ManekiNeko
New member
Hey all, I'm not entirely sure what's going on with my beardie, Doll. She has been sleeping pretty much constantly and has completely stopped eating for the last week and a half. I have been continuing to offer her greens and soaking her regularly (she wakes up very briefly to drink). I've done some research and found that brumation (or rather, aestivation) is not totally uncommon mid summer.
But I'm concerned because in the time that I've had her, she hasn't ever really gone into brumation and she looks like she's lost some weight. I've felt her stomach quite a bit and it seems completely empty; no signs of impaction or egg bound. She does "puff up" a bit after her soaking, but a few hours after taking her out she starts to look kind of dehydrated again. She is also looking a little pale. I would have loved to have gotten a fecal sample from her, but since I pretty much woke up to her suddenly being like this and she's never done it before, it wasn't exactly expected and since she isn't eating, she isn't pooping. She has "peed" here and there in her tank a few times since this started. I also don't know what she weighed before this started; she's always been very active and healthy.
Some background on Doll...
I was told that she was around 4 years old when I rescued her and I have had her for about 2.5 years. I'm not exactly sure how old she is as the people who had her before did not care for her properly at all, so I wouldn't be surprised if they actually had no idea. When she does eat, she gets live crickets every other day and a salad every day. I try to soak her 2-3 times a week. Her UVB and basking bulbs are both zoo med brand, both recently purchased; warm side is around 106, cool side around 78. She has reptile carpet substrate and a 55 gallon tank.
So I guess what I'm asking is, does this sound like summer brumation or does it sound like she's older than I thought and her age is getting to her?
I'm prepared for the worst, hoping for the best.
Thanks in advance.
But I'm concerned because in the time that I've had her, she hasn't ever really gone into brumation and she looks like she's lost some weight. I've felt her stomach quite a bit and it seems completely empty; no signs of impaction or egg bound. She does "puff up" a bit after her soaking, but a few hours after taking her out she starts to look kind of dehydrated again. She is also looking a little pale. I would have loved to have gotten a fecal sample from her, but since I pretty much woke up to her suddenly being like this and she's never done it before, it wasn't exactly expected and since she isn't eating, she isn't pooping. She has "peed" here and there in her tank a few times since this started. I also don't know what she weighed before this started; she's always been very active and healthy.
Some background on Doll...
I was told that she was around 4 years old when I rescued her and I have had her for about 2.5 years. I'm not exactly sure how old she is as the people who had her before did not care for her properly at all, so I wouldn't be surprised if they actually had no idea. When she does eat, she gets live crickets every other day and a salad every day. I try to soak her 2-3 times a week. Her UVB and basking bulbs are both zoo med brand, both recently purchased; warm side is around 106, cool side around 78. She has reptile carpet substrate and a 55 gallon tank.
So I guess what I'm asking is, does this sound like summer brumation or does it sound like she's older than I thought and her age is getting to her?
I'm prepared for the worst, hoping for the best.
Thanks in advance.