Brumation?

[Kaitlyn55]

for the past few weeks my dragon hasent been eating, worms or herbs, hasent pooped... and he didnt gourge one day and then sleep forever... like i think normally wha'd they do, store all that food when it gets cold and them sleep and wake up and be hungry... he's 1 year old now (omg!) and all he does is stand up straight underneth his fake leaves hanging in the corner in his tank like this, but on that wall behind him and theres fake leaves hung up there.

oh and cept now he has some small logs ontop of eachother... and im building a like box this tomoro cuz he cant fit his head thru the cave opening.

 

[zebraflavencs]

If it were me, * and 3 weeks ago it was* I would get a fecal exam to rule out parasites, and if all clear, let him take his nappy
If not clear, then follow through on the meds, until cleared fecal, then allow him to take his snooze, if he is still inclined.
Janie.

 

[diamc]

What size tank is he in and what is the wattage of the basking bulb? Also, since there are some useless and dangerous UVB's on the market, could you fill us in on the brand & type you're using? I noticed a round gauge thermometer laying on the bottom of his tank, is that the only one you're using? What are the temps? How is he kept hydrated? By looking at his eyes, it doesn't look like he is ready to brumate but I'm wondering if he might be too hot.

 

[Kaitlyn55]

If it were me, * and 3 weeks ago it was* I would get a fecal exam to rule out parasites, and if all clear, let him take his nappy
If not clear, then follow through on the meds, until cleared fecal, then allow him to take his snooze, if he is still inclined.
Janie.

ive been trying to find a reptile vet :study: , the vets that we got around here (i think :? ,) know about horses and dogs and cats and them. them warmblooded creatures. lol. i gotta talk to my mom about that. she hasent been answering crap about some of my questions... but he ate a worm yesterday! big step... in the tub he just sits there... staring at nothing... and he's never running around or when he gets hungry he'd turn his beard black and go crazy running around.... i miss that henry. im like SO HOPING its just a weird brumation... early or late... and about the poo.... he hasent pooped in like 4 days, do they not poop during brumation? he hasent really been eating so i guess thats y.... but the problem is y isnt he eating? oh and another thing... he hasent shed in the LONGEST time... when do they stop growing? do they like not shed when they're done growing? he's about 1 1/2 feet long. hes a big baby. oh and those pics are older, my comp's not letting me upload pictures all of a sudden...

 

[Kaitlyn55]

What size tank is he in and what is the wattage of the basking bulb? Also, since there are some useless and dangerous UVB's on the market, could you fill us in on the brand & type you're using? I noticed a round gauge thermometer laying on the bottom of his tank, is that the only one you're using? What are the temps? How is he kept hydrated? By looking at his eyes, it doesn't look like he is ready to brumate but I'm wondering if he might be too hot.

He doesnt drink out of his water dish.... i dont know why. i do spray his nose with water out of a spray bottle as often as possible... he drinks whatever falls down his nose and into his mouth... the uv thing im using is a Zoo Med 10.0 UVB... i heard u need to change them things yearly? it does even say it on the bulb... i didnt get it that long ago, just a few months.... the temp thing isnt in there anymore... he always sat on it for some reason.... like id move him off of it onto his log and hed get down and lie on it again.... i miss that old crazy pain in the butt henry... by looking at his eyes? do they're eyes change when they're ready to brumate? what do they look like ? he does have droopy eyes... i was told it might be just a genetic thing.

the size tank he has is a little less than 4 ft. long and 2 feet wide, deep, whatever ya wanna call it :wink: . should it be bigger? cuz i can make a bigger one, i gotta build that hiding box thing anyways.
he's so not himself... *fingers crossed hoping its just brumation!!!!*

 

[zebraflavencs]

Hi sweety... if he is sleeping all the time, then that most likely is either parasites or brumation... Now any vet can do a fecal exam... Just make sure to post the results of said exam here, and we can help you with the medications and such. Never allow a dragon to go into brumation without doing a fecal... This way if parasites are indeed present, you can knock those out in a quickness. If left untreated, the parasites can actually kill a dragon in brumation. You see why I am urging for a fecal exam. Most range between the amounts $25-45 depending on the area you live in and the vets. Most will do a fecal without seeing the animal too !
Hope this helps you out !
Janie.

 

[Kaitlyn55]

:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: OMG.
yea im going to talk 2 my mom as SOON as she walks thru the door from work. i got enought money, its just getting my mom to drive us there... she hates going into houghton, theres always construction. heck, ill get my cuz that has a beardie to take me n henry, and even her dragon, who are brothers! but her beuford HATES my henry, henry could care less about him.
i cant think of anything that he could get parasites from, i give him worms, endive, romain, collard,.... could he get parasites from them kind of stuff? what kind? :shock: :shock:
*STILL HOPING that its BRUMATION!!!*

 

[zebraflavencs]

Depending on the husbandry on those that bred the worms yes. It is indeed possible for parasites to be present in those insect feeders.
Janie.

