Posted by:
Mattman
at Sat Jan 3 11:56:52 2004 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by Mattman ]
We use the word brumation because it's not like a full hibernation a bear would go through. Sleeping with no activity through the winter months. It's like a half-hibernation or brumation. Just really a natural slow down during the colder months or shorter days. For some this is a deep sleep for months, but for many it's just a slow down in activity, pooping, and eating. Yours actually may be brumating as much as he ever is going to this year. They are all different, and some just go into a slow down period in the winter, and that is the extent of their brumation. Not all drop out and sleep deep for weeks-months at a time. Some sit with their eyes open watching the world go by in a daze for a month, then regain activity one day basking, eating and going back to their normal dragon activities. As long as you know he has no parasites or illness, I wouldn't worry to much at all how or where he is deciding to brumate. What your male is doing is normal. As long as they are healthy before going into brumation, and are not loosing to much weight through it, you really just got to let them take it's course, and go with the flow  I have two females that are down for the count and instead of going to the cooler side where I put the cardboard up they chose right under their basking logs which are 4 angled wood pieces with a fake vine woven through them to provide a shaded hide underneath, and cooler temps of 83 degrees. My other two boys used their cardboard hides on the far wall at 70 degrees. One slept with his eyes closed during the day, and the other just sits staring off into space brumating with his eyes open during the day. My other female just slowed down activity for maybe 2 weeks, and has been pretty normal all through winter eating, pooping, and basking so far. They all are very different in how they go through their brumation periods. Every one of mine is a bit different. Just got to go with the flow. Offer them water regularly, and if you see them out basking offer a food item to see if they are ready to go back to normal activities.
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RE: half-hibernation? - Mattman, Sat Jan 3 11:56:52 2004