BRUMATION?! Help?

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Hey guys!

Had my beardie Falcor since March and I’ve never owned a bearded dragon before, I bought her off a couple who said they could no longer look after her (SHE was a HE when I got her, massive shock when SHE started acting really strange and laid 28 odd eggs).

Anyways, she’s started to slow down, especially last week and this week, flat out refusing food, she won’t take kale, or any leafy greens (which she loves) she will occasionally eat a bug (calci worm/locust/cricket), she stays in bed in the mornings even though her lights are on (her bed is in the cool side and she sleeps under a log on a soft, crushed velvet pillow case because she’s spoilt), she’s sleeping A LOT, if I take her out she instantly sleeps, if I put her back in her Viv she will move to the cooler side after about half hour in the warmth and go to sleep. I have been bathing her also as she’s stopped going for a poop in her Viv, she will fall asleep in the water - I live in the UK (Wales) so it is getting cold now, is this Brumation, or should I be worried? Her temps and lighting are fine, just seems to be behavioural changes and I’m a worrier! Any advice on whether this is normal or not would be greatly appreciated.

Oh and she turned one sometime in August, according to the previous owners, and every time she wakes up she’s covered in stress marks?!
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Please post pics of tank and lighting but I am thinking she might be calcium deficient from having the eggs I hear they are supposed to have extra calcium --- but others on here would haft to weigh in on the after egg laying thing --
Karrie
 

Rhiaannonr

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Original Poster
Hi Karrie,

Thanks for responding - I should have mentioned - she laid eggs back in April (sorry for the confusion) I will post pics of the tank now :)
 

Claudiusx

BD.org Sicko
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Hi there,

It definitely sounds like brumation to me. Has she been losing weight?

-Brandon
 

Rhiaannonr

Member
Original Poster
Hi Brandon,

Thanks for replying, no, no weight loss, it’s like she’s in perfect health just super sleepy, so just wanted to make sure these are signs of Brumation as I’ve never been through it before!
 

Claudiusx

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If shes not losing weight then it's certainly brumation :)

Her system has slowed and that's why she isnt pooing either.
Just let her be and she'll be fine :D

-Brandon
 

Rhiaannonr

Member
Original Poster
Great! Thanks so much for your help! I’ve been so worried, but thinking it was Brumation after a boat load of research, just wanted some confirmation from other beardie owners!

Okay, so just leave her be then?

Thanks Brandon :)
 

Claudiusx

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
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Yup!
You can leave the lights on their normal schedule and you can try to offer her food a couple times a week but dont be surprised if she doesnt want to eat much and only wants to sleep :)

-Brandon
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
Hi there ! I agree, it's probably brumation but I think the previous owner didn't know her true age. You say she laid 28 eggs in April and she was supposed to turn 1 year old in August but that would have made her too young to lay [ about 5-6 months old ] a large clutch or for most dragons any eggs at all. Was she near adult size when you got her ? BTW, only give her a soak once every 10 days or so, they don't need much water + especially not much food if brumating. I usually just tuck a wadded up paper towel under my dragon's neck + slowly drip water on the nose to see if they want a drink. Then wipe up any excess. Pics really would be helpful, here's how to post them. :

https://www.beardeddragon.org/useruploads/ Then use the XIMG to upload them.
 

Rhiaannonr

Member
Original Poster
Hi there!

It’s definitely brumation :) she was almost 8 months old when I had her they said, and she fitted in my hand:

104396-3136295947.jpg

And it was late April/early May when she laid eggs so around 9-10 months old:

104396-1835374795.jpg

And here she is now:

104396-5623749737.jpg

Here is her viv:

104396-6758516901.jpg

104396-5881976262.jpg

She has slept all night and all day, no food at all, I did soak her this afternoon just in case there was any food left, and she went back to sleep :)
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Mine has slept the last 3 days and has not come out either -- I wanted to mention that your UVB should have a reflector on it -- just the bulb is not really doing any good w/ out the reflector so the UVB rays can be reflected down toward the dragon -- she should be able to sit directly underneath it for best UVB effect --
Karrie
 

Rhiaannonr

Member
Original Poster
Hi Karrie,

Thanks! She likes to lay on her hammock under the UV light :) I will look up a reflector now though!
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
That's a cozy looking pad, does she like her hammock ? What uvb do you have ? It's actually too close and can end up irritating your beardie's eyes though. If you mount it up higher it will be more comfortable on her eyes, the reflector will beam down even more uvb.
 

Rhiaannonr

Member
Original Poster
Thanks! She loves it! She’s normally either climbing about in the hammock, basking on her rock or climbing the log, which is why I knew there was something up when she wasn’t doing pretty much any of the above anymore - funny you should say that, she gets really close to the light which is why we moved it down, initially it was up higher in the viv, but as she kept trying to climb to it we thought it was too high? And so repositioned it there!
 
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