Hiding beardie

[VinceG123]

recently my dragon doesn’t do anything but stay in his hide. I’ll take him out so he can bask a little but he’ll just go right back in. He still eats fine. His appetite is still there and his beard or belly isn’t dark or anything. Should I be worried?

 

[Hdrydr31]

recently my dragon doesn’t do anything but stay in his hide. I’ll take him out so he can bask a little but he’ll just go right back in. He still eats fine. His appetite is still there and his beard or belly isn’t dark or anything. Should I be worried?

It is becoming that time of the year that many of our babies are starting to slow down in prep for brumation. Is he pooping normally? When was the last time you had a fecal done on him? What are your temps? When was the last time you changed out your UVB bulbs?

 

[VinceG123]

It is becoming that time of the year that many of our babies are starting to slow down in prep for brumation. Is he pooping normally? When was the last time you had a fecal done on him? What are your temps? When was the last time you changed out your UVB bulbs?

Yes he is pooping normally. I’ve never had a fecal done on him. It’s only been about 5 months since I’ve owned him so I haven’t bought a new UVB bulb. His temps are normal but it does get pretty hot in my house. I put a fan close to his tank because it could reach 90 degrees on the “cool” side. So I keep him hydrated.
The only time I can remember him doing this was maybe the first two months of owning him. He stayed in his hide for a couple of days and would still come out to eat and bask a little. But he hasn’t done it since.

 

[PatsyB]

What kind of UVB? When I used T8 bulbs, I found my dragons got real sluggish 5 months into the bulb. Once I changed it they perked right up.

 

[Honchess]

[]It sounds to me like your dragon wants to bromate. The timing for individual dragons varies. Some go in for brumation once a year, some twice. I've even heard of some that don't brumate at all.
My dragon acts the same way as yours when she is ready 'for her nap.' She brumates twice a year, once around Christmas and again in April or May. I can tell when it is coming on because she does the same thing yours is doing--hangs out in her hidey, comes out to eat and look around for a while, then goes back in. Finally she just doesn't come out for six to eight weeks.
I've seen varying opinions about hydration and food during brumation; some say wake your dragon up for a soak and something to eat. others say don't do that, it lengthens the brumation. I've found that simply letting her 'sleep' works best for my General. This last brumation lasted from April first through to the first few days of August. I became so worried that I did remove her for a soak and offered a few super worms. She very politely ate the worms before crawling back in her hidey hole and didn't come out for another five weeks! I was frantic!!
At any rate, it sounds as though she wants to bromate. If she has been eating well and she has had her soaks, let her 'take her nap.'