Four and a Half Month Old Beardie Getting Lazy

[wesgtp]

Hello everyone, I have had my beardie Nero for about 4 months and I believe he was about a half month old when I got him from an online breeder. Since the weather started getting cold in Virginia he has slowed down a bit. He goes in his hide sometimes during the day but usually comes back out to bask. He has been going to sleep a few hours earlier than normal (at about 6:00 instead of 8:00). The last few days he has only eaten about 5 roaches when he normally ate about 20-25. He is about to undergo another shed so this might have something to do with it. However, he has never changed much during previous sheds.

Nero as been under a reptisun 10.0 tube his whole life with basking temps around 100-105 F in a 40 gallon tank. I use a heat emitter to keep him warm on cold nights. His diet has consisted of reptiworms, dubia roaches, and occasional mealworms (I feed these rarely but he has never had any digestion problems or impaction). He also likes mustard greens. I dust calcium and vitamins regularly. He is nearly 15" long and I last weighed him at 160 grams about a month ago. My first dragon died after only a few months, I believe he had adenovirus. He was a petsmart dragon so he was never very healthy. This makes me quite cautious and I am wondering if there is anything I should be worried about with Nero? Thanks

Here is a picture I took on Christmas day with his new leash:

 

[DixieLonestar20x]

He is a great looking dragon!

He looks a little older than that though honestly......in which case he may just be going into his first brumation.

I highly doubt an online breeder sold you a dragon at only 2 weeks old...just FYI..so your judgement on age probably isn't quite accurate....I bet he is starting a brumation cycle.

 

[kamelotte]

I'd also have to say he's probably older than 4 months, just based off the size of the head and thickness of the legs/tail base. He's very muscular. I'd be inclined to say he might be coming up on 1 year, in which case brumation is a pretty solid possibility. He looks pretty healthy from that picture, and his colors are nice and bright. How long is he?

 

[wesgtp]

He was about 6.5" when I got him so at least a month old I would say, I'm not sure how fast the babies grow. He is about 14.75" from nose to tail. I figured he was a little young to be brumating but I guess not. I still can't see distinctive hemipenes on his tail, but I think it is a male.

 

[DixieLonestar20x]

He definitely looks male in the pic, judging by the thickness of the tail ( I know it isn't alwasy accurate, but ya know! )

6.5" he was pretty young when you got him then, but I don't see how he could grow that much in 4 months...I would have to agree, this boy looks about a year old. He is in great shape and is a great looking dragon....but something is up with your age and measurements....

 

[wesgtp]

He definitely looks male in the pic, judging by the thickness of the tail ( I know it isn't alwasy accurate, but ya know! )

6.5" he was pretty young when you got him then, but I don't see how he could grow that much in 4 months...I would have to agree, this boy looks about a year old. He is in great shape and is a great looking dragon....but something is up with your age and measurements....

Yea those have been ballpark estimates I guess. I've just looked at the growth rates I have written down. He was 7" when I got him on september 10 and weighed 28 grams. So I have had him about 3 and a half months. So would brumation be the most likely cause of his slowing down? Anyone have a link to a care guide during brumation with temps, feeding, etc.?

 

[DixieLonestar20x]

Brumation is basically the same thing as a mammals hibernation. Your dragon will basically do absolutely nothing but sleep...His first brumation cycle may be shorter than normal, or it may just be a light cycle. He may not fall into a full sleep but instead just eat WAY less and not do a whole lot. As he gets older, during brumation, he will basically just sleep for an extended time.

Here is an article on brumation: http://www.beardeddragon.org/articles/brumation/

Read up on that and it will be able to give you a good idea on what is happening and why (if this is the case, which, judging by the size of your baby this is most likely your answer)

-Justin

 

[Sauzo]

The tail thickness, legs and head look almost like Harley who is coming up on 9 months old this January 5th so I would guess yours is around that age too. No way a reputable breeder would sell a baby at 2 weeks old. Most sell them at 6 weeks. Harley was 6 weeks old and 6 inches when I got her and now like I said, coming up on 9 months, she is about 15.5-16 inches long. Her parents though weren't huge dragons. And yes, it's probably brumation. Harley is doing the same thing, eating a lot less and wanting to lounge on me, the couch, or the bed if im laying there watching tv in bed.

 

[wesgtp]

Brumation is basically the same thing as a mammals hibernation. Your dragon will basically do absolutely nothing but sleep...His first brumation cycle may be shorter than normal, or it may just be a light cycle. He may not fall into a full sleep but instead just eat WAY less and not do a whole lot. As he gets older, during brumation, he will basically just sleep for an extended time.

Here is an article on brumation: http://www.beardeddragon.org/articles/brumation/

Read up on that and it will be able to give you a good idea on what is happening and why (if this is the case, which, judging by the size of your baby this is most likely your answer)

-Justin

Thanks for the link! Seems like he is going into a light brumation. He still basks everyday, just not as much and more lazy. Since he is shedding I guess his front arms will stay white for a while until the brumation is over?

 

[Molson]

Hmm yeah my dragon has been the exact same way. I've had her for 3.5 months, and the petstore guy said she was about 2-3 weeks old (debatable). Anyways she's 16 inches now from about 6 when I got her. Doesn't this seem a bit young for soft brumation?

 

[Sauzo]

Some mature faster than others. As long as her conditions are right like temp, lighting, uvb, heat etc and she isn't losing weight, I wouldn't worry. Also make sure her poop looks good(solid, well formed).

 

[wesgtp]

So Nero usually basks in the morning for a few hours, then goes in his hide after about 4-5 hours. I am tempted to feed him in the mornings but the brumation guides say I should not. What do you guys think? I fed him a little yesterday and he had a small poop, should I hold off feeding until after the brumation?