Fri May 15, 2015 5:49 pm by 
Normal Behavior Following Brumation
Once your Bearded Dragon decides to come out of brumation, and remain awake, you may find that he’s restless and very grumpy, and just wants to be left alone for a few days. This is perfectly normal, and will pass in a relatively short period of time. He also may not have much of an appetite for a few days after he awakens. If he doesn’t want to eat, don’t force the issue. He will eat when he’s ready. This is also completely normal.
Another important thing to mention, is that when your Bearded Dragon fully awakens, you may see a lot of displaying, blackened beards, and head bobbing for a two to three week period, following their brumation. This too, is perfectly normal. Following a Bearded Dragon’s brumation period, most awaken with very elevated hormone levels, in preparation for mating in the Spring, and adult males will think of little else except mating for a while. For the most part, females will only react by being a bit restless, but the adult males may drive you a little crazy for a week or two.
My oldest male, Ming, will head bob until you expect that his brains are going to fall out of his ears, for at least three weeks after he comes out of brumation. He will have a black beard nearly constantly, and will head bob at his basking rock, his tree, me, the dogs, the cats, and anything else within his line of sight.
At times, their behavior borders on obsessive, and it is rather comical to watch, but you have to feel sorry for them as well, as this hormone surge causes them to become so frustrated, and they think of little else except making little dragons. And its probably even more difficult for adult males, whose owners also have females in the house, such as I do.
The best way to handle this behavior is to simply ignore it, since if you fuss over them when they do it, they tend to do it even more, in order to get your attention. After two to three weeks, their hormone levels will return to normal, and then you’ll have your sweet little guy or girl back, until the same time next year!
WRITTEN AND UPDATED BY
Denise Bushnell
Once your Bearded Dragon decides to come out of brumation, and remain awake, you may find that he’s restless and very grumpy, and just wants to be left alone for a few days. This is perfectly normal, and will pass in a relatively short period of time. He also may not have much of an appetite for a few days after he awakens. If he doesn’t want to eat, don’t force the issue. He will eat when he’s ready. This is also completely normal.
Another important thing to mention, is that when your Bearded Dragon fully awakens, you may see a lot of displaying, blackened beards, and head bobbing for a two to three week period, following their brumation. This too, is perfectly normal. Following a Bearded Dragon’s brumation period, most awaken with very elevated hormone levels, in preparation for mating in the Spring, and adult males will think of little else except mating for a while. For the most part, females will only react by being a bit restless, but the adult males may drive you a little crazy for a week or two.
My oldest male, Ming, will head bob until you expect that his brains are going to fall out of his ears, for at least three weeks after he comes out of brumation. He will have a black beard nearly constantly, and will head bob at his basking rock, his tree, me, the dogs, the cats, and anything else within his line of sight.
At times, their behavior borders on obsessive, and it is rather comical to watch, but you have to feel sorry for them as well, as this hormone surge causes them to become so frustrated, and they think of little else except making little dragons. And its probably even more difficult for adult males, whose owners also have females in the house, such as I do.
The best way to handle this behavior is to simply ignore it, since if you fuss over them when they do it, they tend to do it even more, in order to get your attention. After two to three weeks, their hormone levels will return to normal, and then you’ll have your sweet little guy or girl back, until the same time next year!
WRITTEN AND UPDATED BY
Denise Bushnell
