It's been almost 2 years!!!

Status
Not open for further replies.
March 26th is the day we brought Spike home. My 7 year old son picked her out at our local Exotic pet store and named her Spike. She was in an enclosure with other dragons around her size and away from the smaller ones. We were told that the babies she was in with were moved because 'they were growing faster than the rest'. Spike ran right to the front of the glass and started scratching when my son walked by. Needless to say, she got his attention and we took her home. She had a full body shed 3 days off getting her home, too. ('She' does look female (I looked when we brought her home, but not since) Spike is now, roughly 3 months old and weighs 31g at 9 inches long.
We have had some set backs with her lights, which you guys have so graciously helped me with, and her lack of eating for a little while due to her relocation stress, but she is definitely a hearty eater now. BSFL being her favorite.

When we first brought her home:
17499359_10210358883347578_332575346169818304_n.jpg

17523252_10210385063322061_6813369091068616496_n.jpg

983931_10210435413020772_773791690978672422_n.jpg

17799384_10210451709148165_308228739806503351_n.jpg


Throughout the month:
17799331_10210500019755900_4238964479133843409_n.jpg

17904243_10210537170364642_3362213681614642143_n.jpg

17903412_10210572733533699_5230907043640217654_n.jpg

17903335_10210588552569165_4414864875088926493_n.jpg

18033371_10210589478872322_6695852117563149559_n.jpg

18010002_10210596330643612_6341179155527698034_n.jpg

18033175_10210613393910183_6439599438586978542_n.jpg

18057228_10210613394510198_1278867213253518270_n.jpg

18034158_10210627613505664_205127757735901057_n.jpg


New tank:
18056767_10210634381794867_1434776974392633570_n.jpg
18057077_10210634394555186_63046158408320239_n.jpg


Cuteness:
18157339_10210670887587489_6036091487541768646_n.jpg

18156918_10210670913508137_6658686394810874667_n.jpg

18057920_10210670913988149_7000139620192269101_n.jpg

18157458_10210676492647612_3673923360530063703_n.jpg


10 minutes ago, waking up and warming up:
18198251_10210685806800460_6879881126327811819_n.jpg


Sorry for all of the pictures! ^-^ :D
 

smackey2

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
I am actually quite surprised with her. I honestly thought she would puff up and do her version of a black beard... since it only ever slightly turns black, but she did just fine and was quite content with someone new and different holding and petting her.

I am not sure why people are scared of reptiles. :/ I, personally, love snakes. My first snake was a 9 foot long Yellow Albino Python that my cousin gave to me. My Mom WAS NOT thrilled. Haha.
She also wasn't thrilled when I was little and would be outside in the garden with my Dad, picking up and putting Garter Snakes in my pockets to bring in the house. :D

But, I am not one to talk, I DESPISE spiders! I don't know why, but they give me the creeps and I want nothing to do with them. NOTHING!

Haha. I like that! "A nice little lizard to fall in love with." She is very difficult to resist! ^-^
 

SHBailey

Gray-bearded Member
If the only people that Spike has ever been around have always treated her well, then she may have concluded that "all humans are nice". :)

I was afraid of dogs and almost all other kinds of animals when I was a kid, but somewhere along the line I realized that they were living things just like me and nothing to be afraid of. I think it was probably a kitten that first helped me get over that. Then I married a man that's severely allergic to anything with fur and we became reptile people. Our first one was a snake (he's almost 15 years old now), and I discovered that, contrary to popular belief, you can cuddle a reptile. It doesn't have to be warm and fuzzy.

Those yellow albino pythons remind me of the old polaroid cameras where you could watch the colors in the photograph develop, and at first you would usually just see yellows. They're really pretty but they look like a polaroid photograph that's not done developing all the colors yet.

Phobias usually don't make much sense anyway. I had a friend who had a bachelor of science degree in marine biology and a pet hermit crab, and she was absolutely terrified of spiders. Go figure. :?
 

smackey2

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
She is still very leery of my 3 year old, but honestly, I can't say I blame her.
1. He is hyper-active
2. He can't sit still very long

Now, my oldest, my 7 year old, she loves to lounge on his chest, watching him play games on his tablet. She would sit with him for hours if I would let her.
In general, I think she just enjoys someone to cuddle with, especially if we are watching tv or something so she can watch too.

My youngest is getting better. She will sit in his hand while he gently strokes her back, but only for a few minutes. Used to be never. I don't want him to over do it or push too far with wanting to hold her for hours and what not. I think his hyper activeness has a lot to do with it.

On an even better note, Spike's new hood and T5 10.0 just arrived. Upgrade from the t8 she had.
 

