Brumation is driving me crazy!!!

[SpikesMomma1956]

I know I am being paranoid, but this Brumation business truly sucks! It has been 5 days and Spike has not eaten anything except for 4-5 Phoenix worms 5 days ago. Thus, he has not has a bowel movement since. He cricket supply died and his worms are close behind. I give him greens in his dish twice a day but he never comes out of his cave to eat them and I wind up throwing them out because they dry up. But I figure at least I’m offering them to him. When he was eating crickets, a few weeks ago, I hand fed them to him because he didn’t have the motivation to chase them.
I give him a bath every other night for about 30 minutes, and before the last Bowel movement, that would make him “go”. But now he just stares at me as if to say, “what do you want from me?”
He sleeps in his cave in the cool part of the tank so he is cold unless I bathe him. I continue to use the 150watt basking light during the day, and 2 100 wat red infrared lights at night, but of course he’s not near them. Ever. I am also using the UVB fluorescent light for 10-12 hrs a day. But he’s hidden under his cave on the other side of the tank.
I guess why I am writing again, is to ask if he is going to be okay continuing to do what he is doing. 1) not eating anything, 2)not having a bowel movement since he hasn’t eaten anything.
When this brumation started he weighed 341 at the vets, then gained a hearty 14 gms, and has lost 3 as of last week. So, as of last week, he weighed 353 gms.
The logical part of me is saying he’s doing what he should be doing. But the paranoid momma in me says he’s not gonna make it out of brumation.
Any words of advice or comfort for this paranoid worry wart?
Thanks. (I’m embarrassed to call the vet yet but again. I just called them last week, but at that time, he ate the worms)
Thanks

 

[Betty53218]

Hi,
My dragon is almost 3 and has gone through brumation twice now. How old is your guy? It does sound like brumation to me. The daytime lights are fine to keep on, but you really don’t need the nighttime ones. When not in brumation, you don’t need them either unless your house goes below 65 degrees. Red lights will interrupt their sleep. Best to use ceramic heat emitters that only give off heat and no light.
I would wake him up only once a week to bath him and offer greens and water by dripping it on his snout. I play with my guy a little and put him back in his blankets. I do check on him daily every morning and he would slightly open his eyes for a couple of seconds, and then I would cover him back up. That way it gave me piece of mind that he was ok. Hope this helps!

 

[AHBD]

I agree, turn the heat lights off at night completely, they are disrupting his sleep. No need for a vet and no need to worry....and really no food should be offered until he comes back out + is active. I've had dragons brumate for the past 25 years, they always come out just fine.

 

[3magpie3]

How long is a "typical" brumation? I know it's different for all beardies, but what is a reasonable range to expect?

 

[AHBD]

It's true, they are all different, and some just sleep a bit + come out every few days when the lights + temps. stay the same. I'm not comfortable leaving mine sleep more than 3 months.

 

[3magpie3]

Thanks.

So if they're going past that 3 months, how do you get them out of it safely?

 

[SpikesMomma1956]

It's true, they are all different, and some just sleep a bit + come out every few days when the lights + temps. stay the same. I'm not comfortable leaving mine sleep more than 3 months.

It can’t happen soon enough for me. I can’t wait till he eats me out of house and home again. Lol

 

[Betty53218]

My guy slept from the middle of June until the first week of September this year. Almost 3 months. I missed him so much. I never felt guilty though, if I had to be gone during the day, like I do now that he’s awake. Luckily that’s not very often. It can be nice to get a break from being a beardie slave for awhile! ?

 

[Drache613]

Moved by Moderator from General to Health

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

I agree, brumation is a frustrating time sometimes! They do all seem to do something
a little bit different. We have one who has always brumated in June/July timeframe,
then coming out in winter. He is on Australian time, for sure. LOL
Our female, brumates a little later, but not nearly as long.
Just check on him every few days, but if he is healthy then he will be just fine.

Tracie