Why Is My Bearded Dragon Sleeping So Much? Bearded Dragon Brumation Guide

[@ReptilesandResearch]

I went back and forth with BeardieVet over these dates so you can be sure that these are pretty good dates and day lengths to go by. Its not just pulled out of thin air.

[@catherinepoloynis]

I really appreciate your academically sourced channel... we need it because local vets, even many representing themselves as "reptile vets," don't know much about reptiles. Many thanks to BeardieVet for making a 3-hr video covering many important topics.

[@PicoMause]

Awesome guide! I've been brumating my dragons for years following their natural behaviors. This guide is exactly in line with their habits and timelines. The only thing I do differently than most is offering water soaks every few weeks. It's important to use very shallow room temperature water and to stay with them to prevent drowning. They usually do not drink, but I do find that they come out on the other end of brumation looking much healthier.

[@SaffronBaggallay]

Fam! Your reptile collection is coincidently like mine. I have been looking for proper info on Brumation for my Beardie, nothing I read or watched, explained this to me as nice as your video, I was so stressed.....thank you for this.

[@dereksmyth8596]

Thanks so much for these man! I feel like after that video with Beardievet that I can rely on your advice. There are soooo many opinions out there and I feel like I've gradually gotten closer to most reliable info and I've found it!

[@ReptilesandResearch]

Happy to help!

[@Ghosteu94]

My experience, It's Oct 2024, my bearded dragon, sort of bounces between the heat and the cool cold area of her vivarium. I still offer food and it's just a case, if she wants it she can have it. Currently, she is on and off asleep under the heat lamp, but fell asleep last night in the dark cool part. She fell asleep early evening and woke up late morning. She's a lil chub atm as well so she's healthy.

[@learningformyreptiles1195]

So many people dont understand the problem with letting your bearded dragons stay to hot, they seem to lose control of their poop, they can get dehydrated and more

[@coastalcoyote]

Oh. What if you live in a warmer climate? My whole apartment stays at 72 F most of the winter, and that's with the help of the air conditioner. I've never turned on the heat, and even with the windows open on cold nights the air conditioner is still working against heat. Should we still do the shorter light days and no food?

[@azeliat100]

Ok, now I've never heard of estivation....can you cover that as well, please? I'm guessing this is what my dragon was doing this past summer (northern hemisphere), I took her to the vet and the vet said she was brumating...BUT she was awake the whole time

[@bethhudler4811]

Do we still do the UVB light in the morning and night even though they’re burrowed down to allow them some exposure? Or we keep all lighting off to try and lower the temps as much as we can? I just want to take care of my guy the proper way. Thank you.

[@gogueta43]

My bearded dragon started brumation, the week prior I noticed he was digging under his hide. I had to put reptisand and he started to dig more. I took him out he poop and then he just went inside the hide. He hasn’t come out from it. It’s been three days I’m abit worry!! Please help

[@paolareynoso-williams8006]

Hello. My 3 year old beardie just went into brumation two weeks ago. I adopted him 8 months ago so it is his first brumation with us. Do I need to pull him out to weigh him during brumation to make sure he isn't losing weight? Thanks!

[@Bingusbaby420]

How would you check if she has enough hydration? I'm so scared that she's gonna dry out or something

[@AsktheSpirits]

it’s almost April and I’m in New Jersey and my beardie seems like she’s brumating. Can this be?

[@DanSmith-bd9dn]

I've seen people saying that you shouldn't brumate a Beardy that's under a year old. What's your thoughts on this?

[@ReptilesandResearch]

I mean we have done it, if they are going to do it it’s going to happen anyway. Plus a bearded dragon born in spring will naturally face winter before it’s a year old anyway. That’s how I logically look at it. If people don’t allow them to brumate until they’re adult, then logically if that was the wild the bearded dragon would have experienced winter 3 times by then.

[@audrachristie1616]

Thanks so much for your videos. My number one question is, should I take her out of her cave and give her a soak to make her go to the bathroom as soon as possible? I live in Maine, USA, and my female beardie just decided to go into brumation, I think. I'm a newbie at this and she is just about 1 yo. She probably was exhibiting signs of slowing down, and I didn't realize what was going on. The day she decided to really hunker down, I fed her some Dubia Roaches earlier in that same day, and she hasn't pooped since she's been sleeping in her cave. (4 days so far.) I pulled her out yesterday to weigh her, and she was NOT happy with me, lol. She's 371 grams.

[@brandonsimpson2696]

I live in Houston Texas. Just got a baby bearded dragon. I love all this information! And thank you for your time and dedication! Ok so, I was thinking about keeping Rango in the garage when it gets closer to winter. We don’t get that cold and when it does I can put a ceramic heater in there to keep it around 65 or so. I mean technically they can go lower really! But yeah maybe around that temperature. I have him in a 55 gallon for now only because it was given to me, iam fully aware I need a bigger enclosure and fully intend on getting one! I will most likely go bigger than 4x2x2. Similar to yourself. Anyways I was asking what you think about that for the winters by then I will have a bigger enclosure and tbh was thinking about building a big one in my backyard permanently. But during the winter he would stay in the garage. Rango is 3 1/2 weeks old.

