Is Glycerin Soap safe for bathing a baby/hatchling?

[Lazworth]

Hi,
I can't seem to find many threads on the use of "sensitive" soaps on Blue Tongues.
I plan on raising a baby BTS and would like to know if this soap I've been using to bathe my Tegu with is safe for the Blue Tongue.

The soap I use for my Tegu is an unscented, non-drying, sud-free, hypo-allergenic soap with all natural ingredients(no "harsh" chemicals and vegan).
Here are the ingredients:
"Glycerine, sodium stearate and sodium oleate (saponified coconut, palm and/or palm kernel), decyl glucoside (vegetable-derived surfactants), propanediol and sorbital (humectants), and sodium citrate."



http://clearlynaturalsoaps.beaumontproducts.com/soaps/clearly-natural-glycerin-bar-soap

I gently bathed my tegu with this soap in lukewarm water and would rub 100% pure coconut oil on him afterwards every other day to help with shedding and to keep him clean since I let him roam in my backyard a lot.

Now, would this same process be fine with a baby BTS? Adult BTS?

Is bathing with this soap every other day or every day too often for a BTS(even if I apply coconut oil after)?

Are any of the ingredients listed potentially harmful/toxic to one if accidently consumed?

Thanks!

[Susann]

I do not think any of the ingredients are toxic if consumed in minute amounts, but what I would be more concerned with would be the drying effect of the soap when there, very rarely, would be any need for washing a reptile with soap. Even when one of mine wanders through their poop and it's all over, just either a quick wipe down with a wet cloth or a soak in just plain, lukewarm water is plenty to get rid of the mess. Even if you rub it down with oil afterwards; I think it is completely unnecessary to use any soap. I don't know what all is in your backyard that would make you feel the need to wash your skink after he roamed around out there, I mean, I guarantee skinks out in the wild do perfectly fine without bathing, and they roam the wild all day every day.
If you feel the need to still bathe your skink every other day or every once in a while, I would definitely skip any soap, even if it is all natural and what-not. I honestly don't think it would hurt your skink if you had to use some, it's obviously not hurting your tegu; I really just don't see the need nor the point.

In my opinion, it's utterly unnecessary.

[Lazworth]

Thanks for the input!
My husband is very OCD when it comes to germs-- haha. So he prefers we bathe our animals with some kind of soap after they venture our backyard. I will try limiting the soapage on the skink just to be safe since I don't have much knowledge in this area.

[Susann]

Keeping the tank clean by spot-cleaning poop as soon as it's seen I think will be much more effective as far as germs go than bathing your skink. Something else that will help greatly is taking your skink out the day after feeding; getting active usually induces a bowel movement, and when adult, only eating once a week usually means only pooping once a week, so it can be a pretty easy habit to get into --then you don't need to worry about as many poops in the substrate.

I also keep baby wipes by my tanks at all times, I actually do most of my cleaning with them, and a quick wipe down the bottom of your skink may help your husband feel somewhat better about what your skink has been crawling through; at least I feel it's a safer option to soaping up your skink every few days.

I honestly don't think the soap itself will be harmful, and now that I understand the reason behind iI, I wouldn't necessarily be as strongly against it; I'm just wondering if there isn't a better/safer option that still lets your husband enjoy a BTS?

[Lazworth]

I was able to persuade him into being fine with just warm soaks and an oil rub without the soap(since the oil is supposedly naturally antibacterial)
But one other thing if you're able--- I'm deciding on what substrate/bedding to use and I have this extra "Carefresh Complete" bedding that I use for my hedgehog. Is this type of carefresh a safe or good bedding specifically for a baby indonesian blue tongue? Thanks again
https://www.healthy-pet.com/carefresh/p ... er-bedding

[lucasrusinak]

I was able to persuade him into being fine with just warm soaks and an oil rub without the soap(since the oil is supposedly naturally antibacterial)
But one other thing if you're able--- I'm deciding on what substrate/bedding to use and I have this extra "Carefresh Complete" bedding that I use for my hedgehog. Is this type of carefresh a safe or good bedding specifically for a baby indonesian blue tongue? Thanks again
https://www.healthy-pet.com/carefresh/p ... er-bedding

That bedding will work for northerns, but I do not think t would work well for an Indo. They need more humidity and care fresh does not do a great job holding humidity I believe, but maybe someone more experienced with indos could chime in

[Lazworth]

Hmm. Well, I just ended up buying a local brand coco chip substrate for humidity's sake from the reptile store just to be safe. 60-80% Humidity is the correct range for indos, right?

[Ackley]

The glycerin soap you’re using seems gentle and has no harsh chemicals, which is a positive aspect for both your Tegu and the BTS. Generally, unscented and hypoallergenic soaps are safe options for reptiles, especially if they are designed to be gentle on the skin.

Bathing a baby BTS every other day can be fine as long as you're mindful of its skin health and stress levels. Blue Tongues don't usually require frequent baths, so you might consider reducing it to once a week unless it's particularly dirty or having shedding issues. I’ve also found some helpful products at https://www.dealsandstealstoday.com/view-your-deal/ that could work well for your needs.

As for the ingredients, none of them seem particularly harmful, especially since you're using it in moderation and rinsing well afterward. Just be cautious with the coconut oil, as too much can lead to issues if ingested in large quantities. It's best to monitor your BTS's reactions and adjust the bathing frequency if you notice any signs of stress or skin problems.

Overall, it sounds like you’re on the right track! Always keep an eye on how your skink responds to any new routine, and you should be in good shape.