Brumation: Snacking, but no Poop

[beeneufe]

Hi all, Artemis is rather reluctant to finish brumating, but when I take her out she is starting to snack now. No veggies, just bugs (crickets and supers). She will stay under the lamp, but return to her cave for night and then stay in there the following day unless I take her out myself. I have been bathing her weekly and rubbing her tummy but no poop Temps are good and she doesn't appear sickly or anything.

Is it normal for beardies to not poop during the brumation season? I have heard of food rotting in their stomachs if they brumate with a full stomach so I am a bit worried that she won't go.

 

[Hdrydr31]

When was the last time she pooped? If she's not eating very much she won't poop much or as often.
Izzy is the same she is still partially brumating I take her out from cool hide put her up to bask she will eat really well but not as much as she did before brumation. I bathe her everyday that's where she likes to poop then she basks then goes to sleep come evening. Lately she went from pooping every day to right now every other day..
So I guess it comes down to maybe her body is using up what little she does eat in order to sustain her so she doesn't have really anything to poop??

 

[beeneufe]

Ohh it's been... I can't even remember. I'm guessing over a month now. She didn't eat during brumation, even after baths. Ignored veggies and crickets-- even supers which are her favorite. She is just starting to eat now when I take her out and put her under the lamp. She started eating about 5 days ago, but so far it has not been nearly as much as she usually does (I would guess about 6 crickets and maybe 10 supers?).
Maybe she just hasn't eaten enough yet then? I will take her for a bath tomorrow and maybe tempt her with some supers. This is her first brumation so I am not sure what her 'normal' is for this time of year!

Also, should I be taking her out everyday if she doesn't come out on her own? She started brumating around late November.

 

[Hdrydr31]

Most leave them be except to soak. If they eat they need time in basking, the opportunity to soak and poop.
I'm in a similar situation. This is Izzy's 1st brumation as well, she is just under a year old, she slowed down in Nov then in Dec stopped coming out of cool hide sometimes she would sometimes not... She is awake eyes open under hide. I change it up sometimes I put her up under basking lamp to warm up so she ate (she was not big enough weight wise to fully brumate) so I kept taking her out so she would eat then I let her soak/poop then finish drying off then I let her decide to go back to cool.. If she comes half way out or even fully out but on the cool side I offer bugs she eats so I soak her.. Now that she is big enough I'm letting her decide what she's going to do.. I don't think she will fully brummate until next year. What I started doing in Beg of Dec is I've been weighing her and noting what she's ate, how she's acted so I have something to go by next time it comes around..

If you take a look at my and a few others signature line in the general info we have put together info for people to use as a ref, you will find a section on brumation. This is the typical routine...

 

[Tony McAhren]

Why rush his brumation by taking him out? Won't they want to come out on their own when ready?

 

[Hdrydr31]

Why rush his brumation by taking him out? Won't they want to come out on their own when ready?

When my gal started slowing down she was too young and too small to safely go into brummation. It was advised to keep putting weight on her.. And knowing that it is unsafe to let them sit with food in them I make sure she poops (which for her she will only do in the bath) once out of the bath I make sure she's dry then let her go where she is wanting to go... but she eats quite a bit every day, and the times that she doesn't I let her do what she wants to do. I do know it's rushing her brummation but the next time around she is now in a good position to do whatever on her own.