Ifrit trying to brumate? Help me understand

[Beardednoob]

Okay so yesterday and today Ifrit has chosen to go into the corner of his enclosure. I go and check on him, he is awake but, his eyes look like no one is home, lol I freak out and grab him up, then he looks at me like "what is the matter with you?....HUH, I asked you a question answer me!". So I place him back and in the matter of 5 minutes he is back in the corner again looking the same. I have read though the brumation article but, I am not sure I understand it. It just isn't clear to me. Can anyone help me to understand this better and help me make a determination as to his behavior?

He is ~1 year old, otherwise healthy, this didn't start until I got his new basking platform (washed and sanitized before BTW).

Hard to see but, his eyes are open, when I opened the enclosure to get the second 2 pictures he did his "gettin cozy" wiggle. LOL

This cannot be comfortable. :shock:

 

[Goonie]

From what I can see, Ifrit is getting ready for brumation. I think the placement of the new basking ramp gave him the perfect hiding spot.
Is he still eating/pooping? Or had that gone down as well?

Pookie first started brumating at around this time 2 years ago, even though the temps hadn't gone down that much.

 

[Beardednoob]

From what I can see, Ifrit is getting ready for brumation. I think the placement of the new basking ramp gave him the perfect hiding spot.
Is he still eating/pooping? Or had that gone down as well?

Pookie first started brumating at around this time 2 years ago, even though the temps hadn't gone down that much.

He is still eating some not as much as he had just a couple of days ago, he pooped yesterday but, his pooping schedule is confusing to me as well as it fluctuates but, always has since he hit about 6-7 months old. I moved the basking ramp out just a few inches so if this is where he wants to brumate then it should be somewhat more comfortable. Being ~1 years old, should I let him brumate? Decrease his temperatures? I need a light timer LOL :shock:

 

[upscaledragons]

I am still perplexed by the whole brumation thing also.. however my older 2 seem to be doing the same thing. They both put themselves to bed now at 5 instead of 7 when their lights go out... Will be adjusting my light schedule within the next week.

 

[Jess]

Dudley started brumating... It's that dreaded time of the year! Ifrit is a big boy, so he should be fine. Once they decide that they need to brumate, there isn't much you can do to change their minds.

You should get him tested for parasites next time he poops (If you haven't recently), because you don't want him to brumate if he has them. And you can shut off all the lights, but I like to leave a basking light or a CHE on just incase they want to wake up and bask.

 

[Beardednoob]

It is worrisome still as I don't know the ins and outs yet. Never gone through this before :?
This makes 2 fecals I need done now, lol
I wish I could find that website I post some time back where you mail it in and they give you the results through email. That brings a question, how do you treat a brumating dragon for parasites? I do not think he has anything but, it just came to mind.

 

[Gail]

I wouldn't turn off his lights as long as he is still eating and has his eyes open. Once he stops eating and you get a final poo, then you can turn the lights off. I too usually keep a lower watt heat bulb on just in case but if he is deep asleep then you can cover him with a towel and shut off the UVB.

 

[Goonie]

If his poop comes back positive for parasites and have to take meds, then you shouldn't allow him to brumate. His system will start to shut down and won't be able to fight off the parasites as effective as if he's awake and active.
However, if the fecal comes back clean, then let him sleep away.

I had never turned off the UV nor CHE during brumation. Pookie always found ways to hide himself if he wanted complete darkness. The only change I make is the length of time the lights are on (approximately 10 on 14 off).

 

[catUK]

Oh dear, this post has made me think about my beardie- she has been sitting or hiding in cool side for a couple of weeks now and being as still as a statue. Beardednoob, like you i am worried, almost terrified about brumation :shock: . Good luck to you if it is this :? :?

