Bearded dragons can quickly get dehydrated and keeping them hydrated is very important for a bearded dragon’s health. Take extra care to keep them hydrated, especially when they get sick and during the warm summer days.
What are the Signs of Dehydration?
- Lack of appetite
- Sunken eyes
- Wrinkled skin
- Yellow-colored urine
- Lack of energy
- Droopiness
There are a few ways to see if your bearded dragon is dehydrated, but the most reliable one is to pinch its skin where the skin is generally loose very gently, if the skin goes back to place immediately, then your bearded dragon is hydrated but if the skin holds its shape it means that the bearded dragon is dehydrated.
How Can I Hydrate My Bearded Dragon?
A spray bottle is a good investment and your beardie will appreciate a mist up to four times on a daily basis, especially if you live in a warm climate.
Drip some water droplets on their nose, most dragons will lick it or even drink from the source.
Use a syringe or something similar to give them water. By dropping a few drops on their nose, they will lick it and eventually start drinking it. Do not be alarmed if they tilt their heads down as this is how they drink in the wild. Tilting the head down means that all water on their head will run over their nose, and thus into their mouths. Keep in mind, to make sure no water enters the nostrils, as this can cause water to accumulate in the lungs.
Give him/her a bath on a regular basis for at least 15 minutes at a time. For dragons that are severely dehydrated, I recommend bathing them twice a day to speed up their hydration. Pedilite can also be added to the bathwater.
Placing a bowl of water in their tank, and providing constant access to fresh clean water is a must. You can also place them directly by the bowl, front feet planted in the water, and then use your finger to gently splash the water, making it move, and the beardie sees it, if thirsty, will bend down and start drinking. Remember, bearded dragons cannot see still standing water.
In dire situations, you can force-feed your dragon water, but this is an absolute last resort, as not doing it absolutely correctly, can lead to water in their lungs, which has a lot of nasty side effects, some of which can be fatal. When force-feeding water, use a syringe, with the smallest tip you can get. Gently force the mouth of the dragon open, taking care not to harm or cause any pain. Place the syringe sideways in the mouth, near the front by their noses (Do not point it towards their throats, as this can cause water to be squirted, directly into their lungs). Then drip water in the mouth, but make sure they are swallowing, if not remove the syringe and try again. (Swallowing is indicated, by the tongue moving in and out of the mouth.)
