Brumation for bearded dragons is an important time of their development. These playful pet lizards are very popular nowadays due to their inquisitive nature and passiveness. Brumation can be confusing for many owners, most don’t really know how to properly care for a bearded dragon during this process.
This important phase in the bearded dragon can have effects on not just the pet lizard but also on the owners. Some people want to know if the entire brumation process can be ultimately prevented or at least sped up in some way.
Let’s go over some of the most important details about brumation for bearded dragons, what to look for, how to deal with certain situations, and what to not do when your beardie goes into brumation. This is a very important part of any bearded dragon care guide.
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What is Brumation For Bearded Dragons?
Brumation in bearded dragons can be described as a phase of dormancy that is taken during the months with cold weather in Australia, similar to hibernation in some mammals. In the wild, Bearded dragons would go through brumation in what would be the Southern hemisphere’s winter months: June, July, and August.
Beardies going through this process would burrow into the ground and go into a type of deep sleep until temperatures begin to increase. Think of it as a type of reptile “hibernation” that bearded dragons naturally go through in the wild.
Bearded dragons will go through brumation primarily because they can’t regulate body temperatures like other animals can. Like other reptiles, this is the reading you will find of bearded dragons basking in the sun during colder times of the day or when they look for places to protect themselves from the high temperatures during hot days.
A bearded dragon might be able to survive a day or two of low temperatures but after that, it can be very difficult for cold-blooded animals to stay healthy and active. Brumation for bearded dragons is a means to survive the cold temperatures of the winter months.
Usually, when a bearded dragon is getting ready to brumate it will begin to eat more than it normally would. This is done to build up nutrient reserves in their body, this allows them to live off the nutrients during brumation.
One key difference between hibernation in mammals and brumation with reptiles is that a mammal will have a hard time waking up. Reptiles on the other hand have a very easy time waking up from their brumation process.
All it takes is for a bearded dragon’s internal temperature to suddenly increase and the reptile will all of a sudden wake-up. This happens even if the winter months have not passed, meaning that the bearded dragon can be awake in the winter if the temperatures have increased to be sufficiently warm.
This is where keepers get confused with the brumation process in a bearded dragon. Some beardies will not go into a deep sleep that lasts for months, they will instead be less active, sleep for a longer period of time and eat less. Brumation can be happening and you don’t even notice in some cases, you just think your bearded dragon is less active than normal.
Brumation Symptoms in Bearded Dragons
Brumation symptoms in bearded dragons can in some cases be obvious and other times they might not be all that clear to the keeper. Some of the more apparent brumation symptoms will come when their enclosure’s temperature drops.
- Bearded Dragon is eating less.
- Spending more time hiding.
- The Bearded dragon is sleeping more.
- Lethargic or moving less.
- Staying away from direct light.
- Spending less time basking.
You will notice a change in the bearded dragon’s sleep schedule as they will begin to sleep much more. Beardies do this in order to reduce the overall energy spent before going into brumation. They will spend most of their time in their hide or burrow instead of being awake during normal schedules during the day.
Along with more sleep comes a noticeable decrease in their daily activity, the change can be so drastic that they might be awake but not active at all. A loss in appetite is another common symptom of brumation for bearded dragons, this one tends to scare keepers quite a bit.
During this time bearded dragons will utilize their fat reserves, this directly translates into a decrease in appetite. This will lead to fewer bowel movements as well, which also tends to scare keepers a bit.
Since many of these brumation symptoms simulate health concerns in bearded dragons, you will need to keep a close eye to differentiate one from the other. A good way to check on how your bearded dragon is doing during brumation will be regular weigh-ins.
Let’s say a healthy specimen is anywhere from 300 to 500 grams, brumation should not make them lose much more than 50 grams of overall body weight. If you notice that your bearded dragon has all of these symptoms and also loses more weight than the average then it might be time to go in for a check-up and check for parasites.
Brumation Age For Bearded Dragons
There is no set age for brumation in bearded dragons, this can happen at any age between 10 to around 24 months. Bearded dragons can individually be very different, some might brumate at an earlier age than others and some might never actually brumate.
Keepers have registered bearded dragons once a year, once every 2 years, and some just never go through the process. Just remember that as a rule of thumb that younger beardies should not be going into brumation. If they are younger than 10 months old and you suspect brumation, it is probably best to have a veterinarian check on your lizard.
