# Brumation in bearded dragons



## mikall (Dec 7, 2011)

hi everyone whos a bit worried about brumation,
i just found this very interesting to me its not my article but thought that some people may want to read, so put the kettle on and get settled for a nice read :lol2:.....

ALL SETTLED WITH YA TEA GOOD,
its Written by *Denise Bushnell* in June, 2008

For those who are not experienced in the hobby, and who keep Bearded Dragons as pets, one of the greatest sources of worry is when, for one reason or another, our beardies refuse to eat for long periods of time, or become increasingly inactive and lethargic. 
When this happens with no warning, as it frequently does, all sorts of terrible things run through our minds, especially when this behavior goes on for more than just a few days. Do they have an impaction? Do they have some sort of an illness that isn’t readily apparent? Do they have parasites? Are they under some sort of stress? Do they need to see a vet? Is it my fault that they’re not eating? What am I doing wrong???? 
While all of the above, along with inadequate temperatures, and improper UVB lighting, may be causes of their lack of appetite and lethargy, what if none of the above apply? What else is left? 
The answer, in many cases, is a behavior that is perfectly natural to a Bearded Dragon, but which many inexperienced owners know little to nothing about. The purpose of this article, therefore, is to shed some light on the periods of time in a Bearded Dragon’s life when they become dormant and almost completely inactive, not taking in any nourishment, and ignoring their world as time passes by. 
The proper term, for these periods of time in a Bearded Dragon’s life, is “Brumation”, and it is essentially the reptile equivalent of hibernation in mammals, with a few important differences. So let’s explore this behavior a little, and see if we can’t explain away some of the mystery, and take away the fears surrounding it. 
*REASONS FOR BRUMATION*


Just as with mammals, when in the wild there are certain times of the year when temperatures drop, and food becomes difficult to find for Bearded Dragons. The many insects that they use as a source of protein die off, and most vegetation that they consume goes dormant during the winter months, and so will not provide them with the much needed nourishment that they need. 
Also, most Bearded Dragons will not drink from standing water, as they don’t recognize it as something that they CAN drink. Instead, most Bearded Dragons will take in water by lapping morning and evening dew from leaves and plants in their environment, in order to keep themselves hydrated. Once colder weather arrives, the morning and evening dew is replaced with frost, which is a poor source of hydration for them. 
When faced with these problems to overcome, Beardies will burrow under things, or bury themselves in the soil, in order to keep from freezing, and their bodies will draw in moisture from the soil, through their vent, during their winter sleep, to ensure that they remain adequately hydrated enough to survive until Spring. 
Also, a Bearded Dragon’s body depends on warmth from the sun in order to digest their food, and break it down into the nutrients that their bodies need, so when temperatures drop, Beardies, in the wild, would not be able to digest their food, even if they did find a food source to sustain them. Therefore, when the hours of daylight get shorter, the sun doesn’t shine as brightly, and the temperatures become colder, they brumate, in order to survive. 
In order to ensure their survival, Bearded Dragons have evolved with the ability to voluntarily slow their metabolism down to nearly a standstill, which will enable them to eat and drink nothing for long periods of time, without losing more than a few grams of weight, and while maintaining their overall health. This has become instinctual to them, over time, and so many Bearded Dragons do brumate, even while in captivity, even though we provide them with warm temperatures and and a steady source of food. 
You may be thinking that, since we now provide them with everything that their bodies need, year round, why do they still brumate? Over hundreds of years of evolution, their bodies have adapted to the harsh conditions in the wild that they live in. We can’t expect that the way that their bodily functions work are going to change in the mere 20+ years during which we’ve brought them into our lives and homes, and domesticated them. To expect that their bodies and instincts are going to change in that short space of time, just because their lives have become easier for them, because of our providing for their needs, would just be an exaggerated sense of self importance on our part. 

