brumation?

[OpalAndZayde]

Hello! So I own 2 bearded dragons, one 2 yo and one about a year old. Both have never brumated and I am wondering if they should be? and how can I encourage this? I've been trying to get my hands on a light timer so their lights will be scheduled strictly and not on at slightly different times during the day. And if I do this what should I set the schedule as? My beardies have been eating as usual (the 1yo has slightly stopped eating as much and been a bit sleepy seeming)
So, should I be worried that they havnt brumated?
thanks

 

[KarrieRee]

Hello! So I own 2 bearded dragons, one 2 yo and one about a year old. Both have never brumated and I am wondering if they should be? and how can I encourage this? I've been trying to get my hands on a light timer so their lights will be scheduled strictly and not on at slightly different times during the day. And if I do this what should I set the schedule as? My beardies have been eating as usual (the 1yo has slightly stopped eating as much and been a bit sleepy seeming)
So, should I be worried that they havnt brumated?
thanks

Not really dragons brumate at their own will--- do you have them housed together? I have 2 dragons one is 2 the other 3 - one is doing more the semi brumating thing w/ the other one doing less -- sleeps for 2 days then comes out of the hide --- the other one is really doing alot of sleeping and less eating - what are you using for a UVB a coil or a long tube fixture? Basking temps how are you taking them and what are they? NO stick ons please -- incorrect lighting can throw appetite off along w/ brumation behavior as well --

 

[OpalAndZayde]

Hello thanks for your reply.
No they are not housed together. I will attach a picture of both their enclosures.
They both have 125 watt heat bulbs and 24" T5 tube fixtures 10-12 inches from the closest spot.
I am trying to find a heat gun but as of now I am unable to take temps.
ignore the hide in the wood enclosure, I am working on building an actual hide

 

[KarrieRee]

Hello thanks for your reply.
No they are not housed together. I will attach a picture of both their enclosures.
They both have 125 watt heat bulbs and 24" T5 tube fixtures 10-12 inches from the closest spot.
I am trying to find a heat gun but as of now I am unable to take temps.
ignore the hide in the wood enclosure, I am working on building an actual hide
View attachment 65945 View attachment 65946

Please get a Zoo Med digital probe thermometer they are the MOST accurate -- IR guns will not read off hammocks -- they are good to have but you need that digital probe --- you can look on Amazon for the IR gun it does not need to be an expensive one --- you can get the probes from Pet Smart -- I also recommend getting a digital probe hygrometer Exo Terra Digital Hygrometer
your going to need one IR gun 4 digital probes and 2 hygrometers --- place the hygrometer on the back center wall of the tank it will read the whole tank -- optimal humidity 40-50% nothing below 20 nothing above 70% --
you need to get basking temps those are crucial a long w/ that UVB --- how old are the bulbs? If over a year old replace NOW please -- the probes need to be placed on the spot where they bask wait 10 min then get the temp 95-100 place the other probe on the cool side of the tank -- I would get another little bed for that tank its cute

 

[OpalAndZayde]

Okay I will get one of both.
The uvb bulbs are only a few months old I got them in late September
Thanks

 

[Fudge]

My biggest fear was brumation "shudder" Fudge turned 2 in October and by mid November he decided he was going to sleep no matter what I tried and believe me I tried! Even got him waxworms (something he rarely gets) to try to bribe him out. Massive fail, all he did was squash himself to the very end of the hide, so...I had to put my big girl pants on and deal with it, read loads and became more and more confused, take them out and bathe them, don't take them out and bathe them, weigh them, don't weigh them, being a helicopter mum and so used to him constantly running about, all the reading was giving me anxiety.
So I had no option but to go with the flow, basically I left him to it, yes I was a bad parent..but, lo and behold he stuck his face out after two weeks so offered him water which he accepted then promptly went back in and curled up and basically that was it,every now and again his wee face would pop out with eyes shut until today "drum roll" he was up and at it ten minutes after the lights went on, first port of call out the Viv for a poop and pee in the kitchen then back in the Viv for a feed, haven't weighed him yet but he looks the same as usual and seems to have jumped straight back into routine and not the least bothered about missing Christmas or New year and now basking under the uvb as though nowt occured.. I'll need retraining though I let the dust bunnies breed behind the sofa, better go grab the Hoover before he starts running about.
Ps. This worked for us but I'm 100% sure it's not the professional way to do things, I'm just thankful that we both survived brumation. I realise I might have put this post in the wrong place, forgive me, still finding my way around.