[@samanthadale6299]

Can I ask, do we not feed the bearded dragons at all during them being in brumation? this is my first time dealing with it

[@learningformyreptiles1195]

Love the exact direction approach.

[@ReptilesandResearch]

Straight to the point

[@TaijiRaver]

Hi, thank you for this wealth of up to date information. You mention keeping everything the same except reducing the daylight hours. Do you still leave the heat lamp on for a 42°C basking spot during daylight hours? Would this cause the Beardie to always come up to bask on a daily basis?

[@Jaso0n1986]

Do you place any kinds of food in with them durning this period? This is our first year with our beardie, and it’s getting colder here in MI. And she is showing signs of brumation. Just wanna make sure we are doing things right for her

[@halliehasanimals1097]

What about those that say to avoid brumation/try to prevent it? Why would people say that? I don't know how to reason with those folks.

[@ReptilesandResearch]

I mean, i try to not engage nowadays 😅

[@Melissa05121992]

In Malaysia I have no clue when they should go into brumation…

[@BigCrazieTJ]

Well she sleeps literally all day every for the past 3 months. So i guess the summer can. But idk. I wake her trying to feed or a bath in case she needs to poop.

[@flipinjon7487]

My bearded dragon is backyard trained and potty trained she went through Brumation in October and thought she was stolen from the postal worker since the postal worker went in my backyard that day of she just came out from underneath the house just a few days ago she was in a 5-month brumation

[@intensecutn]

Your bearded dragon lives out in your backyard?

[@flipinjon7487]

@@intensecutn during only hot summer days she comes in before it gets dark she's like a dog but not a dog she is also raised with a cat that protects her outside and in. I have lots of protection in my backyard with Cypress bushes everywhere. She also is dog kennel trained and goes in there to bask and feel safe it has a screening around it as well she does try to eat small birds once in a while thanks to the cat teaching a lizard

[@denisekirk8571]

Do you supply an enclosure or box of some sort, and if yes, do you put any substrate in it for the brumation period?

[@ReptilesandResearch]

I leave her in her enclosure

[@salembinx9327]

My beardie has gone into brumation already by himself should I be worried ..should I still use your guide with timeline or alter it ..I'm so stressed for him I check him by just shining a light in his cave and he opens his eye so I know he alive I'm worried ashes my first beardie that's brumated so ..can you give me a bit of advise please ..and is it true that sometimes they just sleep for a short while and then go back to normal..thanks in advance

[@amyjohnson5582]

My dragon sleeps for a few days at a time then comes out for a day then goes back to sleep again. Is this brumation or just "laziness"?

[@ReptilesandResearch]

It’s still brumation and normal

[@gamerboyredyt]

I need your opinion my bearded dragon can sleep for weeks straight yes I’ll force wake him to feed him like normally but he just sleeps after

[@ReptilesandResearch]

No need to force him to wake up, follow this guide.

[@gamerboyredyt]

@@ReptilesandResearch appreciate it

[@gamerboyredyt]

​@@ReptilesandResearchokay thank you again this guid really helped me understand about his inactivity! You have a new subscriber.

[@ReptilesandResearch]

@@gamerboyredyt Welcome aboard bud! Theres a boat load of other bearded dragon videos on the channel for ya

[@robinmerrifield8613]

If my dragon is sleeping in summer should I take him out for soaking

[@craigweare3512]

What's a safe humidity level during brumation? And do you just take them out weekly to weigh them while they're asleep? What else should we look out for during this process?

[@ReptilesandResearch]

Humidity should rise and fall like normal, as long as the environment isn’t wet it’s not a big problem, they brumate outside for people in Florida. It’s only when wet and cold it’s an issue, just don’t make the environment wet. There’s a difference between wet and humid. A room can be 70% humidity and bone dry still. You can weigh them weekly if you like, or take advantage of those days where they wake up and bask for themselves. I find nugget is proper grumpy if I wake her up myself lol.

[@craigweare3512]

So normally I mist her entire vivarium and her everymorning. Once I stop feeding her should I stop this as well im guessing?

[@intensecutn]

​@@craigweare3512Why do you mist every day out of interest?

[@sarahthomasburgin6968]

This is great, what if you have a beardie who is in need of gaining some weight? I have a 3 Yr old female who has only just come to me around 5 weeks ago, she's not massively under nourished but needs to gain a bit. Parasite check done and that's fine

[@ReptilesandResearch]

@@sarahthomasburgin6968 if she’s genuinely underweight you can try keeping the temps and day period up and feeding like usual.