As far as how Beardies in captivity brumate, every Beardie is different. Its very rare for a Beardie that is under a year old to brumate, unless they were born extremely early in the year and are rapidly approaching a year old when cold weather sets in, however it is possible. 
Once they become adults, however, many of them do brumate, not because they need to, but simply because its become an instinctual behavior that has been bred into them to ensure their survival. Some Beardies will never brumate, during their entire lives, while others will brumate every year, regardless of the weather conditions outside, and no matter how hard you try to keep them from it. 
One of the mistakes that many of us make concerning brumation, is that we tend to compare them to mammals, who only hibernate during the winter months, when its cold, food is scarce, and they have nothing to eat. However, Bearded Dragons, as reptiles, are an entirely different species, and they will many times brumate for reasons other than lack of food, or cold temperatures. Most who do brumate will do so during our winter months, but some may also go down during other times of the year, as well. 
The fact that some Bearded Dragons will brumate here, in the Western Hemisphere, while in captivity, at the “wrong time of the year” tends to upset most owners, who believe that since it isn’t wintertime, they can’t be brumating, when, in fact, nothing could be further from the truth. The reality of the matter is that there is no “wrong time of the year” for a Bearded Dragon to go into brumation. 
To understand the reasoning behind this reality, we need to remember that Bearded Dragons are native to Australia, which is in the Southern Hemisphere, on the other side of the world. Because of its location, Australia’s seasons are a direct opposite of our own.....when it’s Spring and Summer here, it’s Autumn and Winter in Australia. Therefore, some Beardies who have very strong natural instincts for survival, may actually choose to go into brumation during our Spring or Summer, because their “biological clock” is telling them that it’s the right time for them to do that in order to ensure their survival, and it would be......if they were still living in the wilds of Australia! 
We’ve domesticated them completely, on this side of the world, over the last 20 years or so, and they obviously have no need to brumate at all, since we see to all their needs, providing them with a steady food supply, and constant temperatures all year round. However they still brumate, and probably will continue to do so for as long as the species exists, since their bodies have evolved that way for hundreds of years in order to ensure their survival. We can’t presume to improve upon what Mother Nature has created, and so their brumation habits will continue, in most cases, regardless of where they live, what time of the year it is, or what their living conditions are.
Another, lesser known reason for brumation, is to allow their bodies to have a “rest period”, so to speak, prior to mating season in the Spring. Many of you may have noticed that when your Beardies awake from brumation, especially the males, you see a lot of head bobbing, displaying, and blackened beards for a few weeks. The reason for this, is that allowing their bodies to rest while they brumate will cause their hormone levels to rise to higher levels than normal. This, in turn, will produce a higher sperm count in the males, which will result in a greater number of successful matings in the Spring. The higher hormone levels apply to the females of the species as well, although we usually see no outward signs of it, other than perhaps they’re being a bit more restless than usual. 
So you see, there are quite a few reasons why Bearded Dragons choose to brumate, which are all to their advantage, healthwise, regardless of when they choose to do it. We can’t change it, so we just have to learn to live with it, regardless of their timing. Its just another one of the oddities that make keeping these little creatures so interesting and different to us than any other sort of pet, which, I think, is a large part of their charm. 
Also, on a lighter note, it gives them another way to drive us crazy and make us worry, so that they can keep us in line and make us never want to be without them. After all, they say that “absence makes the heart grow fonder”, so they probably all brumate with smiles on their little faces when we can’t see, dreaming about all the havoc they’re causing with our emotions, and thinking about the fuss that all of their owners will make over them when they decide to wake up. The little stinkers are way too smart for their own good! 

*SIGNS OF BRUMATION*


Generally, the signs of brumation are very easy to recognize, once you know what you’re looking for. Most Bearded Dragons will get a bit cranky just prior to going down for their long sleep, and many may not want you to handle them as you usually do. Most don’t get nasty about it, but they make it known that they really don’t want to be bothered, and would rather be left alone. 
They will get increasingly inactive and lethargic, and will refuse to bask under their lights, even when you place them on their basking spot. In fact, if you keep putting them there, you will no doubt be on the receiving end of one of their famous beardie glares and an extremely black beard! 
As a general rule, you will usually find them sleeping, even during the daylight hours, on the cooler side of their enclosures or tanks, preferably as far away from their lights as they can get. If there is anything that they can burrow under, or that will provide shading from the lights, that will usually be where they choose to sleep, and when they are sleeping, you may find it extremely difficult, or even impossible, to wake them.
Some will simply eat less and less as days pass, while others may just abruptly stop eating altogether, with no warning at all. Any attempts to coax them into eating will be met with stubborn refusal, no matter what tasty items you might offer, and attempting to force feed them will result in their refusing to open their mouths, no matter what you do. 
If you think that your Bearded Dragon may be attempting to brumate, and they are being extremely stubborn about refusing to eat, its best to let them be, as their going into full brumation with food in their stomachs may make them extremely ill. 
Left to their own devices, Bearded Dragons will simply nap on and off, until the last meal that they’ve eaten is fully digested, and they are able to have a bowel movement. This will empty their stomachs before they go into a deep sleep, since going into full brumation with food left in their digestive tracts may cause the food to rot inside them while they sleep, which can cause an extremely serious infection. 
Where food during brumation is concerned, its best to let your Beardie make his own decision, as he is the best judge of whether he should eat or not. Forcing food on them may make you, as an owner, feel better, but it definitely is NOT better for your beardie, so let him make his own choices. 

