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 Member  Message

 #2082409


Newfgal
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 Brumation

Yep, it’s that time again, lol..I did this post last year and I am glad I saved it. If you guys have any questions afterwards, feel free to ask :)

Since it’s about that time, and a few people are asking why their dragons are wanting to sleep, i decided to make a post about Brumation, or winter shut down...

Once mature, {after one year of age}, Bearded dragons will usually go into a "shut down" period. They will become inactive, hidden in shelters, or laying on the ground and eating very little if at all. If raised indoors, babies hatched out in the summer will not have a shut down period until the following year, {at about 18 months of age}, but at times they may choose to sleep for a very short time, a few days...

During winter shut down, dragons must be kept at cooler temperatures, 60-70f at least, and no higher. If you cannot get to these temps, one thing you could do is place the tank on the floor to achieve cooler temps. Basking lights should be reduced to 75-80f, and left on only 8-10 hours a day, until you can completely shut them all off... Alot of people worry their dragons are getting sick during shut down, but it is quite normal for them to act this way in the winter months. Winter shut down can last from a few weeks to a five months. If a bearded dragon is healthy and paracite free, they will lose little to no weight during this period, and will remain in good condition, and will show no signs of disease, such as sunken eyes, gaping or twitching. One things that should be done befor shut down is to reduce, then eliminate food for the dragon about one week befor the onset of cooler temps. The owner can wait and observe the dragon closely, and then create shut down conditions, as soon as the dragon shows signs of reduction in activity and food intake.

At the end of winter shut down, you will notice a shift in behaviors following the increase in heat and lighting. They will return to normal as soon as they start to bask and eat again...If they wake and refuse to eat, it is quite normal as at times it sometimes takes a few days for them to eat again...

We will miss them dearly while they sleep...

Nancy.



10/10/09  06:34am

 #2082431


Dragongunner
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   Message To: Newfgal   In reference to Message Id: 2082409


 Brumation


Thanks Nancy!! One question...you wrote that at the end of winter shutdown I will notice a shift in behavior following the increase in heat and light....when do I increase heat and light?

Rick
10/10/09  10:31am

 #2082441


Newfgal
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   Message To: Dragongunner   In reference to Message Id: 2082431


 Brumation

As soon as your beardie wakes up and is becomming active again. Although sometimes during Brumation they will wake up and even eat and bask and then shut down again so just watch the behavior of your beardie. My oldest is doing the same thing right now, he shut down for a coupple of weeks, got up for a day or two, and went back down again...He does this a few times during the winter months. His first Brumation he completely shut down for almost 5 months, lol, I would give him water a coupple x a week but he just wanted to sleep :) Very important though, do not let them shut down for long periods of time with food in the belly...

Nancy
10/10/09  11:13am

 #2082458


Beardychick565
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   Message To: Newfgal   In reference to Message Id: 2082441


 Brumation

my baby is about 9 monthes old..will she brumate this year?
10/10/09  11:51am

 #2082463


Newfgal
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   Message To: Beardychick565   In reference to Message Id: 2082458


 Brumation

Yes, it’s quite possible, keep in mind though, some beardies never shut down so I guess you will have to wait and see :)

Nancy
10/10/09  12:10pm

 #2082553


Dragongunner
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   Message To: Newfgal   In reference to Message Id: 2082463


 Brumation

Thanks Nancy....yeah it looks like my girl Chloe’s not going to brumate she is eating,pooping and sleeping just fine. I never had a beardie brumate before, so thanks for the advice.

Rick
10/10/09  06:02pm

 #2082580


Newfgal
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   Message To: Dragongunner   In reference to Message Id: 2082553


 Brumation

Your welcome :)

Nancy
10/10/09  07:06pm

 #2082597


MissAnne2u
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   Message To: Newfgal   In reference to Message Id: 2082580


 Brumation

Nancy,

Thanks for posting this .... My beardies are just about 15 months old, they did NOT Brumate last year as they were way too young.

I don’t really want them to brumate. Is there anyway to stop them from brumating?

Thanks, Anne
10/10/09  07:46pm

 #2082606


Newfgal
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   Message To: MissAnne2u   In reference to Message Id: 2082597


 Brumation

No, there is no way to stop Brumation. If they are shutting down, keeping the heating and lighting on will just put alot of stress on them. It is best to just let nature take it’s course and let them do their thing :)

Your welcome.

