Brumation Questions?

[LeoGirl1999]

Okay, first off, I'm not quite sure where this would belong, so I just decided on posting it in General Discussion. If that's not where it goes, maybe a mod could move it. :main_thumbsup:

Sammy is my first leopard gecko I've ever owned, and this is his first winter with me
I get kind of confused about brumation, how/why it happens, etc... But I have a few questions!

Ever since the end of December, he hasn't been eating as much as he used to. He used to eat 10-15 medium sized mealies everyday, and now he's eating maybe 2-5 every week. (I still put in the same amount as I used to, just in case he starts eating normally again.) I leave the mealies in a dish, but lately I've had to hand-feed him if I want him to eat more than he does by himself. Is eating less often because of brumation?

How is it pronounced? (Dumb question, I know!) I've heard people say the B-R-U like brew, and people say it like burr. Which is it? It honestly confuses me.

Do other reptiles go into brumation, or do only leopard geckos do it? :freak: (I feel like these are some pretty obvious answers, for some reason. But I honestly don't know!)

Why do they brumate?

Is it only in the winter?

I think that's all I wanted to know :main_yes: So please and thank you:main_rolleyes:

 

[Embrace Calamity]

Here's an excellent article that can hopefully clear just about all of that up for you: Reptilian Brumation

Also, I've always heard it say "brew-may-shun." And as long as your gecko isn't losing weight and all of your husbandry is correct and there are no other signs of ill health, you don't need to be concerned.

~Maggot

 

[B&B Geckos]

Interesting article!
Another reason Sammy may not be eating as much is that his growth rate has slowed. Young juveniles eat much more voraciously than older juveniles.
Don't sweat it. Geckos in the wild can go days without a meal. Let him go hungry for a couple of days and you'll probably see his feeding response improve.