From the mating and flowering season of Springtime to the hibernation period of Winter, even the smallest of minds tend to have some general understanding of seasonality and its role in nature.
Virtually anything having to do with s, with the exception of learning about dinosaurs. So, it should come as NO surprise to anyone that bearded dragon brumation can be quite an alarming experience for new owners!
The purpose of this article is to set the record straight about brumation . From what brumation actually is to tips on how to care for brumating bearded dragons, no stone will be left unturned!
Brumation In Bearded Dragons
✅ Brumation At A Glance: Brumation is essentially the version of hibernation and is practiced naturally by bearded dragons, turtles, tortoises, snakes, and other lizards. The bearded dragon brumation signs are a dramatic decrease in appetite, drinking, defecating, and a major increase in sleeping/nap time. Brumation varies from to .
Brumation is best described as hibernation for bearded dragons. Occurring during the cooler seasons, brumation allows beardies to better copy with less sunlight, lower temps, and less sources (i.e. insects) of food.
In laymen’s terms, brumation is essentially the equivalent of hibernation, with a few key differences. During brumation, a bearded dragon’s metabolism slows down significantly. This leaves them with less energy and less of an appetite.
Unhealthy Behaviors To Watch For From Your Beardie
As Winter approaches, not only does the sun grow weaker, but daylight hours get shorter. This leaves bearded dragons unable to absorb enough warmth to properly digest their food, and well, to put it bluntly… survive
In addition to changes in the sun, the weather itself will also be changing, leading to colder temperatures. This affects the availability of the food beardies NEEDto survive; plants go dormant until spring and insects die off.
A bearded dragon without food cannot possibly sustain themselves (obviously), so their metabolism has evolved over thousands of years to significantly slow down. This allows them to remain alive without food for as long as several months! Pretty cool, right?
I'm Getting Worried About My Bearded Dragon. He Has Been Seemingly Brumating And Refuses To Eat. But Now He Is Developing Black Patches And They Aren't Dirt Marks, His Scales Are Turning
Burying themselves under the soil, bearded dragons will rest and nap on and off, without needing food or water. However, their vents will often pull in moisture from the soil to keep them sufficiently hydrated, just as a side note.
While any responsible owner is going to supply their bearded dragon with enough food, warmth, and light to keep them healthy year-round, it doesn’t necessarily mean you can change their biology just like that.
You see, it is important to acknowledge that despite the resources we provide, bearded dragons have evolved to welcome brumation as simply a part of their life.
Bearded Dragon Husbandry Guide.
It should also be noted that not all dragons will brumate in captivity, nor will all dragons brumate in Winter! Some dragons may never brumate, while others feel such a strong instinct, that they may brumate every year.
Some dragons may even be so in tune with their instincts, that they go into brumation in Spring or Summer, despite being in the Northern Hemisphere!
Seeing as this is around the time they would brumate in their native Australia – which experiences Winter and Fall during the Spring and Summer of the Northern Hemisphere – goes to show just how intuitive these little guys truly are!
My Bearded Dragon Died Unexpectly At 6 Why Might This Be He Was Pretty Dormant For His Last Week And Not Eating?
It is important to realize that brumation is different for every bearded dragon. While some may never brumate, others might sleep for months! Only time will tell what your beardie’s preference is.
Just as how not every dragon will brumate during the same time frame… the extent of how long brumation lasts will vary from dragon to dragon.
The truth. You see, it may take you a brumation or two with your dragon to figure out exactly what you can expect from them.
Caring For The Bearded Dragon
Some dragons will go into a single long sleep for weeks on end, others will take long naps on and off, and some may never even really sleep at all!
For instance, bearded dragons living in the southern hemisphere (such as in Australia) will typically begin brumating around March/April and may remain brumating as late into the year as August or September.
And right as Australian bearded dragons begin waking up, those in the Northern Hemisphere (United States, Europe, Canada, U.K, , etc.) will begin to brumate! Bearded dragons in this hemisphere will typically brumate anytime from September through March.
