Brumation?

[wendy]

My BD has not been eating for the last two weeks and is spending most of her time in her hide. I have been quite worried about her as she seems so sad  but have just realised that she may be brumating?
If she is, what should I be doing? Do I just let her be?
Do I keep the lights on during the day as normal or keep them turned off.
What temperature should her tank be? She has a heat lamp (no light) that runs on a thermostat that is always on.
Do I try to feed her? Should I bath her?
How long can I expect this to last?
I understand brumation is quite normal but it is also quite worrying.
By the way, she is 17 months old.

[ladyknite]

Not really the right time for brumation.  However, depending on where you live, the weather (specifically storms) could be impacting her behavior.

A fecal is recommended to ensure there are no parasites.

[wendy]

I live in New Zealand, it is autumn here and the weather is definitely getting colder. Could it still be a bit early for brumation?

[ladyknite]

ahhhh......your winter is coming, ours is leaving.  That explains alot.
Yes, it could be the weather patterns affecting her and it could be brumation.  However, a fecal check is recommended before she goes into brumation to ensure she's all well for her sleep.

[wendy]

Thank you, I will phone the vet today.
Just wondering if someone could still answer my questions above? If she is going into brumation I really have no idea what to expect and what I should be doing. This probably sounds silly but I'm a bit nervous about it!

[wendy]

Thanks for your replies, I have a vet appointment later this afternoon. Hopefully she will poop before we go!

[Red Ink AUS]

I live in New Zealand, it is autumn here and the weather is definitely getting colder. Could it still be a bit early for brumation?

G'day mate,

That's brumation alright, my dragon and a few of my friends have already been down or slowing down for the past three weeks now. I'm in OZ by the way. It's kinda depressing not seeing them out and about for the next 2-3 months.

Cheers

[wendy]

I had my BD to the vet 3 days ago and they gave her some panacur. We got the results back today which confirmed she has pinworms. However she is sill not eating and has not come out of her hide at all. She seems to be in a very deep sleep and I admit I have poked her a few times to check if she is still alive. The vet has said she will need more doses of meds until her fecal test comes back clear. Does she need to have a probiotic as well? Should I be worried that she is extremely sleepy? Could she be in brumation as well? Do I just let her be until she is ready to come out?

[wendy]

Ok now you have me really worried. She has been sleeping for days, but I have woken her up, given her a bath and removed her hide. Should I try to feed her when she is on the meds? The vets here have told me they don't know a lot about bearded dragons although they are currently doing research and said they will get back to me.

[chieph]

send the vet to this forum I'm sure they'll learn a lot! Good luck to you!