Bathing

[dragonmetalhead]

How often should I bathe my tegu? I soak him to get him to poop, but I figure swimming around in a big bath tub is good exercise and it's so cool to watch Kodo undulate through the water like a black and white crocodile. Is it possible to bathe them too much? When Kodo was in the bath yesterday, at one point he shut he eyes and was just bobbing in place in the water. He sort of looked like he was just uber-relaxed and enjoying the wtaer, but I just want to make sure this behavior is normal.

 

[Bubblz Calhoun]

Depending on your husbandry or if its having shedding issues,.. they shouldn't need one that often. I do it more so for exercise to help them work off excess energy. But even then its barely once a week, more so when they're restless than anything else.

 

[kellen.watkins]

Ditto I bathe her once a week more or less to wear her out

 

[turtlepunk]

I haven't bathed mine yet, but bathing for exercise sounds like a good idea!! mine always has SO MUCH energy!
as for how often, I was wondering that myself. I do know (at least in bearded dragons anyways) that bathing TOO OFTEN can lead to ear infections which throws off their balance and you'll catch them walking lop sided and falling over. I don't know this from experience (thank goodness!), I just LOVE to read. =)

 

[booyea797]

My little guy prettying sure hates water every time I go to put him into the tub he freaks and comes running up my arm and what u guys mean by soaking... whats the difference I don't want to sound like a idiot

 

[Toby_H]

From what I've read, Tegus rarely enter water in the wild...

I have very dry skin and bathing too often makes it even drier. This is because the water can wash the oils out fo the skin. It seems to me this could be an issue with Tegus as well. But having said that, in the spring time I bathe my Tegu almost every day for at least a few minutes. While doing this I've never noticed dry skin issues nor had any shedding issues.

So I do not know of any limit that is "too much" but I would watch for dry skin if bathing frequently...


I believe when we say "soaking" we simply mean putting the Tegu in a few inches of water. Enough he can stand on the bottom and hold his head out, but also enough his entire body is covered when lying down.

 

[kellen.watkins]

Yeah I find it funny how just about every care sheet says tegus need a dish big enough to soak in when all 3 tegus I have owned never cared for being soaked

 

[Toby_H]

In the spring time my Tegu seems to love 90~100*F bathes, but in the summer months he doesn't care for them (he lives outside in the summer so it's hot and humid)...

But I very rarely see him soaking in his water dish inside his enclsoure. It is kept cleaned (changed 2~3 times per week) and at "room temperature" of his enclsoure (outside in summer)...

When I do see him soaking in his water dish I take as a sign I need to moisten his enclosure...


But I think those 90*F+ bathes are a different story

 

[Bubblz Calhoun]

More often then not when my tegus didn't like taking a bath it was because the water wasn't warm enough. Which is understandable they're cold blooded and they're not like water monitors or other semi aquatic lizards.

When I raised the temps,.. they relaxed no matter what size they are. To add to what Toby said,.. for me, bathing and soaking is pretty much the same thing. Putting your tegu in a bath tub, kiddie pool or container big enough for them to move around in. With enough water so that they are still able to comfortably walk around in.

How much water and the level varies depending on the size of the animal and what you use. For babies its usually between their hips and middle of their back any higher and they have to swim. For larger tegus it's from the middle of their back up to their shoulders. But once again that depends on what you use. If it (container or what ever) is level or if its a bath tub and it tapers off so that one side is deeper than the other.

Swimming is spending time in water higher than the marks I described,.. above mid back or shoulder level. Where they have to swim to move around. Both are supervised but more so swimming in case they get tired and or want out.

Sometimes I do full body soaks, just give them something to rest their head on. So that they can stretch out and relax with out having to worry about retaining air to stay afloat. They look the same as when they're basking except they're in water with head support above it.

 

[Piercedcub32]

Bath before or after feeding?

 

[Bubblz Calhoun]

Either way,.. but they'll relax more and longer after. Since their tummy's not rumbling and making them want to look for food

 

[herpgirl2510]

I have not bathed my tegu in months neither one of them enjoyed it anyways. My tegus have awesome sheds and their skin is so shiny it looks like it is wet.

 

[tora]

I rinse my tegu every time she eats so she doesn't get raw meat particles everywhere, and so that her mulch doesn't smell like food when she goes back into her enclosure. I don't want her to be hungry one day and find a tasty smelling piece of mulch. I also rinse before letting her walk around because she poos as soon as the water hits her, and I would rather her go in the tub than on the carpet.

 

[reptastic]

I don't soak my tegus, I use to put them in the water to poop then take em out, now I just put them in the tub and turn the shower on and the do their business

 

[jtpowers]

We haven't ever really let ours "swim", but he gets a daily warm water soak right after his meal. After a good bask in his enclosure, we get his plate ready and lay a towel down in the tub (prevents cool tub bottom from chilling him and also provides some traction ) and put his plate on that. He eats, then we remove the towel and run warm water about 1 to 2 inches deep (maybe halfway up the side of his body). He visibly relaxes and after ten minutes or so makes a nice urate dropoff followed by a few tegu poots and a good BM, like clockwork every time. Drain the tub, warm water rinse with a cup, and he crawls up on my arm to go back to his enclosure for a nice digestive bask for another hour or so before he nuzzles down into his cypress mulch for the evening.