SHBailey

Gray-bearded Member
My husband and I have never had any human children, so I've never had to deal with walking the line between what's best for the children (teaching them how to be gentle with animals) and what's best for the animals (keeping them from being stressed out by a hyperactive toddler), but I suppose that it's quite a bit of an "art" as well as a "science". :?

We upgraded from a T8 to a T5 early this year. We haven't seen much difference in our beardie's behavior but I feel better knowing that he should now be more within the optimum range in terms of how much UVB he's getting, as opposed to perhaps barely the minimum to prevent MBD. He spends most of his day on his basking platform worshiping his light bulbs, and doesn't show any evidence of calcium deficiency -- blood tests show normal levels and his little skeleton looks good in X-rays, so he's apparently been getting enough all along. :)
 

smackey2

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
It is a little difficult, honestly. My oldest is so easy going and relaxed compared to my youngest. My youngest is so rough and all about being full force all the time. He is so used to being able to rough house with his (family dog, but absolutely loves my youngest son) German Shepard /Pit bull mix, Xander. My youngest son was about a year and a half old when he had a couple of Seizures. They set him back quite a bit in all aspects. He stopped communicating and became very difficult. Xander took it upon himself to be what his Occupational Therapist described as his very own therapy dog even though Xander isn't certified. Xander has helped him come out of his shell and blossom into a hyperactive 3 year old. He has a difficult time realizing how rough he can be, but our dogs help with that. Xander is rough and rowdy and loves to play. My dog, Reese, is a little guy- Beagle/Chihuahua/Dachshund mix. Reese is all about being a lazy, cuddly, lap dog. It took a bit, but my youngest is finally learning that not everyone or every animal wants to be rough and rowdy.
Spike is still a baby, roughly 3 months old (possibly even younger considering I got her from a pet store and never got an exact age.) So, I have been working with him on 'being easy with the baby'. And it has worked out quite well. Spike isn't too keen on sitting still while my youngest is holding her, but she has no problem letting him pet her back and under her chin for as long as he wants, just as long as I am the one holding her. Progress. :)

And I know how you feel. The hubby surprised me with Spike's new tank not that long ago and got a t8 hood that ran the full length of her tank just because he couldn't get the t5 I originally wanted. She has had her t5 for only a couple of days, but I haven't noticed any difference in her behavior or appetite, but it helps me to know that she finally has the best light that I can give her. Last thing I want is for something to happen to her because of something I did or did not give her.
 

SHBailey

Gray-bearded Member
So did they ever figure out why your little boy had the seizures?

There was a fascinating article in the latest issue of Reptiles Magazine about reptiles as therapy animals. It even mentioned one man who suffers from epilepsy and anxiety and has a snake that somehow knows when he's about to have a seizure and gives him a little squeeze to warn him, and it's enough for him to either get to a safe place or even avoid the seizure altogether by taking meds or whatever he does to manage it. It isn't just seeing eye dogs anymore -- we're way past that with all the stuff that animals can do nowadays.

Our local stores don't seem to carry the T5s either, and they're not too reliable about keeping even the T8s in stock, so we've had to order them from the internet.
 

smackey2

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
He had abnormal activity on the right side of his brain. The doctors aren't sure which happened first, the abnormal activity or his fever of 101.2 but came to the conclusion that the combination of both caused the seizures. For 2 years it was horrible. He couldn't communicate verbally, reverting back to worse baby gibberish than he was doing before the seizure. He had a pressure sensory disorder and started having horrible behavioral issues due to his pressure sensitivity and his instability to communicate. He had a speech therapist that was amazing and taught him sign language so he could communicate with us. A Development Specialist because his motor functions had declined; and an Occupational Therapist that helped us with his Pressure sensory disorder and his behavioral problems. (When I has behavioral, his tantrums became violent, not just towards us, but he became violent towards himself.)
Luckily, with all of his amazing therapists and Xander's help, everything has improved immensely. His speech has improved greatly and we came understand him just fine, but someone who isn't used to him has to listen closely; some words are still almost like gibberish. (Ex: a spider is a supper.) He is right on track developmentally now and behaviorally, he is your typical 3 year old, ornery and rotten. His temper is still a bit of an issue, but now instead of being violent to us or himself, he goes and lays on the floor, on his stomach, with Xander and Xander puts his paw over his back. The pressure of Xander's paw calms him down.

And interestingly enough, Xander is able to alert me to seizures. Reese is epileptic and takes medication twice a day to help control his seizures. He has gone from 1-3 every day to 1-3 once every 2 months. About 3 minutes before they happen, Xander will either come and get me while whining or if it is sudden, he lays beside Reese and howls until I can get to him.