Nancy
10/10/09  08:17pm

 #2082735


Deenosmom
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   Message To: Newfgal   In reference to Message Id: 2082606


 Brumation

Lucy hasn’t really done it yet since i got her and shes 4yrs old.Does it matter if they don’t shut down. Oh wait maybe cause it isn’t cold here yet in Flordia.....Michele
10/11/09  10:36am

 #2082739


Newfgal
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   Message To: Deenosmom   In reference to Message Id: 2082735


 Brumation

Yes, as I stated, some beardies never shut down so at 4 years old and never going through Brumation you are lucky, lol...No, it doesn’t matter if they don’t, some breeders will create shut down conditions for their beardies to be mated but the way I see it, a beardie will breed any time so why bother...Mine have no choice with the long and cold winters here way up North :)


Nancy
10/11/09  11:13am

 #2083295


Red Ink AUS
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   Message To: Newfgal   In reference to Message Id: 2082739


 Brumation

just brining it up for everyone :)
10/12/09  10:30pm

 #2083354


Newfgal
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   Message To: Red Ink AUS   In reference to Message Id: 2083295


 Brumation

Bump for Roz :)

Nancy
10/13/09  06:16am

 #2083448


Beardychick565
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   Message To: Newfgal   In reference to Message Id: 2083354


 Brumation

gosh i dont want her to go thru brumation i’ll go crazy i’ll miss her to much lol and im nervous i wont do something right lol
10/13/09  02:35pm

 #2083452


DragonMyr
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   Message To: Newfgal   In reference to Message Id: 2083354


 Brumation

I’m in Pennsylvania and my beardie started trying to brummate in mid-September. He was allowed to sleep in every other day, but was normally woken up and placed under his basking lamp, then taken out of the cage to roam about for exercise. Starting last week he was allowed to sleep multiple days in a row. I was hoping he’d wait until next weekend to start brummating, but he wants to do it now. I can’t blame him...it’s been cold with shorter days. The big move is next weekend so he’ll get disturbed for that no matter what unfortunately.

Question though...is it normal for beardies to be wide awake but just not moving about? Like sometimes Taz sleeps with his head up against the mesh cage. I can peek in on him and see his eye wide open looking at me following what I’m doing. I normally cover him up with his "blankie" (a brown wash cloth). In fact, right now he’s covered like that, but any attempt to uncover him is met with a stare if during the daylight hours. Shouldn’t he be fully asleep, eyes closed?
10/13/09  02:51pm

 #2083550


Newfgal
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   Message To: DragonMyr   In reference to Message Id: 2083452


 Brumation

Thats quite normal. Sometimes with my gang when I check on them, especially Charlie, he will be sitting there in the dark, eyes wide open, lol, so, I turn the lights on for a while to see if he wants to get up for a bit, offer a drink, but he normally just goes back to sleep again so I shut off all his lights again. He always does this at the beginning of Brumation, but once he goes into a "full shut down", he is done, lol...Maybe yours is not not having a full shut down yet, and or maybe he won’t at all.

Nancy :)
10/13/09  05:55pm

 #2083619


Raven Mune
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   Message To: Newfgal   In reference to Message Id: 2083550


 Brumation

I just asked this on MY thread, but...

At what age do they start brumating?
My beardie is about 6-7 weeks old... I’ve noticed he/she has been sleeping more in the last couple days and eating alot less... Do they ever brumate at this age?



10/13/09  08:48pm

 #2083622


Newfgal
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   Message To: Raven Mune   In reference to Message Id: 2083619


 Brumation

No, not that young, it’s closer to 1 year old, some a little younger but not at 6-7 weeks. I would check the husbandry to make sure everything is in check like temps, UVB, diet, etc...

Nancy
10/13/09  08:53pm

 #2083626


Raven Mune
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   Message To: Newfgal   In reference to Message Id: 2083622


 Brumation

ok thanks.. He/she doesn’t seem to like the collard greens... gonna try some squash next... still eating crickets, but not as many... when I first got him a week ago, he’d down 4-6 of them in one sitting.. now its more like 2-4... the only other bugs petco sells are mealworms, supers’, and wax worms... and I know wax worms are only for treats... meals are a no no, and supers are WAY too big... Are roaches expensive? What site do I look at for them?
10/13/09  09:05pm

 #2083747


Newfgal
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   Message To: Raven Mune   In reference to Message Id: 2083626


 Brumation

You should offer variety in the diet, For greens try collard, mustard, turnip, dandelion greens, mine love snow peas, endive, escarol, and all squash is great for them, and mine love Butternut squash, but they are all different as you said yours do not like collards, mine all love collards. He should also be eating more like 25-40 crickets in one sitting 2-3 x a day, but since you have only had him a week, I would give him a little more time to adjust to his new home, but if he continues to not eat I would look into it further :)

Try roaches here....Link

Nancy
10/14/09  06:46am

 #2083855


Raven Mune
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   Message To: Newfgal   In reference to Message Id: 2083747