[@lizzymuller8590]

Mine has been sleeping since august so 4 months now. I’ve brought the temperature up and all that she still is sleeping pretty deep. She will sometimes open her eyes when I check in on her. Haven’t noticed any weight loss. What do I do is everything good with her??

[@ebani-maymassam2708]

Hi. What have you put in side that hide please’

[@iiiuuj]

do they have to brumate? what if they wanna stay awake

[@dominicwalker6377]

Is it normal for them to start this process as late as around a month ago?

[@godsqtchik]

What about water? Should we stop bathing? Should we spritz our dragon with some water so she doesn't get dehydrated? How often?

[@ReptilesandResearch]

I dont bath at all, you can still service the water bowl in the habitat so they can go drink at times they wake up. Ive dripped some water on mines nose on occasion but she never drank or woke. I just leave them too it, if they felt dehydrated on days they wake up then they would drink.

[@Taytay2201]

How long are they typically in brumation? Mine has been in it since late October .. it’s December now

[@ReptilesandResearch]

Mine will be until sometime in February

[@ReptilesandResearch]

But it can depend

[@tg2631]

My bearded dragon is losing too much weight during brumation. What should I do?

[@ReptilesandResearch]

Take it to the vet

[@alisonoxholm9315]

My house gets very cold during winter so I have a ceramic bulb for night heat so during brumation what temp should the night heat be ?

[@ReptilesandResearch]

15C

[@samanthadale6299]

Do you feed them at all during this time ?

[@ReptilesandResearch]

I don’t

[@samanthadale6299]

Thank you I have followed all of your advice so far on feeding /care etc and I have to say I have a thriving 5 month old baby at the moment so thank you! 😊 so I start this October coming?

[@StealthSerpent.]

I’m pretty sure my 6-7 months old beardie is as I watched your other video and all the signs match could that be the case

[@ReptilesandResearch]

where are you in the world? if its winter or just either side of winter it well could be, if its middle of spring and on its way to summer like it is for me then id go to the vet and get it checked over, because being poorly can look similar. Its the time of year that is telling.

[@StealthSerpent.]

@@ReptilesandResearch I’m from the uk and right now it is spring but the weather is not very warm the warmest it has been is 15 and it’s cloudy and raining nearly every day

[@ReptilesandResearch]

@@StealthSerpent. I’m in the uk and it’s blazing hot right now, where are you I’m down on the south coast

[@StealthSerpent.]

@@ReptilesandResearch I’m from south east London

[@StealthSerpent.]

@@ReptilesandResearch the weather is cloudy and not that warm this week

[@reptiletailz108]

Ow that is the sweetest like face all curled up in him lil cubby hole ahhh I love them so much

[@ReptilesandResearch]

Its cute af isnt it!

[@reptiletailz108]

@@ReptilesandResearch tbh it's so bad they legit make my heart melt I have 6 and I miss every single one so much it's drives me mad lol this is the first year all of them went actually down I know they wake up as every few days I'll notice they moved a tad but never much at all I'm so lucky to have such amazing pets to care for tbh I'm beyond honored to be lucky enough to have the awareness I do with exotics I have a keen eye for their behaviors that most people dont even notice at all so I have no idea just how much it means to me to have a place to go to get information that i know i can trust in it's truly something I'm so grateful for

[@reptiletailz108]

@@ReptilesandResearch I'll be totally honest I was a bit worried the night I spooked my baby boy big mack lol and I can't even tell u the amount of relief I got when u stared describing what ur lil babes does if u touch him while brumating and it took every bit of that fear and concern I had away I had heard that you can actually give them like a lil heart attack not literally but idk I don't particularly remember exactly what was said but that if messed with u can really spook ur baby to the point of a potential health issue and that is just absolutely not something I wanted to do by any means id absolutely never be able to live with my self if I killed my baby by something like that it's one thing to lose an animal Bec they got sick or were old but a whole other if u did something to cause it I'm so lucky that isn't something I've had to deal with and I'll forever do everything in my power to keep it that way so it work on here like I said truly truly means the world to me

[@plantingwithnat]

Does the baby bearded dragon brumate as well?

[@heatherpeacock5907]

No, usually it's only adult bearded dragons, 1yr +

[@Paddyman8869]

I got 1 off someone who wasn't looking after her properly don't think she had the money I took it the last week all she's doing the last week it trying to dig its got cooler in Ireland the last few weeks

[@ReptilesandResearch]

What are the temperatures?

[@Paddyman8869]

@@ReptilesandResearch the room temperature has dropped by about 5c to to 20c herself does open the windows in the mornings as well like iv a 75w basking bulb a 50w and a 25w halogen she moves around between em on one side under the 75w she was opening her mouth alot so I moved it a little higher she's only 7 or 8 mouths old like and costs more then my 2 dogs to feed

[@iiiuuj]

@@Paddyman8869 thats not a tempature get a temp gun for your dragon the basking should be 40-42 C abd cool side should be around 35 c with hides soi they can control their own temps