How scary is brumation the first time around??

Hi All,

Since Ryder is only 3 months old I know he wont be going into brumation for quite some time but Ive been trying to prepare myself for when it happens. Im such a worry wort and I honestly am dreading the day when its time for to him/her. I could only imagine what will be going through my mind when it happens!! Ive been reading tons of post on here trying to get all the information but would like to get others experiences on the first time there baby went through brumation and how scary or in other cases not scary it was for them. Ive also seen some post on here that some bearded dragons can just have a semi brumation. How does that happen?

Thanks a bunch!

Nothing scary. In fact I prepare my dragon's brumation every year. In fact I got my bearded dragon while she was in brumation. Someone was selling an adult female, and I really wanted a beardie, but the problem was I hadn't assembled all the setup yet. Fortunately it was winter and told him to hibernate her. He never had done that until then, but he was successful, and when I took her, she was in hibernation. I woke her up after 3 months, and everything went fine. Now she is in the middle of her longest brumation.
Semi-brumation is when you have the lights for a few hours a day and continue to give some food. Deep brumation is real hibernation, without food, water and heat for some months straight. You can manipulate your conditions to have either the one or the other. Personally I choose the second, as I am more sure the dragon does not lose weight needlessly.

So depending on your temps you can control how deep they go into brumation?

We left our lights an heaters on as usual. Fuzzy slept as in hid behind leaves an didnt come out for long periods but did peep out of 1 eye ocassionally and didnt get too cold. He ate a little sometimes when offered. But nothing much.
Safe to say i was a nervous wreck but he came out of it just fine. Hes lively an great to watch now. Im so glad hes awake!

Karenxx67":2b5yr2gm said:

We left our lights an heaters on as usual. Fuzzy slept as in hid behind leaves an didnt come out for long periods but did peep out of 1 eye ocassionally and didnt get too cold. He ate a little sometimes when offered. But nothing much.
Safe to say i was a nervous wreck but he came out of it just fine. Hes lively an great to watch now. Im so glad hes awake!

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Wow...I think I would be going crazy with worry. Thanks for your input.

He slept for about 4 months. I did think hed never be normal again.

This is my dragon's first semi-brumation, and my first experience with it. I'm a helicopter pet parent, so I am totally stressing out. I think every first time beardie owner goes through a bit of stress the first time; especially since the signs of brumation are alot like the signs of being sick.

LinusTheOrange":2c2f3wtj said:

This is my dragon's first semi-brumation, and my first experience with it. I'm a helicopter pet parent, so I am totally stressing out. I think every first time beardie owner goes through a bit of stress the first time; especially since the signs of brumation are alot like the signs of being sick.

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Yup that is what I'm afraid of...I'm already stressed out now always checking on him to make sure his temps are good and if he ate enough. I swear if he doesn't eat as much as he normally does I start to worry and stress out! This will put me over the edge! :lol:

It helps to know that your not alone in this, that other first time beardie parents are going through this as well. These scaly little critters certianly know how to wrap us around their little claws, thats for sure!!

Some of them don't even brumate at all, especially if you keep the lights and temperatures the same year round. They're all different and you just have to get used to what's normal for your own beardie.