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We also make note of some common misconceptions and some health issues that are commonly confused for brumation due to similar symptoms. It is important to note that brumation is nothing to be scared of! In the wild, brumation allows the bearded dragon to more easily survive the winter, when temperatures drop and food is less plentiful.
Read on to learn more about brumation in bearded dragons, how to recognize it, and how to help your pet through it. The lethargy, lack of appetite, and inactivity so commonly associated with Brumation can all also be signs of much more serious and potentially life threatening conditions. It is because of this that it is so vital that bearded dragon beardie owners know the signs of brumation, so they can help to keep their beloved bearded dragon as happy and healthy as possible.
In this complete guide, we go through everything you need to know about bearded dragon brumation — what causes it, the common symptoms, common misconceptions and misdiagnosis, what to do, and how to reduce the likelihood of it happening in the future. Typically bearded dragons are very docile and actually enjoy interaction and handling, making them a great alternative option for a family pet.
In terms of life span, bearded dragons typically live for between ten and fifteen years, and when fully grown are around 18 inches in length. Like all members of the lizard family, bearded dragons are cold-blooded.
This means its temperature is reactive to its environment. If the room your bearded dragon is housed in is cold, then your dragon will be cold also, and if the room is hot, then so is your beardie. Unlike some reptile species, like humans, bearded dragons are diurnal, which means they are awake in the day and asleep at night. Also like most humans, they love to eat, and can easily become overfed and wider around the middle! This is a completely natural process for bearded dragons in the wild, typically occurring during the winter months.
The bearded dragon initiates brumation to conserve energy in times when temperatures drop remember they are cold blooded , insect populations plummet, and water becomes more and more difficult to find. Brumation entails seeking shelter, remaining largely inactive, and ceasing eating, similar to hibernating mammals. During this period the bearded dragon is able to live off their built up internal nutritional reserves. In the wild, this period of brumation will last until the warmer months come, bringing with it more plentiful water supplies, and newly hatched insects to eat.
As a bearded dragon is more vulnerable when practicing brumation, it is not unusual for them to seek shade or shelter. This mimics their survival instincts in the wild, by hiding away from potential predators while they rest. This is one of the most worrying symptoms for beardie owners, but combined with an increase in sleep, is indicative of brumation.
It is very important to not try and force your beardie to eat during this time, as food left in their bellies during brumation can simply rot inside them, leading to all manner of ailments and vet visits to get them back on their feet.
The average answer most resources state for the length of brumation is anywhere from a few weeks to four months. However, in reality this really changes from dragon to dragon, with some never brumating, some brumating every few years, and some religiously brumating every year. How the beardie behaves during brumation can also vary greatly, with some not sleeping at all, merely resting, others sleeping in spates, and some simply having one long sleep. As a caring beardie owner, it is your job to help your dragon enter brumation.
There are several different ways to do this, and put simply, your goal is to mimic the winter environment that causes brumation in the wild. You can do this by reducing basking hours, or using a lower watt bulb for their tank lights, which will give out lower temperatures. This will help mimic the reduction in temperature as the winter months approach. If your beardie is a baby or less than a year old brumation is usually not ideal. It can potentially stunt their growth, potential size , impact their lifespan , and cause potential health complications later on.
However, if your baby does try to go into brumation we recommend contacting your vet to see if you should attempt to get them out of it. If everything looks good then they might tell you to let the process play out!
So, what are the signs of brumation in bearded dragons? While we hinted at them before, this section will explore them in more detail. Understanding what to look for is a very important part of the process. Expert Tip: Understanding the signs is also a good way to prevent yourself from panicking. From a high level, bearded dragon brumation will look a lot like major laziness or a lack of energy.
As you can tell, a lot of these signs overlap with a bearded dragon that has some kind of health complication. Sick bearded dragons will often have obvious physical symptoms that are out of the ordinary. For the most part, signs of brumation will only be behavioral. Typically, the expected age for bearded dragon brumation is any time past 10 months old.
