Bearded Dragon Brumation

Bearded Dragon Brumation

Postby rico » Thu Mar 07, 2013 2:27 pm

Hi Guys/Gals ,

Spike, my beadie , is the first reptile pet I have. I got him at 2 months , he is now 11 moths old.
He is healthy (outside appearance) and seems totally comfortable in his viv (1.2m X 600 X 600 , 31-35 deg on basking spot and 26-28 deg on cool side , UVB 10).The thing that is worrying me is that for the last couple of weeks he has been acting up ... he is gone very inactive , doesn't eat as much , is not defecating as often (usually every second day) and I havent seen him basking in a while.
So I guess that my question is , could there be another reason\reasons why he is doing this or is this just his time to brumate ? I am abit concerned as he is not losing alot of weight (he has lost some tho , especially from his tail which i gather is his fat reserves) and he is not pooping...and there is food in his gut (he eats some veg , superworms and roaches when I hand feed him on occasional mornings). He doesn't show signs of impactation , he gets a bath every week aswell. He is also always behind his hide, its cool there aswell because of the shade. Below is a pic of him (after he did a display , was abit too late). Any help would be appreciated.

IMAG0235_.jpg
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
User avatar
rico
SA Reptiles Member
 
Posts: 19
Joined: Wed Jul 11, 2012 1:10 pm
Location: Sandton , Gauteng

Re: Bearded Dragon Brumation

Postby NewtTZ » Thu Mar 07, 2013 5:13 pm

Too hot to be brumating and wrong time of year.

As your beardie is hiding in the cool area turn your heaters off as beardies can get too hot as well as too cold.

Hand feed your beardie this will ensure it eats.

Bearded dragons are not very active lizards and get lethargic as they get older especially if overfed.

If all else fails take your beardie to a reptile vet.
Tim's Reptile Supplies
www.timsreptiles.co.za
NewtTZ
SA Reptiles Member
 
Posts: 78
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2012 5:55 pm

Re: Bearded Dragon Brumation

Postby rico » Fri Mar 08, 2013 9:35 am

Hi NewTZ ,

Thanks for your responce.
Good news is he pooped last night and alot too. So I'm happy about that.
I have changed the light bulb to a 40w , temps have dropped a few degrees. I also read somewhere (internet) that a bearded dragon can brumate at any time of the year , obviously depending on location as well as breeding line.
He is also not too fat , a vet passed him as a very good specimen so over feeding is kinda ruled out.
He also eats regardless if I hand feed him but not as much as a few weeks ago... so anyway , gona see if dropping the temps will make a difference.

Thanks again.
User avatar
rico
SA Reptiles Member
 
Posts: 19
Joined: Wed Jul 11, 2012 1:10 pm
Location: Sandton , Gauteng

Re: Bearded Dragon Brumation

Postby rico » Tue Mar 12, 2013 9:46 am

Hi ,

I have changed the basking lamp to a 40W (Previously a 60W). The basking spot temp has dropped to 28-30 Deg C and cool side to 20-22 Deg C , this has made no significant change to behavior. The vet passed Spike as healthy and in good condition. He also suggested that because he was born early in the year , this could be a brumation time for him. I will wait for winter to come around and see what happens. Also it is too early to determine if it is Spikes brumation period, have to wait for next year and see if he does the same thing.

So I guess theres nothing else I can do but wait and see what happens. To other people that is experiencing this , I guess the best thing to do is get your pet to a vet and have him checked out before doing anything drastic.
User avatar
rico
SA Reptiles Member
 
Posts: 19
Joined: Wed Jul 11, 2012 1:10 pm
Location: Sandton , Gauteng

Re: Bearded Dragon Brumation

Postby rico » Fri Apr 05, 2013 9:58 am

Hi ,

It has been a few weeks now since Spike is asleep, 6 to be precise. He is fast asleep.Wakes up (with a fright sometimes) when I open his viv. So a friend of a friend who breeds and keeps bd's says i should let him be , especially when he is sooo fast asleep.His basking light is on 10 hrs a day , no uv and general temp in tank is 21/23 deg C and on his basking spot is 31 deg C. His hide holds heat very well so he is warm during the night. Anyway's this is an update and to others experiencing this , get your bd checked up before he goes down ,when his into brumation check up weekly (don't disturb everyday) and wait for results. Below is an image of Spike in his hide.

