Brumation, why so cruel?

[SideEyeReceiver]

Long time lurker, first time poster. Ive learned a lot from you all, thank you very much.

We rescued Rusty last September, I think he's now about 15-16 months old. He's always been pretty lazy but about 2 weeks ago, he decided he wanted to do the full on brumation. It doesn't seem fair, he's not taking our feelings into account at all, we miss him terribly but he just sleeps the days away in his little den.

I thought that by maintaining proper temps we could avoid brumation but he had different ideas. I am still having a hard time accepting that an animal can just sleep for weeks or months (hopefully not...). It is cruel to us.

I miss leashing him up and watching him do the full-speed circle-arm cartoon sprint. I miss the climbing on my head. I even miss the pooping on the carpet.
Before I met him, I'd have called you crazy if you said you could love a lizard....

Anyway, I'm rambling. Thank you everyone for all the advice meant for other people that I took, I do appreciate you all. I'll be popping in from time to time, probably a lot more as the little stinker continues to slumber.

 

[KarrieRee]

Long time lurker, first time poster. Ive learned a lot from you all, thank you very much.

We rescued Rusty last September, I think he's now about 15-16 months old. He's always been pretty lazy but about 2 weeks ago, he decided he wanted to do the full on brumation. It doesn't seem fair, he's not taking our feelings into account at all, we miss him terribly but he just sleeps the days away in his little den.

I thought that by maintaining proper temps we could avoid brumation but he had different ideas. I am still having a hard time accepting that an animal can just sleep for weeks or months (hopefully not...). It is cruel to us.

I miss leashing him up and watching him do the full-speed circle-arm cartoon sprint. I miss the climbing on my head. I even miss the pooping on the carpet.
Before I met him, I'd have called you crazy if you said you could love a lizard....

Anyway, I'm rambling. Thank you everyone for all the advice meant for other people that I took, I do appreciate you all. I'll be popping in from time to time, probably a lot more as the little stinker continues to slumber.

Please do not disturb his instinct

 

[Rocky2022]

I totally understand. It's really hard but they need this time. I cried like a baby. Rocky is in semi brumation. He opens his eyes and looks for me but he doesnt come out- he was in view but I started at him so long because I missed him that he went into his hide.
We have to allow them to do what they need to do- having a second beardie is the best distraction but a lot of work!

 

[SideEyeReceiver]

I've turned his heat down to around 70, lights down to 10 hours per day and have been making sure he's still breathing every couple days but not waking him. I did try to keep him awake for about 2 weeks, but it was obvious that he had decided to take a verrrrry long nap.



So, how long do the experts let their dragons snooze? I was planning on turning the heat and lights back up after about 3 months if he's still brumating, or is it better to just let him sleep until he wants to wake? I've now read that trying to keep them from breaking may extend their sleep, by how much?

 

[BPSabelhaus]

Yep, it's tough. My little girl just woke up after her first couple attempts were short. But she spent the morning out with me in the kiddos class with me and met the new kittens. Every day she's more active and literally climbing to new heights in her cage Her appetite has changed. No longer snaps up her favorite golden raspberries and she's currently in full on princess mode demanding to be hand fed lol But that's ok

 

[Chris.]

Agreed. My boy was in and out of brumation for a couple of weeks and hasn't been seen for the whole week now.
Personally I think three, maybe four months is on the longer side of things but probably still fine.
My lights are on for 9h now and I'm gonna lower it down to 8h next week and slowly ramp it back up from there again.

 

[xp29]

Long time lurker, first time poster. Ive learned a lot from you all, thank you very much.

We rescued Rusty last September, I think he's now about 15-16 months old. He's always been pretty lazy but about 2 weeks ago, he decided he wanted to do the full on brumation. It doesn't seem fair, he's not taking our feelings into account at all, we miss him terribly but he just sleeps the days away in his little den.

I thought that by maintaining proper temps we could avoid brumation but he had different ideas. I am still having a hard time accepting that an animal can just sleep for weeks or months (hopefully not...). It is cruel to us.

I miss leashing him up and watching him do the full-speed circle-arm cartoon sprint. I miss the climbing on my head. I even miss the pooping on the carpet.
Before I met him, I'd have called you crazy if you said you could love a lizard....

Anyway, I'm rambling. Thank you everyone for all the advice meant for other people that I took, I do appreciate you all. I'll be popping in from time to time, probably a lot more as the little stinker continues to slumber.

He is a very pretty lizard indeed!!!
I've got one down right now to, this is her 2nd brumation with me so i kindda knew what to expect. But it's still nerve racking. I've got 4 others but i still miss the lil chit .
I agree with Rocky2022, having a 2nd one to dote on helps

 

[Rocky2022]

Rocky just got up - I came from outside and got so excited- here's my heart:

I was so excited. By the look on his face, he remembers where he is and will resume in 5...4...3...

 

[AHBD]

I've turned his heat down to around 70, lights down to 10 hours per day and have been making sure he's still breathing every couple days but not waking him. I did try to keep him awake for about 2 weeks, but it was obvious that he had decided to take a verrrrry long nap.



So, how long do the experts let their dragons snooze? I was planning on turning the heat and lights back up after about 3 months if he's still brumating, or is it better to just let him sleep until he wants to wake? I've now read that trying to keep them from breaking may extend their sleep, by how much?

Mine sleep solid for around 3 months every year.

 

[SideEyeReceiver]

Thanks for all the input everyone, the major takeaway that I'm getting is to get a second dragon. With my luck, they would both brumate at the same time next year. I guess that's when you get a third?....

Rusty had poked his head out this morning and was side-eying the world so I took the opportunity to drip some water on his snout and weigh him. He has lost about 1 gram, putting him at 506gm. He sucked down about 10-15ml water and basked for a little, then crawled back into the hide to go back to sleep. It was really good to hang out for a bit...

But the skin on his lips and around the left eye has turned white and is getting ready to shed, he's always shed in patches and always mouth and eyes first, but is shedding in brumation cause for concern? I plan on checking him in about a week, I'd like to make sure the patch around his eye doesn't end up making its way into his eye. Has anyone seen shed during brumation before? Nothing turned up in a quick interwebs search

 

[AHBD]

No problem, it's natural and nothing is going to go wrong.

 

[BPSabelhaus]

Thanks for all the input everyone, the major takeaway that I'm getting is to get a second dragon. With my luck, they would both brumate at the same time next year. I guess that's when you get a third?....

Rusty had poked his head out this morning and was side-eying the world so I took the opportunity to drip some water on his snout and weigh him. He has lost about 1 gram, putting him at 506gm. He sucked down about 10-15ml water and basked for a little, then crawled back into the hide to go back to sleep. It was really good to hang out for a bit...

But the skin on his lips and around the left eye has turned white and is getting ready to shed, he's always shed in patches and always mouth and eyes first, but is shedding in brumation cause for concern? I plan on checking him in about a week, I'd like to make sure the patch around his eye doesn't end up making its way into his eye. Has anyone seen shed during brumation before? Nothing turned up in a quick interwebs search

That's when you start 7 dwarf naming them. Sleepy, Dopey, Grumpy....