Bearded dragons are reptiles that belong to the Pogona genus and Agamidae family.The Pogona genus has six different species under it. Bearded dragons are also known as beardies.Beardies are some of the most admired pets. They are fascinating creatures. Some of the bearded dragon species can also change their sexes. This is induced by a change in temperature. These are the first few members in the reptile family to exhibit sex reversal. They go through a lot of biological and physical changes, like shedding and brumation. Brumation is a process that is of much discussion among owners. This is one time when the owners cannot figure out what is going on with their pet. Both pet and wild bearded dragons brumate. This is just a normal survival mechanism.Continue reading to know why bearded dragons brumate. We have also curated a bunch of interesting facts. Do not miss out on them and check out our other articles on bearded dragon colors and bearded dragon eggs.What is brumation?All animals go through hibernation. Brumation can be defined as a state similar to hibernation. In other words, the adaptation of bearded dragons and other cold-blooded animals to winter is called brumation. The onset of brumation is characterized by sluggishness and slow movements in your beardie. The lizard will move to a well-sheltered area that is warm enough to rest.When a bearded dragon brumates, it is forced to hide in burrows and caves to escape the harsh winters. Just like in hibernation, the body temperature and heart rate of your bearded dragon will drop when it brumates. It will make a cozy bed that is well hidden using plant matter and other natural decors. It tries to use materials that blend well with the background to camouflage. As bearded dragons are very slow during brumation, the chances of being hunted by predators are high. This is why they go through the pain of matching their shelter with the background. You can notice some changes in your pet beardie when it starts brumating. One of the signs of brumation is your beardie losing its interest in eating. Your bearded dragon will be sleeping or resting all through the day. They also tend to hide in areas with less light. You can see small dents or holes on the surface. These are nesting spots that are dug by bearded dragons. Decreased appetite or eating less can also be signs of other underlying health issues.Brumation can be a very confusing process for owners to understand. Some owners do not know what to do or how to take care of their pet beardie when it is brumating. If you are one of them, don’t worry. We have got a bunch of tips that you might find useful.All beardies go through this process every year and it is a vital process. It is observed in both pet and wild bearded dragons. Most bearded dragons will start brumating at an early age. This might even happen when your pet is 10 months old. Though this is an internal process and has nothing to do with external factors, you can still do certain things to put them at ease.Dark areas: Turning off heat lamps, reducing UVB lighting, and daylight hours, or placing them in places where sunlight does not enter often can be extremely beneficial. Don’t do it abruptly as this can confuse and make beardies feel anxious. Gradually decrease the amount of light. This makes it look like a natural process. Don’t be concerned about the tank’s temperature. Turning off the heat lights will help to lower the temperature. However, this procedure of surviving the frigid winters is critical for your pet beardies.Food And Water: Regardless of whether your bearded dragon is drinking water or not you should always provide clean water. This should be available at all times since you never know when they will get thirsty. The same applies to food as they can be hungry at times and will take a bite or two. Turning on the light after they have had something to eat might help them digest the food quickly. If they have turned down food for a few days giving them a bath can improve bowel movement and create an urge to eat. The food in your pet beardie’s stomach can start rotting if it is not digested. To prevent this from happening, you have to improve the bowel movement before the start of brumating. Belly massages can help.Clean Surroundings: This is yet another important aspect. Cleaning the tank is much easier during brumation, as the bearded dragon does not move much. Creating a cozy hiding spot will put your pet beardie at ease. You can add vegetation or dens to the tank and create more hiding spots. Make sure that it is not overcrowded. You can give them a bath following precautions to increase their hydration.Did you know brumating before beardies are nine months old is not considered healthy? This is because when bearded dragons brumate in the winter months, they starve themselves for a long time which results in weight loss. Young bearded dragons need a nutritious diet and should maintain a healthy body weight to grow fully. When they brumate at an early age, it might cause disruptions in growth. In most reported cases, brumation began when the bearded dragon was one year old or two years old.Why do bearded dragons brumate?Reptiles, being cold-blooded creatures, are not capable of producing their own body heat. Their body temperature mirrors the temperature of the environment. This is worse than you think. Imagine feeling hot in the summer and still not being able to get a bottle of cold water to cool your system. It is a nightmare, right?Since bearded dragons are reptiles that mimic the temperature of their surroundings, they cannot remain warm in the winters or remain cool in the summers. This is where brumation comes in handy. Brumation is a survival tactic that helps them conserve energy. Why do pet bearded dragons brumate?Brumation is a process that cannot be skipped by bearded dragons in the wild. But pet bearded dragons do not necessarily have to go through this process. Temperature, food, and protection from predators are all taken care of and maintained at levels that are suitable for your bearded dragon. But they still go through the process as their biological clocks may take over and instruct the body to take a break for a while. Though brumation is unavoidable, providing lighting, food, and temperature at a constant level might delay or slow down the occurrence of brumation. You can interact with your bearded dragon while giving food or water. But never wake up a bearded dragon that is sleeping during brumation.Brumating is not the only reason for a loss of appetite in your