When does brumation start, and how should I treat my bearded dragon during brumation ?

[Bearded dragon lover]

I have heard that brumnation for beaded dragons is typically fro may-aguest, but does the vary from dragon to dragon? I was thinking of taking him out during the warm months of summer and letting him walk outside in the sun, but should I even do that know since that's the time they are brumating?

 

[ChileanTaco]

Brumation is typically somewhat in fall, winter (to avoid times of lower temperatures, less daylight), but can vary from dragon to dragon.

My dragon starts brumation in early fall (which is right now for us, as we live on the Southern hemisphere).
During brumation, I just leave my dragon alone. I also do not "put" him into brumation - he does it on his own. Generally, I take my dragon out of his enclosure when he's active and wants out; regardless whether it's brumation or not, I don't grab my dragon and take him out, but only take him out if he actively approaches me when I reach in. (Emergencies would be a different situation, of course.)
My dragon is currently brumating.

 

[Bearded dragon lover]

I live in texas. And he was also raised and purchased in texas so when do you think he would brumate based off of that?

 

[ChileanTaco]

Fall or winter, likely. This is why I didn't mention months explicitly but seasons.
Take him out during summer, that's great I take out my dragon (on the balcony, secured with harness and leash) very often during summer.

(My dragon was raised and purchased in Chile.)

 

[AHBD]

I live in texas. And he was also raised and purchased in texas so when do you think he would brumate based off of that?

Just wanted to mention that if you read that they brumate from May to August, that was probably written about wild dragons in Australia where that would be their " fall -winter " [ not real winter like we get in the U.S ] but it's their much cooler weather season during those months. So it's opposite here, our colder months are in the October to February or March season [ depending on what state you live in.]

 

[ChileanTaco]

@AHBD Exactly, like it's the cooler season here right now where we live in Chile. ("Cooler" as of: It's not crazily hot anymore, but during winter it stays as warm and sunny as summers are in many other places.)

 

[Bearded dragon lover]

I don't know it seems like he been brumnating for the past 1 month. Hes real chill and has not eating anywhere close to the amount of worms he used to eat.

 

[ChileanTaco]

How is he behaving?
I currently keep a "diary" of my dragon's second brumation here:

https://www.beardeddragon.org/threads/second-brumation.271265/

Typical is:
Not leaving their cave, not eating. Maybe awake a bit during day, might come out a bit but not fully (head poking out of the cave). All this happening despite all conditions are good (temperature, light etc.), and dragon is not sick (no black beard, no behavior that is absolutely alarming).
Generally, my dragon behaves "happy" (= nice bright colors, alert in the morning), but does not come out, is not eating, and sleeps a lot more.

 

[Bearded dragon lover]

One thing that I have found very very very weird is that when the lights turn off he refuses to move and he just falls asleep there. Before he used to be basking, and than lights turn off and he walks down and goes into his favorite sleeping spot under and log in completely darkness or near it but now I just find him closed eyes sleeping in the same spot he was basking