 

[spurlee01]

The reptisun 10.0s need to be changed every 5-6 months, not yearly :? . My little girl is acting quite similarly to yours. She is eating every 3rd day or so, anywhere from 1/3 to 1/10 of what was normal for her. She isn't going into a deep sleep, but is taking lots of cat naps during the day and being even lazier than usual. I've heard that for a dragon's first brumation, it also is like this. It's very likely that your dragon is brumating, but the reason for getting a parasite check is that if your dragon brumates with parasites, the parasites will eat your dragon's fat reserves causing him to lose a bunch of weight, which, as Janie said, can be fatal. I know it is kind of terrifying, I am right there with you lol. But you will feel so much better after you get a fecal check done.

 

[Kaitlyn55]

guess what everybody... HE POOPED!! :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:!!!
HOWEVER, its was more watery and had the normal white, but it was like green, a brighter shade than green but not bright, and i did notice a little oval shape of red, and like a yellow/orange line through it. witch was SUPER weird. we are "redecorating" his tank, adding like ledges and little hideout boxes and stuff, not anything fancy, just sanded wood and stuff... we were building a gate in the barn so we could get in and out of the stall for the horses easier so me n my mom are doing it tomoro...cant wait! :mrgreen: anyways, back to the scary stuff... :shock: :shock: ...

 

[Kaitlyn55]

The reptisun 10.0s need to be changed every 5-6 months, not yearly :? . My little girl is acting quite similarly to yours. She is eating every 3rd day or so, anywhere from 1/3 to 1/10 of what was normal for her. She isn't going into a deep sleep, but is taking lots of cat naps during the day and being even lazier than usual. I've heard that for a dragon's first brumation, it also is like this. It's very likely that your dragon is brumating, but the reason for getting a parasite check is that if your dragon brumates with parasites, the parasites will eat your dragon's fat reserves causing him to lose a bunch of weight, which, as Janie said, can be fatal. I know it is kind of terrifying, I am right there with you lol. But you will feel so much better after you get a fecal check done.

omg! yea thats what he's been doing, but he got a little more awake when i brought him outside in the bright sun today, he was pancaking hugely it was hilarious, his belly was like paper thin :lol: i havent noticed him losing weight, he's been fat ever scince the 1st week i had him :lol: *dunno who fed him too much :roll: :roll: * im gonna ask my mom if she could shedual an appt. for my dragon at the vets.... itd be kinda fun to get outta highschool (im only a freshman) and go for a ride with my dragon, heck i dont even need anything to carry him in he's happy on top of my head or on my shoulder :lol: but whenever the appt is, during school or not, i AM going i wouldnt be able to handle it... sitting in class... watching the clock.... ALL DAY.... to know if my babys "sickley" or just starting brumation.... id be all fidgeting around id be doing this on my desk all day :arrow: *C'MON TIME GO FASTER!!!!!!*

 

[Kaitlyn55]

ok everybody.... me and my mom cut the boards that are going to make the ledges and the little basking "plank" that extends from the back wall ledge thing and underneth the heat light. it should be done tonight. ill post pics of it...if my stupid comp will accept the upload. anyways, the vet we have is retired, and only comes in now and then, and she called him yesterday and they said he was out of town. GRRRRRRRR
EITHER RETIRE OLD MAN OR HIRE SOME1 NEW!!!!
grr.
hopes that makes sense. :wink:
oh well. back to work. im in computors and i need help, grr....

SHH IM NOT ON THIS, CANT HELP IT!!! :whip: :whip: :whip: :whip: BEARDIE SLAVE!!!!

 

[fresnowitte]

Okay I have something to add about parasites and where they come from.

Parasites can come from the bugs and crickets are known to be big contributors for this as they are carnivores eating their own and own poop.

Parasites can come from the veggies you buy if you do not soak and clean them well. So not only do you need to wash your beardies veggies well but the veggies you feed you bugs as well.

Parasites alot of the time comes from you substrate if you use a particle substrate. See particle substrate works like a "Litter Box." Meaning that when they poop in the substrate it's impossible to get all the bacteria out unless you were to change out the substrate every time your beardie poops...if your beardie is pooping in his viv in particle substrate then when they tongue at things they are taking in the bacteria that has been harbored in the particle substrate leaving them with parasites.

Henry is very handsome btw! :wink:

 

[LuvMyHerps]

I also have a question about possible brumation....Izzy has been acting a little strange lately also. He isn't eating as well as he has been...Nibbles a worm or two occasionally and eating a less amount of greens. He is sleepy alot through the day and noticed the past couple of days he is sleeping in his cave. He was at the vet a few weeks ago for a check up... all was good. His lights are good...just replaced them both and his temps are good...basking spot at about 108* mat vary a degree or two. No signs of illness, breathing sounds great and his color looks great and so don't his eyes....Could this be brumation? Oh and BTW he turned one year in August.

 

[fresnowitte]

LuvMyHerps sounds very much like Izzy is getting ready to brumate. You want to give him a really good soaking to make sure hydration is up before he goes out. Some beardies will just doze where others will go out for the count like PVT Blaze he has been asleep for 2 weeks solid already only waking once when I bathed him and went right back to sleep.