Constantly Attempting to Brumate?

[itsTigereye]

Hello!

My bearded dragon started showing signs of wanting to brumate around November of this year. Not eating as much, digging in her caves, and not wanting to bask. She did one final poop and settled down. I left her alone, keeping her lights on a shorter cycle. I would offer her food occasionally, and she would come out sometimes for some (mostly roaches), bask, poop, and back to bed. Around March, I started trying to keep her awake longer - more food, normal heat and lights, etc. She’s fine to stay out and bask, eats normally, however, every couple of days I’ll find her constantly trying to go back into her cave and sleep. I try to take her out to prevent this as it’s now June, but she’s still trying to when she gets the chance. I’m not sure what to do. Should I leave her and let her continue sleeping? I take her outside now that the weather is better and it’s very hot out (she even opens her mouth outside) but nothing seems to convince her it’s back to normal. I don’t think she’s ill as I’m seeing no signs of sickness and she still has a good appetite. Any help would be appreciated!

 

[KarrieRee]

Hello!

My bearded dragon started showing signs of wanting to brumate around November of this year. Not eating as much, digging in her caves, and not wanting to bask. She did one final poop and settled down. I left her alone, keeping her lights on a shorter cycle. I would offer her food occasionally, and she would come out sometimes for some (mostly roaches), bask, poop, and back to bed. Around March, I started trying to keep her awake longer - more food, normal heat and lights, etc. She’s fine to stay out and bask, eats normally, however, every couple of days I’ll find her constantly trying to go back into her cave and sleep. I try to take her out to prevent this as it’s now June, but she’s still trying to when she gets the chance. I’m not sure what to do. Should I leave her and let her continue sleeping? I take her outside now that the weather is better and it’s very hot out (she even opens her mouth outside) but nothing seems to convince her it’s back to normal. I don’t think she’s ill as I’m seeing no signs of sickness and she still has a good appetite. Any help would be appreciated!

You wont see illness till they can no longer hide it -- she should not be trying to brumate -- please go over the surface basking temps NO stick ons please and what kind of basking bulb are you using-- please NO off white NO yellowish or Daytime bulbs and NO colored -- what kind of UVB are you using? a coil or a long tube fixture and where is it in the tank for the long tube and how old is it?

 

[itsTigereye]

You wont see illness till they can no longer hide it -- she should not be trying to brumate -- please go over the surface basking temps NO stick ons please and what kind of basking bulb are you using-- please NO off white NO yellowish or Daytime bulbs and NO colored -- what kind of UVB are you using? a coil or a long tube fixture and where is it in the tank for the long tube and how old is it?

Cold side temp: 77-80
Warm side temp: 80-85
Basking: Sloped, so ranges from 85 at the bottom to 100 at the top.
Bulbs: Two Zoomed Repti Basking Spot Lamps 100W each
UVB: Repti Zoo long tube fixture fixed to the inside of the tank across the middle (pics attached). Bought in september so 10 months old.
Tank size: 120 gallon

Not using any coloured, off-white, yellow, or daytime bulbs or any coils. I use a temp gun to take my temperatures.

Sunny is a female beardie who’s brumated one and laid eggs twice (before she brumated). She’s a little over 2 years old. She gets gut loaded and calcium dusted dubia roaches, collard greens, and baby aragula as her staples and then some other foods (blueberry, watermelon, etc) occasionally to mix it up.

Currently on paper towel as substrate as I have just made my crested gecko’s tank bioactive and want to eventually convert her tank as well, but haven’t done it due to the issue at hand.

I understand a lot of keepers dislike the rope bridges, but my bearded dragon has always gotten upset whenever I take it out as I got them when I first set up her tank and is obsessed with them.

 

[KarrieRee]

Cold side temp: 77-80
Warm side temp: 80-85
Basking: Sloped, so ranges from 85 at the bottom to 100 at the top.
Bulbs: Two Zoomed Repti Basking Spot Lamps 100W each
UVB: Repti Zoo long tube fixture fixed to the inside of the tank across the middle (pics attached). Bought in september so 10 months old.
Tank size: 120 gallon

Not using any coloured, off-white, yellow, or daytime bulbs or any coils. I use a temp gun to take my temperatures.

Sunny is a female beardie who’s brumated one and laid eggs twice (before she brumated). She’s a little over 2 years old. She gets gut loaded and calcium dusted dubia roaches, collard greens, and baby aragula as her staples and then some other foods (blueberry, watermelon, etc) occasionally to mix it up.

Currently on paper towel as substrate as I have just made my crested gecko’s tank bioactive and want to eventually convert her tank as well, but haven’t done it due to the issue at hand.

I understand a lot of keepers dislike the rope bridges, but my bearded dragon has always gotten upset whenever I take it out as I got them when I first set up her tank and is obsessed with them.

Please get two digital probe thermometers -- IR guns are not always accurate and on hammocks especially - two 100 bulbs are very hot --- please replace the Reptu Zoo uvb bulb w/ a Reptisun 10.0 T 5 or a Arcadia D3 12% bulb -- please replace every 10-11 months - make sure you have a piece of basking decor directly under the UVB 12-15 inches --- please do this right away and then watch her behavior - if it does not change then we need to figure out what else may be going on here

 

[itsTigereye]

I have a digital probe thermometer as well. It’s currently reading 100.4. Two 100W have never been too hot no matter what brand I go for, as the hammock is sloped and it gives a good gradient for such a big tank. Less wattage results in much colder temperatures as my basement is generally cold. Only occasionally do I see her bask with her mouth open, which I took to take that it’s even on the colder side for her. I can look for more basking decor for her.