Spike.jpg
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
User avatar
rico
SA Reptiles Member
 
Posts: 19
Joined: Wed Jul 11, 2012 1:10 pm
Location: Sandton , Gauteng

Re: Bearded Dragon Brumation

Postby fredsmith » Mon Apr 08, 2013 2:26 pm

I noticed you said "no uv" in your last post, however your intro post says you've got a 10.0 UVB? Does he spend any of him time in natural sunlight? I've been of the understanding that UV light is a critical factor in keeping most lizards, Bearded Dragons especially.
Without UV, they cannot digest properly and thusly will become lethargic and present with the general symptoms described. Just a thought, I am by no means an expert of any sort, but I'd get him a few hours of natural sunlight and see if there is any change in behavior. Brumation whilst temps are still quite high doesn't seem to sit right with me, it just doesn't seem to be right somehow, perhaps one of the more experienced members could provide more in depth insight?
I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.
- Albert Einstein


Fred Smith
User avatar
fredsmith
SA Reptiles Member
 
Posts: 1671
Joined: Thu May 17, 2007 12:19 pm
Location: Jhb - South Africa

Re: Bearded Dragon Brumation

Postby rico » Tue Apr 09, 2013 12:10 pm

Hi fredsmith ,

Seems to be a mis-understanding , by "no uv" , I mean't that it is switched off.
I dont see the point of having it on because while inside his hide , there is no light , except for the entrance , abit of his tail and the crevice where he is visible in the pic above. The hide is really dark inside.

Also , he spends alot of time in the sun and the uvb tube was tested.
I have also dropped the temps alot (taking into consideration the cold weather recently).
The last time I took him out of his hide (about a month ago), he was in the sun (in direct sunlight , then went into some shade and some more sun again) for a hour or so , ate a few roaches , was active for about 10mins then decided to find the coolest spot in his viv and laze there. It was after this that I let him soak , he de-faecated and I let him go to sleep.

His viv , to me seems 100% . Its clean , the temps were correct (now they changed). Spike has also been to a vet for a general checkup at the start of this debacle and was passed as "healthy and in very good condition". He does'nt seem to have lost weight. He is alert , especially when I check up on him weekly. I don't want to stress him by keep removing him from his hide , so I let him be ...

If other experienced herpers have any info/suggestions/pointers , please do post.

Thanks
User avatar
rico
SA Reptiles Member
 
Posts: 19
Joined: Wed Jul 11, 2012 1:10 pm
Location: Sandton , Gauteng

Re: Bearded Dragon Brumation

Postby rico » Mon Jun 24, 2013 3:50 pm

Hi ,

To the people who is following this or having similar queries regarding BRUMATION !!!... a quick update on Spike .
Ok , so it has been 5 months since Spike is brumating :shock: ... its quite nerve wrecking.
So he awakes atlease once a week ... just to bask abit and a quick chow here and there.
I still leave him to be , I don't disturb him , unless he is up. He eats a few roaches when he is up and some greens .. this is only when I hand feed him.. He looks fine , no visible weight loss , taking into consideration that he ate the same amount as a single feeding session before brumation , during 5 months. He is alert and quite active when he wakes up.

The last few weeks he has been waking up more often than before , but still doesn't eat as much. I guess he is just getting out of it. I don't handle him as much, except to take him out for some sunshine...He a gesture to leave him alone ... he closes his eyes (not sure if anyone has experienced this ? ) , so I give him his space.

Attached is a pic of him ... taken yesterday... he was doing a display (he does them more often , guess he is hitting puberty).

IMAG0598.jpg


Planning to take him to the vet when he awakes this weekend ... just for a general check-up.

But all is well ... and p.s... don't always believe what you read on the internet with regards to Brumation , as I noticed that it is very different across the board ... 'different strokes for different folks' .... I have experienced this first hand.

Tnx
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
User avatar
rico
SA Reptiles Member
 
Posts: 19
Joined: Wed Jul 11, 2012 1:10 pm
Location: Sandton , Gauteng


Return to Bearded dragons (Pogona vitticeps)

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 4 guests

cron