Semi-brumation? 11month not eating much since Dec.

[Dragonbunny313]

Looking for some ADVICE, please! This is my baby Bagels.

Since Dec 2021, she hasn't really been eating much! Not interested in her Dubia roaches (staple bug), meal worms (treats), OR her greens (collard + mustard), which she used to enjoy! The ONLY thing she seems to go after now are hornworms. She's now eating between 0-8 Dubias (medium sized) a day, but it's almost always 0-3... No greens/veggies at all, except the occasional blueberry or piece of red bell pepper. Sometimes she'll take a few pieces of collards from me...

She went to the vet on 1/6/22, who came back with a clean fecal test (no problems there) and suggested Bagels was slowing down due to the weather. Do we think is is the case?!? What's going on with my Bagels??? Am I overreacting and just need to wait for her to get her appetite back when it warms up in the late spring/summer?

I'll add that she's not active right now, either. Very even tempered (almost never black beards), basks on the hammock or dino-bones, and sits on the top or bottom of her tree under the UVB, but otherwise doesn't move. Semi-brumation???
____________________
Stats and setup below:
Tank: 4x1x2’ with reptile carpet (cleaned every 2 weeks)
Poops: Normal looking
Occurs every 1.5-2 weeks now that she's not eating much; all poops are done in the bath tub (white stuff on carpet is Ca that falls off her roaches)
Heat: 100W (90-120V) Ceramic Heat Lamp on 24/7
Light: Zoo Med Reptile Basking Spot Lamp 100W on 12 hrs a day
UVB: Reptisun 10.0 UVB HO T5 34” (new in Jan. 2022)
Decor: 10" from UVB at highest point on top of tree
(no mesh/open on top of tank)
Temps: (in F*)
Basking = low 100s
Cool side = high 70s
Warm side = mid 80s
Nighttime = 70s
Age: ~11 months (have had her for ~10 months)
Measurements:
1/5/22: 460 grams
2/26/22: 484 grams (18” long)
3/13/22: 470 grams
Vet/Health:
No history of illness; last vet appointment was 1/6/22
Supplements:
Ca without D3 (2-3x /week)
Ca+ D3 without phosphorus (1x /week)
Herptivite Multivitamin (0-1x /week)
It's been really hard to consistently give her the supplements, as her eating has been so so off.

 

[Sadie]

Looking for some ADVICE, please! This is my baby Bagels.

Since Dec 2021, she hasn't really been eating much! Not interested in her Dubia roaches (staple bug), meal worms (treats), OR her greens (collard + mustard), which she used to enjoy! The ONLY thing she seems to go after now are hornworms. She's now eating between 0-8 Dubias (medium sized) a day, but it's almost always 0-3... No greens/veggies at all, except the occasional blueberry or piece of red bell pepper. Sometimes she'll take a few pieces of collards from me...

She went to the vet on 1/6/22, who came back with a clean fecal test (no problems there) and suggested Bagels was slowing down due to the weather. Do we think is is the case?!? What's going on with my Bagels??? Am I overreacting and just need to wait for her to get her appetite back when it warms up in the late spring/summer?

I'll add that she's not active right now, either. Very even tempered (almost never black beards), basks on the hammock or dino-bones, and sits on the top or bottom of her tree under the UVB, but otherwise doesn't move. Semi-brumation???
____________________
Stats and setup below:
Tank: 4x1x2’ with reptile carpet (cleaned every 2 weeks)
Poops: Normal looking
Occurs every 1.5-2 weeks now that she's not eating much; all poops are done in the bath tub (white stuff on carpet is Ca that falls off her roaches)
Heat: 100W (90-120V) Ceramic Heat Lamp on 24/7
Light: Zoo Med Reptile Basking Spot Lamp 100W on 12 hrs a day
UVB: Reptisun 10.0 UVB HO T5 34” (new in Jan. 2022)
Decor: 10" from UVB at highest point on top of tree
(no mesh/open on top of tank)
Temps: (in F*)
Basking = low 100s
Cool side = high 70s
Warm side = mid 80s
Nighttime = 70s
Age: ~11 months (have had her for ~10 months)
Measurements:
1/5/22: 460 grams
2/26/22: 484 grams (18” long)
3/13/22: 470 grams
Vet/Health:
No history of illness; last vet appointment was 1/6/22
Supplements:
Ca without D3 (2-3x /week)
Ca+ D3 without phosphorus (1x /week)
Herptivite Multivitamin (0-1x /week)
It's been really hard to consistently give her the supplements, as her eating has been so so off.

