'Partial' brumation?

[CitrusLemonBeardie]

Hi all

Lemon is coming up to 1 year old in a few weeks and I wondered if it is possible he is starting to brumate? For the last three days he has remained in his hide fast asleep until close to 12pm. For a few days prior to that he was sleeping in but I was actively removing him from his hide and placing him in his basking spot an hour or so after lights on (he has heat / light 8am - 8pm).

His appetite is reduced (7-8 crickets a day, usually within one feed now, around 3.30pm. He usually feeds 11.30am and 3 30pm). He is pooping less frequently but healthy looking when he does poop - every 3-4 days.

He has gone from being relatively active to spending the hours he is awake mainly just basking, with a little wonder around his viv every now and then. His colour is good, no black bearding and no signs of I'll health at all.

He is then putting himself to bed in his hide a lot earlier than usual (his usual routine is he has a cuddle with my son for an hour in his blanket before lights out, and then he is placed in his hide in his blanket at 8pm). The last two nights he has already been in his hide by 6.30pm / 7.00pm.

I've gone through his setup before but just to confirm:

Zen habitat
T5 arcadia 12% inside viv (diagonally) about 12-13 inches above decor
Basking is usually between 100 - 105 degrees (have a probe thermometer on his basking spot)
Staple food is crickets, dusted with calcium once a day 5 days a week. Wax worms as treats.
Salad and water every day (usually kale/ rocket / and then blueberries / strawberries as a treat).

Does this sound like brumating behaviour?

Thanks in advance

 

[CitrusLemonBeardie]

Hi all

Lemon is coming up to 1 year old in a few weeks and I wondered if it is possible he is starting to brumate? For the last three days he has remained in his hide fast asleep until close to 12pm. For a few days prior to that he was sleeping in but I was actively removing him from his hide and placing him in his basking spot an hour or so after lights on (he has heat / light 8am - 8pm).

His appetite is reduced (7-8 crickets a day, usually within one feed now, around 3.30pm. He usually feeds 11.30am and 3 30pm). He is pooping less frequently but healthy looking when he does poop - every 3-4 days.

He has gone from being relatively active to spending the hours he is awake mainly just basking, with a little wonder around his viv every now and then. His colour is good, no black bearding and no signs of I'll health at all.

He is then putting himself to bed in his hide a lot earlier than usual (his usual routine is he has a cuddle with my son for an hour in his blanket before lights out, and then he is placed in his hide in his blanket at 8pm). The last two nights he has already been in his hide by 6.30pm / 7.00pm.

I've gone through his setup before but just to confirm:

Zen habitat
T5 arcadia 12% inside viv (diagonally) about 12-13 inches above decor
Basking is usually between 100 - 105 degrees (have a probe thermometer on his basking spot)
Staple food is crickets, dusted with calcium once a day 5 days a week. Wax worms as treats.
Salad and water every day (usually kale/ rocket / and then blueberries / strawberries as a treat).

Does this sound like brumating behaviour?

Thanks in advance

I forgot to add that we are in the UK so coming into winter here

 

[KarrieRee]

I forgot to add that we are in the UK so coming into winter here

Possibly please lower the surface basking temps to 95-100 --- most older dragons do not like the real hot temps -- then watch the behavior --- its possible hes going into brumation

Practical tips: A healthy brumating bearded dragon

Georgina Rayner of Swell Reptiles, UK in November, 2015 Practical tips to help keep your bearded dragon healthy during brumation Reptile brumation occurs differently depending on each reptile’s bodily processes, from species to species. Environmental factors and the natural genetic instinct in...

www.beardeddragon.org

Brumation in Bearded Dragons

Written by Denise R. Bushnell in June, 2008 For those who are not experienced in the hobby, and who keep Bearded Dragons as pets, one of the greatest sources of worry is when, for one reason or another, our beardies refuse to eat for long periods of time, or become increasingly inactive and...

www.beardeddragon.org

 

[CitrusLemonBeardie]

Thanks Karrie. It's 1.40pm now and he still hasn't ventured out so I am thinking this may indeed be brumation. Just adjusted temps slightly as suggested. He ate 7 crickets at 3pm yesterday and hasn't had a bowel movement since then. Based on the info I have read in the factfiles you have linked, am I correct in thinking it is worth bathing him today to encourage him to poop?

Also, although we do leave water out for him, he never drinks it. We hydrate him by giving water with a syringe - should I still encourage this if he is brumating?

I'll miss him if he is brumating!

Thanks

Nikki

 

[KarrieRee]

Thanks Karrie. It's 1.40pm now and he still hasn't ventured out so I am thinking this may indeed be brumation. Just adjusted temps slightly as suggested. He ate 7 crickets at 3pm yesterday and hasn't had a bowel movement since then. Based on the info I have read in the factfiles you have linked, am I correct in thinking it is worth bathing him today to encourage him to poop?

Also, although we do leave water out for him, he never drinks it. We hydrate him by giving water with a syringe - should I still encourage this if he is brumating?

I'll miss him if he is brumating!

Thanks

Nikki

Please weigh him now offer water and keep track of his weight - maybe every 2-3 weeks w/ offering water - if he happens to come out on his own then offer food etc --- they can loose some weight during brumation but you dont want a lot lost - or he can sustain it too --

 

[CitrusLemonBeardie]

I weighed him yesterday so I am keeping a log and will continue to offer food / drink if he does come out. Thanks again!