Generally, it is OK to pick up your bearded dragon while he's in brumation. For example, some bearded dragon owners choose to help their pet through the brumation period by giving him a relaxing bath. While this is not necessary, it can help with producing a bowel movement.
Simply put, no, if your Bearded dragon begins brumating, you should allow them to do this and do not try increasing light hours or temperatures. Brumation is a completely natural behaviour and should not be interrupted.
Ensure your bearded dragon's habitat has optimum heating and lighting. This means making the tank cooler to mimic Australian desert winter conditions. To prevent food rotting in your dragon's stomach, make sure your dragon has a bowel movement before going into full brumation. A belly massage can help with this.
Contrary to popular belief, a bearded dragon that's brumating won't sleep all day. They will wake up and even move around from time to time. This just happens far less frequently than normal (and they'll look sluggish when they do).
As desert dwelling reptiles, bearded dragons can go weeks without food, sometimes a few months. This allows them to survive in their native habitat when food sources are scarce. In captivity, this usually occurs during brumation.
Bearded dragons start brumation when temperatures drop and daylight hours decrease. Generally, this occurs from May/June until August in the Southern Hemisphere, and from November/December until spring in the Northern Hemisphere. It can last a few weeks or reach five months and more.
However, the temperature will drop below 60° Fahrenheit at night and only get up to about 75° or 80° during the day. Instead of going into full hibernation, wild bearded dragons simply slow their movements and digestion during this period to conserve energy. This is brumation!
As a general rule, bath time three times a week should be sufficient to keep your dragon clean and hydrated. If your dragon absolutely hates baths, then once a week may be a reasonable goal. If your dragon can't get enough bath time, you may want to do it more frequently, maybe even once a day.
If you're worried about the consequences of no heat, here's some information that can provide some peace of mind. Bearded dragons can usually go without heat for about 24 hours. That's not enough for long-term survival, but it can buy you time to address the heating problems in the enclosure.
During brumation, reptiles stop eating and their heart and respiratory rates slow significantly, as does their digestion. This "suspended animation"—long periods of inactivity—may actually lengthen the lives of these reptiles.
Hibernation is a deeper and longer version of torpor. Brumation on the other hand is specific to reptiles and amphibians that enter a state of 'deep sleep' where they undergo the same process of inactivity and low body temperature heart rate metabolic rate and respiratory rate drops.
Your dragon may be refusing food because he is getting ready to brumate. During brumation, a dragon is in a type of deep sleep. Because his digestion system will shut off during this time, he does not need to eat. Many domestic dragons go through this natural process.
When a beardie's eyes droop so that he or she looks like a bloodhound, he or she may have an infection or a problem with parasites. It's also possible that your pal may have kidney issues.
Yes! While not effusive and certainly not as emotional as dogs, cats, and other mammals, bearded dragons are known to show signs of affection to their owners. For example, they will remain calm when handled or sit still on their owner's lap. Bearded dragons are not social creatures by nature.
Avoid cleaning agents.
It is unnecessary, and soap could damage his skin. Also, bearded dragons will often drink when they are bathing, and you don't want him drinking soap. Never put your bearded dragon into chlorinated water.
Bearded dragons can drink tap water; however, it is a good idea to use one of the commercially available dechlorinating products to treat the water. There are chloramines and chlorine in the water that you want to remove as well as unwanted minerals present in the water.
It's a smart idea to provide your beardie not only with a shallow and sturdy dish of water, but also with regular mistings. If you mist your lizard's enclosure and vegetables, you might be able to promote increased hydration. Never allow your bearded dragon's living environment to get overly wet, however.
Preparing a Reptile for Brumation
Make sure your reptile is healthy, free of parasites (both internal and external), and encourage it to defecate (try soaking your pet in some water and massaging its belly). Also, make sure the humidity and temperature in the enclosure are correct.
Semi-brumation
The beardie wants to go into brumation, but is being kept from doing so by their owner. This may be completely unintentional on the owner's part, such as increasing the light or warmth in their enclosure, or keeping them awake via handling.
Brumation behaviour is induced by a reduction in environmental temperatures (by 5-15°C depending on species) and daylight hours.
Most young bearded dragons should eat once or twice daily, while older lizards may only eat every 24-72 hours, depending upon each pet's individual appetite.
Most notably, brumation refers to dormancy undergone by ectothermic “cold-blooded” animals, while hibernation refers to dormancy undergone by endothermic “warm-blooded” animals. Basically, animals like reptiles and amphibians brumate, while mammals (and some birds) hibernate.