“Bearded dragon sleeping in water dish” is a subject frequently discussed on reptile care and other pet forums, for two main reasons: Many beardies share this strange behavior, and many owners are concerned about it.
If you are part of the second group, then keep reading to find out more about this strange sleeping habit. Let us talk about why your bearded dragon is sleeping in water dish in detail.
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Why Is My Bearded Dragon Sleeping in Water Dish?
As many bearded dragon owners can tell you, a bearded dragon will sleep in any position, anywhere, as long as they feel like it.
But does this mean bearded dragons are sleeping in their water dish just for fun?
Actually, aside from fun, there are 4 other possible reasons for a bearded dragon to take a dip.
1. They Need to Cool Down
A bearded dragon needs to rely on its environment to regulate body heat.
This means basking when it needs warmth, and soaking when it feels too hot.
Although, the latter happening too often can indicate a heating problem, so check the tank’s temperature gradient.
The basking spot shouldn’t be too close to the heat, and the coolest side shouldn’t be over 85 degrees Fahrenheit.
A good temperature gradient for a tank would be between 70 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. They Need to Poop
In the wild, bearded dragons would often soak and relieve themselves in water, so it’s no surprise that they continue this in captivity.
Soaking can also be a quick remedy for constipated dragons, as it helps loosen stool.
Still, if you ever find poop in a bearded dragon’s water dish, make sure to clean it up right away.
3. They Like to Drink This Way
Each bearded dragon has its own personality, and some like to drink water while completely immersed in it.
This is normal and is the reason why baths are the go-to method to encourage dragons to drink.
4. They Need to Shed
When shedding, a bearded dragon may try to soak its body to help with the process.
This is good because it helps soften stuck dead skin.
However, you should never try to pull on their dead skin to ‘help out’ because this can hurt them.
Instead, brush the dead skin lightly with a toothbrush after a bath to aid the shedding process.
Bathing your beardie 1 to 2 times a week is encouraged since it also helps with other skin issues.
Therefore, if your beardie likes to take a dip once in a while, there’s no need to worry too much.
It’s common and safe for a bearded dragon to take a dip once in a while.
However, if your dragon’s body stays wet for too long (often because he or she has fallen asleep in a water dish or bowl), it can cause some health problems.
3 Possible Health Risks of Bearded Dragon Sleeping in Water Dish
1. Low Body Temperature
Like we’ve said before, your bearded dragons may choose to take a dip to cool down.
However, being wet for too long can lower their body temperature to a dangerous level.
A dragon who enjoys soaking may choose to fall asleep in their water dish. However, this shouldn’t be encouraged.
If you ever see your beardies sleeping like this, remove them from the dish and towel them dry.
After that, place them in a basking spot to finish warming up.
2. Infections and Other Illnesses Relating to Contaminated Water
We’ve talked about how some bearded dragons prefer to poop while soaking: it’s perfectly normal.
However, if your beardies fall asleep in this poopy solution, there can be problems.
First of all, this can give your beardies infections, since there are loads of bacteria in fecal matter.
Not only that, many fungi and other skin problems are also direct results of this unhygienic sleeping habit.
You should clean and replace a water dish right away if it’s been contaminated.
3. Water Aspiration and Drowning
Some owners prefer to get a big drinking dish for their beardie, one that doesn’t need to be refilled too often.
After all, the bigger, the better, right? Not necessarily.
If a bearded dragon has its whole body inside a water dish, and the water level is above its beard, there’s a high risk of water aspiration.
Even with its head propped up, a slip and an accidental inhalation are enough to pull fluids into a beardie’s lungs, causing water aspiration, or drowning in severe cases.
Because of this, shallow water dishes are much safer to have in a beardie’s tank (we’ve put more detail about suitable drinking dishes down below).
Bearded dragons can sleep in a water dish in all sorts of positions: with their entire body in the dish, with half of their body hanging on the rim, with parts of their tail in the water, etc.
But is it ok for bearded dragons to sleep in water?