Bearded Dragon Behavior And Body Language
Bottom line? You can expect your bearded dragon to begin brumating in response to the seasonal changes around you. So, when the temperatures drop come Fall and Winter, expect your beardie to brumate during this time.
While all bearded dragons should be offered food during brumation around once a week, it isn’t a big deal if your pet refuses to eat. Brumating bearded dragons will experience a decrease in their appetite and a slowed metabolism rate. This means, it isn’t so critical they fuel their bodies daily.
Now, if they do eat, make sure they digest and pass their food before being left alone again. Try to encourage them to bask under their UVB and give them a bath daily until they have a bowel movement.
Bearded Dragon Brumation
Once out of brumation, you can expect your bearded dragon to regain a regular appetite within a few days to 2 weeks. However, try to wean them back onto their diet . Don’t overload them with insects initially as this can upset their stomachs.
As bearded dragon owners, we have a tendency to become slightly frantic and paranoid whenever our pet seems to be displaying strange behaviors that extend for longer than just a couple days.
With so many things that can go wrong with bearded dragons, it’s only natural that abnormal behavior triggers an alarm within us! After all, our beardies are family.
Brumation Bearded Dragons: 6 Signs Of Sickness You Must Not Ignore
May times what we worry may be the signs of a serious health concern, such as impaction or virus, can oftentimes just be signaling the onset of a perfectly normal bearded dragon part of life, such as brumation or a shed.
✅Expert Tip: Do not try to force-feed them as this goes against the natural course of things and can cause health issues. In fact, your bearded dragon is most likely counting down the days until all the food in his stomach is 100% digested, so he can pass one FINAL bowel movement before transforming his lethargic naps into a deep sleep.
Once you’ve realized your bearded dragon is preparing to brumate, it is best to just leave them alone, as force feedingwill only complicate his calendar (on top of causing health issues).
Bearded Dragon Brumation In Summer
Now, you can by all means still provide your dragon with a little bit of food and allow him to decide whether he wants to eat or not. But brumation is simply not a time for force-feeding, even if it would make YOU feel better.
Brumation in baby bearded dragons is certainly rare but NOT unheard of! Often times, it is better to try and get ahead of the situation should you notice signs of brumation…
Baby dragon brumation is definitely a hot topic amongst bearded dragon owners. You see, typically brumation is NOT recommended for beardies under a year of age.
The Art Of Hibernation
Because brumation can involve long periods of not eating, it can present issues for a young, growing bearded dragon. Babies who brumate risk their development and health .
However, it is typically pretty rare for a beardie younger than 6 months to show signs of brumation, with many waiting until they’re at least a year and a half (or older!) to brumate.
Now, if you witness your baby displaying some tell tale signs of brumation, it’s probably best that you attempt to stop the process. Of course, within reason though…
Brumation In Central Florida?
It will be more stressful and damaging to your baby bearded dragon to fight them on brumation in the long run. If they are adamant about going through brumation, let them. Just wake them up once a week and offer them food, a bath, and keep waking them up daily until they poop (if they ate that is).
✅Expert Tip: Often times, bearded dragon owners mistake a lack of energy in their baby beardies for brumation when in reality… it’s due to either A) Lack of UVB, B) Inadequate temperature zones, or C) Growth spurts. Make sure you are able to rule these culprits out before assuming brumation is at play. How to Tell if a Bearded Dragon is Sick, Dead, or in Brumation
With new owners especially, the signs of brumation may often times go misdiagnosed and lead to some pretty scary assumptions about the health of your dragon. As such, it is important to be able to differentiate between a sick, dead, or brumating bearded dragon. Consider the following…
Bearded Dragon Brumation: All Faqs Explained & What To Do
Sick bearded dragons may display black beard, have depleted fat pads, mucus in their mouth, rotting tails, scale discoloration, sunken eyes, and other physical signs of illness.
However, a healthy dragon who is preparing to brumate should display none of these signs. Dragons preparing for brumation show more behavioral changes than physical.
If you’re concerned your bearded dragon may be dead, first I must say I am quite sorry if this turns out to be the case. Losing a pet is never fun and I extend my condolences to you
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