Good night Piggy

[staylor]

Piggy is no longer showing any sings of eating(she stopped eating a couple of weeks ago), or moving(no long picks her head up to look around and does not come out of her hide at all now). All she does is sleep, sleep, sleep. If I tap the top of her viv to make her open her eyes she just opens her eyes for a few seconds, gives a major stink eye and goes back to sleep. It makes me nervous for her to be asleep for so long, I am scared she is not going to wake up but its what she needs and wants so I will not try to stop her, not like I could anyway. I am going to miss my baby over the winter but at least I still have Oscar. On the plus side I will only have 1 viv to clean, 1 lizard to feed and bath and it give me more free time.

I asked Chris if he thought she looked like she was dieing and he made a good point. If she were dieing then she would not look so comfortable and cozy in her hide.

 

[Pogie]

Ah Sandra I realy know how you feel.
Im already a nervous wreck and Pogie isnt even brumating. LOL
Its just the mere thought of it happening that gets me on edge. So watch this forum, someday its gonna be ME freaking out.

 

[li]

She will be fine. You can change the amount of time that the lights are on...shorten them. Make sure you offer greens daily...no live food at all. Wake 1-2x a week for a nice soak. Other than that...let her be.

 

[staylor]

I have been shortening her lights for the past month. Even when greens are offered she will not go near them. She just doesn't want to be bothered at all. It kind of works out good since we are going out of town for Thanksgiving and someone else will have to take care of the animals. I don't have to worry about her getting proper care if she is sleeping and will not need any care. I have been playing with the idea of waking her for a soak and don't think I am going to. In the wild they do not eat or soak during the winter. And from what I have gathered the soaking is more of a comfort thing for the keeper rather then the benefit of the lizard.

 

[zebraflavencs]

With mine, once they were down, lights went off... and I haven't disturbed them since.. I watch for them moving around, if I see that, then on go the lights, in goes the salad, and so on...
I remember when my boys went down the first time.. It was a nervous time for me too.. But, I had the great advice from "old hands" and now, this their second brumation.. I just did as before and no worries.. I did however, test all four for parasites.. other than that.. I allowed nature to take it's course...
Breath ladies.. Won't do you any good to get all worked up.
Hope this helps !

 

[staylor]

She just finished a precautionary round of worm treatment about 4-6 weeks before shutting down. Oscar had them so since they eat off the same food sources she was treated too just to be safe. She had great poops prior to all this. I am getting more comfortable with her sleeping but dogs/cats don't do this, if they sleep that much then their sick or dead. New things can be scary.

 

[zebraflavencs]

Sure they are... Unknowns are always cause for hesitancy in most folks.

Sandra.. Key word here... reptiles... everything you understand about mammals is tossed out the window, since reptillian systems tend to be different....

All I am saying, is be calm, watch carefully, make notes and Keep them !
Each brumation, each dragon, each year brings different behaviors and observing and noting will only give you more information, which in turn will offer you more knowledge and less stress....
Hope this helps.