Brumating over 4 months

[Emilia Thuet]

Hi everyone! So my bearded dragon Starbucks is a year and 3 months old and he’s been brumating since October. My vet wasn’t too concerned about it because he was almost a year old and we discuss that I should take him out at least twice a week to feed him, bath him and make sure that he poops. I’ve done that basically up until 2 weeks ago when I’ve decided to just let him be and let him decide when he wants to stop brumating. He hasn’t lost any weight, doesn’t look sick or have mucus coming out anywhere. I’m just concerned because it’s been over 4 months that he’s been brumating and I don’t know why.

 

[Sadie]

Hi everyone! So my bearded dragon Starbucks is a year and 3 months old and he’s been brumating since October. My vet wasn’t too concerned about it because he was almost a year old and we discuss that I should take him out at least twice a week to feed him, bath him and make sure that he poops. I’ve done that basically up until 2 weeks ago when I’ve decided to just let him be and let him decide when he wants to stop brumating. He hasn’t lost any weight, doesn’t look sick or have mucus coming out anywhere. I’m just concerned because it’s been over 4 months that he’s been brumating and I don’t know why.

Dragons should not be brumating over 3 months -- are you using a long tube fixture w/ the correct distance and what are your basking temps? How are you taking them? NO stickons please

 

[Skybug]

What state do you live in emilia? And whats your houses temperature, and do you offer him a che at night? Ive heard from some people in colder climates che’s are a must during the night time, i will say sadie is spot on with he shouldn’t be brumateing anymore (in the wild they can brumate longer (but in captivity brumation is usually cut short by house temp), he should of been waking up by now, its good that you took him out and try to feed him (I personally dont agree with just leaving them , if their eyes are open ill feed my girl otherwise i leave her if i dont see her face)

 

[Emilia Thuet]

I live in Toronto Ontario but our winter hasn’t been that drastic at all this year, not once has it been colder than -20°C. All my beardie are in my bedroom and thanks to their heat lamps my room does stay pretty warm throughout the night and with out heater on my room is always above 70°F. I have the Reptisun T5 10.0 that is 12-14inches, above his basking spot so he has a range, it covers a little over half of his tank. While I did have a prob thermometer it recently broke so I’m getting a new one, I have an infrared one that I use to check his temperatures and his basking spot hovers between 97-99 throughout the day. I put him to bask every morning and he’ll stay there for a bit but at one point or another he’ll go back to his hide. Here is a picture of the majestic a-hole. And out of my 3 lizards he is the only one that has brumated this year.

 

[Emilia Thuet]

Because I have been feeding him throughout his brumation I’m wondering if that is what’s been making him brumate so I’m thinking that maybe I shouldn’t feed him until he’s fully out of it but again I don’t want to starve him

 

[Sadie]

Because I have been feeding him throughout his brumation I’m wondering if that is what’s been making him brumate so I’m thinking that maybe I shouldn’t feed him until he’s fully out of it but again I don’t want to starve him

Oct is too long for brumation- how long is he out for when he comes out to eat? Is he basking afterwards and is he pooping?

 

[Emilia Thuet]

I have his lights on from 9:30am - 930pm he’ll probably be out to bask any where from 4-6 hours and than he goes back to bed. He only poops when I give him a bath so the last time he pooped was a couple of days ago. Healthy solid poop with white urite. Many times when I feed him before he’ll be out for no longer than an hour or he’ll go straight back to his hide

 

[Emilia Thuet]

Mind you he’ll only bask if I take him out of his hide that day. If I don’t he will stay in his hide for the whole day

 

[Skybug]

It has been colder this year in your area but still Very odd since u keep ur house in the 70s : / im stumped as you are,... can u confirm the heat bulbs arnt to old? And you’ve been keeping track of his weight that’s good

 

[Emilia Thuet]

I know he just went back into his tank again after like 3 hours of basking. And he was only a month old last year, his basking bulb is pretty new definitely no older than 3 months, his UVB tube is 4 months old I'm replacing both his and Cleo's in about 2 months. He has gained about 50g actually since October, I check his weight weekly, he's 612g now, (He's a big but healthy boy). and after 3 hours of basking he went back into his hide, which is around 85ºF.