knees and do not go above his shoulders. This is safe and what i do with my bearded dragon all the time
Lukewarm water is key here. A little tip. Lukewarm water obviously needs to feel warmer than your body but not hot. That’s what most people use as an indicator so you don’t need to sit with a thermometer or something. just use that trick
If the water is too hot than you will burn your beardie
Place your bearded dragon into the bath water
Slowly put your bearded dragon into the water and let him get used to the feeling
expect splashing….
If this is the first time your bearded dragon has taken a bath give them some extra time to feel it out. I remember the first time i gave my beardie a bath. He actually doesn’t seem to mind anymore but when we first started it freaked him out a little bit
Bearded dragons can’t see water when its still. If you move the water with your hand he will be able to see it and move around it better. When i bathe my bearded dragon i always move the water around for him
Don’t be alarmed if they start drinking the water. its normal
When i bathe my bearded dragon i use a really soft toothbrush to clean him.
Avoid his eyes. He will usually close them but i still avoid them anyways
No extra pressure is needed and work WITH the scales not against them
i recommend using a small cup to rinse them off when you’re done with your scrubbing. I have a dedicated little cup i keep under the sink for his baths
now don’t just DUMP the water on him too harshly. slowly rinse it down his backside
Let them soak for a bit and then its time to dry off!
Drying off your bearded dragon after a bath
Paper towel is your best friend here and again don’t be too rough with them
if you don’t have paper towel its ok just use a soft dish towel or something
i will wrap my beardie in the paper towel and then give a slow press around his body just to soak up any excess water
Now as soon as you dry them off put them into their tank and under their basking light. Bearded dragons are cold blooded so they might get a little startled
Why you need to give your bearded dragon a bath
When i first got my bearded dragon is thought the same thing to myself
i talked to my vet about it as well and they said its normal and ok to bathe them but dont use soap she said
ill talk more about soap later but i went on a bit of an information gathering session to provide to you today
Bathing your bearded dragon does a few really good things right off the bat
The first thing that comes to mind is hydration. So bearded dragons need to have decent hydration to shed their skin and have overall good skin health
us humans have much nicer and healthier looking skin when we are hydrated
the same thing goes for beardies
Lots of things we take in dehydrate us and we don’t even know it
Bearded dragons will feel better too when properly hydrated
So when you give your bearded dragon a bath you will hydrate them a lot and they will also drink some of the water
Helps with shedding
Hydrated skin really helps with shedding
sometimes bearded dragons will have a hard time shedding for many different reasons
a bath will really help out when trying to get rid of the dry flaky skin
when you do this make sure you let them rub against you when trying to help remove excess skin
Better Digestive Health and Hygiene
Bearded dragons literally run around against the ground wherever they are
They will come across a lot of dirt
They will come into contact with their own poop too if thats in the enclosure and you can tell a lot about their health from their poop
Too much bacteria is can cause all kinds of problems if not taken care of which is why i recommend a deep clean about once a month
too much bacteria and fungus can lead to infections which can obviously hurt your beardie
A clean bearded dragon and a clean enclosure will help in the long run
There is one major upside to baths as well…
I love when my bearded dragon crawls on me and i handle him all the time. He simply smells better
You can really tell when he needs bath time. He will crawl on you and you get a whiff of him and your face will instantly change…
One cool thing that baths (or just soaking in water) will do is help your bearded dragon digest food better
impaction can happen in bearded dragons and if your bearded dragon is having digestive issues you can help them move the food through with a bath
Impaction happens when your bearded dragon ingests something they aren’t supposed to eat like their substrate. You might feel a bulge under their tummy
If this happens put them in a bath and rub their tummy and that will help them pass a poop
Sometimes your bearded dragon won’t want a bath
Bearded dragons are picky sometimes and they will let you know if they don’t like a bath.
They will sometimes puff up or show a black beard.
The puffing up can sometimes actually mean excitement so don’t confuse that
A bearded dragons black beard is a sign of stress or discomfort
Now the earlier you start bathing a bearded dragon the better of they will be
i started mine off when he was young so he was used to them quickly
If they seem uncomfortable do a quick clean and then get them out fast. Slowly get them doing more and more baths during next coming months
as your bearded dragon transitions from youth to adulthood they will be used to baths and will mostly enjoy it
My beardie loves baths now and just relaxes in the warm water
The most important thing for me and my bearded dragon is making sure he is placed in the basking light right away after a bath. if i take too long he gets irritable
Don’t stress them out trying to bathe them. The more stressful you make the situation the more they will hate it and hate the idea of taking a bath
Don’t overthink it all
Summary and things you should know
Bearded dragons can be picky little creatures so just take your time working with them
patience is key with how to bathe your bearded dragon effectively without stress and discomfort
After a while they will even begin liking baths
