beardy health

I have a beardy that is about 2 years old. I live in central Illinois and it has recently gotten very dark and very cold. This is the first winter I have owned him. Although my beardy is under heat lamps and UV lights during the day/night and kept in a room that never gets below 70, he has recently become lethargic and lazy while in his cage. We have not changed food, cages, lighting etc. When I take him out of his cage, he is active and happy. He feces are fine and he is eating normally.

I have done some research that says beardys may get lethargic when the weather changes. Is there any truth to this? Does this lethargic behavior happen to any other beardys?

Just doing a little research before I decide what the next step is.

Thanks

Its usually a sign of burmation or something worse. I suggest getting a fecal sample done. Whats his enclosure setup and what are you feeding him?

Yeah it could be brumation which is fairly common this year. I suggest monitoring his weight to make sure he isn't losing a lot which could indicate an underlying illness. If it is brumation, keep the lights on the same schedule and let him sleep if he wants to sleep. Bring him out every few days to offer some water and record his weight. If you are concerned about his health I suggest bringing him to the veterinary teaching hospital in Urbana. They have great knowledge and all sorts of diagnostics at their disposal. That probably isn't needed in this case unless you see him black bearding or losing a lot of weight but it's good to keep in mind if you aren't too far from there.

VenusAndSaturn":2bnabg44 said:

Its usually a sign of burmation or something worse. I suggest getting a fecal sample done. Whats his enclosure setup and what are you feeding him?

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He eats super worms, crickets, horned worms, cockroaches, and a dragon veggie mix. His cage is an enclosed cage with screen venting at the top. He has reptile carpet, a water source, and logs to climb on. His droppings have not changed in color or consistency,

CooperDragon":3vkqss2v said:

Yeah it could be brumation which is fairly common this year. I suggest monitoring his weight to make sure he isn't losing a lot which could indicate an underlying illness. If it is brumation, keep the lights on the same schedule and let him sleep if he wants to sleep. Bring him out every few days to offer some water and record his weight. If you are concerned about his health I suggest bringing him to the veterinary teaching hospital in Urbana. They have great knowledge and all sorts of diagnostics at their disposal. That probably isn't needed in this case unless you see him black bearding or losing a lot of weight but it's good to keep in mind if you aren't too far from there.

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He is acting much better. He was very alert this weekend but still not eating much. Should his eating show down with the colder/darker weather outside?

Sometimes it will. If he goes into a semi brumation state he will act less energetic because his metabolism has slowed. This will also show in less food eaten and less frequent pooping. His weight should remain fairly stable though. My dragon has been going through cycles of being alert but sleepy and just sleeping all day. His appetite is very much decreased but he will take some water and will eat a little bit of veges when offered. It seems to be a slow transition in and out so even if he has more energetic days his appetite may still stay down.