 

[AHBD]

I hope this helps you to feel better....I have brumated dragons for 15 years, and never had a problem, and never lost one. Brumation is completely natural [ I know you know that ] and dragons are generally very hardy. I mostly brumate mine with no lights on [ unless they are young , but I don't leave any UVB on because in the wild they would be tucked out of sight of UVB, hidden in a cave ] I like the temps. around 60F ,no more than 70 , and if you are fearful of keeping an eye lest there be a problem, you can just check to see if the dragon is fast asleep / awake, open mouth breathing, etc. Your dragons will be fine if they are healthy, and they will also be fine without parasite treatments if they are in good health and decent weight. My dragons don;t eat or drink for an average 3 months....and they come out with minimal weight loss. Cool temps keep the metabolism low. In the wild they would not eat or drink during brumation either. Some people are afraid so they bring them out every week or so to drink or offer food but this is unnecessary. They really shouldn't be disturbed.That's the whole reason why it's advised not to feed them for 5-6 days before, or give them the " last of the season" bath, so they are empty going in to brumation. You can offer water maybe every 10 days or so if the dragon is awake, just use an eyedropper to see if they are even interested in it by dripping some on the snout. If you see a " do not disturb, dragon sleeping " sign, just leave them be. [ LOL ] That way has been successful for me. So, don't worry too much !

 

[Jess]

Ok, so no offering food or water? I did that last year LOL, but I was debating on whether or not I should give Dud food or water this year.

 

[AHBD]

Well Jess, as far as water, I would say yes if the dragon appears awake for parts of the time. I should add that there are a variety of methods that work, and if you take in to account that some beardies " go to sleep" in late summer/ early fall, when the house is still warm, and other factors [ a house with no basement where the beardie could be kept cooler] or a home where the night temps. don't go below 68 - 70, a dragon may brumate differently, perhaps maybe not even fully sleeping the entire time like they usually do at the 60 - 70 F. So, some dragons may be more alert and their metabolism would be higher because of the higher temp., but a cooler temp. is better for them to induce a sleeping state. I also wanted to clarify that when I wrote not to treat for parasites, I meant that if your healthy dragon is already sleeping , don't bother to disrupt him just to try to get a stool sample to check him out, just let him be. So the other posters mentioned what they do, and those methods seem to work well for them. Also, while they can brumate as long as 5 months, I generally wake mine at 3 because they don't really need to sleep that long, and I feel better seeing them back to normal activities. All in all, there's no need to be alarmed, just be ready to miss your dragon for a while while they take their long siesta. But you probably did a good job with Dudley, he's a fine looking dragon and you are a great and knowledgeable owner.

 

[MissT]

Michael, I am totally stressing about brumation - Im fighting a losing battle with Huff - but, unlike Ifrit, Huff isnt exactly healthy and cant afford to drop any weight! I dont think im going to be able to stop him tho

 

[Jess]

@AHBD: Dudley has already gone down for brumation, and I just need him to poop one more time because I fed him a couple roaches a little over a week ago. But I've just been letting him sleep otherwise.
Since Dud is in my room, the temps are usually around 75-80*F right now but it's around 70*F in the winter. He did brumate for 5 months last year, but I think it was because I disturbed him so much! So I'm bothering him as little as possible this time to see if it makes a difference in how long he sleep.
It was the first time I had a beardie brumate last year, so I was really paranoid about it.

Awe, thanks!

Sorry for hijacking your thread Michael.

 

[coastergirl946]

I personally will never feel stupid about asking brumation questions. Curt was suffering from calcium sand impaction complications at the same time that beardies normally brumate. We tried so hard.. vet visits, total change in husbandry so his temps/lights/food/substrate/baths were all perfect.. yet his health was too far gone by that point, he was in excruciating pain every time he went to the bathroom, and we ended up losing him. He died an absolutely unfair death by choking on food he could no longer digest.. he was only 3. He was a good little boy, loved his cuddle/explore time, and never bit anyone. I miss him.

Ask away, even if you think it's a stupid question. That question may save your dragon's life.