There is a pet store about an hour and a half away from me, where I got Spike, that carried t8s, but not t5s. I actually had to order my t5. And unfortunately, if it hadn't of been for finding this forum, I would of been using a coil UVB that another pet store recommended to me when I needed a new basking bulb. (It came in a combo pack.) This forum and everyone on it, has helped me with Spike; whether questions about her lights, feeders, or if something I thought was wrong with her. I couldn't love this forum anymore if I tried. Haha.
 

smackey2

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
Yesterday Spike didn't eat as much as normal and was quite squirmy. She stayed on the cool side maybe 60% of yesterday too. Thinking she was just having an off day, I left her to do her own thing.

I got up this morning, uncovered her from her blanket, cause if not, she would sleep all day, and she is shedding her head! I did help with her eyes as they were completely covered in shed and I didn't want her to rub them on something or scratch them and possibly hurt herself in the process.
That was fast though. I didn't notice any color change or even much of an indication that she was about to shed, not that I am complaining. It happened just over night. Haha. My little one is growing! This is the second time she has shed since I have had her. The first was a full body and all at once. I am excited to see what this one will be like. (I know it isn't exciting for them, but it is for me to know that my little one is growing.)
 

smackey2

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
18422874_10210817446611373_2034876612345075790_o.jpg


Her poor head has exploded. Haha. Most of it is off of her face, but still some left. The back of her head/neck is starting to come off. She has been rubbing her head on everything. :)
 

smackey2

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
Spike is officially 41 grams and 9 1/2 inches long!
18519918_10210833851861494_2335298134081425579_n.jpg

18447618_10210842783004767_5682454469764384089_n.jpg



And a little bit grumpy this afternoon, still working on a little bit of the shed on her head.
 

SHBailey

Gray-bearded Member
Looks like she's growing nicely. And the frequent shedding and all the itchiness and grumpiness that goes with it is just something that young beardies and their human slaves have to put up with... :mrgreen:
 

smackey2

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
She has been quite the little stinker lately, but if I was itchy and shedding my skin, I probably would be too.

On the plus side, she has taken a liking to the dubia roaches again. She refused to eat any for a couple of weeks. I was beginning to wonder. Haha. :)
 

smackey2

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
My little one is still working on her shed; she has finished her head/face, front legs and toes, and is almost finished with her hind legs and toes. She is currently 45 grams and just a smidgen away from being 10 inches!
I know it probably isn't to her, but I find it quite cute to watch her rub all up on everything in her tank.
18620260_10210899193134985_1865455642674404426_n.jpg


This is the new rock she got from my trip to Pittsburgh. Since I live in West Virginia, our pet stores are mostly Petco or the locally owned ones. On Friday, I had to make a trip to PA to meet the Hubby while he was at work. I waited around and explored a bit while I had a few hours til he was getting off work... needless to say, I found myself at PetSmart. We do not have one in WV close to where I live. It was pretty interesting! And I did have to check out ALL the animals they had on display. I was quite pleased to see that they were all pretty well taken care of. :)

So, as you can probably guess, I didn't leave empty handed. The pic above is of the new rock that Spike got. It works quite well for her itchies, a nice little platform to relax on, and a little hide underneath as well. She has a habit of hugging it! Haha. <3
 

SHBailey

Gray-bearded Member
That's an awesome rock. :D And a beautiful beardie.

I was at our local PetSmart the other day and had an immediate "Aw-w-w" reaction to the baby beardies. Then I had to look closer and see that they had all their toes, what the enclosure looked like, etc. It looked like they were being pretty well taken care of as far as I could tell.

Shedding can be cute even it isn't much fun for the beardies. Ours has it going on his back and at the moment he looks like he's wearing a little saddle. He's tolerating it -- looks like he's just waiting for this messy business to be over with. :|
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Members online

Latest resources

Latest posts

Latest profile posts

I miss you so much, Amaris 💔
What is a quick way to warm up a cold beardie? His heating element went out overnight and now he's very cold.
Pearl Girl wrote on moorelori1966's profile.
i feel so sad reading your about me 😢
Clapton is acclimating okay I think. He's quick as lightning so I'm not sure how much I should bring him out of his house yet. He's not at all interested in his salad though. I wonder if I should change what I'm giving him. Least he's eating his crickets.

Things to do:
Buy calcium powder
Material to raise surface for basking spot
Scenery decals for back of tank

Forum statistics

Threads
155,903
Messages
1,255,709
Members
75,967
Latest member
Newbeardiemom09
Top Bottom