1st bearded dragon / brumation?

RagnarTheDragon · Dec 10, 2016

My bearded dragon Ragnar is about 6-6 1/2 months old and he's my first dragon and first reptile at all actually lol. I rescued him from a neglectful owner without knowing what I was getting into, I've researched all I could but still need help.

Its pretty chilly here in Chicago and I do believe Ragnar is going through brumation. Which I know is like hibernation but I have 0 idea things I should and shouldn't do while he is going through this. I always leave him food and he barely touches any if not at all. All he does is stay in his hide or under some shade and sleep.

Can I give him baths? Should I keep leaving him food? Is it ok to take him out at all or should I leave him in his viv?

• basking side of viv is 100-105 / cool side 80
• 36 watt 10.0 reptisun uvb bulb

Don't know if those details are important but you can never be too careful ?

Thank you!

kornel351 · Dec 10, 2016

Bearded Dragons that age should not be going into brumation !They don't have enough fat stored in them to survive the brumation .I suggest u increase the heat to prevent him from slipping in it and give him warm baths.Dragons that are over a year old however should go into brumation .

Rankins · Dec 10, 2016

Could be trying to brumate, as suggested keep him warm and day lengths long. Is he showing any other symptoms besides trying to sleep? Brumation and illness can be a bit confusing, they share similar behaviors.
Keep us posted.

RagnarTheDragon · Dec 10, 2016

Oh god, now I'm worried. For starters he doesn't sleep in his viv, he sleeps in my bed lol.

I wake up around 8am daily and he is in his viv from 9am to 10pm-11pm. He peeks in and out of his basking spot, but the way I have his viv set up the hammock is over his basking rock so he has some shade and 90% of the time he is under the shade.

I let him soak in the tub once every 2 days for up to 20 minutes to keep him hydrated and clean.

I give him food every morning as well. Fresh veggies of cabbage, collard greens and mustard greens (fruit once every couple weeks) He didn't touch anything in the last few days, but had about 20 wax worms the last 3 days. Can you reccomend any more insects I can give him?

He used to eat crickets but after a impaction scare during the summer, I laid off them, and since winter is here now in chicago, its hard keep them in the house and care for them, plus they smell.

Prior to when he became so lethargic he would black beard and run around his viv when he needed to poop! So he's become a accustomed to going in the tub, but now he will black beard even while under the shade.

If it matters, he's 18 1/2 inches in length, his age is a total guesstimate too. He's a rescue and was about 3-4 inches when I saved him June 15, 2016.

Thanks for the feedback ?

kornel351 · Dec 10, 2016

Wax worms are treats not really food for them .I would say handle him more ,increase his heat ,and just give him regular bath anything just to make sure brumation doesn't set in .But any way if it gives u some relief just in case he does it anyway fatten him up with what u got better than nothing .Still try to stop through its essential that they dont brumate in their first winter .

Rankins · Dec 10, 2016

Whoh!!!
He's 18.5"?!?!
Let him brumate, I thought we were talking about a "6 and a half month old" dragon.

RagnarTheDragon · Dec 10, 2016

When I first rescued him June 2016, previous owner kept him in a box of wood chips and fed lettuce

Within the last few days December 5-10 2016:

I really hope he looks normal since he's my first reptile, any advice helps me!

-

Thank you for the wise word kornel351. I'll be buying more waxworms and give dubia roaches a try Monday! If you can answer when do they usually come out if brumation? What do you feed yours?

RagnarTheDragon · Dec 10, 2016

Rankins":vf75tbm7 said:
Whoh!!!
He's 18.5"?!?!
Let him brumate, I thought we were talking about a "6 and a half month old" dragon.

Lol its a HUGE guesstimate! He was a wee little thing when I rescued him! Just posted pictures too. I honestly have no idea how old he is lol. Maybe he's 7 or 8! Not sure ?

Rankins · Dec 10, 2016

Haha...our answers were geared towards a 6 mo old dragon. Brumation is variable, it can last a few weeks to a couple months (maybe more). Most everyone on the forum probably feed crickets or roaches. Roaches are a better choice. They are a healthier food choice and they are easy to deal with, no stink. Might wanna consider starting a colony.

Rankins · Dec 10, 2016

Forgot to mention your dragon should mainly eat veggies.
80% vegetables, 20% bugs. So caring for a big one can actually be cheaper than raising a baby.

RagnarTheDragon · Dec 10, 2016

Rankins":1nd6cf0v said:
Forgot to mention your dragon should mainly eat veggies.
80% vegetables, 20% bugs. So caring for a big one can actually be cheaper than raising a baby.

Ok, sounds good. So let's just say he's 7-8 months old lol, I know he's under a year for sure. I should let him brumate? Does he look normal and healthy? Lol I worry since he's my first reptile! Thanks so much for answering so soon!

kingofnobbys · Dec 10, 2016

RagnarTheDragon":1h092f13 said:
Rankins":1h092f13 said:

Forgot to mention your dragon should mainly eat veggies.
80% vegetables, 20% bugs. So caring for a big one can actually be cheaper than raising a baby.

Click to expand...

Ok, sounds good. So let's just say he's 7-8 months old lol, I know he's under a year for sure. I should let him brumate? Does he look normal and healthy? Lol I worry since he's my first reptile! Thanks so much for answering so soon!

7-8 months old = answer is NO .