*ACTUAL BRUMATION*


Once the time comes, and your Beardie has decided to brumate, there is little that you can do to stop him. However, there are many different degrees of brumation, and every Bearded Dragon is different, as far as how they choose to brumate. 
Some Bearded Dragons will go into a deep sleep, and won’t wake up at all, for weeks on end, until its time for them to wake up and remain awake. Others will wake up periodically, either on their own, or if their owners wake them, and then go back to sleep again. Still others may just take long naps. And others may not actually go into a deep sleep at all, but will just refuse to eat anything. It all depends on each individual Beardie, and what his instincts tell him to do. It may take you a year or two to discover what is normal for your particular beardie, so you know what to expect from him. 
Just as an illustration of the many possible brumation habits of each individual Bearded Dragon, I will use my own three as examples. All three are kept inside my home, in the same room, in identically sized tanks. They all have exactly the same lighting, the same tank temperatures, and even exactly the same cage furniture, arranged in the same manner. However, they all brumate differently, and at different times each year
Charlie, my youngest male, who is nearly 4 years old, will go down, without fail, during the last part of November, and will remain asleep, except when I wake him to bathe him, until around the middle of February. When I wake him to bathe him, sometimes he will wake up, although he will be very cranky, and sometimes he will sleep right through his bath, no matter what I do. I have to watch him very closely when bathing him, to make sure that his head stays above water to prevent him from aspirating any water into his lungs, or he would drown. During this time period, Charlie will refuse to eat anything at all, and will not even accept fluids from a feeding syringe, which is why I make sure to bathe him every week to ensure that he stays well hydrated. 
Eden, my only female, who is also nearing 4 years old, never brumated at all until this past winter. She began being finicky with what she would eat around the holidays last year, and finally went into brumation just after Christmas. However, when I woke her to bathe her, she would usually eat, if I offered something that she especially liked. Then she would simply nap, on and off, for a couple of days, until she had a bowel movement to empty her stomach, before going back to sleep until her next bathtime. She repeated this cycle until she finally woke up, on her own, during the last week of January, and she’s been awake ever since. 
Ming, my oldest male, at 5, insists on doing his own thing. He never really goes down into a true brumation, but prefers, instead, to take extremely long naps, which sometimes last for days, on and off until Spring. He will wake up, on his own, between naps, and will wander around for a couple of days, checking things out, before going back down into a sound sleep. He also seems to enjoy some “out time” with us during the periods when he’s awake, and when I bathe him, he will usually drink his fill while in his bath. However, he refuses to eat anything at all during the time when he’s brumating, and he never drops more than a few grams of weight. At our house, we have a standing joke concerning Mingie....he won’t really go into a true brumation because he’s so nosy, and he’s afraid he’s going to miss something! 
So, as you can see from the above illustration, all beardies are unique individuals, and may be completely different in the ways that they choose to brumate, even if they live in the same house, and the same environment.

END OF PART 1


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## mikall (Dec 7, 2011)

*part 2*
*KEEPING YOUR BEARDIE HEALTHY DURING BRUMATION*



*TESTING FOR PARASITES*


Although Bearded Dragons brumate, in the wild, with no help from us and manage to survive just fine, the fact that they choose to brumate while in captivity does require a bit of special care, on our part, to ensure that they remain healthy while in their dormant state. 
When kept in artificial surroundings, with controlled lighting and temperatures, beardies aren’t able, themselves, to make sure that they have everything that they need to ensure that they have a healthy and successful brumation, that causes no health problems for them. 
One of the most important things that we, as owners, should do, prior to the beginning of their brumation period, is to take them to the vet for a check up, to make sure that all is well, and that they don’t have any type of illness that may worsen due to their not eating while in their dormant state. 
One very common ailment, that may not be readily apparent, and which may cause a huge problem for them if they are allowed to brumate with it, is if they should have some type of parasite overload lurking in their digestive tract. 
As you know, parasites live off the food that our beardies eat, and sometimes its very difficult to tell whether or not they may have them, when they are eating regularly. However, if a Bearded Dragon has parasites, and they are permitted to brumate, which results ln their not eating for a long period of time, they will usually drop a large amount of weight, due to the parasites feeding off their fat stores, since there is no recently eaten food available for the parasites to feed on. 
If your Bearded Dragon has parasites, and they are not eradicated before they go into a full brumation, it can weaken their immune system and may cause them to become extremely ill. Therefore, it is advisable to have a stool sample checked by an experienced reptile vet, prior to the time when your Beardie may be preparing to brumate, to ensure that they are treated for any parasites that they might have, to get rid of them BEFORE they cause your Beardie any serious problems. 
A healthy Bearded Dragon, who has no parasites, may brumate for months, and will only lose a few grams of weight, which is not even noticable. However, a Beardie who has an overload of parasites during brumation will drop a great deal of weight, and may become extremely thin and weak, which will put them at risk of contracting other types of illnesses, while brumating, due to their weakened immune system.
If this should happen, your Beardie will most likely require a vet’s intervention during his brumation period, to ensure that he is getting enough nutrition to keep him alive until he awakens, which can be very time consuming and very expensive. The best way to ensure that this never happens, is to do yourself and your beardie both a favor, and have them tested BEFORE its time for them to brumate! 

