Less active... Brumation maybe?

[Valentino]

Hey guys! So since my last post Ilona has been doing great! She has been eating very well! I give her a bowl of salad in the Morning, she munches in her crickets throughout the day, and I get her a pinch of super worms as a treat every night! The only thing is that I have notice that she is spending most of her time in the colder section of the tank. I was away all weekend, but my siblings tell me she hasn't eaten much all weekend, just chilling and sleeping over on the cooler side of the tank.

I live in the US, Delaware, and honestly have no idea what time of the year Dragons usually go into brumation. Could this be her time of the month to sleep and all?

She is a little over 2 years old, her basking spot is at 95 and the cool spot it's roughly around 65, and that's where she has been spending most of her time.

Should I wake her up periodically to feed or and keep her active or just leave her be? I'm not worried, just trying to figure out what I should do and learn from you guys when they usually brumate and all.

Thanks for your help guys!

 

[Kayla]

My beardie is doing almost the same thing but I'm in the UK, she's been eating and pooping fine and all the temps are right but she's just sleeping in her hide for most of the day
I woke her up yesterday and she had about 20 crickets, 3 locusts and a bowl of rocket which is what she usually eats, so I'm not worried but I don't know if I should wake her up everyday and feed her or just let her sleep

 

[Augie]

Let them do their thing. Mine officially went into brumation almost 2 weeks ago, but she was acting the way yours are before that. I wake her up once or twice a week to bathe her. She wakes up, but some don't (you should till bathe them, but keep their head above water). Read up on care sheets for brumating dragons and ask questions in this forum. I don't know all the answers on this topic, still learning like you both.

 

[Valentino]

Awesome! Yes I will! Thank you guys!

 

[Kayla]

Let them do their thing. Mine officially went into brumation almost 2 weeks ago, but she was acting the way yours are before that. I wake her up once or twice a week to bathe her. She wakes up, but some don't (you should till bathe them, but keep their head above water). Read up on care sheets for brumating dragons and ask questions in this forum. I don't know all the answers on this topic, still learning like you both.

Thank you it's put my mind at rest knowing other beardies are doing the same thing

 

[Valentino]

Yeah so after doing a bunch of reading up, I've discovered that about 50% of people like to wake them up and bathe them and let them eat, while about the other 50% like to let them be, and both ways are fine! It's really up to the owners preference!

When they start their brumation process their metabolism slows down so they can go the few weeks to months (however long their sleep cycle lasts) without losing weight! So they do not need to wake up and eat, but if they do, or you wake them up, make sure their basking like is set up so they can properly digest the food under the heat!

 

[Valentino]

So like I said, both ways are ok, the only thing about waking them up to feed or bathe them that I read is it can lengthen their brumation cycle. So for example, let's say your dragon's brumation cycle usually lasts 2-3 weeks, by waking them up, their body will then want to compensate for that time and push the cycle to 4-5 weeks of sleeping.

So other than that one thing, if you are ok with that and feel more comfortable waking them up that is fine, as well as letting them be!

If you decide to let them be, I read that it is good to drop a few drops of water on the tip of the dragons nose for it to lick up and that helps keep him/her hydrated!

 

[Kayla]

Thank you I have one slight problem though, in the whole six months that I've had Haze I've never once seen her drink, yet she is always hydrated and never gets sick!
So now she's going into brumation, should this be a concern?
I don't know if she drinks from the leaves when I spray or if she just drinks when I'm not looking haha

 

[Valentino]

Mine is the same way! She doesn't drink during her baths, nor from the water bowl she has.

I'm pretty sure that's ok as long as they get their greens every day, they can hydrate off of them!

With her going into brumation she won't be eating the plants so at least try to wet her nose. She may lick it off and she may not, at least your doing everything u can to help her out!

 

[Augie]

Dragons can drink through their vents in water; they don't just take it in through their mouths so they may be "drinking" more than you think. I have only witnessed mine drinking from her mouth in a bath once, after I skipped a few weeks bathing her.

In regards to brumation, I too am concerned with her hydration so I wake her once a week and bathe/feed her as I stated above.

 

[Valentino]

Ok thanks Augie! I think I will do the same! It's been about a week and I've kinda just let her be, let her do her thing but I think I may bathe her still.

She has been doing fine I think. Not much movement but every now and then I'll catch her with her eyes open just kinda looking around then back to her naps lol.

 

[Kayla]

After being asleep for about 8-9 days

straight and only waking her twice for food and water haze has finally emerged from her slumber! I thought she was just coming out for some food and water but she hasn't gone back to sleep all night and is full of energy today
Could she brumate for that short period of time?
I'm a bit confused now haha but here she is looking perky as ever right now while I'm sitting here writing this haha

 

[Valentino]

Hey! So I just got done bathing Ilona and fed her a good 15-20 meal worms! She was going to town loving those! I put her back in her tank cause I have some stuff to do around the house but as of right now she is staying in her basking spot looking very content, rather than going back to her brumation area!

Like you said, I'm not sure if she was actually brumating or if she was cold or what was going on for the last 2 weeks but Ilona is doing great now!