bayoupig5
Sub-Adult Member
Emmalee is 27 months old. She went down for her first bruamtion around 9 moths old. Of course, the vet and I were not really sure if this was brumation, as she was a little young. But after several fecals, and other tests everything checked out as normal. We tried to up the temps to see if her lethargy would go away, but that did not work. I also tried to force bask her but she always jumped offof her spot, preferring the cool end. All of this really stressed her, she was going into her natural cycle and due to circumstances that were not understood by the vet and I and subsequently, finally figuring that this was a definate brumation she had lost 60 grams! Her first brumation was from about December to April. She likes to brumate in a cave in her enclosure with temps going as low as 63-65F. She is mostly a light brumater and can be seen with at least one eye open once a day, but she never leaves her cave, or even moves her toes!
The first time she cam out of brumation, she was not interested in food for close to two months. She would not eat live feeders, baby food, or my home made slurry. I was told not to foce feed so I let her be, she lost another 10 grams. She would bask on and off during this time as well, mostly sticking to the cool end (semi brumation?)
Finally, weather got warmer (June), I had her out in the sun daily, and her appettite improved. She gained all her weight back and then some.
So here we are going through the second brumation, but this time I knew what it was and let her decide when she wanted to go down. This was late October, she brumated right through until Mid March. Again upon waking, appettite is low, she was basking on and off, pretty lazy overall. Poops are far and few between, the same as last year...once every 2-4 weeks (but then again she's barely eating). Fecal was done beginning of May, and it was clear, but Emmy's appetite had not improved. Here we are in June now, the weather has been lousy, so outdoor sun time is not an option. She is quite active, glass dancing, jumping from one vine to the other etc, but not really eating, so she has lost some weight again. Incidentally, during her whole brumation she only lost 2-3 grams. Since waking it has been 20 grams!!
I just am not sure what to do, as I get conflicitng stories. Some say this is normal, others say this is abnormal. Some say to never disturb a sleeping dragon, some say to not leave her in brumation that long.
Any suggestions, tips?
The first time she cam out of brumation, she was not interested in food for close to two months. She would not eat live feeders, baby food, or my home made slurry. I was told not to foce feed so I let her be, she lost another 10 grams. She would bask on and off during this time as well, mostly sticking to the cool end (semi brumation?)
Finally, weather got warmer (June), I had her out in the sun daily, and her appettite improved. She gained all her weight back and then some.
So here we are going through the second brumation, but this time I knew what it was and let her decide when she wanted to go down. This was late October, she brumated right through until Mid March. Again upon waking, appettite is low, she was basking on and off, pretty lazy overall. Poops are far and few between, the same as last year...once every 2-4 weeks (but then again she's barely eating). Fecal was done beginning of May, and it was clear, but Emmy's appetite had not improved. Here we are in June now, the weather has been lousy, so outdoor sun time is not an option. She is quite active, glass dancing, jumping from one vine to the other etc, but not really eating, so she has lost some weight again. Incidentally, during her whole brumation she only lost 2-3 grams. Since waking it has been 20 grams!!
I just am not sure what to do, as I get conflicitng stories. Some say this is normal, others say this is abnormal. Some say to never disturb a sleeping dragon, some say to not leave her in brumation that long.
Any suggestions, tips?