*PROVIDING A “HIDE” FOR YOUR BEARDIE*


In most cases, Bearded Dragons who are going to brumate will go down for their period of sleep on the cool side of their tanks or enclosures, as they rest better in cooler temperatures, away from the warmth of their lights. Many will attempt to burrow under any “cage furniture” that they may have, or under their substrate in order to do this. You can make their period of brumation much more comfortable and restful for them, and convenient for you, if you provide them with some sort of a “hide”, placed on the cool side of their tank or enclosure. 
This “hide” should be large enough to cover their entire body, but small enough that they will feel snug and safe during their period of deep sleep. 
The “hide” that you provide can be as ornate or as plain as you like, as long as you provide them with something, so that they can feel safe, protected and comfortable. 
Many pet stores and online suppliers carry a large number of different styles....some made out of natural rock, or resin material, which look very nice, or even those that look like a cave, whose tops can double as a basking site, with silk or plastic vegetation attached to them. These will dress up their tanks, and can be used year round, but they can also be a bit pricey. Or you can simply provide them with an appropriately sized cardboard box with an entry hole in one end, placed upside down in the cooler end of their tank. 
How plain or fancy you choose to go is totally up to you, and your own tastes. 
Your beardie isn’t going to care one way or the other, as long as he has a darkened protected area, away from his lights, to do his sleeping in. 
I should note also, at this point, that some keepers advocate shortening the amount of time that your Beardie’s lights remain on, in order to simulate the shortening of the days during the winter season. If you choose to do this, in order to save on electricity, I see nothing wrong with that, as long as their lights remain on for at least 8 hours each day, and, as Spring approaches, you slowly increase the length of time that their lights remain on , to simulate the longer days that come once the winter season passes.
Many keepers feel that this is a way to have some control over the amount of time that your beardie will brumate. However, I’ve discussed this with quite a few experienced keepers, and most of them agree that this really has no bearing on the length of their brumation, when they are being kept under artificial lighting. Your Bearded Dragon will decide when to go into brumation, and how long he’s going to sleep, and what you do with his artificial lighting isn’t going to make a whole lot of difference, one way or the other. Another case, in point, of their little biological clocks at work.......... 

*KEEPING YOUR BEARDIE WELL HYDRATED*


As I mentioned, when Bearded Dragons go into brumation in the wild, it is a common practice for them to burrow under things in their environment, or to bury themselves in moist soil to ensure that they receive enough hydration for them to survive until Spring. Beardies have evolved, over the years, to be able to take in a certain amount of moisture throught their vents, which is enough for them to exist on while in a dormant state. 
However, when we keep Bearded Dragons in captivity, it is not a good practice to add moist soil to their tanks or enclosures, since doing so will raise the humidity within their living area to unhealthy levels, which may result in their contracting an Upper Respiratory Infection. Therefore, irregardless of whether your Bearded Dragon brumates within a “hide”, or whether he chooses to burrow under whatever sort of substrate that you have on the bottom of his tank, he is not going to be able to absorb the amount of moisture that he needs in order to remain healthy and well hydrated until he awakens. 
Because of this, it will be up to you to ensure that he takes in enough fluids for him to survive and remain healthy during the time that he is brumating. 
The easiest and most effective way to do this is to remove him from his tank, once a week, and give him a 20-30 minute soak in warm water. For a bathing container, I prefer to use one of those large plastic “Kritter Keepers” with the neon lids that you can buy in pet stores. Fill the bottom with an inch or two of warm water and place him in there. These containers are perfect for bathing containers, since they’re small enough to put them almost anywhere, so that you can remain close enough to supervise them while they’re in the water.
When you remove your Beardie from his “hide” to bathe him, he may or may not wake up for you. If he doesn’t, its still fine to give him his soak, as long as you monitor him closely, for the entire time that he’s soaking, to make sure that his head and nostrils remain above water. If you allow his head to go under while he’s asleep, he may aspirate water into his lungs, which may cause pneumonia, or he may even drown, so watch him very closely. He’s depending upon you to keep him safe. 
You only need an inch or two of water in the container. Make sure that the water is covering his vent area, if you choose to prop him up on something, so you don’t have to hold him. He will take in whatever moisture that he needs through his vent during the 20 or 30 minutes that he’s soaking. 
If your Bearded Dragon chooses to wake up, he may still just take in water through his vent, or he may lower his head underwater, on his own, and choose to take a long drink that way. As long as he’s awake, its fine to allow him to put his head under....it will only cause a health problem for him if he should slip under while he’s sound asleep. 
Once he’s had his weekly soak, you can return him to his tank or enclosure. If he’s still sound asleep, return him to the same place that you found him, but make sure that you dry him well first, as putting him back while he’s still wet may cause a fungous infection in his scales. If he is awake, you should still pat him dry, but you can place him on his basking spot for a few minutes to ensure that he is completely dry. When he’s had enough basking, he’ll return to his sleeping place on his own, or he may choose to walk around a bit before returning to sleep. Let him choose what he wants to do, and when to do it. 
If he seems hungry, you may offer some food, but if he isn’t interested, don’t force the issue. He’s the best judge of what his body needs at the time. If does decide to eat, remove his “hide” temporarily, to force him to bask, and make sure that his basking site temperatures are adequate for him to digest his food. If he still insists on going back to sleep, you will need to wake him and give him another good soak in a day or two, to promote a bowel movement to empty his stomach. If he doesn’t go, then wait and try again the next day, until he does. You can’t allow him to go back to sleep for a long period of time until he empties his stomach. Once he has a bowel movement, then you can allow him to do as he wants until its time for another weekly soak.
*WHEN BRUMATION ENDS*