 Brumation

Wow! That’s alot of crickets for such a small tummy! He/she is eating, but not nearly THAT many. So I should start offering more crickets....? That totally blows my mind.... The thing is, I cleaned his/her tank again yesterday, and found like a dozen uneating crix... they were hiding under the napkin substrate.... and he/she doesn’t like to eat in front of me, so I can’t stand there and make sure he eats them all... I come back, poke around and make sure there aren’t any loose ones in there now... seriously, 25-40???
10/14/09  01:37pm

 #2083859


Newfgal
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   Message To: Raven Mune   In reference to Message Id: 2083855


 Brumation

Yep, that many. The 23 hatchlings I have here are almost 2 months old already, and eating like a box of 1000 crickets in one day between all of them. I order 3000 crickets at a time if I run out of my own, and those are gone in 3 days.. Babies need alot of protein at this young age to ensure proper growth. Believe me, if your little one is healthy he will pick up on eating and you will be shocked how much they can pack away, lol...

Nancy
10/14/09  01:45pm

 #2083863


Raven Mune
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   Message To: Newfgal   In reference to Message Id: 2083859


 Brumation

That still blows my mind... I’ll bare that in mind.. thanks for the info chick.... :)
10/14/09  01:49pm

 #2083867


Raven Mune
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   Message To: Raven Mune   In reference to Message Id: 2083863


 Brumation

Btw, b/f says there is "no way in hell" we’re having Roaches in our house... doh! oh well, guess crickets it is... gonna get some wax worms for treats soon... I guess "Lizard Critter" will just have to deal with it... :p That’s officially his/her name... I call him Critter, and my b/f calls him Lizard...



10/14/09  01:57pm

 #2083868


Newfgal
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   Message To: Raven Mune   In reference to Message Id: 2083863


 Brumation

LOL, your welcome :)

Nancy



10/14/09  01:58pm

 #2085404


Jaye
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   Message To: Newfgal   In reference to Message Id: 2082409


 Brumation

Hi all - Just want to make sure I’m still on the right track. It’s okay to give a few drops of water a couple times a week? If he wakes up I can feed him? Do I need to keep him awake and basking for awhile if he eats?

And is he okay just under paper? I buy unprinted newspaper to line the cage and that’s what he crawled under. In a corner. Color still looks good. Or should I buy some hay and put just a tiny bit on top of him. His temps have stayed good 64 - 68. He’s 14 months around 464 grams and he has been asleep for 3 weeks this coming Thursday.

I am so sorry for so many questions. Just want to make sure he comes thru this right:)

Thanks
jaye
10/18/09  08:34am

 #2085405


Newfgal
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   Message To: Jaye   In reference to Message Id: 2085404


 Brumation

Hi Jaye,

Yes, you can offer water at least once a week, let him drink as much as he wants, mine just stop licking the drops of water once they have had enough. If he wakes and decides to get up, you can offer food but yes, make sure it’s digested before he goes back to sleep. Yes, the paper is fine, if he is underneith it thats ok, as long as there is something in there for him to hide in, or under :)

Nancy
10/18/09  08:42am

 #2090026


Newfgal
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   Message To: Newfgal   In reference to Message Id: 2085405


 Brumation

Bump for my good friend Lauren :)

Nancy



10/30/09  01:20pm

 #2090035


DragonMyr
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   Message To: Jaye   In reference to Message Id: 2085404


 Brumation

Jaye, I purchased a dark-colored hand towel from Target and gave it to my beardie. I did run it through the washer before giving it to him and put it on extra rinse with far less cleaning chemicals than I usually use. That towel is sort of his "blankie" that I use to cover him up. It seems to help him sleep during brumation or even at night. Taz gets some very vivid colors while sleeping under it. You might want to try something similar for your beardie. I think they like it when they can feel something on their backs when sleeping. As for water, I just give Taz as much water as he wants once every 2 weeks. It takes him a good 5 to 10 minutes to actually wake up and figure out what’s going on though.
10/30/09  01:44pm

 #2090055


Phoenix54
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   Message To: DragonMyr   In reference to Message Id: 2090035


 Brumation

Hey Nancy thanks for the bump.

So he is def almost asleep. He started about 3 days ago and now is pretty much out all day. I fed him a little bit yesterday or the day before. He basked in the real sun for a while and then I put him back in his cage and he went and curled right back up and dug at his tile and then passed out. I have noticed though, that he has been going to sleep about 3-4 hours before the sun goes down and his lights go off with the sun. Its been going on for about a week or so now.

So my question is.. if he has only eaten a little bit and pooped about 2 days ago, can I start lowering his temps now? Cuz he doesnt bask unless I get him up. His colors are just a mazing though. Its crazy!

Then after I lower the temps.. I just completely shut the lights off till he wakes up? My house doesnt ever get lower than 65 or higher than 76 so I think he will be fine.

Thanks girl!
Great idea here.
Told you! lol

Lauren~
10/30/09  03:14pm
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