Can a 5 month old Beardie Brumate?

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ZuriiTheDragon

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My Beardie is exactly 5 months old today. She is huge, she's 17" long. I have noticed that she has been changing everything; how much she eats, how much and how often she poops, and the amount of time that she would rather be sleeping. Since she grew so fast I'm wondering if she's trying to brumate, or if there's something else going on with her. She has proper lighting, a uva and uvb, temps are 103 and 82. She's fed a wide variety of vegetables, and Dubias. When I turn her lights on in the morning she comes out of her little house and everything, she doesn't try to stay in there or anything. Any ideas? Thanks! :)
 
Z

ZuriiTheDragon

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Yes, I am 100% sure she is 5 months old. I got her from a breeder locally, not from a pet store, so he knows the exact day she was born. He even knows the exact time she was born lol. She's 17" long, no joke, and since she is so big that's why I was wondering about the possibility of brumation. I wonder, since she's huge, if her body is sending her mixed signals or something regarding the brumation, and sending her into an almost halfway brumating state. So, is it impossible for her to be attempting brumation? If it's not brumation, what else could be wrong? She's very healthy, she gets everything she would need to maintain good health. I'm just so worried...
 
CooperDragon

CooperDragon

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She's quite big for 5 months. That does still seem young for brumation though. Your temperatures are good. How long do you keep the lights on during the day? Which kind of UVB light are you using and how far is it from the basking area?

Do you monitor her weight? I'd check that and keep a record so you can see if it's stable or increasing rather than trending downward.
 
A

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
Hi there, some very fast growing dragons may go through a short slow down and they pop right back out of it, too. You might want to get a fecal test done to rule out parasites but she's probably fine. Slight adjustments if the lighting schedule is too short might be helpful as well, but there's really nothing to worry about. :)
 
K

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
I agree with the other responders, at 5 months old it's not good policy to allow the juvenile to brumate irrespective of how big and well fed it is, it will result in a pause in growth and development at the very least and it may not survive an extended period of brumation with no food intake and organ shutdown (in long periods of brumation due to starvation/dehydration). ... edited 14jan

Best to keep beardie warm , feed and keep the lighting schedule long (like a long summer day , I recommend 14-16 hrs of heat and lights on per day which is very similar to the daylight hours wild beardies experience in their natural range in summer (I know this from personal experience as I've lived and worked in the natural range of central and rankins beardies on extended contracts).
 
A

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
Unless there is a parasite problem, your dragon is in no danger of a real health problem .....nothing like stunted growth or organ shut down or anything like that. I've had young dragons go in to a short slow down, they do not go in to a full brumation and they do not suffer damage. Raised them for over 20 years so observed first hand. As long as your lighting + heat are spot on he will resume activity in a short time.
 
Z

ZuriiTheDragon

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Original Poster
I have memory problems, so I can't remember the brand name off of the top of my head, but it's a great brand, it's the most popular one, I always see people suggesting it on here. They're 7-9" from her, I have two, one on the cool side and one on the basking side. The lights are on for 14 hours a day.

Yeah I never let her sleep all day, I always bring her out in the morning. But she usually comes out on her own, she's just acting different than usual.

What are the symptoms of a parasite problem?

How long would a slow down period last?

Yeah, she's an absolute beast for her age lol. That's a good idea, I'll start keeping a log of her weight.

I am so relieved that she's most likely fine, I was really worried about her. Thank you guys so much ? I greatly appreciate it!
 
R

Rankins

Gray-bearded Member
If the dragon is large and has good fat reserves a brumation period can be healthy. I force brumate all my reptiles once a year if they are in good health with good fat stores. I did skip brumation for one of my mexican beaded lizards this year because it was a newly acquired animal. I wanted to make sure it was healthy because it is a species that brumates for 4 months and doesn't eat for 5 months during that time.
 
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kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
ZuriiTheDragon":16bw0d1n said:
I have memory problems, so I can't remember the brand name off of the top of my head, but it's a great brand, it's the most popular one, I always see people suggesting it on here. They're 7-9" from her, I have two, one on the cool side and one on the basking side. The lights are on for 14 hours a day.