*Normal Behavior Following Brumation*


Once your Bearded Dragon decides to come out of brumation, and remain awake, you may find that he’s restless and very grumpy, and just wants to be left alone for a few days. This is perfectly normal, and will pass in a relatively short period of time. He also may not have much of an appetite for a few days after he awakens. If he doesn’t want to eat, don’t force the issue. He will eat when he’s ready. This is also completely normal. 
Another important thing to mention, is that when your Bearded Dragon fully awakens, you may see a lot of displaying, blackened beards, and head bobbing for a two to three week period, following their brumation. This too, is perfectly normal. Following a Bearded Dragon’s brumation period, most awaken with very elevated hormone levels, in preparation for mating in the Spring, and adult males will think of little else except mating for a while. For the most part, females will only react by being a bit restless, but the adult males may drive you a little crazy for a week or two. 
My oldest male, Ming, will head bob until you expect that his brains are going to fall out of his ears, for at least three weeks after he comes out of brumation. He will have a black beard nearly constantly, and will head bob at his basking rock, his tree, me, the dogs, the cats, and anything else within his line of sight. 
At times, their behavior borders on obsessive, and it is rather comical to watch, but you have to feel sorry for them as well, as this hormone surge causes them to become so frustrated, and they think of little else except making little dragons. And its probably even more difficult for adult males, whose owners also have females in the house, such as I do. 
The best way to handle this behavior is to simply ignore it, since if you fuss over them when they do it, they tend to do it even more, in order to get your attention. After two to three weeks, their hormone levels will return to normal, and then you’ll have your sweet little guy or girl back, until the same time next year! 
WRITTEN BY
*Denise Bushnell*
June 27, 2008

HOPE THAT HELPED SOME OF YOU WOUNDERING ABOUT BRUMATION AND SORRY THE POST IS SOOO LONG BUT NOW YOU KNOW ABOUT BRUMATION : victory:


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## Michaela93 (Jun 16, 2009)

This is extremely long, but VERY good. Not enough people know about brumation, and this just says it all.

Well done on finding this :no1:


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## mikall (Dec 7, 2011)

Michaela93 said:


> This is extremely long, but VERY good. Not enough people know about brumation, and this just says it all.
> 
> Well done on finding this :no1:


thanks nice to see its appreciated


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## Bab1084 (Dec 9, 2011)

Thank you for finding this!  it has helped me a lot. My male slowed right down and wouldnt eat but this past week he has perked right up and has even started eating his greens which he hasn't touched for the 2-3 months i have had him, he has also started puffing up his beard at my bf so was also wondering why he done this!  

I have seen a couple of posts on here in the past week about ppl's beardies puffing there beards out and acting a bit strange so im sure this will also help them understand this behaviour. Thanks


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## mikall (Dec 7, 2011)

Bab1084 said:


> Thank you for finding this!  it has helped me a lot. My male slowed right down and wouldnt eat but this past week he has perked right up and has even started eating his greens which he hasn't touched for the 2-3 months i have had him, he has also started puffing up his beard at my bf so was also wondering why he done this!
> 
> I have seen a couple of posts on here in the past week about ppl's beardies puffing there beards out and acting a bit strange so im sure this will also help them understand this behaviour. Thanks


thanks im just glad i could help really
it does explain alot lol


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## Snapdragon (Jan 16, 2012)

When I asked the pet shop about Brumation when I bought my BD who was already around 2 years old they told me that he doesn't go into brumation. He had been in the pet shop for 13 months so I guess he should have done this at some time while he was with them.
Do they all do it, or has anyone else got one that doesn't?


