Help!

[IAmAMirage]

Mirage went into brumation a few weeks ago. He slept for 3 days before coming out. He was doing great, but now he's acting weird. We recently redid his tank, and now he keeps going under his log. He just lays there completely awake. He shows no intrest in food. Not sure whats going on. We contacted the vet and are waiting for them to respond. Have any ideas?

 

[KarrieRee]

Mirage went into brumation a few weeks ago. He slept for 3 days before coming out. He was doing great, but now he's acting weird. We recently redid his tank, and now he keeps going under his log. He just lays there completely awake. He shows no intrest in food. Not sure whats going on. We contacted the vet and are waiting for them to respond. Have any ideas?

That is normal --- mine will go in their hides and just lay there w/ their heads popped out looking out --- no interest in food - they do this on occasion -- let him do his thing --- they do go off their food from time to time --

 

[xp29]

That is normal --- mine will go in their hides and just lay there w/ their heads popped out looking out --- no interest in food - they do this on occasion -- let him do his thing --- they do go off their food from time to time --

I have one that does that as well.

 

[IAmAMirage]

@KarrieRee, @xp29

Thank you both for your help. Being a new bearded dragon owner is scary sometimes! This morning I couldn't see his torso to tell if he was breathing, and he was laying completely flat not blinking. I had a mini heart attack. I thought he had passed away. He's an older guy and his previous owner did not take care of him properly. I just want him to live the rest of his life loved and happy!

 

[xp29]

@KarrieRee, @xp29

Thank you both for your help. Being a new bearded dragon owner is scary sometimes! This morning I couldn't see his torso to tell if he was breathing, and he was laying completely flat not blinking. I had a mini heart attack. I thought he had passed away. He's an older guy and his previous owner did not take care of him properly. I just want him to live the rest of his life loved and happy!

I think he will do just that!!! It's friggen amazing how well they respond to being cared for, especially rescues. Anyone who thinks they are simple creatures that don't understand love and bond, well they should not be keeping beardies imho. Both of my rescues were hands down more affectionate and over all happy then any of my non-rescues.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Oh wow, that is scary. They are very capable of bonding with us & love attention. It does take them a little time to come out of brumation fully.
They definitely are very unique & complicated little souls.

Tracie

 

[IAmAMirage]

I think he will do just that!!! It's friggen amazing how well they respond to being cared for, especially rescues. Anyone who thinks they are simple creatures that don't understand love and bond, well they should not be keeping beardies imho. Both of my rescues were hands down more affectionate and over all happy then any of my non-rescues.

Thats wonderful! I've always dreamed of owning a reptile, but never realized how affectionante they really are and how much you can bond with them!

 

[ChileanTaco]

My Taco is also doing this right now (week 3): Down in his cave, usually awake, head slightly elevated on a stone in his cave, sometimes coming out a bit (head out of the cave to get a bit of light) for 5 - 20 minutes.
Does not eat. Came once to poop. Usually not reacts to me (I don't disturb him; I just water his plants once in a while).
Before he did this for about 2 weeks, then came out for a few days so I thought he's done with brumation, but actually was not.

 

[IAmAMirage]

Hello,

Oh wow, that is scary. They are very capable of bonding with us & love attention. It does take them a little time to come out of brumation fully.
They definitely are very unique & complicated little souls.

Tracie

Perfect! Thank you!

 

[IAmAMirage]

My Taco is also doing this right now (week 3): Down in his cave, usually awake, head slightly elevated on a stone in his cave, sometimes coming out a bit (head out of the cave to get a bit of light) for 5 - 20 minutes.
Does not eat. Came once to poop. Usually not reacts to me (I don't disturb him; I just water his plants once in a while).
Before he did this for about 2 weeks, then came out for a few days so I thought he's done with brumation, but actually was not.

Oh! It's wonderful to know someone else is experiancing this! We contacted the vet just because we are first time owners and weren't sure. The vet called back and told us to keep an eye on him for the rest of the week (apparently the timing is odd) if we are still worried the vet told us we could bring him in. I'm mostly worried about parasites. When we rescued him he was chock full of pinworms and coccida. It took quite the effort to get rid of the little buggers. After getting rid of them we imediantly saw a change, he was more active, his colors were brighter, he was eating. I get so worried about him, about my scalebaby

I truly think that beardies are incredible animals and I love my little guy <3

 

[ChileanTaco]

Contacting the vet is totally fine.
Your dragon is older than mine, yours had health issues but mine has always been healthy, so that's a difference. The thing with worrying, it's also I'm not free from
I really miss my Taco while he's brumating. I remember just the weekend before he really went down to brumate after attempting to do so for a few days, I thought "hey, he's finally done with brumation and now we're gonna do all the cool stuff together that's for "big dragons", buddy". Oops...
I also think them being away for their brumation shows us really how precious their life is. He's gone for a while, he'll come back, but makes me so much more clear the inevitable thing that we all knew when we chose a pet as a family member but of course don't like to think about much: One day, they really will be gone. One day, he really will be gone and dead.
And this is why once he's back moments with him will be even more precious.

