Beardie sleeping a lot

[bal1in34]

Hello, I have only been on the forum a few times but it has been a big help previously so I thought I would get some opinions. In the past I have been told my husbandry is good and I believe my temps are good but throughout the winter my beardie, Khaleesi, has been sleeping a lot. She will sleep for a week until I wake her up to give her a bath and then she stays awake for a few days and goes back to sleep. Is this normal or is something wrong? When she is awake she has an appetite and eats twice a day and every few days goes to the bathroom. I bathe her every day when awake. Thoughts?

 

[bal1in34]

Here is a pic of half the tank. Maybe. Not sure if I posted it correctly

 

[lexus465]

How old is she? It could be brumation. There is an article about it on this site.

 

[bal1in34]

Not sure exactly how old but between like 1.5 and 2 years

 

[bal1in34]

I have been thinking it is brumation but it has been going on for months. This is my first adult beardie so was just wondering if it was normal. If so about how long does it tend to last?

 

[randtm]

Sure sounds like brumation to me. We fell for that one too. Judging by ours, the first year, they don't really seem to brumate much, then the second year they do more their normal pattern. When ours was two, we became quite concerned in the fall when he did nothing but sleep all the time. We knew about brumation, but just didn't understand it could be as extreme for some as it as for ours, especially since we had had to deal with coccidia before and were concerned it had returned. We took him to the vet, got special food that we woke him up for everyday and feed him with a dropper, spent a fortune, etc. Then by the next year, we learned. We just happen to have a deep brumater. Ours goes to sleep like a rock about the beginning of September every year and sleeps rock solid until about New Year's, then he is unstoppable for several weeks being quite hyperactive and eating everything in sight. He's about 5 now and we have learned that this is "just him" and know to expect it. I think it would be easier to recognize as brumation if they did it on a schedule you would expect, like say December to March, but they seem to march to their own clock. We were quite surprised to finally realize ours seems to think the days getting shorter even in late summer means it's time to go to sleep and days getting longer, even in December means it's time to wake up. Best of luck with yours.

 

[bal1in34]

Thanks. I think she started sleeping in late fall and shows no signs of waking up. But I do live in VA where it is actually snowing today.