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## Bab1084 (Dec 9, 2011)

Snapdragon said:


> When I asked the pet shop about Brumation when I bought my BD who was already around 2 years old they told me that he doesn't go into brumation. He had been in the pet shop for 13 months so I guess he should have done this at some time while he was with them.
> Do they all do it, or has anyone else got one that doesn't?


 My BF had a female beardie that lived till she was 10 and she never went into brumation once. Some do and some dont.


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## mikall (Dec 7, 2011)

same as above

not all of them do it
it depends on the individual beardie


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## neville (Aug 15, 2010)

*Too young?*

This all sounds exactly like my beardy.
Problem!!!!! It is only 8 months old. A growing youngster needs to eat.
He hasn't eaten for 4 days & has just done a big poo. If it goes to sleep now will it be OK?


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## mikall (Dec 7, 2011)

neville said:


> This all sounds exactly like my beardy.
> Problem!!!!! It is only 8 months old. A growing youngster needs to eat.
> He hasn't eaten for 4 days & has just done a big poo. If it goes to sleep now will it be OK?


should be ok they have been known to brumate at that age but it is rare.
bath him first, then if theres nothing in his stomach and your sure there is no other problems then go for it.
like it says in the article they slow there metabolism right down to survive.


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## mikall (Dec 7, 2011)

any luck with your beardie nev?


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## Snapdragon (Jan 16, 2012)

I think I agree with the comment in the article about them only doing it to worry us! I'm feeling pretty worried at the moment!

I only got my beardie a week ago (he's 2 years old'ish and apparently hasn't gone into brumation before and has lived at Pets at Home all his life) and first couple of days he ate fine (hoppers only as he doesn't generally eat veg) then all of a sudden he seemed moody and black beard and doesn't want to be handled or eat anything. Strangely he actually ate a bit of veg yesterday but totally ignored the hoppers. I gave him a bath and he had a very large poo and then he went to sleep at the back of his viv behind a piece of java wood and under the trailing plant and didn't move for the rest of the day. Today he is still in the same place and seems to be semi awake but I think perhaps he is going into brumation - the trouble is as I've only had him a week I can't really tell if this is his normal behaviour or whether he is preparing to brumate. 

I would appreciate any help or comments


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## Bab1084 (Dec 9, 2011)

Snapdragon said:


> I think I agree with the comment in the article about them only doing it to worry us! I'm feeling pretty worried at the moment!
> 
> I only got my beardie a week ago (he's 2 years old'ish and apparently hasn't gone into brumation before and has lived at Pets at Home all his life) and first couple of days he ate fine (hoppers only as he doesn't generally eat veg) then all of a sudden he seemed moody and black beard and doesn't want to be handled or eat anything. Strangely he actually ate a bit of veg yesterday but totally ignored the hoppers. I gave him a bath and he had a very large poo and then he went to sleep at the back of his viv behind a piece of java wood and under the trailing plant and didn't move for the rest of the day. Today he is still in the same place and seems to be semi awake but I think perhaps he is going into brumation - the trouble is as I've only had him a week I can't really tell if this is his normal behaviour or whether he is preparing to brumate.
> 
> I would appreciate any help or comments


If you have only had him a week he could still be settling in to his new home.


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## jpharro (Sep 17, 2011)

thanks for finding this it really helped me as my beardie is doing the same :2thumb::no1:


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## heatherjhenshaw (Jan 30, 2010)

Excellent info :2thumb:


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## skitz78 (Jan 12, 2012)

Have been worried about my male Beardie-only had him and his female for a couple of months and the male is displaying all of the behaviours you`ve described!! Thanks for the great advice-put my mind at rest now.:2thumb:
Does anyone know how to tell how old a beardie is?My two are big adults but as rescues I haven`t a clue?:?


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## mikall (Dec 7, 2011)

hi and thanks for all the nice comments about this article i found and im glad it puts some beardie owners at rest when there beardies start acting strange

and skits im sure you can tell the age of a bearded dragon by the length of them but im not totally sure about the age verses the length so it might be worth putting the length of your beardies and asking in a post in the lizard forum

thanks guys and girls


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## Janine00 (Sep 20, 2008)

:no1:Brilliant info... just posted a question about a colleages beardie, but now I've found this am going to copy it onto a word document and e'mail it to her.... : victory: Cheers.... J


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## krome187 (Apr 29, 2011)

excellent:no1:
really helpful


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## graham40 (Dec 19, 2011)

**sticky**


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## mikall (Dec 7, 2011)

cheers guys glad im helping: victory:


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## mikall (Dec 7, 2011)

graham40 said:


> **sticky**


 im confused what does **sticky** mean? :lol2:


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## KevUK (Oct 29, 2010)

Hmm some very good reading there, and my dragon seems to be fitting most of the criteria for brumating, all his fecals are clear etc so the only thing left is he wants to brumate hence why hes not eating/basking/running around.


