Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I posted below about brumating. Will they stay under the sand the whole winter? should I bring them out for water and/or to check weight? Ana did not come out at all today and Stan was only out for a few hours and stayed on the cool side of the tank. Yesterday he spent about an hour upside under his UVB light.

Should I cut back on light, temps, food? I want to clean the tank and give fresh sand. OK to pull Ana from sand? Sorry, but these are my first true brumating lizards. They are in the swift family so maybe a swifty owner can help.

Btw, I live in NH so the outdoor temps are quickly changes. Here is a link to pics. The last three are recent

thanks - any advice experience appreciated!
Stan

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Chameleon Help & Resource Info
1.0 Nosy Be Panther Chameleon - Cyrus
0.1 Veiled Chameleon - Luna. She's now hanging from her big jungle gym in the sky
1.0 Beardie - Darwin
1.1.1 Side-blotched lizards - Ana and Stan and Stan Jr.!
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Lita
0.1 African Clawed Frog - Skippy
0.1 Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula - Rosa Leigh, Died 4/21/06
0.1 Goliath Bird-Eater Tarantula - Natasha, donated to science 4/4/06
?.? Pinktoe Tarantula - no name yet

I have had these lizards over the years, lived in California for 52 years and here is what I have observed. In the field it is not uncomon on warm winter days to see these lizards out sunning and often are the only lizard one might see. Especially in Riverside off the 74 freeway there are some extremely buetiful animals with incredible color and also size.

I have observed their reduced activity soemwhare around Thannksgiving time in Southern California, and I can say that because I got off for Thanksgiving every year working for the State and would often take my kids hiking during tht time.

So I don't know where you live but in California this has been my personal observation, I would therefore recommend that you clean the cage and possibly keep the temps up for at least another month or so. If it's real cold then maybe add a night light, then around November I would lessen the light, make sure they are well fed and hydrated, it could be that they are in the sand because the ambient temps in your cage has changed? Anyway I think it's a little early to bed them down, at least this specie, and once they do go down they will spend a lot of time under the sand, but will occassionally come out from time to time especially if it warms up and the temps are high enough to bring them out. I know in the desert in late February one might see some of these already out and becoming active. ON the dirt roads in Riverside in March they are already active. I hope this helps, but do make sure they are well hydrated and plenty fat before you bed thenm down................
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Phrynosoma.org

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signature file edited. [phw 11/14/04]

thanks for the input. I live in NH (I did say that in post) so it is getting quite cool.

When you had them what did they mainly eat? Mine have no interest in the small crickets, waxworms and really only like mealworms and the occassional green fruitworm or looper I will go out to collect for them.

Today Ana is out and no sign of Stan - guess they are taking turns

Thanks for your advice and I will assuem that September in NH is about equal to Thanksgiving in So CA, but we will surely be colder than any temps in SoCA in a few months.

Ana has Stan in a headlock and says "hey that's MY cricket!"

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Chameleon Help & Resource Info
1.0 Nosy Be Panther Chameleon - Cyrus
0.1 Veiled Chameleon - Luna. She's now hanging from her big jungle gym in the sky
1.0 Beardie - Darwin
1.1.1 Side-blotched lizards - Ana and Stan and Stan Jr.!
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Lita
0.1 African Clawed Frog - Skippy
0.1 Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula - Rosa Leigh, Died 4/21/06
0.1 Goliath Bird-Eater Tarantula - Natasha, donated to science 4/4/06
?.? Pinktoe Tarantula - no name yet

when i had some i fed them house flys and fruit flys that i found outside. hope that helps