 Recent Herp Discussion | | | | | | | |  | 
16-Apr-07, 07:40 AM
|  | Reptile Addict Subscriber | Join Date: Jun-06 Location: Port Adelaide SA | | |  Adult Beardie in Hibernation, how to look after him????
Hi everyone!!
My adult male beardie "Stumpy" (lost most of his tail as a baby, hence the name) has decided to go into hibernation.
We have only had him since the end of last winter and he was raised in a pet shop. we have him outside nearly every day in his outside enclosure and on nice nights he sleeps out there too, and on colder nights we bring him into his inside enclosure.
He has taken it upon himself to hide and sleep a lot more, which we take as a hibernation and don't want to move him now.
Question is, should we leave him outside in the colder weather now or have him inside for the winter and not wake him to take him outside on lovely days like we have been having this week?? I think it's confusing the poor fella!!!
And also , what sort of feeding should we do now?
Thanks for any help and advise, Stumpy would appreciate it very much!!
Kerri
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16-Apr-07, 08:52 AM
|  | Regular Member | | | | | I think you should monitor stumpy inside. So move him back into your inside enclosure.
I think it is still too early to hibernate.
he may be sick?
I've had water dragons before and they did not slow down until the very early to later winter months. I wouldn't call it hibernating my dragons do not hibernate. They just slow down.
Just keep water handy and some meal worms in the dish
Regulate your day and night temperatures by dropping it. I day temps in winter is about 20-23 degrees C and at night as low as 15 Degrees.
Other keepers may differ their experiences |
16-Apr-07, 09:12 AM
|  | Regular Member | Join Date: May-06 Location: Hornsby Age/Gender: 33  | | | | the vet told me it wasnt necessary or a good idea to hibernate them,...so i wont be.
while it is possible that he might already be starting, its a good idea to get a check up done by a vet before you let him, just incase he is sick, otherwise he mightnt make it.
also, if he eats, you need to get him to poo before he goes back to sleep, rotting food in their tummies can make them very sick.
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16-Apr-07, 09:51 AM
|  | Seller | Join Date: Sep-06 Location: South Australia Gender:  | | | | Stumpy isnt sick! Kerri takes extremely good care of him.
It is possible for them to enter a dormant stage if you keep him outside alot as he can feel colder weather and would instinctively want to sleep through it.
Do bring him inside even if it wakes him, I assume you want to cool him inside so he can be ready for breeding in spring? Simply, lower Temps gradually and with the lowering of temps, offer less food. He is an adult Vitticeps so he can last long periods without food.
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16-Apr-07, 10:44 AM
|  | Subscriber | Join Date: Nov-06 Location: Wollongong Age/Gender: 23 | | | | I'm with Rocket on this.
I dont believe he's sick- given the details supplied of cause.
My adults have also slowed down in recent weeks.
I am now offering protein based foods such as crickets and woodies roughly every 7-10days and fresh veg supplied 2-3 times a week.
My indoor temps have not yet been adjusted and regardless of this they are slowing down- much of this i am putting down to the drop in ambient temp overnight when all the heating elements are off.
Mine still go outdoors on bright warm days.
I dont think its anything to be alarmed about at all........but i'm no Vet.........and i guess if he would help settle ones mind then seek one out.
Oh and i believe the term is brumation- yes?
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16-Apr-07, 10:55 AM
| | Seller | Join Date: Sep-06 Location: South Australia Gender: | | | | Mat is correct with everything, Kerri, no need to fret.
Yes, Brumation is the correct term.
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Various Geckos, Pygopods, Dragons, Frogs and Sugar Gliders.
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16-Apr-07, 10:58 AM
| | Reptile Addict Subscriber | Join Date: Jun-06 Location: Port Adelaide SA | | | | He won't be used for breeding at all, but thanks for the kind words Shawn!!!
He is asleep at the moment inside, tho it is a nice day outside I might leave him in here, his lights are on and he is in his hide.
I think they know what they are doing and will let him go his own way, no good stopping nature I reccon?
I'll put him out when the weather is warmer and bring him in at night still, see how he goes with that.
That's a pic of him in my signature at the bottom, he is a champ!
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16-Apr-07, 05:47 PM
| | | | Brumation is a natural cycle to most of asutralian lizards...some more then others. it is reccomended that they be put into brumation although it is not essential unless you are wanting to breed, because that is the time in which the produce sperm and all the rest. Although it would be a good idea to bry him inside just incase somethin unexpected happens, and with the food still offer food because it is usually more reduced acticity then a complete stop...just dont offer as much and often because they need to be warm to digest food, so aslonh as you have some heat he will do perfectly fine.....Good Luck and have fun | |
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