beardie. There are a few other reasons why your bearded dragon is not eating properly. Lighting is one of the main factors. You are probably wondering what lighting has to do with your dragon’s appetite. Both temperature and lighting have a direct effect on the mood of the dragon. When bearded dragons are in a good mood, they eat a lot.Shedding is also one of the factors that affects your beardie. All lizards shed their skin. When a juvenile turns into an adult, there is a lot of shedding. It is a very itchy process. You can see your dragon biting its own self during this period. As this is extremely uncomfortable, they might avoid food. Broken bones, injuries, and infections can make them lose their appetite. A rotting tail is an infection that is common. The symptoms of tail rot are often confused with the signs of brumation. Thankfully, there are a few other symptoms apart from the loss of appetite, which helps us identify this.Tail rot is a very serious disease that can cause death. The tip of the tail appears to be black. Their beard often turns black, which is once again confused with signs of aggression. Once you notice these symptoms it is better to take your pet to a vet.How long do bearded dragons brumate?How long does brumation last is one of the most popular questions among owners. Brumation depends on a variety of circumstances, so it is impossible to track down the specific period during which your pet bearded dragon will brumate.The period of brumation varies between bearded dragons in the wild and those kept as pets due to the influence of geographical regions, habitat style, and natural circumstances. Other factors that affect brumation are age and sex. Sometimes your bearded dragon might go into extreme brumation while in other years it may not brumate at all. This is why owners say that brumation is the most confusing process. Some owners even try to prevent brumation.In most cases, brumation lasts for a few weeks or up to four months. The period of time can vary. Owners often find it difficult to differentiate brumation signs from sickness signs. Signs of brumation do not include drastic weight loss. When bearded dragons brumate, they do not eat. So they do lose a bit of weight. But this is gradual and the bearded dragons still look healthy. Quick weight loss accompanied by diminishing muscular mass are signs which indicate that it is more likely to be ill than in brumation. If you are worried, you can take your bearded dragon to the vet to check if your bearded dragon is going into brumation or not.Bearded dragon brumation in summer can also be seen. Yes, it is very confusing, but there is a logical explanation. In the Southern Hemisphere, it is winter during the months of May, June, July, and August. So bearded dragons spontaneously brumate during these months. A chilly tank and inadequate light might also make them think that winter is approaching.Actually, there is no right time or wrong time for your bearded dragons to go into brumation. As they are unable to withstand such severe conditions, they go into brumation. This happens regardless of the season. Bearded dragon brumation in April and June is very common.Did you know, brumation can kill a bearded dragon? By now, you know bearded dragons do not eat or drink when they brumate. Most of them can manage this. However, some of the beardies can die while brumating due to dehydration. Dehydration, along with constipation, can sometimes kill the bearded dragon. Forcing them to drink or eat will startle them. This will only do more bad than good.What is the function of brumation for reptiles?Brumation might not look like an important process to us, but it has a wide variety of functions that help the reptiles survive. The two main functions of brumation are reproduction and energy conservation.Brumation has a lot to do with the reproduction process. It helps develop the sexual organs of reptiles. Brumation allows sperm accumulation. It heightens the chance of successful reproductions in reptiles during the breeding seasons.During winter, the availability of food naturally decreases. When the temperatures drop, reptiles are unable to go out hunting. More movements mean more energy loss. Brumation helps in the conservation of the body’s energy. During brumation, reptiles move less and rest for the most part. This allows them to minimize the waste of energy. This is just a survival adaptation.Did you know reptiles store large amounts of fat and glycogen before they enter into brumation? This is why they can go on without food for several days. Unlike mammals, reptiles can also survive in areas with very low levels of oxygen. This is due to the glycogen that is stored in their body. A modified cloaca is present in some turtles which allows them to absorb oxygen from water, which means they are actually breathing through their butt.Here are a few more bearded dragon brumation tips and fun facts for you. Baby bearded dragons in the wild do not brumate. It is a problem that is prevalent among the ones in captivity. Experts have not been able to narrow down the causes. They say it might be due to a wide range of changes.When your bearded dragon is going into brumation, reduce the basking temperatures to about 80 F (26.7 C). Maintain the cool side temperature at 70 F (21.1 C). Keeping the lights on for 12-14 hours a day can prevent brumation. Contact a vet when the bearded dragon starts to brumate at early stages. Your vet can give you a few tips on how to prevent brumation.Placing the water bowl at the center of the tank where the temperature is moderate and avoiding corners might prevent the water from getting cold. Let your beardie wake up naturally, you can warm them up by increasing the exposure to light.When your dragon wakes from brumation, change back to the normal routine gradually. You can start by offering small portions of their favorite food. A major part of their diet must contain veggies until they recover, as veggies and greens are easy to digest. Your bearded dragon may take many days to get back to its routine. So wait patiently.During brumation, your bearded dragon will want to eat at some point in time. When it eats, do not allow your beardie to go back to sleep right away. This will delay the digestion of food and cause further complications.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for bearded dragon brumation, then why not take a look at bearded dragon gender or bearded dragon teeth?
Bearded dragons are reptiles that belong to the Pogona genus and Agamidae family.