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## Sykeologi (Jul 10, 2011)

I thought my beardie was going into brumation so i called the shop where i got him from and they said as hes not in to wild he doesnt need to brumate so i should bath him every other day and place him on his basking rock which will show him the temps are the same and will snap out of it but after reading all of this im kind of stick between a rock and a hard place! Is there anthing anyone would advise?


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## Tombo46 (Aug 5, 2010)

I'm looking forward to reading this later. Brumation is a VERY daunting thing for any keeper which is why I'm so surprised that its so difficult trying to find a good guide for one of the most widely kept reptiles in captivity. Thanks for sharing : )


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## mikall (Dec 7, 2011)

Sykeologi said:


> I thought my beardie was going into brumation so i called the shop where i got him from and they said as hes not in to wild he doesnt need to brumate so i should bath him every other day and place him on his basking rock which will show him the temps are the same and will snap out of it but after reading all of this im kind of stick between a rock and a hard place! Is there anthing anyone would advise?


in my opinion its part of nature and their instincts to brumate so if they want to, just let them.
plus i had a friend that tryed everything to get there beardie out of brumation but it took her neally 3 months :whistling2: so i think her beardie still had his brumation but not as peaceful as he would of liked hope i have give you the advice you were looking for.

(EDIT)
i dont think its just the temps that they sence its the times of day light they can see too just bare that in mind if you try to get yours out of brumation.


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## mikall (Dec 7, 2011)

Tombo46 said:


> I'm looking forward to reading this later. Brumation is a VERY daunting thing for any keeper which is why I'm so surprised that its so difficult trying to find a good guide for one of the most widely kept reptiles in captivity. Thanks for sharing : )


 i hope you do read this as i think its very good.

thanks you


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## Sykeologi (Jul 10, 2011)

thanks for the reply and i will defo take it into consideration, unfortunatly i gave him a bath and he came straight back to full activness! I f he decides to go back down i will defo leave him!


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## mikall (Dec 7, 2011)

Sykeologi said:


> thanks for the reply and i will defo take it into consideration, unfortunatly i gave him a bath and he came straight back to full activness! I f he decides to go back down i will defo leave him!


 no probs, but its not unfortunate that he snapd out of it 
its good if you didnt want him to brumate after all it was only my opinion ,its just my friend had such a hard time getting her beardie out of brumation just seemed like he was getting a bit to moody and p:censor:d off. i think you got a good one there to have come out of it so nicely:no1:


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## Dawson (Jun 8, 2008)

Nice thread with some really usefull info, I know that the first time you experience a beardie brumating is a very scary time.


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## Sykeologi (Jul 10, 2011)

LOL i cannot believe it!! I thought my beardy was out of brumation so i put his fake leaves back in his viv that he was originally brumating behind and he has now gone straight back down lol!! After reading a few more bits im going to just leave him now! A quick question tho!! how long roughly do they go down for?


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## Industrial (Jan 16, 2010)

Sykeologi said:


> LOL i cannot believe it!! I thought my beardy was out of brumation so i put his fake leaves back in his viv that he was originally brumating behind and he has now gone straight back down lol!! After reading a few more bits im going to just leave him now! A quick question tho!! how long roughly do they go down for?


Brumation can be anything from a general slowing down for a few weeks or months to hiding away completely for upto 6 months. Mine brumates for 5 months each year and hides away completely. This starts in late July to early August.


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## Sykeologi (Jul 10, 2011)

HOW LONG lol 5 months!! as this is my 1st time experiance you gotta advice?


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## mikall (Dec 7, 2011)

Sykeologi said:


> HOW LONG lol 5 months!! as this is my 1st time experiance you gotta advice?


it can be up to 6 months sorry to say but most people i know that own beardies its between 2 and 4 months hope that helps a little.

and make sure you keep him well hydrated by that i mean bath once a week while in brumation,if hes in deep brumation keep his head above the water to make sure he does not drown.


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## imginy (Jun 14, 2009)

I never fully brumate mine,

I just slow them down to 8 hours a day for 2 months.

Seems to work really well and is risk free.


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## Industrial (Jan 16, 2010)

imginy said:


> I never fully brumate mine,
> 
> I just slow them down to 8 hours a day for 2 months.
> 
> Seems to work really well and is risk free.


