1st year brumating?

[Atrain87]

My beardie is about 6 months old. She is 16 inches and looks very well in apperance. She had been eating around 75 crickets a day and greens but within the past couple of weeks she has slown down considerabley, she is now eating maybe twenty crickets a day and sleeps all the time. I always hearded that beardies didnt brumate their first year but it seems like she might be. The weather here has cooled down considerably in the past couple of weeks. Anyone else every expierence this?

 

[spurlee01]

I have heard of 6 month olds brumating. I believe Gail (username) had one. Mine started at 9 months. It's very possible yours will just slow down and not brumate. Either way, I would have a fecal done to rule out parasites, and just to be sure before he/she brumates.

 

[fresnowitte]

Yep!
Both Checker's and PVT Blaze brumated their first time at very close to that age. (6 and 8 months)
Brumation may very well have something to do with size as well as age. :wink:

Have you read the brumation article? http://www.beardeddragon.org/articles/brumation/

 

[Embee]

Brumation could certainly be a factor here, but I thought I might ask just in case, what are you using for UVB, and how old is the bulb? Sometimes they can slow down on feeders and sleep more as a result of insufficient UVB. If your bulb is getting on the older end of it's life (and keep in mind that some bulbs wear better than others), you might consider replacing and see how beardie responds. Also, as they get closer to adult size, it's normal for them to slow down on live feeders. However with the additional symptom of hiding/sleeping, I'd say either brumating (partially or more) or perhaps a need of lift in the UVB rays.

The best,
Em

 

[keschete]

My dragon was hatched in March and he slowed down on crickets to the point of refusing them. He weighs 400 grams and is 20 inches, so he is large boy for 7 months. He will eat Superworms and I ordered some phoenix worms. He just isn't eating his veggies or crickets like normal. My other draon is 1 month younger and he is going along like normal.

I am buying new cages and lights in Mid November. My lights are only 6 months old and I know they need to be changed, but this not eating things started with the cold snap. So I am assuming some type of mild brumation.

 

[spurlee01]

If your UVB light is 6 months old, it needs to be changed.
Sara

 

[sweetiepie9]

Every beardie is so different, some go down for months, some a day here and there, some for a week here and there. There are so many way for a dragon to slow down. We have one sleeping beardie, Sweetie, she's 3 yrs old & it's her first time for so long.Almost 3 weeks. Lonzo, who's 6, will sleep for 2 days, then get up, etc, it's like he can't miss anything that may happen in his territory. Rubio is 14 mo, he's down for a day for two, then's up eating; he's almost 22" long and 760g. Issy's same age as Rubio, but smaller, they're our babies, Issy is sleeping today, but yesterday she was up and active. Angel is our rescue with MBD, so even though she's getting healthier (she never had UVB & was 16 mo old last March.), she's not allowed to sleep the whole day. She still gets liquid calcium treatments and daily baths. She can go to sleep earlier if she wants, she's gained enough weight for that. But she still needs to work out in her bath (the kitchen sink). Sorry to go on, it's been fun watching them this year. You should read the article on Brumation, it's very through in explaining a few types of brumation. Most dragons slow down alot when fall hits, especially those areas that have low temps. But every beardie is so different from every other one. Your beardie will find the brumation style that suits him and that's what he'll do. Just make sure, if your beardie sleeps more than a few days, that they get a good 20 minute soak in the tub every 4-7 days. For Sweetie, we do every 4 days. She's used to being in 20 min daily swims.

Good luck with your beardie and brumation, hope their season is short, so you can still snuggle.
Deborah and my zoo'

 

[Atrain87]

I think my problem might be UVB. She has a reptisun 10.0 tube that is about 4 months old but I think the main problem is that she was recently moved into a Zilla 40 gallon and the scrren top is much denser than her old one and the distance between her and her light has become greater. I moved a basking branch much closer to the uvb and she seems to be picking up a little and staying under the uvb alot more. Shes not completley back to her old eating habits but I assume the cool down is having some effect on her. Overall she still looks fat though and is still eating everday so Im not to worried right now. Thanks everyone for your advice.

 

[fresnowitte]

It sounds like you might just be right there about the UVB...that was probably the biggest thing causing her behavior. Remember the Reptisun needs to be replaced every 4 to 6 months.

How long ago had you changed her to the new viv?
Remember anytime you change anything in a beardies environment they can go thru a period of stress which could also cause her to act in such a way as well.

Glad to hear she's basking and eating...and that you have squared away the problem.

 

[Embee]

Glad to hear she's basking and eating...and that you have squared away the problem.

Me too, great news. I like a good simple solution like some fresh UVB. With a younger beardie who still has some room to grow it's always a good idea to exhaust all the options first! Glad you found one that checked out.

Me OTOH, I'm just going to have to face facts. Even a brand new MegaRay did nothing to excite our partially brumating beardie (14 months old). Indeed: "There will be but one small piece of mustard green, two small pieces of acorn squash a day, and the occasional cricket or worm, but nothing else for now, thank you. And when I go to take my afternoon nap, I DON'T want to be interrupted... ahem, unless you're planning to burrito me and let me sleep on you!" LOL

Ah, at least he wakes to face the day. He just doesn't want to make it a 12 hour job right now. He's healthy and robust and so here we are, our first year brumating. *sigh* What to do? Hang out with the python I suppose. Of course, he's just waking up about the time we go to sleep! :?

Glad things are up and going for your beardie!

The best,
Em