SherlockMommy
Member
- Beardie name(s)
- Sherlock
My bearded dragon is about 10 months old now, which I have done research and this is about the time when they could go into brumation. This is my first beardie/reptile and I need to know if what I have learned is correct and if I am doing everything right.
First I will start with his behavior:
He has never used his hide before. I have one in his enclosure just in case and for the past few days he has decided to spend a lot of his time in there, when most of the time he would bask on his tree limb or on his hammock. He still has an appetite and will eat and poop, but I have realized that he will snuggle up and sleep a little bit more than usual, even if I am holding him for only a minute or so, I will begin to move and he will be dead to the world asleep. He is shedding in a few spots still (he is a growing boy), but that is all I have noticed.
Now, I will get into what I have learned and done so far:
I didn't even think about brumation until I looked up why a beardie could be using a hide all of the sudden. It makes sense that now would be the time since it has gotten colder where we live and he is about the approximate age of 10 months old. They become lethargic and their appetite is supposed to diminish. With all of this in mind, I did not feed him last night (his bugs), but I had already given him his greens that morning. When I got home I gave him a bath, since he was up and walked out of his hide to see me, to help him have a bowel movement so that if he is in brumation, or going to be, I wouldn't have to worry about him having poop in him. In the videos I have watched I have heard that they pick a point to stop feeding their beardie and let them go into brumation. So, I have stopped feeding him since last night. So no more bugs in the evening and no more greens in the morning. I turned on his lights this morning and watched him come out of his hide and bask in his light for a bit, but I won't know if he went back into his hide till later on today.
Questions:
- Does this sound like brumation? His behavior is a bit different than what is usual for him and this is the only thing I can think of.
- Am I doing the right thing by not feeding him in advance? Or should I wait until he gets closer if he isn't close enough to brumation?
- I read that while they are in brumation that you aren't supposed to interact with them, and I understand that. If I see him awake, if he wakes up a bit, can I interact a bit till he falls asleep on me? Or just leave him alone?
- Any tips for a new reptile owner going into the first brumation with their beardie?
Thanks for all the help!
First I will start with his behavior:
He has never used his hide before. I have one in his enclosure just in case and for the past few days he has decided to spend a lot of his time in there, when most of the time he would bask on his tree limb or on his hammock. He still has an appetite and will eat and poop, but I have realized that he will snuggle up and sleep a little bit more than usual, even if I am holding him for only a minute or so, I will begin to move and he will be dead to the world asleep. He is shedding in a few spots still (he is a growing boy), but that is all I have noticed.
Now, I will get into what I have learned and done so far:
I didn't even think about brumation until I looked up why a beardie could be using a hide all of the sudden. It makes sense that now would be the time since it has gotten colder where we live and he is about the approximate age of 10 months old. They become lethargic and their appetite is supposed to diminish. With all of this in mind, I did not feed him last night (his bugs), but I had already given him his greens that morning. When I got home I gave him a bath, since he was up and walked out of his hide to see me, to help him have a bowel movement so that if he is in brumation, or going to be, I wouldn't have to worry about him having poop in him. In the videos I have watched I have heard that they pick a point to stop feeding their beardie and let them go into brumation. So, I have stopped feeding him since last night. So no more bugs in the evening and no more greens in the morning. I turned on his lights this morning and watched him come out of his hide and bask in his light for a bit, but I won't know if he went back into his hide till later on today.
Questions:
- Does this sound like brumation? His behavior is a bit different than what is usual for him and this is the only thing I can think of.
- Am I doing the right thing by not feeding him in advance? Or should I wait until he gets closer if he isn't close enough to brumation?
- I read that while they are in brumation that you aren't supposed to interact with them, and I understand that. If I see him awake, if he wakes up a bit, can I interact a bit till he falls asleep on me? Or just leave him alone?
- Any tips for a new reptile owner going into the first brumation with their beardie?
Thanks for all the help!
