The dragon doesn't want to get warm

[AHBD]

It's not written in stone but it is something that I and others have observed , the reason for not feeding him now is because Foxy has been eating off + on during this phase and if he goes a length of time w/out food now it may give him the appreciation for greens before being offered the insects again.
My dragons have never eaten anything during brumation in the 20 + years I've owned them. They usually sleep solid for 3 months, once in a while 4 but I try to bring them out before then. Again, there's no rule about 3 months being the golden amount for brumation but I don't feel comfortable with older beardies [ my last 2 boys I have are 11 1/2 yrs. old] sleeping so long. The only time I had one sleep longer than 4 months she woke up with an R.I, but then I had her sleeping at 58 degrees with no lights + heat. I also don't let it get that cold for that long. Those are just my observations of how through many years every one of my dragons cruised through a full on brumation . The female that developed the R.I was treated + recovered quickly and went right back to good health.

 

[NickAVD]

It's not written in stone but it is something that I and others have observed , the reason for not feeding him now is because Foxy has been eating off + on during this phase and if he goes a length of time w/out food now it may give him the appreciation for greens before being offered the insects again.
My dragons have never eaten anything during brumation in the 20 + years I've owned them. They usually sleep solid for 3 months, once in a while 4 but I try to bring them out before then. Again, there's no rule about 3 months being the golden amount for brumation but I don't feel comfortable with older beardies [ my last 2 boys I have are 11 1/2 yrs. old] sleeping so long. The only time I had one sleep longer than 4 months she woke up with an R.I, but then I had her sleeping at 58 degrees with no lights + heat. I also don't let it get that cold for that long. Those are just my observations of how through many years every one of my dragons cruised through a full on brumation . The female that developed the R.I was treated + recovered quickly and went right back to good health.

Yes, this is a good opportunity to increase the amount of greens in his diet. In addition, I heard from someone that after brumation their stomach is not quite ready to digest such complex food as bugs, perhaps this also makes sense.
58 degrees is cold enough, I don’t think my house will be colder than 72 in the winter.
20 years! You have a lot of experience, thank you, your advice is very valuable.
I'm still a little worried that Foxy ate 2 dubias 3 weeks ago and didn't go to the toilet, what do you think about this?
What do you usually do in this case? Should I speed up the process in the bathroom or leave everything as is?

 

[AHBD]

You don't have to worry, his metab. is slower as you've noted so the food will eventually pass through. I guess you could say that while these are not magic dragons, they are a still little bit mysterious when it comes to figuring out the exact "recipe" of care.

 

[NickAVD]

Foxy has been in a state of semi-brumation for almost a 1.5 month. Now his daylight schedule is: at 9:00am - I turn on the UVB and heating lamp, he dozes in his hide and periodically looks with half-open eyes. At 1pm-2pm I turn off the UVB, he falls asleep at 4pm and I turn off his heating lamp. I've been following this schedule for about 2 weeks. He himself decided to go to bed at 4pm and I don’t bother him. (Before that, he fell asleep at 5pm-6pm) Once a week I give him water from a pipette. I weigh him every two weeks. The weight remained the same - 500g. What do yo think, how long he needs to brumate, i.e. when should I increase the daylight hours? Another month, or two months? Let me remind you, he has been in this semi-sleepy state since mid-October.

 

[Chris.]

Well I do let daylight hours at my location be the guide for this and just watch his response....

 

[NickAVD]

Well I do let daylight hours at my location be the guide for this and just watch his response....

Are you using uvb and heat lamp? Does Luis sleeps with closed eyes during daylight hours?

 

[Chris.]

The UVB is off at the moment but I heat the tank to 75°F (daytime) with a MVB and an incandescent bulb.

As for the sleeping I wouldn't know. He has a piece of bark in the corner where he diggs under and buries himself. After seven days I take him out to see if he's still there because he has multiple hides and could be in any of them. Usually he's on the cool side somewhere and I give him water and put him on a scale. Usually he stays out a couple of days, eats some greens and basks under the MVB before he buries himself again.

 

[NickAVD]

The UVB is off at the moment but I heat the tank to 75°F (daytime) with a MVB and an incandescent bulb.

As for the sleeping I wouldn't know. He has a piece of bark in the corner where he diggs under and buries himself. After seven days I take him out to see if he's still there because he has multiple hides and could be in any of them. Usually he's on the cool side somewhere and I give him water and put him on a scale. Usually he stays out a couple of days, eats some greens and basks under the MVB before he buries himself again.

I think I have the same temperature in his hide, because in the warm zone it is 79F (95F in the area under the heating lamp).
I studied your solution based on Sonoff USB Zigbee and Smart Home. This is a great idea! In addition, there is a Raspberry pocket computer. I wonder if there are Zigbee dimmers for controlling halogen lamps?

 

[Chris.]

I think I have the same temperature in his hide, because in the warm zone it is 79F (95F in the area under the heating lamp).
I studied your solution based on Sonoff USB Zigbee and Smart Home. This is a great idea! In addition, there is a Raspberry pocket computer. I wonder if there are Zigbee dimmers for controlling halogen lamps?

So he can come out and bask if he decides that he wants to do so, sounds good to me....

There are of course, this is the one I use:
Dimmer switch
Not sure about availability in your area but I'm certain you find some. If you need some more info or something just let me know, I love automating boring stuff and talk about it

 

[NickAVD]

So he can come out and bask if he decides that he wants to do so, sounds good to me....

There are of course, this is the one I use:
Dimmer switch
Not sure about availability in your area but I'm certain you find some. If you need some more info or something just let me know, I love automating boring stuff and talk about it

I read the characteristics of this dimmer. It looks like it is designed only for LED lamps. Or I'm wrong?

 

[NickAVD]

I love automating boring stuff and talk about it

I love it too, besides this is, to some extent, my job

 

[Chris.]

I read the characteristics of this dimmer. It looks like it is designed only for LED lamps. Or I'm wrong?

True but you can use any dimmer with incandescent bulbs, it doesn't matter really. Just for LEDs you need a "special" dimmer but most modern dimmer will be of that kind (cant translate the kind of dimmer in my head right now)

Sounds like we might be working in a similar buisiness.

 

[NickAVD]

True but you can use any dimmer with incandescent bulbs, it doesn't matter really. Just for LEDs you need a "special" dimmer but most modern dimmer will be of that kind (cant translate the kind of dimmer in my head right now)

Sounds like we might be working in a similar buisiness.

I'm understood, thank you! I'll try to find a similar dimmer in local stores, if I can't find it, then I'll order it somewhere that offers international delivery.
I work in telecom and I develop network core components for mobile telecom operators (4G, 5G and 6G), mainly high-load services for Linux. If you need help in this area, I will always be happy to help!

 

[Chris.]

Nice good to know, thank you.
I do (also mostly Linux) administering and networking for control stations in energy supplies (mostly electricity, gas and water).

 

[Chris.]

Are you using uvb and heat lamp? Does Luis sleeps with closed eyes during daylight hours?

So it was time to take him out yesterday and he drank a lot and did not go back in his hide yet. I toot the opportunity to sit by him a little more to watch him and answer your question.
His eyes are mostly open during the day. Like 60-70% of the time. It's like he's awake but blinking often and for a minute straight.
At around 2pm he closes them and only opens them occasionally.