Brumating at odd time

[chemgrl08]

I have a recently acquired beardie who seems to be brumating, but even the vet said it was an odd time of year for her to do that. Is it still possible?
I got her about 5 weeks ago and she has not eaten much as all (perhaps 4 leaves of veggies) and she is hiding in her hidey-hole all day, apparently sleeping. Before this started, she was scratching and digging around her cage. I'm located in Miami, so it is very hot here in August. However, I keep the AC on all the time (I'm an AC hog) and it could be a cooler house than she was previously used to. Then again, that doesn't make sense because the highest temp basking spot available to her is about 100F and her low is around 72*F. She sticks around the middle.
Brand new UV 10.0 bulb, 50 gal tank, tile as the substrate. I've offered mango, green beans, collard greens, kale, super worms, and crickets.
Seems like brumation to me, and the vet already checked her for eggs (negative) and impaction (negative.) So, can beardies brumate at any time of year?
Thanks!

 

[imcallumwbu]

Hi there,

I was just about to put forward a suggestion that she was gravid until I read the end of your post. Her tank seems fine, but have you recently had her fecal tested? It is a small possibility that is she was stressed when she moved under your care she would have came succeptable to illnesses. Are her poos coming out solid with white urates, not yellow or bronze, with an un-empowering smell?

- Callum

 

[chemgrl08]

Thank you for the reply! I was thinking I'd have to bump the thread.
She hasn't really pooed at all, so there's not much to test. (Because she hasn't eaten.) She is really just laying in her hidey hole now and sleeping all day. The vet said at our visit that if she did poo to save it and have it tested, so I guess that's next on the list. (The only poo she has had was within the first few days of getting her- looked small but totally normal.)
I just hate when beardies make us worry and in the end nothing is wrong! haha Little boogers! I'm more inclined to think that she's brumating now; she doesn't look as... well, sad. She had previously lost the beardie attitude, but if she gets disturbed now, she gives you that glare. Like she got some of her spunk back, even though she sleeps all day, if that makes sense.

 

[imcallumwbu]

Hi there,

No problem for the reply haha If she isnt eating you could get some powdered/liquid food and syringe feed it to her for the meantime, and then hopefully she will have a poo that you could get tested. Even if there is a large possibility that she is just brumating, giving her food through a syringe cant do anything but good really, better safe than sorry!

- Callum