Want to Talk Brumation?

[Mommy of Sunny]

I just figured that this might be a good time to start a brumation discussion.

Sunny was perfectly normal up until about 2 days ago. He started eating a lot less and not even chasing crickets when I put them in. Now, he is napping most of the time. He climbs up on his hammock and just sleeps. He must be sleeping pretty lightly because every time I walk by, he opens his eyes to see what I am doing.

His hammock is under his heat lamp, so the heat does not seem to bother him. But once I shut the heat off, he just stays on the hammock.

I built him a little cave out of part of a cereal box. I cut a whole at either end so he can crawl in and out easily. Will see if he uses it or just stays on the hammock. I did offer him a couple of worms and he did take them.

He also did a smaller poo while I was at work.

So I guess my boy's beardie instinct is kicking in. I read that article posted on the site and got some super information. Really great article. I know she said that most year old beardies don't usually brumate, but Sunny is. He was born in October last year, so technically, this is his 2nd winter.

Feel free to add your comments if you baby is going through a brumation. I would love to hear the different stories and different experiences.

 

[JohnnyPDX]

Funny how your beardie started around Tuesday the 11th because mine did too. My beardie, named Tax, is only 6 months and been in a coma-like state since Tuesday. Everything I've read points to brumation but I think Tax is a bit young for it.

I've tried bathing Tax to see if I could wake him up long enough to feed him but he won't budge. I'm keeping fresh veggies available but I'm worried since he hasn't eaten or pooped for three days.

I check to make sure he's still breathing and he does move around the habitat a little bit. My speedy little hunter has turned into a speed bump...

So I guess I'll just wait it out until he is ready to wake up. If anyone has any recommendations on how to get him to accept a meal worm, I'm all ears.

Here is a video of him in action from just three weeks ago. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cj6qvP5Xls

 

[CeliasMom]

i've had Cecil since Oct 2007, he's probably 16 mos old now and is going into his first brumation. i realized it was happening last week when he wasn't waking me up with his morning viv activity, which i was able to hear from a floor away. It's a lightish napping during the day because like you said, if i come to the viv he does check out what i'm up to. Thankfully, he had eaten PWs and pooped a good bit before going into this state.

i still harrass him and get him out occasionally, and he's his usual self then. Gave him a bath tonight because i didn't want him to get dehydrated since he's not eating much.

It's funny, when i first got him (thought he was a she, hence the name) and read all about brumation i hadn't considered MY beardie doing it. i haven't gotten him silkies or PWs since this started. i'm leary about the fact he'll eat them and then not poop and they'll end up rotting in his digestive tract so i just make sure i always have salad in there and some of the beardie pellets in there. It's quite amazing this brumation, his weight is the same...but he's slowed to a snails pace.

i adore the change of seasons, but am anxious for spring and sitting outside with my cecil

More posts on this thread are appreciated

 

[rshall89]

I started getting these problems too, but back during Hurricane Ike, me and my family left Houston after the Hurricane because we had no power. Went to colorado and I tried setting him up a temporary viv, but it wasnt that nice of a set up and it was really cold up there ever since shes been sleeping alot during the day and I don't see her eat as much as she use to but she still does.

 

[protiemama]

Ahhh, Two threads with Brumation Lamentations. I just posted on Goonie's "No Like Brumation" thread. Check it out. Same conversations. We are missing our once active babies. Love your phrase- my speedy little hunter is now a speed bump.. Be happy it just started for you guys. Bogie has been in and out for several weeks now. He wakes about once a week eats a few worms, gets a loooong bath and falls asleep in his ferret sock. He doesn't even notice the kids playing right beside his viv. I don't know how he sleeps through THAT noise. How long till Spring? Oh BTW, Bogie was 7 months old when he started. So much for only sleeping after 1 yr old. :lol:

Sandy H

 

[jkatzenfutter]

my beardie just started the beginning of brumation a couple of weeks ago. she only takes very short naps throughout the day, so she hasn't slept for the really big sleep yet lol. just curious :if and when she does sleep for the rest of the winter until spring, how can i tell if she's still breathing? i never see her sides move when she's sleeping normally.

