early brumation?

[BuddyHolly]

Hi! I am wondering if early brumation is possible? From what ive been reading about this is what it seems like it is, but my beardie is only 6-7 months old or so. He has had an extremely large appetite until a week or so ago and now he is eating some but not very much. He was eating like 20-40 crickets a day plus a hornworm a few times a week and now he's only eating a few crickets if that per day and yesterdau he ate a large hornworm. He is 15 inches and looks fat and healthy to me. The thing that is strange to me is the fact that in the morning he is super energetic and runs around like a maniac until i ytake him out of his cage and play with him (he runs around my room and climbs everything) then by 5 he lays in his hammock looking sleepy until 7 when his light goes out. Oh amd he is also eating some veggies everyday. I bathe him once a week and his poop looks normal.
I have a 75 watt basking bulb which puts out a temp of around 120 and he spends pretty much his wjole day under this, and a reptisun 10.0 which is about four months old the ambient temp is about 75-80
This seems bizarre to me. Any suggestions?

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

At 6-7 months, brumation is a possibility.
The temperatures of 120 is too high though. Can you get the basking ranges to a 95-110 max, as most do not like to bask at those higher temperatures plus, it can really over heat them as well.
When they begin to slow down, they will naturally decrease their food intake as well as increase their sleeping as well. It is completely normal for them to slow down during this time of year.
Do you have any pictures of him?
How far is the Reptisun 10 tube bulb from him & is there any screen or plastic in between him & the light?
How often do you give him calcium supplementation?

Tracie

 

[BuddyHolly]

I have been wondering about the temps being too high, although the ambient temperature doesn't seem to be that high? So i was worried about that. I have a 75 watt bulb in a 40 gallon tank, but maybe I need to go down in wattage. He usually doesn't sit right under the heat lamp for long periods of time, but off to the side (I'll measure the temps there today). He has definitely been sleeping more in the later part of the day, and he's usually more awake first thing in the morning. Today he ate a bowl of veg, a hornworm and I'm giving him a bath.
Here's a picture of him the weekend before last

and usually when I come home at five he's looking sleepy in the corner like this.

I took these last three today. And you can see where the bulbs are in relation to him and there's a screen between him and them.

So I've definitely noticed him eating less, and sleeping more. And he doesn't appear to look ill...So I was thinking it was brumation especially since he has grown a ton since august. (at least 2-2.5x the size he was)
Oh and I give him calcium once a day mon-thurs and vitamin supplement fridays.

 

[BuddyHolly]

after bathing him and feeding him, he definitely woke up a bit and is now basking under the lamp like normal.

 

[BrendaKay]

Mine does pretty much this exact same thing except hes almost 10 months. He's more active in the morning, glass dancing, but rarely moves from wherever he is all afternoon. The past two days is the first he doesn't leave my arm when I have him out. He just chills.

I come home at lunch if he hasn't eaten anything and hand feed him. (I have a camera on him so I can check on him all day) and it seems like he eats when I stand there watching. Silly boy.

So this is normal? His eyes are bright, he's still plump (haha) and seems ok.

This is my first beardie, so this is all new to me.

 

[BuddyHolly]

Anything new with your dragon? This has definitely been going on a few weeks now and my beardie still seems normal and healthy otherwise (doesn't look like he's lost any weight). I've been bathing him every fews days or so to keep hydrated and he's been eating some veg and the occasional cricket. I take him out when I come home if he looks awake still and he runs around like normal. He is only pooping very occasionally, but I assume this is because he's pretty much eating nothing. I'm wondering because he is so young if this is as far into brumation as he'll go. :dontknow:

 

[BrendaKay]

Nothing really new. Like yours, he's runs around like normal when out. We moved his tank to the living area, and had a heck of a time readjusting the temps. He is finally more willingly eating roaches and supers. I put them in a white dish, rather than silver. It was almost like he couldn't see them before. Odd.

Will see if he eats more today as well.

Where in the country are you? This all did kinda seem to start when it got colder outside. Although the past couple days its been 70s. Lol

 

[BuddyHolly]

I just tried moving his light farther away in case the temperatures were too hot for him. He ate a few crickets, but we'll see how it goes. I'm in Canada. It's been about 7-10 degrees C.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

I am sorry, I forgot to check back in!
How is your boy, he is SO cute!
He did eat a few crickets recently? Hopefully he wont go into brumation fully, but instead just slow down a bit for a short period. He should pick back up soon. He appears to be very healthy, but the temperature & barometric pressure, along with shortened days affects them because there just is not as much daylight.
I will check back tomorrow.

Tracie

 

[BuddyHolly]

He is a goofy guy. Look at that belly. hahah. He stands up on the glass like that everyday and peers out. He's doing good, still pretty much the same. I took that blue thing out that the rock was resting on, so the basking spot is farther away so its closer to around 110 or so now. Yeah every other day or so he eats like 2-3 crickets. And he seems to be nibbling on his veggies pretty much everyday still. He is sleepy looking and lays in his hammock in the later part of the day but still looks alert otherwise.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Yes, he has quite the belly! LOL
It sounds like he is doing very well right now even if he is only eating a little here & there. That is very normal to eat a little & then sleep some.
He looks very happy!

Tracie

 

[BuddyHolly]

Settling down for the big sleep??
hehehe.

 

[Goodtruant]

Looks like a happy dragon!

Our beardie is doing the same thing (10-12 month old)....today he never moved from his favorite corner to sleep. I think he's had 4 roaches in the last week, and he'll nibble on some greens sometimes.