I don't intentionally make him brumate, I have the photoperiod and temperatures the same all year round, this does not stop him though. If they want to brumate then there is very little you can do to stop them, they are all different, some brumate others don't.


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## Jeffers3 (May 18, 2010)

I agree with a lot of what is written in the article, but the bit about their biological clocks and the Northern / Southern hemisphere is not correct. A beardie born in the North will have no idea what the weather is like in Australia. I could understand the logic if they were all born at the same time of the year and it fitted with the Australian seasons, but they aren't.

My beardie has gone into brumation twice and in both cases it was around December to January. It coincided with a slight drop in night temperature and also when the UV bulb was due for renewal. UV intensity and duration are probably one of the main triggers. So, if the photoperiod isn't changed, the drop in bulb intensity could be the cause. This fits with people's observations that brumation can occur at unexpected times of the year. The reason for my thinking on this is that unless we deliberately change things, the climate in a vivarium changes very little throughout the year for most bearded dragons.


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## imginy (Jun 14, 2009)

Industrial said:


> I don't intentionally make him brumate, I have the photoperiod and temperatures the same all year round, this does not stop him though. If they want to brumate then there is very little you can do to stop them, they are all different, some brumate others don't.


The thing is if you leave them at same temperature all year round they will just start brumating when ever they feel like it. 

If you take control and simulate real life by dropping down the hours gradually thoughout the year they will brumate when you choose. 

I personally get mine to partially brumate every year in september ready for breeding in november. 

I have done this every year with 10 different bearded dragons and has worked everytime and they have all always brumated when I choose and all were happy with partial brumation.


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## Jeffers3 (May 18, 2010)

imginy said:


> The thing is if you leave them at same temperature all year round they will just start brumating when ever they feel like it.
> 
> If you take control and simulate real life by dropping down the hours gradually thoughout the year they will brumate when you choose.
> 
> ...


Do you think it's temperature or photoperiod that induces brumation? Or a combination of both?

I totally agree that it can be a bit random if you don't induce it intentionally. What about my UV bulb theory?


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## imginy (Jun 14, 2009)

Jeffers3 said:


> Do you think it's temperature or photoperiod that induces brumation? Or a combination of both?
> 
> I totally agree that it can be a bit random if you don't induce it intentionally. What about my UV bulb theory?


If you want to control brumation properly you would need to drop temps and lighting together thoughout the year.

But I am sure if they were kept at the same temps and lighting all year round a drop in either could trigger brumation.


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## FreddieMonster (May 11, 2011)

That's just answered all my questions! I came on here to ask why my beardie hasn't been his usual self for a while. He hasn't eaten in over a week and is so grumpy and sleepy all the time. 

After reading this my mind feels a little more at ease, thank you very much. I'll just let him get on with and wait until he wants to know me again!! :lol:


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## Anu (Jun 8, 2011)

Seems as though how extremely helpful this thread is, maybe it should be made into a sticky thread within the "Newbie" section so that it is readily available?


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## Sykeologi (Jul 10, 2011)

i 100% agree with anu about making this a sticky!! Defo the best advice i have read and i searched the web for hours trying to get my head aroud it!!:2thumb::no1:


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## Jeffers3 (May 18, 2010)

I agree about the contents of the thread being pulled together to modify the original article - and for this to be made a sticky. Good as the original is, there are a few flaws in it. Maybe the OP could modify it? If not, I'm willing to do so, but it won't be for a couple of days (and I don't want to step on the OP's toes either!).


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## mikall (Dec 7, 2011)

Anu said:


> Seems as though how extremely helpful this thread is, maybe it should be made into a sticky thread within the "Newbie" section so that it is readily available?


i dont know how to make it a sticky? sorry
but thank you for the compliments,

you wouldn`t be treading on my toes Jeffers3 it just didnt feel right changing Denise Bushnell`s article at the time i posted it although there were a few things i would of worded/changed but its intirely up to you if you want to change it, 
as long as it still helps people understand brumation 
but please dont change it to much as it is helpful as it is and explains a whole lot about brumation for owners that have no clue about it hence the reason i posted it in the first place.


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## viggo (Jun 30, 2012)

is it okay for beardies to brumate this time of year ? she is still eating fine the temps seems fine, just that over the last week she as decided to do less.
she has the same routine wake up at 8-9 eats then lets us know when she is ready to poop comes out wonders around then has a poop outside of her tank lol lucky we have a wooden floor but normally we get something under her  ..
anyway by 4-5 pm she has started hiding from the light and heat and digging and thats it she is between 10 months and a year!


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## dhoban7942 (Jul 25, 2012)

Mine's just gone into brumation, D'oh!


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