Am I just over thinking?

My BD is about 18 months old now. He was always VERY active, to the point of glass surfing until I took him out to roam. For about the last month or 2, he has become SO LAZY! I keep worrying something is wrong with him. He does not eat much, a couple supers every couple days, and like 2 bites of his salad when he gets the urge to move from his basking spot. I do know that they can start to brumate for the first time around this age and I honestly DO NOT like it. He loves his snuggle time, where he cuddles up on my chest under one of his blankets and just sleeps until i put him away for the night. But during the day, he does not want to do anything but chill under his lights...

I live in Michigan and the weather has finally turned to fall. It has been up and down temperature wise until this past week. I keep my house pretty consistently between 68-70 because I do not want his temps to fluctuate much.

He gets Calcium on his salad, when he actually eats it.

I have all the proper lighting, went over all that with you wonderful people on here. Just replaced his UVB tube 3 weeks ago. His lights are on a timer. Basking bulb and UVB during the day and a CHE at night. Lights come on at 7:30 am and go off at 8:30pm, even though he puts himself to bed usually around 7pm.

He does not have ANY loose substrate. He has tiles with a blanket on one side with his hammock and food on the other.

PLEASE help! I pray I'm just over reacting and this is completely normal activity for his age and the time of year.

Sounds like a mild brumation. I got the same issue with one of my rescues. Had her the first week and all was good. Got her 4x2x2 tank done and she barely eats and wants to hide and if I put her under the basking light she just lays there. Awake but hardly moving about. . Kind of a bummer as I was hoping she'd be more active. But I'll just have to wait it out. She'll eat salad if I have feed her, and go after the supers actively. I'm sure others will say the same, especially with your beardie being 18 months. Hang in there and be patient.

He will eat 2 or 3 supers, when I move him from his hammock over by his food bowl or dangle them in front of him. Lazy boy. And he will close his eyes when I offer more then he wants to eat... He has refused to chase crickets for like 8 months and WILL NOT eat bugs if they are not moving. I'm just so worried about him being so inactive... I made a little box for him to hide in and he LOVES it, but only moves in the morning then at night to go to bed. I just miss him SO much!

Also, he has not been dark colored really at all. He can be chilly, under his box, but still be so lightly tan it's like hes sleeping on me.

If he does go into full brumation, should I leave him be or continue our nightly snuggles he loves?

He's doing a winter slowdown ….

Set his basking and uv lights to come on an hour or two earlier, he'll be warmed up and more interested to eat come brekky time. Keep the same bedtime on the timer.

so ----> basking and uv on 5:30-6am , lights and basking off 8:30pm. CHE set to keep warmer than 24 degC O/night ….you'll see a difference .

kingofnobbys":2yaabtdj said:

He's doing a winter slowdown ….

Set his basking and uv lights to come on an hour or two earlier, he'll be warmed up and more interested to eat come brekky time. Keep the same bedtime on the timer.

so ----> basking and uv on 5:30-6am , lights and basking off 8:30pm. CHE set to keep warmer than 24 degC O/night ….you'll see a difference .

Click to expand...

I thought you shorten their day when they go into brumation... Are you saying to just do this until her goes into full brumation or during as well? Just curious.

Jackie0527":370ff2nr said:

kingofnobbys":370ff2nr said:

He's doing a winter slowdown ….

Set his basking and uv lights to come on an hour or two earlier, he'll be warmed up and more interested to eat come brekky time. Keep the same bedtime on the timer.

so ----> basking and uv on 5:30-6am , lights and basking off 8:30pm. CHE set to keep warmer than 24 degC O/night ….you'll see a difference .

Click to expand...

I thought you shorten their day when they go into brumation... Are you saying to just do this until her goes into full brumation or during as well? Just curious.

Click to expand...

No.... Unless you are planning on breeding , I see no reason to allow brumation, so increasing photoperiod and nudging up the temperature a wee bit will help boost the metabolic rate , none of my pet skinks or dragon bromate and I know several keepers who live in more tropical climates (Northern Territory, NE Queensland, Northern NSW) who report the same).

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