Pygmy beardie getting a new enclosure

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Kirk1701

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So I received a pygmy bearded dragon off another member here last October (he was great, all the correct info was swapped and she's been updated on both our licenses). She came in a glass enclosure which has worked fine up until the last 3 weeks or so. I've noticed as the temps started to settle a bit that her enclosure seems to struggle staying warm - the last 2 days its been especially noticeable and she has been sluggish and not wanting to eat. I changed out all my bulbs so that not the issue.

So I figured it's time for a new enclosure. I picked up a reptile one viv today 60x45x45 which I think should work a lot better.

Any other advice for keeping enclosures at the right temp in winter?
 
Is the current enclosure open/mesh topped ?
You can improve it's thermal performance a LOT by investing a sheet of MDF or plywood and covering most the mesh lid with solid timber.

The effect is the heat created by the basking globe will trapped inside the now enclosed tank and warm air will be forced to circulate inside the tank , rather than immediately being lost to pool just below the room's ceiling.
For a 4ft x 2ft x 2ft glass open topped / mesh lidded tank the effect is like bumping up the wattage of the basking globe by 80W.
 
is it a wooden/melamine one? They keep the heat better than glass.If it's glass you can wrap it in foam or cardboard to keep in some heat.
My pygmies are in divided timber 120x60x60 (so 60x60x60 each ) with 40W globes and a shared 2' UV tube.
You must remember winter is coming so some are starting to brumate,both my girls are already snoozing but 2 of the boys are still kicking
 
New one is melamine/wood.

I didn’t think she would start brumating just yet, it’s still sitting in the mid 20’s where I live so I thought I had a little while yet.

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It’s very plain right now, I’m going to finish decorating it tomorrow.
 
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some will try to brumate very young,it's just natural. We try to keep them awake in the first winter to try and grow them up and make them strong but sometimes no matter what you do they will sleep.You say mid 20's, is that the enclosure or inside your house? or outside your house? You want a basking spot of nearly 40,cool end 25,warm end 35.
Looking at your pic it seems you have a mesh roof,try covering 3/4 with ply or cardboard to retain heat
 
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some will try to brumate very young,it's just natural. We try to keep them awake in the first winter to try and grow them up and make them strong but sometimes no matter what you do they will sleep.You say mid 20's, is that the enclosure or inside your house? or outside your house? You want a basking spot of nearly 40,cool end 25,warm end 35.
Looking at your pic it seems you have a mesh roof,try covering 3/4 with ply or cardboard to retain heat

This will be my girls 2nd winter (first with me though). Its mid 20's in the house - in her old glass enclosure it was in the mid 20's sometimes early 30's in her basking spot (hence the change to a melamine enclosure). Now that she is in the new enclosure temps are staying good at 38-40 in the basking spot and then 25-27 on the cool side. Still she seems pretty determined to snooze.
 
How long will they typically sleep for?
Anywhere from 2-4 months, My 7YO pygmy has only just gone to sleep but my girls have already been brumating for over a month. The funny thing is he is normally the first 1 to brumate and this year he is the last. I have 1 juvie left awake.
 
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