Reptile & Amphibian Forums

For about a month now, Ocho has been very lethargic. After asking some questions here we determined that he was having his first hibernation, gave hime some hide-boxes, lowered his lighting schedule, etc.

Thing is, it's kinda half-hearted. He hangs out in his box all day, sometimes just laying there with his eyes open. Sometimes he just sits there all day with his head sticking out and watches. He comes out to eat about once a week. He has not yet gone into a full hibernation.

I wonder if it's because we live in texas and it just isn't cold enough for him to want to hibernate as much? I do think it a little odd that he chose the hiding spot under the heatlamp, rather than in the cool side of the tank. I originally put paper towels in his hiding spots to make them a little more cozy, but he just dragged them out.

Is this partial hibernation fairly normal, or is there something else I could be doing?

My guy has been about the same. Lays in his basking spot and looks sleepy but does not sleep. If I let him out he makes a bee line for the nearest dark spot and crashes out. I made a little cave for him with a towel draped over his branch and he seems to like that. I've been letting him out in late afternoon and letting him sleep wherever he chooses (usually under this one lamp stand) for a while, then putting him in his cave when it get's full dark outside. He usually crawls in the rest of the way and bags out for the night. Then in the morning he pokes his head out and heads for the basking spot and the cycle begins anew.
I guess this is pretty normal, not all dragons go into full on hibernation when they are young from what I hear.

Hope that helps,

QB

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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I'll just keep doing what I'm doing and let him have his rest. Thanks for the advice.

This thread describes what my new female is doing also. As soon as I get fecal tests I can rest easy as well.

I noticed you only have the UV light on 1/3 of your cage. Is that because you use the window behind the cage to provide additional UV? Trying to confirm that they normally need a bulb that extends the length of their cage.

I can't speak for everyone, but my dragon literally spends 99.9% of his time on that end of the cage under the light (except when he's in that box hibernating. lol) Plus I supplement his food.

So I really don't have to worry about it much. I know he's getting all the vitamins he needs.

My UVB light only stretches half the length of my guys cage. I don't know if you need one that goes the entire length. All I know is that buying the one I have now was enough of a kick in the crotch price wise that I am hesitant to buy a longer one unless I aboslutely have to.