# How long can my bearded dragon go without heat??



## BlackRose (Jul 8, 2007)

My fixtures need replacing and my bearded dragons gone without any heat bulb all day. Tomorrows bank holiday and I'm worried i can't get anything till Tuesday the earliest. I obviously won't feed him (even tho he's RAVENOUS!!) and even tried to eat my hair when i was cuddling him! But what can i do in the meantime?? I dont know if he will last 24hours let alone two days! 
I got a small floor lamp which i could position over him while he's out on the floor tomorrow but i can't do that all day and it's only a small bulb. Doesn't give off loads heat and I'm not sure what the wattage on it is.

Providing he's not fed how long is it safe to not have him under a heat bulb?? I wouldve thought only 24hours.
Btw i don't know if it matters but he's an adult male, quite elderly now.


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## el_kid (May 27, 2011)

When they brummate they can go a few months without food or light/heat. Don't worry he'll mainly just sleep through it if he gets cool enough. 

What is the temp in the viv?


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## tremerz97 (Nov 30, 2012)

BlackRose said:


> My fixtures need replacing and my bearded dragons gone without any heat bulb all day. Tomorrows bank holiday and I'm worried i can't get anything till Tuesday the earliest. I obviously won't feed him (even tho he's RAVENOUS!!) and even tried to eat my hair when i was cuddling him! But what can i do in the meantime?? I dont know if he will last 24hours let alone two days!
> I got a small floor lamp which i could position over him while he's out on the floor tomorrow but i can't do that all day and it's only a small bulb. Doesn't give off loads heat and I'm not sure what the wattage on it is.
> 
> Providing he's not fed how long is it safe to not have him under a heat bulb?? I wouldve thought only 24hours.
> Btw i don't know if it matters but he's an adult male, quite elderly now.


just go Tesco or something as theyre open til 4. get a 60w spotlamp


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## el_kid (May 27, 2011)

tremerz97 said:


> just go Tesco or something as theyre open til 4. get a 60w spotlamp


Do they do the fixing as well? (Curious as I don't know)


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## tremerz97 (Nov 30, 2012)

el_kid said:


> Do they do the fixing as well? (Curious as I don't know)


probably,


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## el_kid (May 27, 2011)

tremerz97 said:


> probably,


Lol fair enough


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## dramen (May 29, 2012)

B&Q will probably be open on a bank holiday monday as well and they would have both if you get stuck.


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## BlackRose (Jul 8, 2007)

Thanks. I'm not sure if tesco will have what I need. Can I still spray him to keep him hydrated while he has no heat? Cos he won't be able to dry off as quickly and may get a chill. How long can he go without food seeing as I can't feed him?
During brumation before he didn't stay in it very long and hardly ate until the warner weather came and he scoffed himself then, but I always kept both his lights on during that time. He's only brumated twice with me, and right now isn't the right time for it. Plus it can be dangerous. 

The lamp I am on about is a table lamp I mean, not a floor lamp.


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## tremerz97 (Nov 30, 2012)

BlackRose said:


> Thanks. I'm not sure if tesco will have what I need. Can I still spray him to keep him hydrated while he has no heat? Cos he won't be able to dry off as quickly and may get a chill. How long can he go without food seeing as I can't feed him?
> During brumation before he didn't stay in it very long and hardly ate until the warner weather came and he scoffed himself then, but I always kept both his lights on during that time. He's only brumated twice with me, and right now isn't the right time for it. Plus it can be dangerous.
> 
> The lamp I am on about is a table lamp I mean, not a floor lamp.


nah don't spray him in the viv as the viv will get very humid and that can lead to RI. I would leave it til you get it sorted as he will be very cold if he gets wet.


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## dramen (May 29, 2012)

I always worry about them getting burns if i have them in the viv after a bath so i put them in the bath for about 15-20 minutes to hydrate then i have them in a towel and let them dry off that way. They seem to like it as well as they seem to go to sleep for a bit lol.

Well Mac enjoys it Boris hates baths and has worked out if he can get to the bath plug chain he can pull the plug out >.<


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## BlackRose (Jul 8, 2007)

Thanks. He's drunk from his bowl just now anyway. About half a bowlful. He's good with that. I trained him best I could. 
I give mine a bath rarely but he doesn't like it much and always try to get out. He has a bowl seeing as we don't have a bath. I always wrap him up, cuddle him, dab him and let him run for a few minutes and then put him in after five/ten minutes usually.


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## el_kid (May 27, 2011)

BlackRose said:


> Thanks. I'm not sure if tesco will have what I need. Can I still spray him to keep him hydrated while he has no heat? Cos he won't be able to dry off as quickly and may get a chill. How long can he go without food seeing as I can't feed him?
> During brumation before he didn't stay in it very long and hardly ate until the warner weather came and he scoffed himself then, but I always kept both his lights on during that time. He's only brumated twice with me, and right now isn't the right time for it. Plus it can be dangerous.
> 
> The lamp I am on about is a table lamp I mean, not a floor lamp.


Wasn't suggesting forcing brummation just that for a couple of days with reasonable ambient heat he will be fine without the the light. I wouldn't spray, feed or bath him unless I had a heat source but thats just me


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## Dragon Farm (Aug 7, 2009)

We keep reptiles in a very artificial world where the sun always shines. In Australia in the areas where bearded drgaons live, it is not sunny everyday. Even in the summer it is quite possible you might get a few cloudy days. If they died everytime this happened they would have died out as a species millions of years ago. 

It might even be a good thing to leave the main source of heating off for the odd afternoon, or morning. Certainly how most people keep there reptiles is very unnatural.

Any healthy BD is not going to have any problems with a couple of cool days.


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## BlackRose (Jul 8, 2007)

I don't know if it's too cold or windy outside cos I havnt been out yet but if it seems ok should I take him out for a walk in the sun/warm for a few minutes? I mean he's got his uv on so he's probably getting enough of that but it might be nice for him to go out. I don't walk him on a leash. I zip him inside my top usually with his head poking out and also hold him out under the sun. He looks quite miserable


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## nicnet (Apr 3, 2011)

BlackRose said:


> Thanks. I'm not sure if tesco will have what I need. Can I still spray him to keep him hydrated while he has no heat? Cos he won't be able to dry off as quickly and may get a chill. How long can he go without food seeing as I can't feed him?
> During brumation before he didn't stay in it very long and hardly ate until the warner weather came and he scoffed himself then, but I always kept both his lights on during that time. He's only brumated twice with me, and right now isn't the right time for it. Plus it can be dangerous.
> 
> The lamp I am on about is a table lamp I mean, not a floor lamp.



Nothing dangerous at all about brumation if they are healthy dragons. Its actually good for them and allows their system to take a rest break. Some dragons are already going into brumation slowdown as the mean barometric pressures are starting to drop early again this year. 

48 hours with no direct heating will not harm him if he is not being fed. Just think of it as a couple of overcast days. The area they come from does get occasional rainy days so no harm done.

Keep UV on though so his day/night routine is not broken.


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