If you suspect your young dragon might be going into brumation there might be other health concerns. Young bearded dragons will not have the fat reserves that come with age to survive a process of brumation.
How Long Does Brumation Last?
Brumation in bearded dragons will normally last for one to three months. It can actually last the entirety of winter under normal circumstances. Since it is a period of sleep based on seasonal cycles, it tends to follow the length of the colder months.
Pet bearded dragons will most likely brumate according to their tanks’ heat and lighting conditions. This can take several months to finish and might only be seen coming out for water once in a while.
The process of brumation for bearded dragons is not a fast process so remember that the responsibility to care for them during this period comes with being its keeper.
What To Do During Brumation?
In terms of caring for your bearded dragon during brumation, there isn’t much to do really. This process is for the most part a hands-off part of rearing bearded dragons. You will want to focus on providing a good environment for your beardie.
Once you are convinced brumation is starting you will want to turn off enclosure lighting as well as heating. We can begin this process by gradually decreasing the lighting and heating from the normal 14 hours a day until you no longer have them on at all. This makes the entire process seem more natural, it mimics what would be naturally occurring in the wild.
Yes, their tank will begin to get cold but let’s not forget that brumation is the process for bearded dragons to sleep through the naturally occurring cold weather. Other than managing the climate in the enclosure there really isn’t much else to do for a keeper other than making sure there is always fresh, clean water.
If the bearded dragons come out of their hiding spot during brumation you can try to feed them. In this particular situation, the beardie will most likely refuse food but it is always a good idea to at least try.
If by chance the bearded dragon does decide to eat, after all, remember to turn on the lights and the heat sources for the daylight hours. They will need this to digest the food they just ate.
So, we have to provide water, maybe some food and lastly, keep the enclosure clean. That’s about it for Brumation care for bearded dragons.
What Happens When Bearded Dragons Wake from Brumation?
After brumation has been successfully completed everything should go back to normal. When they wake up from brumation, bearded dragons will act as if nothing happened. This means that you should work to get them back to their normal schedules that include feeding, lighting, and heating as well.
Make sure to weigh your dragon when brumation ends to see just how many grams of weight is lost in the process. As long as he was healthy before brumation, he should not really have lost more than around 50 grams of body weight.
Can I Wake My Bearded Dragon During Brumation?
I don’t really see any legitimate reason to wake your bearded dragon up during brumation. In fact, never try to wake up a bearded dragon while it is in brumation.
You should let them go through the process and naturally wake up. Some eager keepers will try to raise the temperature in the enclosure with hopes of stimulating an early wake-up on the bearded dragon.
This is always a mistake and could mess up their internal seasonal cycle. It is also somewhat of a moot point, once the bearded dragon has begun brumation there isn’t a lot you can do to stop it.
These tiny reptiles have been going through brumation long before humans started to keep them as pets. They definitely won’t need a human to get in the way of this naturally occurring process. So if your lizard is healthy there is no reason to stop brumation.
How Can I Tell If It Is Dead, Sick, or Brumating?
Sometimes illness or parasites can mimic symptoms of brumation. Remember that bearded dragons will be eating a lot less before they begin going into brumation but they should not lose more than 50 grams in total.
If you notice your dragon is not eating and it is losing weight very rapidly, it is time to check for parasites or to head to the vet for a check-up. Have a digital scale on hand to have regular weigh-ins for your bearded dragon. Check the eyes and look for strange pieces of shedding from your bearded dragon.
Conclusion
Brumation for Bearded Dragons is a time when they go into a dormant state very much like hibernation in mammals. The entire process can go on for one to around 3 months, this allows them to survive the cold months of winter in their natural habitat.
Bearded dragons will move less, eat less and as a consequence, you will see much less bearded dragon poop in the enclosure. Professional breeders agree that the common period of brumation is quite healthy for bearded dragons and should not be a cause for worry in keepers.
Remember to not try to wake your bearded dragon and instead focus on making sure the entire process is as easy-going as possible for the bearded dragon.
Make sure to provide dress water at all times, even if they don’t drink it, and keep the enclosure clean. Simply follow the steps and information we have provided and Brumation for bearded dragons will be a breeze for everyone.
Cover Photo by David Clode
