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Bearded dragons can benefit from regular baths, and it is even recommended to give your dragon a soak every week. That begs the question, can I wash my bearded dragon with soap when you are bathing it? The answer is no. You should never use soap to wash your bearded dragon. Soap is not safe for use on reptiles, especially beardies.
While it may sound nice to give your bearded dragon a refreshing wash, the effects can be quite harmful. Do not use soap on your bearded dragon.
Soap Is Harmful to Bearded Dragons
Bearded dragons have very sensitive skin. Soaps used by humans in typical household environments are not designed to be used on sensitive reptile skin. In fact, the harsh chemical detergents in many soaps can be extremely harmful to bearded dragon skin.
The chemicals in typical soap can cause burns, abrasions, and irritation. If left unchecked, these problems can persist and even become fatal. Soap can even soak into your bearded dragon’s skin and cause internal health issues as well. Veterinarians even warn against using Dawn dish soap. While Dawn advertises itself as being safe for baby animals, it is in no way safe for bearded dragons. Lizards do not use soap in the wild, and they do not need soap as pets.
Even if your dragon is shedding or dirty, you should never use soap to help clean it.
Bearded dragons can live for a very long time if kept happy and healthy, but they are also very sensitive. The smallest changes to their environment or chemical balance can cause a bearded dragon to enter a health spiral that can leave you sad and confused when your pet becomes sick. Keeping their environment stable and keeping them away from household cleaning products will keep your bearded dragon healthier in the long run.
Bath Time for Beardies
Bearded dragons can benefit from soaking sessions. Despite being desert animals, bearded dragons love a good soak. A few times per month, you can take your bearded dragon out of its enclosure and put it into a shallow, warm bath. This can be beneficial for dragons who have dust or dirt accumulation on their skin or if they are shedding.
Water should be kept warm, and your bearded dragon needs to be monitored for signs of hypothermia during and after baths. Bathwater should be pure water without any type of additives or extra ingredients. And absolutely do not use any soap.
Can You Put a Soaking Dish in Your Bearded Dragon Tank?
In most cases, you should not put a soaking dish in your dragon’s tank. Even if you think that they might enjoy being able to soak whenever they want, that is not beneficial to them long term. If you do put a soaking dish in their tank, make sure it is shallow. You also have to monitor the temperature and the humidity in the tank to ensure that your dragon does not get too cold or too wet. Those environmental conditions can be harmful to bearded dragons over time.
The safest and most effective thing to do is to simply give your bearded dragon a bath a few times a month by removing them and monitoring their soaking session.
Conclusion
You should never use any soap or detergent on your bearded dragon. Soaps are harsh and made with synthetic chemicals that can be extremely harmful to reptiles. If you want to bathe your beardie, simply give it a warm soaking session in plain, clean water. Nothing else is necessary. Refusing to follow these suggestions can be very harmful to your beloved pet.
Featured Image Credit: h1r0maty31official, Pixabay
