colormatcher, are you done with brumation?

[ChileanTaco]

My Taco is out of his burrow now the second day. Done with brumation?

I was again surprised by how well he can adjust his colors to his surroundings. Today: Head orange-sand with some white marks like he does it usually when basking, but the rest of his body darker to camouflage in this elevated cave. The head looks almost like the "stone" structure right below

 

[NickAVD]

Wow! It took me a while to find him in the photo!

 

[ChileanTaco]

It also took me a while to find him in the enclosure. As often, I looked down into his burrow (that's not the cave towards the left, but that's behind the trunk of the aloe), looking if he's awake and if, just saying my "Hey, Taco!" which he likes. Cave empty. Did he dig deeper? Looking around - basking spot no, ah, elevated cave - yes!
Yesterday, during the day he changed his color with the changing sunlight through the window. In the deep afternoon sun, he turned completely to sand with mauve (his usual basking color, mimicking that mauve-purple sand on the climbing structure).
Yesterday I showed him a dubia - wasn't expecting him to eat it (and he didn't do so), did it just so he knows I have some! (I really have no idea if he otherwise might think "not bug season yet, I'm rather going back down in my burrow").

This morning when I left at 6:30 am he was still on that place, awake from 6am on (which he was also before brumation) and watching me watering his plants and preparing his food. I have left him some veggies today - if he doesn't eat them, I'll put them into the dubia bin.

 

[Chris.]

Nice to see Taco coming back. He's looking a bit sleepy still, just give him some time, he will be back eating those raches in no time.
When they start basking more is usually a good time

 

[ChileanTaco]

Yes, looks still sleepy.
I was also not expecting him to eat the roach - just thought he should know I have some. Same idea of me leaving the greens this morning. I was just thinking if he might check out whether "spring has approached" and if there are no signs of food (bugs, fresh green), he might think it's not the right time yet. That would I expect them to do in nature and would be wise to do.
I know that they need to bask for digestion and I'd expect him to eat once he does, and luckily my Taco won't eat otherwise, he's not one of those dragons who wolf down everything if held in front of them.
(Generally, I let my Taco do very much his thing. Like: him digging his burrow instead of him having a hut I could lift, never taken him out during brumation (as I could see him down there, I just checked if he generally looks fine), and I only pet him or take him out when he is on one of two elevated areas where I can touch him easily but never elsewhere. I personally like this approach.)

 

[Chris.]

I totally agree with this approach.
If he stays up and out for some time it would be interesting to know how his weight has changed if it has. My boy lost a total of 1g during his three months (but he was in and out a bit and ate a couple of times).

 

[ChileanTaco]

I totally agree with this approach.
If he stays up and out for some time it would be interesting to know how his weight has changed if it has. My boy lost a total of 1g during his three months (but he was in and out a bit and ate a couple of times).

I'm also interested very much. I have also planned the first time I take him out, I'll weigh him.
(He usually, when he's awake, wants to come out of his enclosure once per week. If he doesn't want, I won't take him out - a few days later he wants for sure.)

Btw.: Taco has never eaten during that time. (I had not offered bugs and fresh greens anymore, but there is always a large golliwog plant in the enclosure he loves to eat.) Last weight was 480 g, but taken about 2 weeks before he gradually went into brumation. (Because of: Approach above, I won't take him out if he doesn't want to. Emergencies would be a different thing, of course.)

 

[Chris.]

I'm also interested very much. I have also planned the first time I take him out, I'll weigh him.
(He usually, when he's awake, wants to come out of his enclosure once per week. If he doesn't want, I won't take him out - a few days later he wants for sure.)

Btw.: Taco has never eaten during that time. (I had not offered bugs and fresh greens anymore, but there is always a large golliwog plant in the enclosure he loves to eat.) Last weight was 480 g, but taken about 2 weeks before he gradually went into brumation. (Because of: Approach above, I won't take him out if he doesn't want to. Emergencies would be a different thing, of course.)

That is a solid weight. Luis was only 350g, hence I offered something if he would come out of the cave.

 

[ChileanTaco]

@Chris.

What did you put in as food? Some veggies that go into the insect bin if not eaten, or insects and if not eaten back into their bin, or does your dragon eat dry food? (For Taco, I left the live plant.)

 

[Chris.]

@Chris.

What did you put in as food? Some veggies that go into the insect bin if not eaten, or insects and if not eaten back into their bin, or does your dragon eat dry food? (For Taco, I left the live plant.)

The days he was out, I did put in a bowl with greens as I usually would and offered a locust in the evening along with some water from the eyedropper.
Most days he would only drink but he did also eat for some days before continuing to brumate.