Brumation or Stress?

[kryptozic]

Hello. I'm back again. I recently got a new bearded dragon who is 8 months old, male, very healthy. He's also a rescue. We named him 'Hercules' because he's big. I've had him for about 5 days now, and he loves being pet and LOVES exploring and adventuring. I've started noticing that the onky time he ate his vegies was the first day I got him. And ever since I've had him he hasn't went to the bathroom. He also sleeps a lot, either on the repti-hammock next to his basking spot or on his branch. When he goes on my bed, he explores a little then climbs in my blankets and falls asleep. He's been getting lazy and sleeps whenever he can, and sleeps early, (4/5 PM, or even at 3 PM when I come home from school). He'll get grey (stress marks appear) when I put him in his tank and when I see him when I come home from school. When I take him out though, I pet him and let him explore and he resorts back to his normal color. So I've been doing some research and the highest possibility for these symtoms is brumation. I use a ReptiSun 10.0 T5 HO and a 150 Watt Basking Zoo Med Basking Bulb which reaches about 95-100 degrees. I have him on a schedule where he eats insects one the, and the other veggies, then 2 days in a row with insects in the middle of the week. I switch between Fluker's Calcium with D3 and Herptivite for his insects. For his veggies I use Collard Greens and Bell/Sweet perppers. He does not show any signs of imapction or being sick, but since he's relocated to a 3 different locations in one week it could be stress. So given the information provided, is he stressed or does he want to brumate? :? Edit: It's aslo December here and I live in NY, and it's cold here. This is what also gave me the idea he's been wanting to brumate.

 

[phobosdthorga]

Wow, congratulations on being a new carer once again! I'm sure you and your Hercules will have some great adventures together

To me, on the surface, it sounds like relocation stress. Although I've never personally experienced a Beardie going grey before (except in parts he was shedding) so I can't be an authoritative source on this. Plus I've only been a carer for nearly two months now! ^ ^

Just how much does Hercules eat each session? The fact that he's eating at all make it sound more like stress than brumation though, especially because he is still retaining some activity throughout part of the day despite the early sleeping times. Beardies that young are very likely to NOT brumate at that age either, again making this sound more like stress.

So that's my opinion

 

[kryptozic]

Thank you for your opinion. It just that he showed lots of symptoms of brumation. When he gets insects, I leave 4-5 superworms in a small dish for him to eat when he wakes up. (At 8:30 AM). When I come home from school I see if he ate his supers (which he does all the time) he'll eat about 5-6 dubia roaches at 5 PM. I do this every other day And 2 days in a row.