Herp Vets against brumation?

[mtardiff]

I'm curious, I've talked to 2 exotics vets and they both said that I should be waking me beardie up and not letting him go into brumation at 1 1/2 years old.  I understand their points but I want everyones opinion before I make mine on whether to let him or not when he does want to. 

One of them said that she has had beardies not wake up and have problems when they do.  She said that unless you are breeding or the beardie is >5 years old it is not necessary to let a CAPTIVE beardie brumate.  She said it will not be harmful in anyway to keep waking them up and make no changes to their enviroment.  meaning light times and temp. 

Mine is showing signs of maybe going into brumation.  it could just be the weather cause its storming everyday here but I just wanted to know what you guys think. 

I've gotten some AWESOME advice and appreciate it very much from this forum.  One of you in particular!(LadyKnight)  

[beardielover17]

I personally see nothing wrong with letting your dragon brumate. If they feel that they have to why stop nature (even though this is a captive environment). As long as your animal is healthy there is no downsides I can see to letting your dragon do something that is natural. My vet and I discussed this years ago when I told him about Magellan brumating at under a year old. He put it quite frankly, "Your dragon knows best, just listen to them and as long as he's healthy there's not much you can do"

What were the vet's reasons why they are against it?

[mtardiff]

the vets said that there is a possibility of them not waking up or having problems.  Esp. when they are young.  Mine is 1 1/2 and MIGHT be going into brumation.  I'm going to do a fecal on him tomorrow.

[perfectly_flawed]

In my experience, as long as a fecal is done at the first signs of brumation, they do fine. Some wake up a bit slow and it can take a while for their appetites to return to normal but every dragon I've had has come out of brumation without problems. I've also tried to keep them awake, when I first started out with them, on a vets advice. It didn't work. When they want to brumate they will, and nothing we do can fully stop them. It's natural to them.

[mtardiff]

good point.  Its interesting to me that you couldn't stop them, and that a vet wouldn't be aware of that and still suggest that beardie owners should try.

[SpikeyBoo]

Mine is getting to be almost a year - not doing it yet but I guess could in the next couple months or so. Is there a good place for info on what are indications that he's going to, how long is normal, important things to watch for, etc?

[zebrajanie]

Mtardiff... Just because they are an "exotic" Vet does NOT mean they are up on Current information..

SpikeyBoo.. What you look for are slowing down on eating, and sleeping longer... Some do brumate in their first year.. Others don't. Once you see those signs, get a fecal exam done.. if that is all clear, then allow the dragon's nature to proceed.

Hope this helps.

[mtardiff]

zebrajanie I agree with you, they cant be up to date, there are sooo many different species that are exotic! I just had a fecal done just in case he is going into brumation and it was clear of anything bad.