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Thread: Dormancy, Aestivation, Brumation, Hibernation... oh my!

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    Moderator Mentat's Avatar
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    Default Dormancy, Aestivation, Brumation, Hibernation... oh my!

    Lately seen a few threads dealing with one of the items in the thread tittle. Across the board it appeared there was some confusion among the different terms; at least I was confused . So off into research we went and after a while got it down to some very simple to learn and understand concepts I'm sharing here now .

    Dormancy: a period when growth, development, and/or physical activity are temporarily stopped in response to the environment. Can be Predictive when it starts before the onset of predictable adverse conditions (i.e. Winter) or Consequential if it begins after unpredictable conditions have started (i.e. dry season). Dormancy can be further subdivided into: hibernation; diapause; aestivation; and brumation.

    Aestivation: AKA estivation, a consequential dormancy in response to very hot or dry conditions (i.e. The South America and African regions). African Bullfrogs, Pacmans, Budgetts, and similar environmental species fit in this category. When the dry season starts, these frogs shed several intact layers of skin that cover the whole body with exception of nostrils, so frog can breath. When dry season ends the rain will signal the frogs to exit their "cocoon," surface, eat, and breed.

    Brumation: reptile dormancy similar to hibernation.

    Diapause: a genetic strategy common to insects that suspends development between Autumn and Spring.

    Hibernation:
    a mechanism used by animals to overwinter. Frogs metabolism slows down and they find a refuge to survive the cold. Aquatic frogs lay motionless over the mud in Oxygen rich water; Toads bury down in the ground; and some Rana and Hylas just find hiding holes or bury under leaf litter. Under such conditions the hiding microclimate might freeze. Frogs survive this through a high concentration of glucose in the frog's vital organs that acts as a natural antifreeze . The partially frozen frog lungs and heart will stop functioning until Spring warming thaws them and then they resume activity !

    Discussion: So, from reading above definitions, can see that our amphibian frog pets do not brumate or go into diapause; they can only go dormant through a consequential process called aestivation or through a predictive process called hibernation.

    Like reptile brumation, frog aestivation in captivity is a dangerous process that should be discouraged and only practiced by experienced breeders to pre-condition their frogs reproductive behavior. There are many calls for help at forum; when owner had their pet die during a fatal aestivation; please don't do it. The stories that not aestivating a frog will dramatically shorten it's life are unfounded until someone can provide evidence to the contrary. The forum's observational evidence is that many a frog has died during captive aestivation ; so let's not do that.

    So what happens when Winter or Summer comes around to our loved frogs? My observations and the invaluable forum information lead me to think that it varies with a number of parameters and the individual frog/toad. Also, think that temperature is not the only trigger for these processes. Daylight cycle, food availability, and instinct (wild caught frogs with practiced dormancy will probably be more strongly involved than CBB frogs) will come into play .

    Practice: What we do when our frogs slowing metabolism requires less or delayed feeding? How about when they burrow for extended periods? Is everything normal and expected or abnormal and we should go into panic mode ?

    Well, think that if your frog: is healthy (vet checked or have negative fecals); eats well during active season; and is not in contact with pathogens or exposed to contaminated frogs or equipment; then we can rest assured it knows more than we do about it's metabolism and associated physiological needs. Keep it's enclosure within the appropriate temperature and humidity parameters, keep a clean water dish available, spot clean as necessary, and feed it when it comes up or asks for food. By definition, the frog or toad is not hibernating or aestivating, because neither is it drying or freezing! However; it's slowing down a bit and we should respect it, act naturally, and go along with it .

    On the contrary, if your frog is sick or weak, it should be in a hospital type set-up where you can monitor and provide necessary care to include medications; not in a normal enclosure where it could bury, drive you to insane anxiety levels, and get worse or die . A healthy frog can undergo months of reduced activity without a problem; an unhealthy frog will most surely perish.

    Hope this helps the forum membership and please do enter into a discussion about terms and how our frogs fall into or out of these processes. Thanks for your time reading it !
    Last edited by Mentat; October 23rd, 2013 at 01:06 PM. Reason: Grammar
    Remember to take care of the enclosure and it will take care of your frog !​

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    Super Moderator flybyferns's Avatar
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    Default Re: Dormancy, Aestivation, Brumation, Hibernation... oh my!

    Thanks you , Carlos.
    This is super ..... support for members!
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