Jcgc745
New member
Is my bearded dragon really going into brumation, or should I keep taking him out of his cave? He’s about six and a half months old, 17 inches long, which I know is large for his age, but the seller stated he was born on July 6, 2024, so I’m going by that. He’s housed in a 120-gallon (4x2x2) tank with soft substrate. His diet mainly consists of arugula with crickets, plus occasional mealworms and superworms. He has plenty of climbing options, a basking spot that ranges from 108°F to 117°F, and UVA/UVB lighting positioned adjacent to the basking area. There’s also a cooler side in the enclosure, but he rarely ventures there, preferring to stay near the basking spot.
He isn’t as active or expressive as other dragons—he doesn’t bob his head or wave and mostly sits still, eats, and doesn’t enjoy being out of his enclosure or handled. When I try to feed him outside the enclosure (to prevent crickets from hiding and dying inside), it takes him a while to start eating, and sometimes he doesn’t eat at all. I live in Florida, and he’s always kept indoors, so I’m unsure how seasonal changes could affect him. While I know outdoor light levels have decreased, I’m not sure if he’s sensing that inside.
Lately, he’s been hiding in his cave for the past week, and I’ve been taking him out to bask and eat, but he seems uninterested in food. He’s not showing any signs of illness—no labored breathing or other concerning symptoms—but I’m unsure if I should let him brumate or continue encouraging him to eat and bask. What should I do in this situation?
He's kinda young for brumating I think? I also don't want this to affect his growth..
He isn’t as active or expressive as other dragons—he doesn’t bob his head or wave and mostly sits still, eats, and doesn’t enjoy being out of his enclosure or handled. When I try to feed him outside the enclosure (to prevent crickets from hiding and dying inside), it takes him a while to start eating, and sometimes he doesn’t eat at all. I live in Florida, and he’s always kept indoors, so I’m unsure how seasonal changes could affect him. While I know outdoor light levels have decreased, I’m not sure if he’s sensing that inside.
Lately, he’s been hiding in his cave for the past week, and I’ve been taking him out to bask and eat, but he seems uninterested in food. He’s not showing any signs of illness—no labored breathing or other concerning symptoms—but I’m unsure if I should let him brumate or continue encouraging him to eat and bask. What should I do in this situation?
He's kinda young for brumating I think? I also don't want this to affect his growth..
