# Other Animals > Other Pets >  What is the proper way to give an iguana a bath?

## Colleen

Can anyone teach me how to bathe my little iguana properly? what can / can't i do?

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## gin77

Hi colleen, I had an iguana for about 7 years and loved her very much. She loved a dip in the tub. I always ran my tub with about 1-2 inches of water in the lower end, because the tub bottom slants for dranage, and left the upper end w/o water so she could get out of the water if she wanted to. I Would let her swim around for about 20min and then return her to her cage. Do not leave them alone because they can get out. I did this 1-2 days a week and it worked well for me. Best of luck and i think he is a doll.  :Big Grin:

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## pixiefrogman

> Hi colleen, I had an iguana for about 7 years and loved her very much. She loved a dip in the tub. I always ran my tub with about 1-2 inches of water in the lower end, because the tub bottom slants for dranage, and left the upper end w/o water so she could get out of the water if she wanted to. I Would let her swim around for about 20min and then return her to her cage. Do not leave them alone because they can get out. I did this 1-2 days a week and it worked well for me. Best of luck and i think he is a doll.


What about if you have city water?

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## Deku

> What about if you have city water?


What do you mean by "city water"? It shouldnt matter, as long as the water is clean and doesnt have a ton of other stuff in it. Also if the iguanas eyes are being bothered by the the chlorine and chloramine get a tapwater conditioner and use it. Id recommend you clean the tub throughly before and after use for iguana. You dont want any sort of uh say shampoo? Or even soap in the water where the iguana may drink a bit of it. Also the iguana may decide to take a dump in the water soo yeahhh... Iguanas live a long time(20years I think) sooo you may wanna keep in mind that a large iguana will need more water if you intend to bathe it.

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## pixiefrogman

Deku: What I meant was is that city water usually has a bit of chlorine in it.

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## Deku

> Deku: What I meant was is that city water usually has a bit of chlorine in it.


Ussually everyone who has a house USSUALLY uses municipal water, aka this would be from the water company. In which case its not bad because any bad bacteria is killed off. To make it safer for the iguana you can use a tapwater conditioner or even "Reptisafe" just make sure the water "hardness/softness" doesnt lower anywhere from 6.2(or else itll burn the lizard apparently) or anywhere higher than 8.9 Id try seeking a balance, say 7?

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## Ken Worthington

What would you recommend the 'bath' water temperature to be?

(PS. I'm asking on behalf of a friend)

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## Deku

> What would you recommend the 'bath' water temperature to be?
> 
> (PS. I'm asking on behalf of a friend)


Well, reptiles cant produce their own body heat, and very much like fish or frog depend on environment for heat. Seeing as an iguana comes from a tropical climate, id say the temps should be no less than 75 and no greater than 82. Well thats pretty much in my opinion. I say this because I have aquatic reptiles and pretty much most aquatic reptiles need warm water because they derive from places that are warm or for the part they are active IS warm, otherwise they'd be hibernating. But iguanas don't hibernate. Anywho, thats  my opinion though Iam pretty sure thats what it is. Even with reptiles that can live in colder waters, they should still be housed in warmer waters. See where Iam going with this? Anywho, I think for "Bathing" an iguana dont go scrubbing it or anything, since you dont want to stress it out. Just leave it be in a pool of water thats atleast enough for the iguana to submerge itself, and it has a rock or something it can climb out of if it gets tired. Oh if the water feels warm to you, it may be "too warm" for the lizard. Our water preferance believe it or not is from 90degrees and up to 120(so my teacher told me). I guess we're just tolerant to that and have adapted. In any case just take a regular thermometer and take the waters temperature. It doesnt matter if its not aquarium based, it still does the same thing in my opinion. 
Also be ready to find them making a poop. Lizards and pretty much alot of animals tend to defecate in water(repotiles, amphibians, fish).
In any case you should keep an eye out for the iguana. You also dont want it to climb out and then somehow climb into a vent or something. 
do not look away even for a second. Trust me, dont underestemate the speed of a reptile.

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## LittleDuudeIsAGirl

i dont have an iguana but i do have a bearded dragon which you do give them bathes as well..and what i do is run a warm bath that goes up to her tummy a little deeper because she likes to dunk her head and swim under the water..very graceful i might add..but just make it warm for them...our water has a filter that takes out the chlorine but i dont think the water will be too harmful only because some people drink water straight from the tap.

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## Ken Worthington

There's an old adage about not testing the water with your hand but with your elbow!

I'd still be interested in recommended temperatures, though.

PS. My friend's iguana will use an _empty_ bath as a toilet, if he can get to it (whilst out of his tank, roaming around!)

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## Deku

> i dont have an iguana but i do have a bearded dragon which you do give them bathes as well..and what i do is run a warm bath that goes up to her tummy a little deeper because she likes to dunk her head and swim under the water..very graceful i might add..but just make it warm for them...our water has a filter that takes out the chlorine but i dont think the water will be too harmful only because some people drink water straight from the tap.


We drink chlorinated water because the chlorinated for US isnt too concentrated to do us harm, but again its not good for us. I dont like tap water that much but I drink it if I have to(warm or cold). Same with the reptiles, but with the reptiles it COULD irritate their skin. I had a friends iguana stay over at my house for the weekend, and I gave it a bath. It went frantic and was rubbing its eyes. This iguana ussually loves baths... SO there ya go. Also water thats higher than 80 wont kill it, but it isnt good for it either.

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