Bearded dragon humid hide

TechnoCheese

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Feb 20, 2016
Messages
4,505
Location (City and/or State)
Lewisville, Texas
I do not yet own a bearded dragon, but I was wondering if they would be if it from a humid hide?

My thinking with this is that since bearded dragons burrow in the wild when it gets too hot. I’m assuming that the burrow would be more humid than outside, but then again, they might not be deep enough to have a noticeable difference compared to tortoises who spend their time in very deep burrows, that are moist even just from their pee or poop.

Another reason this might benefit the beardie is for shedding. Spraying water on a bearded dragon helps them shed, so would a humid hide be just as good or better, kind of like leopard geckos?
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,269
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
I like your thinking…

I have never done this with a bearded dragon, but I have done it with lots of "desert" and "arid climate" species and it works beautifully every time. I have never had any problem from the practice. I've done this with many snake species, blue tongue skinks, black throat and savanna monitors, red and black and white tegus, two species of uromastix, leopard, tokay, fat tail and skunk geckos, Ctenosaurs, horned lizards, rattle snakes, king and gopher snakes and I know there are more that I can't think of…

My climate is so dry, that I started offering humid hides to all my animals that were having trouble shedding. It worked so well, that I started offering it to almost every reptile species, whether they "needed" it or not. My result were 100% positive, with nothing negative to note at all.

Unless someone has had first hand experience where this was a problem with bearded dragons, I say give it a try and see how it goes.

I always used small tupperware tubs and cut a hole in the side just big enough for the animal to fit through. I usually used coco coir, coco chips, orchid bark or long fiber sphagnum moss, or some combination of those. I did not keep it "wet" in the container. Just lightly dampened. For python species that "like" humidity, like ball pythons, or my scrubs, I would use a tall container and have 6-8 inches of substrate that could be kept wet on bottom, but still be relatively dry on top. I would pack in long fibered moss on top of the substrate and I would open up the lid and soapy the moss as needed. I would not use the moss with any herbivorous species or omnivorous species, but it was great for the pythons.
 

TechnoCheese

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Feb 20, 2016
Messages
4,505
Location (City and/or State)
Lewisville, Texas
I like your thinking…

I have never done this with a bearded dragon, but I have done it with lots of "desert" and "arid climate" species and it works beautifully every time. I have never had any problem from the practice. I've done this with many snake species, blue tongue skinks, black throat and savanna monitors, red and black and white tegus, two species of uromastix, leopard, tokay, fat tail and skunk geckos, Ctenosaurs, horned lizards, rattle snakes, king and gopher snakes and I know there are more that I can't think of…

My climate is so dry, that I started offering humid hides to all my animals that were having trouble shedding. It worked so well, that I started offering it to almost every reptile species, whether they "needed" it or not. My result were 100% positive, with nothing negative to note at all.

Unless someone has had first hand experience where this was a problem with bearded dragons, I say give it a try and see how it goes.

I always used small tupperware tubs and cut a hole in the side just big enough for the animal to fit through. I usually used coco coir, coco chips, orchid bark or long fiber sphagnum moss, or some combination of those. I did not keep it "wet" in the container. Just lightly dampened. For python species that "like" humidity, like ball pythons, or my scrubs, I would use a tall container and have 6-8 inches of substrate that could be kept wet on bottom, but still be relatively dry on top. I would pack in long fibered moss on top of the substrate and I would open up the lid and soapy the moss as needed. I would not use the moss with any herbivorous species or omnivorous species, but it was great for the pythons.

Thank you, Tom! I think I will be using one, then, unless I hear that someone has had a bad experience with it :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tom

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,269
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
I would pack in long fibered moss on top of the substrate and I would open up the lid and soapy the moss as needed.

Soapy the moss??????

That should have said "spray" the moss as needed...
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,269
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Thank you, Tom! I think I will be using one, then, unless I hear that someone has had a bad experience with it :)

Please come back and share your results. Tell us how often the lizard goes in its "cave", and whether or not it seems to help with shedding.
 

TechnoCheese

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Feb 20, 2016
Messages
4,505
Location (City and/or State)
Lewisville, Texas
Please come back and share your results. Tell us how often the lizard goes in its "cave", and whether or not it seems to help with shedding.

Oh believe me, I will! And thank you for your insight!
 

TechnoCheese

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Feb 20, 2016
Messages
4,505
Location (City and/or State)
Lewisville, Texas
So I’m probably going to get a beardie tomorrow, and do you think I should put a damp paper towel into the hide, or moss? I’m leaning towards the paper towel. And also, should I put it on the hot or cool side?
 

deee-deee

Member
Joined
Jun 20, 2020
Messages
35
Location (City and/or State)
Los Angeles, CA
I like your thinking…

I have never done this with a bearded dragon, but I have done it with lots of "desert" and "arid climate" species and it works beautifully every time. I have never had any problem from the practice. I've done this with many snake species, blue tongue skinks, black throat and savanna monitors, red and black and white tegus, two species of uromastix, leopard, tokay, fat tail and skunk geckos, Ctenosaurs, horned lizards, rattle snakes, king and gopher snakes and I know there are more that I can't think of…

My climate is so dry, that I started offering humid hides to all my animals that were having trouble shedding. It worked so well, that I started offering it to almost every reptile species, whether they "needed" it or not. My result were 100% positive, with nothing negative to note at all.

Unless someone has had first hand experience where this was a problem with bearded dragons, I say give it a try and see how it goes.

I always used small tupperware tubs and cut a hole in the side just big enough for the animal to fit through. I usually used coco coir, coco chips, orchid bark or long fiber sphagnum moss, or some combination of those. I did not keep it "wet" in the container. Just lightly dampened. For python species that "like" humidity, like ball pythons, or my scrubs, I would use a tall container and have 6-8 inches of substrate that could be kept wet on bottom, but still be relatively dry on top. I would pack in long fibered moss on top of the substrate and I would open up the lid and soapy the moss as needed. I would not use the moss with any herbivorous species or omnivorous species, but it was great for the pythons.
you are quite possibly the most interesting man in the world... I love all of your experience and knowledge you share. We are also contemplating a beardie! How was having a Tegus?
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,269
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
you are quite possibly the most interesting man in the world... I love all of your experience and knowledge you share. We are also contemplating a beardie! How was having a Tegus?
Tegus are super cool, but they are a lot of lizard to handle. A bite from one would be a really bad deal. With some effort, you can house them outside all year here in L.A., which is nice due to their size. I had mine living in 20x20' outdoor cages with an accessible underground burrow for them to escape the heat of summer, and hibernate in winter.

Stay thirsty my friend.
 
Top