Brumation questions!!

Beardie name(s)
Finnegan
Hey there! My name is Anna I’m new to this website! I have a one year old bearded dragon named Finnegan, who is currently brumating. I have been told to not take him out but I do to give him water. If I don’t he will not drink at all. I do this by filling a small syringe with water and slowly squirting it in his mouth and letting him pull away if he needs to. Should I be doing this? This is my first dragon and his first brumation. He cant drink from a bowl for some reason, but he also isn’t eating at all or, pooping, except for one time last week when I gave him a tummy massage but the urinate was hard and the rest was runny with water in it as well; is that normal? I know he doesn’t have parasites anymore because I took him to the vet, and got him treated for some he had when he came to me at a few weeks old, some months back. And what temp. and humidity level should his tank be at? It’s 40 gallons (or maybe 45) and his basking area ( the heat and uvb lights are above it) has a cave below, where he’s been sleeping. Should it be completely silent? Or is a little noise ok? Sorry for all the questions just really worried that I’m doing something wrong, and I miss his cuddles. Thanks in advance!!
 

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KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Hey there! My name is Anna I’m new to this website! I have a one year old bearded dragon named Finnegan, who is currently brumating. I have been told to not take him out but I do to give him water. If I don’t he will not drink at all. I do this by filling a small syringe with water and slowly squirting it in his mouth and letting him pull away if he needs to. Should I be doing this? This is my first dragon and his first brumation. He cant drink from a bowl for some reason, but he also isn’t eating at all or, pooping, except for one time last week when I gave him a tummy massage but the urinate was hard and the rest was runny with water in it as well; is that normal? I know he doesn’t have parasites anymore because I took him to the vet, and got him treated for some he had when he came to me at a few weeks old, some months back. And what temp. and humidity level should his tank be at? It’s 40 gallons (or maybe 45) and his basking area ( the heat and uvb lights are above it) has a cave below, where he’s been sleeping. Should it be completely silent? Or is a little noise ok? Sorry for all the questions just really worried that I’m doing something wrong, and I miss his cuddles. Thanks in advance!!
Hi Anna -- your UVB looks to be a T 8 Zilla fixture? If so the bulb needs to be unobstructed NO clear plastic cover over the bulb and it can sit like that but I would move it more towards the middle of your tank and put a piece of basking decor directly under it 6-8 inches and the T 8 needs to be changed out every 6 months I recommend 5 -- its fine your giving water the way you are - how often are you giving the water? I would be offering water about every 2 weeks - keeping him hydrated if hes not eating salads or anything at this time - what did he eat last to maybe cause the runny stools? Did they do another fecal to make sure all the parasites were gone after treatment? He should have surface basking temps of 95-100 taken w/ a digital probe thermometer-I see only stick ons and those are only going to give you ambient temps -- noise is not going to bother the dragon sleeping - just do your normal routine --
 

Anna and finnegan

Member
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Finnegan
Hey there thanks for your reply! I give him water every 2-3 days but I’ll cut back to once a week or so. I took the clear plastic off (by recommendation of my vet) His UVB is 6-7 inches away from the top of his basking spot which is normally (when he's not in brumation) was where he stayed all day but I will move it more towards the center but not all the way since he almost never goes to the other side. The vet did not check for parasites after meds, but his poop returned to normal after treatment. (the problem was that it was coming out with mucus and after meds that stopped) I don’t have the best memory but he hadn’t been eating well I think a week before he started brumating. I will order a digital thermometer tonight thanks for letting me know! Should his cave temp be lower and should his lights go off sooner?
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Hey there thanks for your reply! I give him water every 2-3 days but I’ll cut back to once a week or so. I took the clear plastic off (by recommendation of my vet) His UVB is 6-7 inches away from the top of his basking spot which is normally (when he's not in brumation) was where he stayed all day but I will move it more towards the center but not all the way since he almost never goes to the other side. The vet did not check for parasites after meds, but his poop returned to normal after treatment. (the problem was that it was coming out with mucus and after meds that stopped) I don’t have the best memory but he hadn’t been eating well I think a week before he started brumating. I will order a digital thermometer tonight thanks for letting me know! Should his cave temp be lower and should his lights go off sooner?
You should have 3 temps in the tank surface basking temp - middle of tank 90's and cool side 80's during the day - night time temps 65-75-- what is his weight now? Weigh him on a kitchen food scale in grams- you want him above 300 grams- lights are up to you -- I run both of my tanks on a regular schedule on at 8 AM and off at 7 PM- Blaze I shut off earlier cuz hes pretty much brumating - Hiccup's I shut them off when hes gone to sleep sometimes at 7 sometimes later - if hes awake I will leave them on - and off by 8 PM-
 

Anna and finnegan

Member
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Finnegan
I’m not sure of his weight right now I don’t have a scale but I’ll order one tonight with the thermometer. However when I did take him to the vet they said he was at the perfect weight but I don’t remember what that was. Also what substrate should I be using? I’ve read a few threads on here that said 70/30 some said 50/50 of top soil and clay for burrowing and sand mix should I do that? Is moss ok?
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
I’m not sure of his weight right now I don’t have a scale but I’ll order one tonight with the thermometer. However when I did take him to the vet they said he was at the perfect weight but I don’t remember what that was. Also what substrate should I be using? I’ve read a few threads on here that said 70/30 some said 50/50 of top soil and clay for burrowing and sand mix should I do that? Is moss ok?
No moss! Too dry- you can use play sand mixed w/ top soil w/ no fertilizer in it- try mixing it 50/50 see how he likes it- let's ask ahbd see what she recommends for that as well
@AHBD
 

Anna and finnegan

Member
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Finnegan
No moss! Too dry- you can use play sand mixed w/ top soil w/ no fertilizer in it- try mixing it 50/50 see how he likes it- let's ask ahbd see what she recommends for that as well
@AHBD
I added this a couple days after we spoke but forgot to post it. In there is about a 70-30 mix of all natural top soil and both white and black very fine aquarium sand!
 

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