 

[IAmAMirage]

Contacting the vet is totally fine.
Your dragon is older than mine, yours had health issues but mine has always been healthy, so that's a difference. The thing with worrying, it's also I'm not free from
I really miss my Taco while he's brumating. I remember just the weekend before he really went down to brumate after attempting to do so for a few days, I thought "hey, he's finally done with brumation and now we're gonna do all the cool stuff together that's for "big dragons", buddy". Oops...
I also think them being away for their brumation shows us really how precious their life is. He's gone for a while, he'll come back, but makes me so much more clear the inevitable thing that we all knew when we chose a pet as a family member but of course don't like to think about much: One day, they really will be gone. One day, he really will be gone and dead.
And this is why once he's back moments with him will be even more precious.

So true. I think lots of people are under the perception that reptiles are cold and impersonal, but to be honest, I've bonded more with Mirage than any other animal I've had. If I had the choice between a beardie and a dog I would, hands down, choose the beardie. Every. Single. Time. They have so much personality and want to be loved and can love just as much as any other animal. Thats why when people seem suprised that I have a bearded dragon, I tell them just how truly wonderful they are. (For some context, my family recently told me that when they look at me they imagine me as a "Fluffy animal person" Whatever that means lol )

I love my little guy and I can't imagine the day that he won't be around anymore. He truly is a sweetheart and a goofball. I must admit that when we chose to rescue him, I wasn't aware of just how personable and interesting these animals are. I'm glad I found out. I love my birds, but my scalebaby will always come first

Here's a couple photo's of my little guy! (Yes, I know in one of the photo's his beard is black. That was taken a little while after getting him. He was still getting settled. He's much happier now, no black beard!)

 

[ChileanTaco]

I had many pets during the last decades, and among them I can say I bond with my Taco equally well than I did with my bird. (I had other pets where there is really no or not much interaction, like insects or hermit crabs, but "even" they meant a lot to me.)
Yes, often people have this misconception. It's strange why - emotions for sure have evolved before higher forms of intelligence have evolved, because emotions are what helps to survive: feeling secure vs. feeling stressed, emotions that reward you for doing something, and emotions that guide you when learning (the "should I dare?" situations).
And also that an animal doesn't "know" such as raising their young, or forming a hunting pack, or bonding as a couple that stays together beyond breeding - as it's just not within how this species lives - does not mean they don't have emotions or feelings.
Anybody of us, I think, can see them happy or stressed, surprised, curious.... these are emotions that guide them. They're coming from a harsh environment, they would not survive just having "hard-wired" reflexes or such.
And I think that how well they can adapt to us shows that they are beings with emotions, with the ability to learn a lot, with curiosity and intelligence. Just think of: They're animals who are not raised by a parent, who don't live as a couple or in groups - but still learn to understand that a human is trustworthy. That's a big thing; for many mammals, and for birds, it's easier, e.g. "adopting" their human as something similar to a parent, a pack leader, a "boyfriend"/"girlfriend".

 

[IAmAMirage]

I had many pets during the last decades, and among them I can say I bond with my Taco equally well than I did with my bird. (I had other pets where there is really no or not much interaction, like insects or hermit crabs, but "even" they meant a lot to me.)
Yes, often people have this misconception. It's strange why - emotions for sure have evolved before higher forms of intelligence have evolved, because emotions are what helps to survive: feeling secure vs. feeling stressed, emotions that reward you for doing something, and emotions that guide you when learning (the "should I dare?" situations).
And also that an animal doesn't "know" such as raising their young, or forming a hunting pack, or bonding as a couple that stays together beyond breeding - as it's just not within how this species lives - does not mean they don't have emotions or feelings.
Anybody of us, I think, can see them happy or stressed, surprised, curious.... these are emotions that guide them. They're coming from a harsh environment, they would not survive just having "hard-wired" reflexes or such.
And I think that how well they can adapt to us shows that they are beings with emotions, with the ability to learn a lot, with curiosity and intelligence. Just think of: They're animals who are not raised by a parent, who don't live as a couple or in groups - but still learn to understand that a human is trustworthy. That's a big thing; for many mammals, and for birds, it's easier, e.g. "adopting" their human as something similar to a parent, a pack leader, a "boyfriend"/"girlfriend".

Totally! Thanks for the meaningful convo!

 

[Drache613]

Hello,
I agree, up until the last 5 or so years, the general consensus was that reptiles weren't capable of bonding or having much of a personality. We definitely know just how
incorrect that is.
However, if someone has never had one as a family member then that makes it harder to accept until they actually experience it personally.
They are absolutely amazing souls who deserve all of the love that they can receive!

Tracie