Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have heard so many different ways to hibernate their beardeds, i just wanted to see what everybody out there does. I slowly lower the photoperiod and temperature over 2 weeks, and turn off the heat completely for a few months.
When do most of you start?

Personally, I don't, I let them do it. I will shorten up light times as it gets progressively darker through the winter, but if he wants to stay up, I'm not going to worry about it. The silly fellow decided to brumate from February to almost May on me no matter what I did to try to keep him awake, so I give up! Besides, I miss his happy little face while he's sleeping.

just slowed down a lot and dozed off and one all day, some went to sleep for a few weeks, some a month and one girl zonked out for almost 5 months!!! No matter what we did she was sound asleep and slept hard, every few weeks I could get her to take water and she did lose some weight, but she made it back up a few weeks after finally getting up.

It was almost a surprise when one day she came out of the box I had put in her tank for her and she went to basking. She did not eat for almost two weeks, but OMG, how she make up for it the next month til she was bigger that the previous year, she is now one of our largest dragons.

Most I left in their tanks and just turned off the lights and watched for them to get back up. One since she is in a busy area of the house we struck in sweater box and put her in the closet for several weeks ... hehe, only another beardie lover can understand putting your pet in a show box or sweater box and sticking them on the shelf for a month or more.

Offer then some water with an eyedropper every few days and let them sleep, if they are thirsty, they will lick the water with their eyes closed and never budge.

i let them choose. I adjust the lights and the heat according to the outdoor lights and temps.

last year I used caves for them to brumate in. Was wondering if that's needed or not. any thoughts?
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Bennett

www.beardiedragon.com