Not wise to allow a beardie brumate in his first winter. In fact it is not necessary for a pampered pet beardie to brumate at all. None of my very pampered pet beardies , bluetongue skinks or water skinks have ever brumated or shown any inclination to do so.

Best to keep his light day cycle longer than 14hrs (I recommend 15-16 hrs for beardies) , his temperatures nice and toasty, and keep his bugs and veg coming daily.
I recommend a least one good meal of live insects per day ( @ 7- 8 months old, Peppa and Toothless , and Rex and Puff before them were on 2 insect meals per day at that age + greens and veg daily).
Checking my records , I was giving Peppa and Toothless two live insect feeds up til the beginning of October (typical meals were 12x2/3 sized crickets + 2x medium sized silkworms EACH for meal1, 8 - 10x2/3 sized crickets EACH for meal2 + greens & grated veg.)

Then at 12 mnths old I cut back to 12-16x2/3-adult sized crickets EACH once daily + greens and grated/diced veg (this is the current diet with a couple of superworms added as treats a couple times a week. If I still had silkworms (I'd be offering 2 large silks + maybe 10 crickets EACH per day + greens and vegs at this time (13 months old).

7 - 8 months old in a beardie is maybe 1/2 grown and still a juvenile and not yet anywhere near an adult so should not be treated / fed like an adult who has stopped growing / developing. If you do , you will stunt his growth and he will not develop properly.

Puff was 257g at 7months old, Rex was 281g at the same age (siblings) , and a 2 years old (and full grown adults) Puff was 630g, and Rex 640g. Your little beardie has a lot more growing to do and needs high quality insect protein at least once per day + dietary calcium + plenty of heat and UVB to grow and develop properly. If he likes his greens and veg at 7 months old that's a bonus, but don't let him fill up on the greens and veg before giving his live bugs to him, the bugs are STILL more important for him.
Peppa and Toothless have been on one live insect meal per day for a couple of months. Peppa is currently 480g, her brother Toothless is 372g. (They are now 13 months old).

Rankins · Dec 11, 2016

The age is a mystery. They dont know how old the dragon is...however he is huge!!! 18.5" is probably bigger than a typical year old dragon would be. Either way, I would brumate him...
Were not talking about a little lizard, he is 18.5" inches long...he is a nearly full grown sexually mature healthy male

RagnarTheDragon · Dec 11, 2016

kingofnobbys":3k47zpt9 said:
RagnarTheDragon":3k47zpt9 said:

Rankins":3k47zpt9 said:

Forgot to mention your dragon should mainly eat veggies.
80% vegetables, 20% bugs. So caring for a big one can actually be cheaper than raising a baby.

Click to expand...

Ok, sounds good. So let's just say he's 7-8 months old lol, I know he's under a year for sure. I should let him brumate? Does he look normal and healthy? Lol I worry since he's my first reptile! Thanks so much for answering so soon!

Click to expand...

7-8 months old = answer is NO .

Not wise to allow a beardie brumate in his first winter. In fact it is not necessary for a pampered pet beardie to brumate at all. None of my very pampered pet beardies , bluetongue skinks or water skinks have ever brumated or shown any inclination to do so.

Best to keep his light day cycle longer than 14hrs (I recommend 15-16 hrs for beardies) , his temperatures nice and toasty, and keep his bugs and veg coming daily.
I recommend a least one good meal of live insects per day ( @ 7- 8 months old, Peppa and Toothless , and Rex and Puff before them were on 2 insect meals per day at that age + greens and veg daily).
Checking my records , I was giving Peppa and Toothless two live insect feeds up til the beginning of October (typical meals were 12x2/3 sized crickets + 2x medium sized silkworms EACH for meal1, 8 - 10x2/3 sized crickets EACH for meal2 + greens & grated veg.)

Then at 12 mnths old I cut back to 12-16x2/3-adult sized crickets EACH once daily + greens and grated/diced veg (this is the current diet with a couple of superworms added as treats a couple times a week. If I still had silkworms (I'd be offering 2 large silks + maybe 10 crickets EACH per day + greens and vegs at this time (13 months old).

7 - 8 months old in a beardie is maybe 1/2 grown and still a juvenile and not yet anywhere near an adult so should not be treated / fed like an adult who has stopped growing / developing. If you do , you will stunt his growth and he will not develop properly.

Puff was 257g at 7months old, Rex was 281g at the same age (siblings) , and a 2 years old (and full grown adults) Puff was 630g, and Rex 640g. Your little beardie has a lot more growing to do and needs high quality insect protein at least once per day + dietary calcium + plenty of heat and UVB to grow and develop properly. If he likes his greens and veg at 7 months old that's a bonus, but don't let him fill up on the greens and veg before giving his live bugs to him, the bugs are STILL more important for him.
Peppa and Toothless have been on one live insect meal per day for a couple of months. Peppa is currently 480g, her brother Toothless is 372g. (They are now 13 months old).

Thank you so much for this! I'll do my best not to let him brumate!

RagnarTheDragon · Dec 11, 2016

Rankins":crhzdplz said:
The age is a mystery. They dont know how old the dragon is...however he is huge!!! 18.5" is probably bigger than a typical year old dragon would be. Either way, I would brumate him...
Were not talking about a little lizard, he is 18.5" inches long...he is a nearly full grown sexually mature healthy male

As of December 15th he would be 7 months if I stick with the date I got him, he was hatchling size when I got him. So I'm hoping I'm 75% right on his age and its true. He's always been a big boy and has grown really quickly lol.

1st bearded dragon / brumation?

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