Is a bath enough?

I was watching a TV programme about pets earlier this week. It featured a couple who had large reptiles. I'm not sure what type the were, but they did mention that they were four feet long, so pretty big.

Every day, the reptiles would be put into the bath for a while and the rest of the time they were just kept around the house and petted on the sofa.

It just got me wondering, shouldn't these reptiles have had a habitat that was as similar as possible to their natural one? I would have thought that they should have free access to water. Or do they not need that?

I wouldn't fancy having reptiles myself, but I'm interested in how they should be kept.

Every reptile has different needs. You have to mention the actual species you saw in order to get a more accurate answer.

Ram's answer is petty much on target. In general, they should have access to water. But many species bathing is a separate need from drinking. And as long as certain needs for that species are met, it doesn't necessarily have to mimic it's natural habitat. But again, allot of this varies with different species.

From what you said, I would guess they're taking about a large lizard, a monitor, argentine tegu, green iguana. There are many people who will let them free roam a house, with an area set up they can bask in, and they can do well.

(07-30-2012 03:20 PM)Fishbone Wrote:  But many species bathing is a separate need from drinking.

I know I sure wouldn't want to drink my bathwater. Our ball python doesn't soak in his water dish, but will soak when we give him a bath.