Winter Reptile Care
As you already know, reptiles are cold-blooded critters, which is why they require external heat sources, like lamps or heating pads, to survive. Caring for your pet reptile when the temperatures drop outside isn’t a whole lot different from summertime care, but there are some things to pay attention to in the winter. We’ve outlined a few below.
Heat & Humidity
Temperatures and humidity both drop in the wintertime. If your pet has too little (or too much!) of either, they can become very ill or die. To make sure your scaly friend is happy and healthy, Invest in a good digital thermometer or a temperature gun and humidity meter and regularly check both the warm and cool sides of the enclosure to make sure they’re at optimal temps and humidity levels and adjust depending on what their particular species requires.
Dry winter air also means keeping your pet well hydrated. Soak your pet in a shallow bowl of warm water or mist them a few times a week.
Brrrrrumation
Brumation is a state of dormancy that some reptiles enter during the winter or when temperatures are low. It’s a hibernation-like state that works to conserve energy and prepare for breeding season. Not all reptiles brumate, and not even all members of the same species brumate, but it’s commonly seen in bearded dragons, corn snakes, garter snakes, Russian tortoises, and leopard geckos. Signs of brumation include:
- Less activity, lethargy
- Sleeping earlier than usual or sleeping during the day
- Eating less or stopping eating altogether
- Not pooping
- Hiding, or burrowing under substrate
Your beardie may sleep for days, weeks, or even months at a time. They may wake up once in a while to have a little snack or stretch his legs and then go back to sleep. If you think your dragon is showing signs of brumation, make sure to rule out other health factors. Have they pooped lately? If not, you want to make sure that it does. If they are awake, try soaking your pet in warm water and massaging its belly to get things groovin’. This soaking also helps to hydrate your pet before going into brumation.
Check the temperature of the heated area and the strength of the UV light to rule out environmental or other health issues. As always, it’s best to consult with your veterinarian if you’re unsure, in addition to having regular wellness check-ups.
Give your beardie less food. They might eat a little bit, but not much. Make sure you maintain a constant supply of fresh water. Weigh your pet once a month to make sure they’re not losing too much body mass. If they lose more than 10% of their initial weight, have them checked out by a veterinarian.
Lastly, let sleeping dragons lie. Disturbing them during brumation may stress them out and interrupt their natural process.
What to do if There’s a Power Outage
Most power outages don’t last very long. But even small storms or other power line related events can knock out your electricity for unexpected periods of time. For reptiles who rely on heat sources and UVB lamps that plug in, extended power loss can have detrimental consequences. If you lose power and don’t have a generator, there are a few things you can do to keep your pet warm:
- Insulate the enclosure by draping a blanket or comforter over it. Be sure to remove anything electrical from the area first.
- Move the enclosure a safe distance near the fireplace and start a fire.
- Use your own body heat and cuddle with your sweet friend until the electricity comes back on.
- Move your pet to a smaller enclosure and place hand warmer packets under a towel so your pet doesn’t burn themselves.
- Fill a small milk jug with hot water, wrap it in a towel, and place in their enclosure.
- If you know your pet will be exposed to cooler temperatures for longer than a day, limit their feeding. They need heat to help digest.
- Don’t panic. Although not ideal, reptiles can endure several hours (even a couple of days) of colder temps without suffering permanent damage.
Baby, it’s cold outside. But your cold-blooded cutie-pie can stay warm and fuzzy (well, not fuzzy…) all winter long if you just put a little extra TLC into their care.