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My bearded dragon is sleeping and not eating. Is it brumation or age?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Reptile | Bearded Dragon | Male

Hi! I rescued my bearded dragon about a year ago and they weren’t sure how old he was. They said about 6-8 years old. About 2 months ago he was fine, running around, and eating a ton. Now he just sleeps all the time. He isn’t eating as much and when I pick him up he opens his eyes and takes a couple steps but not as much as he used to. Is this because he is getting old, or could it be brumation (hibernation)?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Strydom, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on December 11th, 2019

It could be brumation but it could also be symptoms of metabolic bone disease. I suggest you have him examined by a reptile vet to get a diagnosis. Also, you need to check all your husbandry and be sure you are doing everything correct from diet, vitamin supplements, lighting, temperature, etc. Almost every single medical issue we see with reptiles is traced back to improper husbandry. ( http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Care-Sheets/Lizards/Bearded-Dragon/ )

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    Answered By Jeffrey Milner

    Veterinarian

    Published on April 22nd, 2017

    In pet bearded dragons, brumation is not always something that occurs. In the wild, brumation occurs during periods of cold temperature. It is possible that something like this could trigger this behavior in Godzilla. In pets, stressful events have also been known to trigger hibernation as a protective mechanism. By itself, sleeping too much is not usually a sign of illness particularly if he is eating and drinking normally. If he is truly preparing to brumate, he will likely try to find somewhere to hide and curl up rather than simply sleeping on any area within the enclosure. Continue to monitor the situation closely and seek out a veterinarian familiar with reptiles should any other clinical signs develop. Unfortunately, birds and reptiles do not tend to show obvious signs of illness until things have gotten quite bad. This is why close monitoring for even small changes in behavior is extremely important.

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