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She looks good -- the only thing I see at this time is where are your gauges for temps? If your using only a IR gun I recommend getting 2 digital probe thermometers one on the basking side and one on the cool side IR guns are no good for getting surface basking temps off of hammocks - and the probes are the most accurate for temps- I also recommend getting her a hide -- oops I just spotted a stick on for temps -- they are only good for ambient temps which you need for night time temps-- 65-75 -- is she basking under the UVB ? where is she sitting when she does?

 

[Dragonbunny313]

She looks good -- the only thing I see at this time is where are your gauges for temps? If your using only a IR gun I recommend getting 2 digital probe thermometers one on the basking side and one on the cool side IR guns are no good for getting surface basking temps off of hammocks - and the probes are the most accurate for temps- I also recommend getting her a hide -- oops I just spotted a stick on for temps -- they are only good for ambient temps which you need for night time temps-- 65-75 -- is she basking under the UVB ? where is she sitting when she does?

Hi Sadie! I have a stick/probe one (shown stuck to the glass by the hammock) that I use periodically to check temps every week, as well as an ambient home thermometer (the kind you put on your wall that shows temp and humidity) that I forgot to put back in her tank after wiping it down earlier that day.

She basks (little mouth open basking face) both on the hammock and dino-bones.

The UVB stretches 34"... almost to the hammock. She likes to also climb the tree and will hang out there directly under the UVB, in addition to the base of the tree which is a bit more hidden. She's never once been interested in a hide and is not a fan of anything over her head, but will put up with a blanket, towel, etc. on her body for a short time. I used to have two different hides in her tank in the past, but she didn't like to use them ever. And she does fit in the hole of the tree-trunk (also a hide), but never goes in there, either.

 

[Sadie]

Hi Sadie! I have a stick/probe one (shown stuck to the glass by the hammock) that I use periodically to check temps every week, as well as an ambient home thermometer (the kind you put on your wall that shows temp and humidity) that I forgot to put back in her tank after wiping it down earlier that day.

She basks (little mouth open basking face) both on the hammock and dino-bones.

The UVB stretches 34"... almost to the hammock. She likes to also climb the tree and will hang out there directly under the UVB, in addition to the base of the tree which is a bit more hidden. She's never once been interested in a hide and is not a fan of anything over her head, but will put up with a blanket, towel, etc. on her body for a short time. I used to have two different hides in her tank in the past, but she didn't like to use them ever. And she does fit in the hole of the tree-trunk (also a hide), but never goes in there, either.

Well it sounds like all is good then --- so its her just slowing down then - they do go thru a period of that and as long as your basking temps and UVB has been ruled out then its the weather and her - those things the lighting and temp can cause a brumation type behavior that is why those questions are asked -- make sure you change your UVB bulb out here before a year --- T 5's are good for a year but I always recommend they are changed out a month prior too-

 

[Dragonbunny313]

Well it sounds like all is good then --- so its her just slowing down then - they do go thru a period of that and as long as your basking temps and UVB has been ruled out then its the weather and her - those things the lighting and temp can cause a brumation type behavior that is why those questions are asked -- make sure you change your UVB bulb out here before a year --- T 5's are good for a year but I always recommend they are changed out a month prior too-

She's my first bearded dragon, and we got her in June. We tried to keep her out of "real" brumation since she's so young still, so we kept the tank nice and toasty with an hour of extra light this past winter... I wasn't expecting her to go into like a "semi-brumation"/slow down phase with the steps we took.

We change the UVB every 6-ish months and keep an eye on temps all the time, so I'm fairly confident those aren't a problem. Thank you for easing my worries! She's a well-loved dragon, for sure.