Not really. But to help with this problem, we’ll give you safe ways to give your bearded dragon water and more information on why and how bearded dragons like to sleep.
5 Safe Ways to Give Your Bearded Dragon Water
1. Through Their Food
All live insects should have some moisture in them, as well as certain plant matters.
Because of this, food is the main way for beardies to get water in the wild since their natural habitats are deserts and dry hot places.
Worms, slugs, and leafy greens are all foods with lots of moisture that can be included in your bearded dragon’s diet.
2. Bathing
Some bearded dragons prefer to drink bathing water. Because of this, many owners report seeing their beardie drinking more in a bath than anywhere else.
Bathing will help remove bacteria build-up and prevent other skin problems, too, which is all the more reason to start bathing your beardie weekly.
3. Provide a Water Dish or Bowl
Domestic bearded dragons can’t just hunt down a juicy hornworm to get hydrated.
Therefore, an alternative source of water should be provided: a water dish.
When choosing a water dish with the “bearded dragon sleeping in water dish” problem in mind, owners should pay attention to its size and shape.
A sturdy, shallow drinking dish no bigger than 1/3 of your beardie’s body is safe to keep in a tank at all times.
However, there are many other ways a drinking dish can get contaminated, so remember to clean and refill it every day.
Although, some beardies may not drink from a bowl since it’s unnatural to them.
To help train your beardies to drink by themselves, add some juice to the bowl to lure them into drinking.
If you’re looking to buy a water bowl for your beardie, here are our recommendations:
4. Misting
Wild beardies would often lick dew from leaves or droplets that drip off their nose during rainfall.
Therefore, misting or spraying clean surfaces to mimic dew is another way to encourage your bearded dragon to drink.
This can help dehydrated beardies who don’t drink often but is not necessary for a healthy dragon.
Watching them drink this way is quite fun, though, so as long as you don’t overdo it, try misting it to see if your beardie likes it.
Check this video to see how misting works:
Why and How Bearded Dragons Like to Sleep?
When dealing with the “bearded dragon sleeping in water dish” problem, it may be useful to know where your dragon likes to sleep and why.
It’s natural for beardies to prefer sleeping in sheltered corners like tree holes or rock hollows.
So if your beardie ever sleeps in strange places, it’s probably because he or she finds it safe. To keep your beardie from unwanted wandering, prepare a good hiding/sleeping spot inside the tank.
Having said that, some beardies will sleep in funky positions, regardless of logic.
Many owners have reported seeing their bearded dragon sleep while propped up against a glass wall, or half hanging off a branch. Some can even sleep upright with their hind legs spread wide.
But as long as they stay dry and aren’t exposed to any threat, it’s ok to just let them be.
Frequently Asked Questions About Bearded Dragons Sleeping in Water Dish
1. How Long Can a Bearded Dragon Stay in Water?
It’s safe for bearded dragons to stay in water for 10 to 15 minutes.
Make sure to dry them properly afterward to prevent body heat loss.
2. Do Bearded Dragons Need Baths?
It depends on the type of beardie. Bearded dragons don’t bathe in their natural habitat.
However, house beardies have smaller living spaces and are frequently stepping on bacteria-filled feces.
This doesn’t happen in the wild because there is a lot of space to both roam and take care of your business.
So even though wild bearded dragons don’t need baths, house beardies should be bathed, for hygienic and other reasons.
3. Can a Bearded Dragon Absorb Water Through Its Skin?
No, a bearded dragon can’t absorb water through its skin.
Since vets would often recommend bathing and misting dehydrated beardies, people sometimes misunderstand that a bearded dragon can get hydrated through their skin.
But in reality, bathing and misting help improve your dragon’s hydration level by encouraging them to drink.
Conclusion
Bearded dragon sleeping in water dish: Is it safe?
The answer is no.
Sleeping in water exposes your bearded dragon to many health risks, like low body temperature, water aspiration, and infections.
To deal with this problem, we suggest two things: getting the right water dish and understanding your dragon’s hydration methods and sleeping habits.