Yeah I never let her sleep all day, I always bring her out in the morning. But she usually comes out on her own, she's just acting different than usual. <<< she's not brumating then

What are the symptoms of a parasite problem?

How long would a slow down period last? <<< that is dependent on your location/climatic conditions in the cool/cold months of the year, here (33 latS coastal subtropical NSW it can be from mid May - early Sept but often not as long if we have a warm winter and hot spring).

Yeah, she's an absolute beast for her age lol. That's a good idea, I'll start keeping a log of her weight. <<<< how heavy is she ?

I am so relieved that she's most likely fine, I was really worried about her. Thank you guys so much ? I greatly appreciate it!
Click to expand...
 
A

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
She's young, it's not a true brumation and it won't last long, just some extra snoozing. Parasites can cause some sluggish behavior, that's why it's good to have a test done to rule out the possibility. She will probably be just fine. :)

An average time for true brumation of beardies in captivity is 1-5 months, most will not sleep longer than 3 and it's best not to allow them to do so longer than 3 to be sure there are no health problems that can crop up during extended time period w/out regular nutrition , basking + activity.
 
Z

ZuriiTheDragon

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Original Poster
I'm so happy to hear that you think it's just extra snoozing lol you have no idea. I will definitely have a fecal done to rule out any issues.


I live in Phoenix, Arizona, so it's warm and dry all year lol.

I'm not sure how heavy Zurii is, I don't have a way to weigh her, but I'll try to pick up a scale in the next couple of days.

She is large, but I wouldn't say she is fat. She doesn't have the fat stores on her head, for instance lol.
 
A

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
You're fortunate to live in a warm state. If you'd like to set up an outdoor enclosure for her, these are handy for beardies.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiwnpLmo8PRAhWJDBoKHQVOAvsQFghNMAE&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.drsfostersmith.com%2Fproduct%2Fprod_display.cfm%3Fpcatid%3D22274&usg=AFQjCNH2MPnRk8GhEP82_Px-lUGRx7zMzg&sig2=HF_Bev20146ayVBt-8DlNg

Just set up a basking log inside and partial shade and she'l get a good dose of sunshine year round.
 
K

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
AHBD":1q4bfoy4 said:
You're fortunate to live in a warm state. If you'd like to set up an outdoor enclosure for her, these are handy for beardies.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiwnpLmo8PRAhWJDBoKHQVOAvsQFghNMAE&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.drsfostersmith.com%2Fproduct%2Fprod_display.cfm%3Fpcatid%3D22274&usg=AFQjCNH2MPnRk8GhEP82_Px-lUGRx7zMzg&sig2=HF_Bev20146ayVBt-8DlNg

Just set up a basking log inside and partial shade and she'l get a good dose of sunshine year round.
Click to expand...

Just looked up the outdoor daytime max temps for your place http://www.accuweather.com/en/us/phoenix-az/85003/month/346935?monyr=1/01/2017
, 74oF (23oCelsius) is pretty chilly and most days are cooler by several degreesF. I wouldn't be leaving my beardie outside in conditions like that. Now if it was 84oF , that would be fine.

I think that kind of outside "enclosure" is pretty risky, it's not much of an obstacle to other (predatory) pets and wild animals and birds who are likely about and the mesh will restrict considerably the amount of UVA and UVB getting to the beardie -kinda defeating the purpose of being outside.
One like this is better and I know several beardie keepers and breeders here who use these and have not had problems.https://www.oo.com.au/product.aspx?saleID=b274997e-9244-41bc-b8bd-7ec44601fd91&productID=oW6ItmiMXEqORqStnPzYHg&sc=7&c=12&mkwid=siTVqRFPw_dc&pcrid=165049971250&pkw=&pmt=&product=oW6ItmiMXEqORqStnPzYHg
Is also beardie proof after adding a bird wire bottom to them - they can't dig their way out.
 
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