Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi all.

I currently have a collared lizard hatching, Santo. My first experience with a collared lizard after having several leopard lizards the last few years.

Santo is a joy to watch. He's high energy and extremely curious and what a acrobat!!

He's is about four months now and at 10 grams. Eating is starting to slow somewhat and I'm wondering if a full on hiberation for him is safer than brumation.

My boyfriend and I are at the moment brumating two grown female leopard lizards in a cooler with ice packs on the side. But we're worried that Santo is too small to brumate/hibernate.

Any experience out there with hiberating a hatchling? Any advice would be appreciated.

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Collared lizards 1.0
Leopard lizards 0.2

I'm no expert but I think you should turn up the heat and keep the Collared up for the first year.

Cecil
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1.1 Bearded Dragon (Drago,Medusa)
1.1 Desert Iguana(Dima, Dianne)
1.0 Green Iguana (Igor)-moved to my Sisters house
0.1.1 Chuckwalla (roxy,Little Chuckie)
1.3.5 Collared Lizard (Fred, Wilma, Betty, Pebbles #1,2,3,4,5, KND)
1.1 Desert Leopard Lizard (Simba, Kimba)
0.1 AZ. MTN. Kingsnake (Nimo)
1.0 Coatal Rosy Boa (Greer)
0.1 Hamster (Tofu)
1.1 Kids
0.1 Wife

Yes, I never hibernated mine until they were at least a year old.

nt

I'm sorry, I forgot to welcome you to the forum.

Cecil
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1.1 Bearded Dragon (Drago,Medusa)
1.1 Desert Iguana(Dima, Dianne)
1.0 Green Iguana (Igor)-moved to my Sisters house
0.1.1 Chuckwalla (roxy,Little Chuckie)
1.3.5 Collared Lizard (Fred, Wilma, Betty, Pebbles #1,2,3,4,5, KND)
1.1 Desert Leopard Lizard (Simba, Kimba)
0.1 AZ. MTN. Kingsnake (Nimo)
1.0 Coatal Rosy Boa (Greer)
0.1 Hamster (Tofu)
1.1 Kids
0.1 Wife

I would weigh the risk of him refusing to eat with trying to keep him up. If he flat out refused (which I have seen mine do) I would try for a shortened brumation...by the way, I'm pretty certain hibernation and brumation are used interchaneably. I would shorten his photo period, then allow his to snuggle under a rock. Drop the lights for a couple weeks then bring them back up. See if this triggers his awakening.

I have brumated lizards that were young. 10 grams is pretty small, but 4 months is not really a hatchling either in my opinion. I've had lizards that were nearly full grown in half a year. Mine were normally 20 grams and up though.

Just my 0.02.

John

I'm not sure of your lizards origin, but I have caught wild collareds in Missouri in late September before that were only days old. This second clutch only has 2-2.5 months to eat before they have to brumate until the following late April,May.

Of course I don't want to be blamed either way. Just weight you options and use your best judgment.

John

That in warmer climates the hatchlings continued to feed through the winter with foraging and growing =to compete with the adults in mind ready for the coming spring.

I'm not sure where I got that from but I was certain until now that this was the case. Otherwise would the hatchling's not grow over winter, and wake up still small?
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Kel

www.collaredlizards.co.uk
0:0:1 Timor Monitor
2:2 Collared Lizards
1:6 Green Anoles
1:0 Dune Scorpion
3:0 Imperial Scorpions
2:0 Desert Hairy Scorpions
0:1 Mexican Red Knee Tarantula

Will should be able to answer those questions regarding the lizards in the southwest, but I don't think they forage in the winter...pretty sure they stay down til April and May as well.

In Missouri, I can tell you for certain...there is no foraging when temps don't make it above 50 degrees until May.

As to your other question...I have had lizards continue to put on weight while in brumation. I'm not sure how this is accomplished aside from water absorption, but I have heard there is documentation showing both weight and length growth while in brumation. I have seen weight changes myself, but I never really cared enough about length to measure them. Size doesn't matter.

John

Size doesnt matter, lol

I realy kinda just wanted to satisfy my curiosity, but I figure that helps thanks
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Kel

www.collaredlizards.co.uk
0:0:1 Timor Monitor
2:2 Collared Lizards
1:6 Green Anoles
1:0 Dune Scorpion
3:0 Imperial Scorpions
2:0 Desert Hairy Scorpions
0:1 Mexican Red Knee Tarantula

size? :O) No other way to satisfy that curiosity other than measuring.

J

No not about size!!!

About how it differs between the north and south with the teps being different etc. The size is really irrelevant,
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Kel

www.collaredlizards.co.uk
0:0:1 Timor Monitor
2:2 Collared Lizards
1:6 Green Anoles
1:0 Dune Scorpion
3:0 Imperial Scorpions
2:0 Desert Hairy Scorpions
0:1 Mexican Red Knee Tarantula

hehehehheheee, LMAO, dang when did you crawl out of your hole?
Nice to see ya Sockhead!

I personally would keep the little guy up ! I have some kids that young now and would not even think about brumating!

Thats my 2 cents,
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PHEve / Eve

Contact PHEve

ha, ha. Just kidding. I tried to cover myself by saying... if the lizard would cooperate. I think I said something like that. Just another option...shortened break as opposed to long brumation. Like I have done when I vacation...shut the lights off and say, "see you later." No food or water for a couple weeks. I look at it as a trend of crappy weather that would keep a lizard under the rocks for a couple weeks.

Now you have 0.04 cents.

hahahahaa ! But I still luv ya Johneee, LOL
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PHEve / Eve

Contact PHEve

Thanks everyone for the advice!!!

My first inclination is to keep Santo awake for this winter and I will follow it. Everyone's opinion also seemed to go that way and it seems only the best thing to do.

There's a lot of fear in me to have him hibernate. The base of his tail is nice and fat but I still think he's still too young to hibernate.

His eating habits have slowed down a bit and seems to be staying in his hide cave a bit longer than usual these days as well -- especially true on cloudy days. But when the sun is out here in Southern California, he's always in his outdoor cage getting as much natural sunlight as possible.

He's such a swell little guy!!

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Collared lizards 1.0
Leopard lizards 0.2

Good luck with him. He's got a great look about him already. Where is he from?

J

Thanks!

Santo is a Great Basin collared lizard from Nevada.
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Collared lizards 1.0
Leopard lizards 0.2

I've never cooled down a hatchling but I've heard of people losing them in hibernation. I'd keep him up.

And glad ya brought your baby along, A real cutie, I would keep him up, without a doubt !

Let us know how ya do.
Suncharmers * Collareds/Care and More

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PHEve / Eve

Contact PHEve

Oh...wow, I thought you talking to me until I reread that message. Man, I'm so embarassed. ;O)

SHOULD BE, my goodness , get with it Dinglesnort!

To much time on your hands, or is it the bedpost dilemia thing, LMAO ROFL
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PHEve / Eve

Contact PHEve