As the weather cools down
outside in late autumn/ early winter, we get lots of phone calls from customers
about changes to their pets’ behaviour. In virtually all cases this can be
attributed to the weather changes outside and seasonal shifts that our pets can
still sense even from within their enclosures in the home.
What sorts of changes
should you be looking out for?
The most common changes
are decreased appetite and lowered activity levels. You may find that your pets
spend a lot more time towards the cooler end of their enclosure or hiding under
décor. Its also common that their inclination to eat will dramatically decrease
so that some days they don’t eat anything whereas in summer months the same
animal may have a veracious appetite.
What sorts of species will
brumate?
Species that come from
environments that have big seasonal shifts are always going to be the ones that
will brumate most readily. This includes lots of the most popular pet species
such as bearded dragons, leopard geckos & corn snakes. Many species from
tropical and temperate environments that have more stable yearly conditions
will still often exhibit some form of winter decrease in activity but its often
not quite as pronounced e.g. Panther chameleons and crested geckos.
Is it always related to
temperature?
Most of the time lower
temperatures outside and shorter day length will be the trigger for brumation,
but some species may also be triggered by natural cycles of food availability
in the wild and they may often stay in sync with these cycles in captivity.
This can explain why species such as Royal pythons will have a period of a few
months where they will refuse food which doesn’t always line up with the
coldest times of year outside but can often occur in autumn or early spring
when seasonal food availability may be lower in the wild.
How do I know if it’s not
brumation?
To check on the health of
your animal during brumation it should remain alert if picked up or interacted
with even if it is hiding away or very tired normally. It shouldn’t show signs
of dehydration such as sunken eyes nor should it show any signs of rapid weight
loss. Keep an eye out for signs of respiratory infection such as bubbles around
the nostrils / mouth or signs of breathing difficulty. If you notice any of
these signs you may need to seek additional help from a suitably qualified
professional.
What should I do about Brumation?
Brumation is natural and
nothing to worry about. Some people will attempt to keep their animal active
over winter by reducing the environmental cues that trigger brumation. Other
people will try to allow their pets to exhibit this natural behaviour or
encourage it by adjusting care accordingly to provide the seasonal variation
that their pets are anticipating.
What can I do to
discourage it?
To discourage brumation
you can increase background and basking temperatures by a couple of degrees
during the daytime. You can also try keeping the background temperature up over
night by using a nighttime nonlight emitting heat source such as a deep heat
projector, ceramic heater, or a heat mat in smaller enclosures. You may also
want to change lighting cycles to increase day length by a couple of hours and
make sure you have recently changed your UVB bulb for a fresh tube running at
optimum output.
What can I do to
facilitate Brumation?
Brumation is natural for
most of the species that will exhibit this behaviour and it is crucial for some
species if you are intending to breed. Without a winter brumation many species
of reptile wont breed or won’t produce viable fertile eggs. To encourage
brumation you can gradually decrease temperatures by a few degrees and reduce
your light intensity both in terms of strength and duration. There are some
good thermostats like the microclimate EVO range that allow you to program
seasonal changes to temperature cycles and the Arcadia Lumenize range allows
you to program different light cycles for your UVB lights over winter as well.
For some species a very pronounced Brumation is essential to trigger breeding in
the post brumation period. This includes many popular lizards like Uromastyx
and collard lizards, along with popular snakes such as hognoses and kingsnakes.
If you would like to know how to brumate a species to help trigger breeding
behaviour, please talk to one of the team instore for more information.
What about tortoises and
Hibernation?
Many of the most popular
species of tortoises are species that would naturally go into a state of
extended brumation/hibernation over winter, this includes Hermanns, spur
thighs, Horsfield etc. Most of these species would hibernate for anything from
8-12 weeks in the wild. For these species you may find it easier to “over
winter them” by following the advice for encouraging brumation in other
species. If you wish to hibernate your tortoise fully then there are several
important steps to follow to do this safely so, please talk to a member of
staff in store and check out some of the good online resources available at
places like the tortoise trust website. Do not just put them in a box in the
shed/garage like people may have done in the past. Hibernation can be fatal if
not done correctly.