Apologies, but why do I need to change brands for my UVB..? Hers is already a 10.0 T5 and I have had no issues, plus it was recommended by multiple others. I have been planning on replacing the bulb as life expectancy is just under a year.

 

[KarrieRee]

I have a digital probe thermometer as well. It’s currently reading 100.4. Two 100W have never been too hot no matter what brand I go for, as the hammock is sloped and it gives a good gradient for such a big tank. Less wattage results in much colder temperatures as my basement is generally cold. Only occasionally do I see her bask with her mouth open, which I took to take that it’s even on the colder side for her. I can look for more basking decor for her.

Apologies, but why do I need to change brands for my UVB..? Hers is already a 10.0 T5 and I have had no issues, plus it was recommended by multiple others. I have been planning on replacing the bulb as life expectancy is just under a year.

The repti zoo is not a very good brand - you have a better bulb w/ the Arcadia or the reptisun- we always recommend the bulb be changed out in the 10 -- 11 months - unless you have a solar meter to read the out put it is safer to change them out- by solar meter a reputable one no solar cards-

 

[Claudiusx]

What is your dragons daily diet when she is eating?

What is her weight currently in grams? Has she been losing weight?
Have her bowel movements been well formed?

Can you post a picture of her so we can get a general view of her outward health?

T5 bulbs have an expected effective lifespan of 1 year. I don't know where the 10-11 months thing came from. But, you are coming up on that time frame; when you do change it out, I would recommend moving over to the Reptisun t5 or arcadia 12%. The reptizoo doesn't even list it's UVI output ranges or spectra data like Reptisun and Arcadia do.

The above likely isn't your problem (If there even is a problem) but better to spend basically the same amount of money on a far superior bulb when time comes to replace.

-Brandon

 

[itsTigereye]

What is your dragons daily diet when she is eating?

What is her weight currently in grams? Has she been losing weight?
Have her bowel movements been well formed?

Can you post a picture of her so we can get a general view of her outward health?

T5 bulbs have an expected effective lifespan of 1 year. I don't know where the 10-11 months thing came from. But, you are coming up on that time frame; when you do change it out, I would recommend moving over to the Reptisun t5 or arcadia 12%. The reptizoo doesn't even list it's UVI output ranges or spectra data like Reptisun and Arcadia do.

The above likely isn't your problem (If there even is a problem) but better to spend basically the same amount of money on a far superior bulb when time comes to replace.

-Brandon

Daily diet is mostly just collard greens dusted every other day (and then once a month with D3). Once or twice a week she will also get some dubia roaches. Otherwise, I will sometimes give her fruits and other veggies just for some variety.

I will definitely buy the reptisun bulb and change it out since it’s almost time to replace anyway like you said.

She’s currently ~415 grams (she’s a little bigger than the scale I use since I originally got it for my crestie). I haven’t noticed her losing weight at all. I can’t remember how much she was the last time she was weighed but I will start to keep track to make sure 100% that she isn’t losing any.

Her poop is usually more formed, but occasionally it becomes more liquidy. Usually I chalk it up to the fact she eats mostly greens. She had coccidia when we got her and it is nothing like what it was like then and doesn’t smell much at all (when it smelt horrific when she was infected) so I haven’t been thinking it’s parasites again.

She’s pretty consistently alert and moves around on me, but she just seems to always go back to her cave every few days (I try not to let her stay there since it worries me, which may or may not be the right thing to do). She’s pretty content to bask when she’s there and does move about the tank otherwise.

A friend and I are planning on making a DIY basking area for her since it would look a lot nicer & hopefully be more functional.

Pictures attached (she’s on my knee on the middle one lol) - she’s currently trying to get onto my keyboard.

 

[Claudiusx]

She looks very healthy and well taken care of. Her fat stores on her head and base of her tail look good. Not what you'd expect from a dragon whose been sick since November (Hint: she's not sick )

Her diet sounds good too.

The weight would be the biggest indicator if something was wrong. Start keeping track of it so in the future, if she goes through something like this, you can tell if there is something wrong. If she's not losing weight, then it's just her doing what she wants to do. Sometimes they will go into long brumations, sometimes even longer semi-brumations. It all depends. If they could talk to tell us why, things would be so much easier.

For now, your husbandry sounds fine. Let her do her thing and she'll come around.

-Brandon

 

[itsTigereye]

She looks very healthy and well taken care of. Her fat stores on her head and base of her tail look good. Not what you'd expect from a dragon whose been sick since November (Hint: she's not sick )

Her diet sounds good too.

The weight would be the biggest indicator if something was wrong. Start keeping track of it so in the future, if she goes through something like this, you can tell if there is something wrong. If she's not losing weight, then it's just her doing what she wants to do. Sometimes they will go into long brumations, sometimes even longer semi-brumations. It all depends. If they could talk to tell us why, things would be so much easier.

For now, your husbandry sounds fine. Let her do her thing and she'll come around.

-Brandon

Thank you!! Will definitely start monitoring her weight just in case.