They need this time to continue eating and fueling their bodies through the developmental process. Beardies in captivity are less likely to follow the seasonal patterns they do in the wild, so the whole thing becomes a bit more random. In the wild, bearded dragons brumate in the winter.
Because of this, they go through the process of brumation to essentially wait out the winter. Instead of relying on seasonal cues, your bearded dragon might randomly decide to go into brumation. Bearded dragons in captivity might begin brumating in June, the winter, or not at all! There are many things happening behind the scenes that cause this variation all of which are hard for us to figure out as spectators.
There are many different types of factors that influence this and lead to a mix of different brumating lengths. You might find that your beardie completes the brumating process in just a few weeks. This means there are fewer UVB rays and heat which is necessary to help dragons digest their food. Even if food was abundant, eating would cause problems like not being able to pull the nutrition from their food and potential impaction constipation which could kill them.
If you notice your bearded dragon spending a lot of time in the coolest parts of the tank and in their hide as opposed to their basking spot then this is another good sign.
The best way to have a healthy dragon at the end of this cycle is to make sure that they go into brumation in top health. Parasites can eat through your dragon and cause them to get very skinny which of course opens them up to more serious health issues. Bearded dragons can often times come out of hibernation incredibly wrinkly and dehydrated so always keep a fresh bowl of water at their disposal.
A good way to tell if your dragon is dehydrated is by doing the pinch test, just pinch his skin and if it stays in the pinched position then they need some fluid. In the wild, dragons will burrow into the dirt and also cover up the opening to keep predators away so they are perfectly fine with little to no light just reduce it slowly over a couple of weeks. Always make water available during this time and you can also try placing them into a warm bath once per week for minutes, keep it no deeper than inches.
During this state they require little to no food and their activity level will be minimal which is why dragon owners have a hard time knowing whether their dragon is in brumation or dying. They need regular light cycles, plenty of calcium, and lots of heat and UV to grow normally.
If you think your baby or juvenile beardie is attempting to brumate, you should seek the help of a veterinarian as soon as possible, as this behavior is not normal. While an adult bearded dragon is perfectly capable of slowing its metabolic rate down to almost nothing, a baby beardie would quickly succumb to the rigorous brumation process.
When your dragon is approaching brumation, it will display a variety of noticeable signs and symptoms. As the colder months get closer, you should expect your beardie to show the following signs:.
However, as winter approaches, most adult bearded dragons experience some decrease in appetite, even if it is barely noticeable, while some will be on the more end of the spectrum and not eat for days before brumation. While most dragons will become less agreeable and more lethargic, some will be downright mean and aggressive, while others will behave only slightly more aloof and standoffish than usual. However, how much less they defecate will depend on how quickly your lizard stops eating and if they stop eating entirely or still eat occasionally.
Keep an eye out for signs of impaction during this time, as less active beardies going through brumation are particularly susceptible to their bowels becoming impacted. While some lizards will still bask occasionally during brumation, many will avoid doing so completely until the warmer months roll back around. Even with the friendliest, most people-friendly dragons, brumation will turn them into a bit of a curmudgeon.
It is normal for your beardie not to want to be handled during this time, as they are likely very tired and preparing for a quite physically and mentally stressful endeavor. Overall, you should expect your beardie to be less outgoing and active as they prepare their bodies for the winter months. As your dragon enters their little version of hibernation, monitor them closely—at a distance—and only intervene when they seek light or food. When your bearded dragon begins displaying the symptoms described above, you should help along the process in the following ways:.
Baths will help with shedding, bowel movements and generally just make the lizard more comfortable. If your beardie seems to be in pain, impacted, or is otherwise experiencing distress and black bearding constantly, you should seek the advice of your reptile veterinarian. While dragons are normal to behave a bit differently during brumation, pain and extreme stress are not normal. Many dragons in captivity will not brumate throughout the entire winter and will instead wake up from time to time and be somewhat active in between long, deep sleep.
While they might refuse to eat and to drink entirely, it is still a good idea to at least offer them food and water when they experience periods of activity or even just lightly mist them with water a few times per day.
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