Okay to bathe a brumating dragon?

[Luthor]

I am pretty convinced that Dewi is now entering brumation. She has slowly lost her appetite - she did feed last night but is not interested tonight and has been becoming more lethargic. She did a bit of wandering yesterday but today has not moved other than lift her head or open one eye.

I am a bit concerned as, due to her lack of interest, I have kind of let her be this last week - so she has not had a bath and not touched her salads.

Is it okay for me to give her a bath to make sure she is hydrated?

 

[gulfbrzdawn]

Yes, you can bathe her. Once a week during brumation is good. How old is she?
Are you sure it is brumation that is making her lethargic? Have you gone over your set up with anyone?
Not that I am questioning you... just want to be 100% sure this is the reason for her change in behavior. :wink:

 

[Luthor]

Yes, you can bathe her. Once a week during brumation is good. How old is she?
Are you sure it is brumation that is making her lethargic? Have you gone over your set up with anyone?
Not that I am questioning you... just want to be 100% sure this is the reason for her change in behavior. :wink:

Hi

Thanks for your reply.

She is (I think) around 14 months. I was told she was about about 12 months when I got her but I am not wholly convinced. She is now 15 inches long.

I was fairly confident it was brumtion as she has steadily started to eat less and less, and steadily started to move less and less over the last week to 10 days. She has shown no other signs of illness and my set-up is good (I have had plenty of advice here and it is now as good as it can be I feel)

However, as usual with a Beardie it seems, she has decided tonight she is going to start basking with her head up, but one eye closed...just to keep me guessing and worrying. She had no interest in food last night...but has taken a couple of crix tonight. But just will not open her eye...the eye she had problems with early when I got her but had cleared up beautifully with my lighting changes, change of substrate to tile and some antibiotics.

I still don't think she is particularly ill, looking at her. She looks well, is still plump enough and her colour is good. I think it may be her first brumation and as such, she will be getting to grips with what is going on as her metabolism changes no doubt.

I will bathe her tonight as she is awake, and weigh her...I will keep tabs on her weight each week if she continues in this state.

PS. If I picj her up she becomes her usual sprightly self..but wants to get back home ASAP

 

[mccallumpiper]

A lot of times signs of parasites can be similar to brumation signs. You said she has one eye closed what type of bulb are you using? Have you gotten a fecal done recently?

 

[Luthor]

A lot of times signs of parasites can be similar to brumation signs. You said she has one eye closed what type of bulb are you using? Have you gotten a fecal done recently?

She has actually "pepped up" since I posted. I think she was having a few "off" days.

She is now guzzling her veg, but calming it a bit on the crix.

She is pooping okay and it looks normal.

I left her doors open today for a while and she had a mooch outside and a rumble on the couch so I think whatever was ailing her has lifted.

She is coming out to doze on my chest again and likes the fact that I put a cushion in her viv to sleep on when I move her back in.

She's me baby again. Had a few days where she didn't want to know but now me and the wife are back arguing over who she should spend her hour doze before bed on. (Bear in mind my wife couldnt even touch her when I first got her...now she's all " she can go to bed on me if she wants" (read: gimme baby, gimme baby!)

 

[spyder79]

What UV light are you using? The 'looking up" that you mentioned can be a sign of something pretty bad. It is commonly referred to as star gazing which is a reaction to the early onset of MBD where the spine contracts backwards due to the lowered level of used calcium (commonly caused from lack of uv light). Also, even if the bowel movements appear normal you should always get a fecal sample ran on an animal prior to allowing it to go down for brumation.