Walking Weird Brumation

[clyde612]

So first of all Clyde has been brumating since mid-september. Quite a long time. I get him up a 3-4 times a month to give him water and heat him up a little bit on a heating pad (he ate before going down so I do this to make sure his digestive system keeps processing whatever is in there). Unfortunately right before he went down I was worried about him (I didn’t expect pre-brumation behavior in July/August) and took him to the vet several times. They were unable to locate an issue except that his white blood cell level were a tiny bit high. They recommend antibiotics and since his lethargy was frightening me I agreed. After 2 injections I stopped. They were supposed to be every 3 days and I think he was supposed to have about 10 doses. I couldn’t get the syringe or him to cooperate and I was worried about giving my little buddy strong meds when I didn’t even know the issue. Shortly after he began full-time brumation and I realized THAT was the lethargy. He HAS NOT POOPED since he has those antibiotics (they were not oral) which scares me a little. I know his metabolism is super slow right now and even though the antibiotics were only supposed to last 3 days in his system I worry that it was too much given the slow metabolism that the vet didn’t account for.

Long story short I got him out for water and he walked away to go get cozy and go back to sleep. His walking is PRETTY normal, but a little unbalanced and sluggish. Just a little bit. Is it normal for them to walk a bit slow and less coordinated when they’re in the middle of brumation? I have a video but he’s walking pretty normal in it, I didn’t capture the part where he seemed less coordinated.

 

[clyde612]

File was too big for this site. Here it is:

Notice the very last step. When he picks up his back foot. That’s what I noticed more of earlier before I took this video.

 

[KarrieRee]

File was too big for this site. Here it is:

Notice the very last step. When he picks up his back foot. That’s what I noticed more of earlier before I took this video.

6 months is too long for brumation - please turn all his lights on did you and have you been keeping track of his weight? What kind of uvb and how old is the bulb?

 

[clyde612]

It’s been 4 months not 6??

UVB is about 6 month old but it’s the kind that lasts 12 months not 6 (info I got from moderators on this site). That being said I always switch it before 12 months (around 8 months maybe). I have Reptisun T5 10.0 UVB bulbs. His lights go on every day, I lowered the daylight hours for brumation but I’ve started increasing them again. Right now it’s 12 hours of night and 12 of day. I had it down to 11hours of light and 13 hours of night. He has blankets he snuggles underneath so he can brumate properly. Basking light and UVB go on. Last year he brumated for over 4 months as well but during normal winter months.

I should also mention that he is female and had ovaries removed due to Preovulatory Stasis (last may, it went well). I know dragons come out of brumation with lots of hormones and so if anyone has experience with a fixed bearded dragon coming out of brumation let me know. Maybe the lack of ovaries could affect that cycle.

Has not lost any weight, has gained a little (probably from water) though.

500 grams — september 22nd, 2022
502 grams — october 6th, 2022
505 grams — october 16th, 2022
505 grams — november 11th, 2022
507 grams — december 18th, 2022

 

[KarrieRee]

It’s been 4 months not 6??

UVB is about 6 month old but it’s the kind that lasts 12 months not 6 (info I got from moderators on this site). That being said I always switch it before 12 months (around 8 months maybe). I have Reptisun T5 10.0 UVB bulbs. His lights go on every day, I lowered the daylight hours for brumation but I’ve started increasing them again. Right now it’s 12 hours of night and 12 of day. I had it down to 11hours of light and 13 hours of night. He has blankets he snuggles underneath so he can brumate properly. Basking light and UVB go on. Last year he brumated for over 4 months as well but during normal winter months.

I should also mention that he is female and had ovaries removed due to Preovulatory Stasis (last may, it went well). I know dragons come out of brumation with lots of hormones and so if anyone has experience with a fixed bearded dragon coming out of brumation let me know. Maybe the lack of ovaries could affect that cycle.

Has not lost any weight, has gained a little (probably from water) though.

500 grams — september 22nd, 2022
502 grams — october 6th, 2022
505 grams — october 16th, 2022
505 grams — november 11th, 2022
507 grams — december 18th, 2022

Ok lets get some others input here @AHBD and @Drache613 - they are better to answer the questions about the fixed dragon and the hormone thing - its good shes not losing any weight but the walking concerns me -

 

[AHBD]

That looks pretty normal for a dragon that just woke from 4 months of sleep. Some of them take a bit longer to become active and even to eat regular meals. Just give her some time and offer small amounts of food, try to keep her awake now . It's good that you increased the light schedule, putting it up to 13 hour will simulate a change of season with a longer day.

 

[clyde612]

try to keep her awake now . It's good that you increased the light schedule, putting it up to 13 hour will simulate a change of season with a longer day.

Okay! I miss him so much so I have no issue waking him up more hahaha. And yes i was going to change the lights to longer but I didn’t want to make it summer too fast (because they wake up in Spring righ?) I’ll probably increase to al least 12.5 for now and keep the ceramic heater on at all times instead of just at night.

By the way temps on cool side don’t drop below 72 at night.

 

[AHBD]

Sounds good !

 

[blue11]

I agree regarding the walking - when my girl wake up from her long burmation a (up
to 5 months sometimes) - things take some time to get back to normal. I always think how I might act or feel or walk after being asleep for that long, and it makes sense. My girl takes about a month to do a full bounce back from brumation now that she’s older … but when she does get back into her swing, it’s full on wild child!

 

[clyde612]

I got Clyde up today and offered some food this time. He went right for it! Now I’m thinking, what does your guys’ “wake up” routine look like and how do you usually tell that your beardie is ready to get up from brumation? This is Clyde’s second brumation and I’m realizing that maybe there is a better way for me to tell. Clyde did not get up on his own at all recently but his interest in food today shows me that maybe he was ready to end brumation.

So what do you guys usually do to tell? I don’t usually offer food in the middle of a brumation cause I don’t want him ingesting food that he can’t digest. (Also, Clyde had eaten without pooping before both brumation and been fine, idk if the “rotting food in stomach” thing is true or not but out of fear of that when I get him up for water I always heat him up with a bath or heated blanket to keep his digestive system going a little). Let me know any tips!

Edit: he fell over a little stepping down onto his net to go bask but was able to climb up the log which is pretty good. hope his little tumble is normal and goes away after he’s been up longer.

 

[AHBD]

One of my guys just wakes up and comes out in the open ready for food + water. Water is always offered first and small meals to follow for the first week and then regular amounts. My other guy wakes up and moves around a bit, drinks some water, then he goes back + forth to sleep mode before finally staying awake and accepting food after a couple of weeks. Your dragon is very hefty and can afford to have a hit + miss appetite, he probably would barely drop any weight if at all even if he doesn't eat his " normal " amount for a while.