Female bluey hasn't eaten since I adopted her

[Tarrison]

Hey everyone, I'm a new BTS keeper and am pretty concerned about some of Yoshi's behavior.
She is a female east australian blue tongue, turns four at the start of next year, looks very healthy from what I know and is showing absolutely no signs of malnourishment nor does she appear underweight, if anything she seems rather chubby.

I've seen these questions asked and answered on these forums but I'd like to ask directly with some specifics for my situation.
It is also currently still quite cold here in NZ, we've just recently passed into spring, so I believe brumation has a part to do with it but I can't help but worry.
I've had Yoshi for coming up two months now and she doesn't appear to be interested in food at all, I haven't seen any traces of her eating since adopting her.

She also hardly spends any time out of her hide at the moment, when I first got her she was rather active and spent a lot of time burrowing around and basking, but especially for the past week she's been glued to the inside of her cold side hide, and doesn't seem to have actually moved in the slightest over the past two days.
When she HAS been out and about and sniffing around or I've had her out of her enclosure for some handling and such she's absolutely fine, nothing out of the ordinary. Just a curious, chubby sausage of a thing.
I've seen many experienced keepers say that newer keepers need to not worry as much as they do about behavior, as a new keeper is this a scenario of me overthinking things?

TLDR; My bluey hasn't eaten a thing in the two months I've had her, and has been spending all of her time in her cold side hide despite showing no signs of sickness etc. Even considering brumation, is this concerning? We are just coming into spring where I'm from.

Thanks everyone!

[splashy07]

Sounds like brumation. Not sure of your seasons on that side of the world, but mine duplicate that behavior when brumating.

[duffman]

Hi Tarrison,

I also have an Eastern Blue Tongue and I am from Sydney New South Wales Australia and it is only just coming into Spring here also. Over Winter my bluey went into brumation and has been asleep and not eating for the past 3 to 4 months. Only over the last week I have seen my bluey out basking and have just started feeding him again!

It is normal for Easterns to brumate and mine will usually start to go off his food and start sleeping all day at the end of Autumn as we head into Winter around May/June here in Australia. It can be hard to let them sleep but it is best not to disturb them too much in this time and I drop the temps of the basking light and turn off his uvb globe. I also drop the hours of light to mimic the shorter days of winter also.

As it comes into Spring I do the opposite and set my lights for longer during the day as raise my temps back up and turn on my uvb globe and my Eastern will come out of brumation by himself and I start offering food. Given the time of year and that you’re in New Zealand your seasons are very similar to our across the ditch I would say your bluey has just been brumating.

I have found although my Bluey is out of brumation on colder days he will hide and not eat then reappear on warm days! Not sure if this helps you or not but just my experience as it can be worrying not to see your bluey for months!

Duffman

[splashy07]

Just a note, at times they do come out and drink water, so be sure it's available

[Tarrison]

Thanks very much for the info guys! My minds much more at ease now, I look forward to seeing her come out in her own time

[Janella]

I agree it sounds like brumation.