 

[Romulous]

Is it normal, or plausible, for a 2 month bd to be brumating? Or should I be worried about the behavior?

 

[jkatzenfutter]

Is it normal, or plausible, for a 2 month bd to be brumating? Or should I be worried about the behavior?

i'm not really sure (someone more experienced in brumation please respond...) but i've read a couple articles on brumation and it said that most babies don't brumate, but it's possible for them to. it's always a good idea to get a fecal done at the vet just to rule out other health issues like parasites. it's really not that expensive and you don't have to set up an appointment or anything. I sent one in on friday and they called me back with the results 20 minutes later (it came back negative). thats how i know that my 15 month old is brumating.

so i wouldn't worry, i would just get a fecal done at the vet. is he/she pooping?

 

[Romulous]

so i wouldn't worry, i would just get a fecal done at the vet. is he/she pooping?

He has pooped once every day since I got him. He just no longer has any preference. He doesn't want to eat, he will go straight to sleep wherever I set him, he no longer cares for the bath, and he isn't really interested in basking. If he was older I would definitely say brumation, and if he was a girl I'd say ovulation. I just know this is very odd behavior for him.

 

[pscaulkins]

Is it normal, or plausible, for a 2 month bd to be brumating? Or should I be worried about the behavior?

No, it's not normal. 2 month olds do not brumate. Sounds like a vet visit is needed. Parasites can cause sleepiness and lack of appetite. I have heard of 6 month olds but I personally wouldn't allow it unless a fecal was ran and clear.

Heck you all are talking about your babies going into brumation when my 2-1/2 y/o female, Magick just woke up from being in brumation since August. She never really slept hard, she would eye us if we walked by and I left her lights on during daylight hours. She was just a lazy, sleepy couch potato. Now she head bobs and has tons of energy.

 

[kayleeamanda]

My LuLu. somebody please help!!!!

My baby girl was born in April 07, got her in July 07 with two others. Active young fellas! In fact, my girl was the fattest of them all! Ahahaha, but anyways she was active and chased crickets. Lately, not so much. The other two are wide awake, on the basking branch hogging the room under the light and she moves from corner to corner sleeping standing up? I dont know either.

I dont know what to do. Left for uni in late august and she was doing this then. I dont even know if shes been eating. I brought her up to uni with me in a secluded tank to see if she was maybe just mad at the other two, but she just lays there literally lifeless and not eating. Hasnt pooped since we got here yesterday and to tell you the truth i dont even know when she last did.

 

[Raine407]

Loki's been acting funny as well. I'm not sure exactly how old he is... the best guesstimate is around 10 months. He's been hanging out under his basking area for the last few weeks and kind of napping off and on. He's still eating normally and will bask after eating, but other than that he's under his basking platform. He just seems kinda cranky and not his usual self. Is he beginning to brumate? The basking area is usually around 109*, and I've tried warmer and cooler temperatures all to no avail. I figured maybe he didn't like the temperatures, but I've tried almost everything and he's still been acting the same.

 

[cindgirl]

well since we are all in the same subject i was wondering if it was o.k to hold Beardie's while they are in that state of brumation ??? thanks in advance !! Cindy

 

[Mommy of Sunny]

I read that great article posted on the home page and it seems like you should let them be. Just taking them out for an occasional bath. But my Sunny is in a "semi-brumation". He sleeps when I am not home, but when I am home, he seems to be very aware and just half asleep. I took him out this weekend to get some sun. He just sat on my chest and relaxed in the sun. Then he sat up on the window sill (see the photo section for a pic). Once I put him back in, he ate some worms, then basked for a bit.

So with Sunny, he seems to be only napping when we are around. When I come home from work, he looks like he has been sleeping all day, never moving.

So I think the answer to that question, taking them out, really depends on how deep they are sleeping. If they only nap and seem to be interested in coming out, I would say yes. But if they are in a deep sleep, I would say leave them alone, only taking them out when they need a bath.

The great article did say that if they ate a meal at any time while in brumation, you need to bathe them within the next few days to make sure they poop out what has not been digested.

If you have not read the article, you really should...I know I keep saying it, but it is great. She has 3 beardies and they all do different things during brumation. It was a big help for me.