The Long Wait is Over. Introducing...

Status
Not open for further replies.

MrSpectrum

Gray-bearded Member
full

full


He's nowhere near that orange! :-x

STATS:
Sex: Male
Age: 5½ weeks
Not as "wild" as I would have liked, but the most wild to be found at this show (last Sat.)
He was fully fired up when I took this shot, but the halogen bulb gave everything a yellow/orange tint, and I can't figure out this new editor. (The background is white paper towel, and the basking rock he's sitting on is med gray.)
His darker spots are much darker brown in person, and his overall color is more brown & tan than orange.

This is also his favorite basking position/pose. DW noticed there's a "5" on his chest--could be his age or clutch code(?)
I disagree; I think it's an "S". ZaRDoZ is his secret identity; in reality, he's Superdragon!
(But don't tell anybody. :wink: )

Voracious appetite for dubias; won't touch any greens yet, despite offering daily.

Enclosure is still a few days from finished... (Working on glass doors today. Rightmost vent has a thermostatically controlled ultra-quiet muffin fan behind it. Ceiling & lighting still in-progress)
full

...so he's "camping out" in a temporary... large Sterilite bin.
Temps are good. 105 basking, 95 hot side, 85 cold side, room temp at night.
 

Claudiusx

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Woo about time!

Hi there zardoz!
I'm glad you finally got one :)
Time to become a crazy beardie owner like the rest of us lol.

How did you come up with the name?
Who did you end up buying from if you dont mind?

He looks nice and healthy and alert. Pardon me but he does seem to be showing a bit of attitude in that pic :lol: hes going for the tough guy persona I can already see it haha.

Anyways, happy for you. Zardoz has a good home.

-Brandon
 
He's a beauty... umm, I mean very handsome - (excuse me Zardoz!)
Well, good luck keeping his real identity a secret. That super hero stance and piercing gaze just screams "SuperDragon" lol
 

MrSpectrum

Gray-bearded Member
Original Poster
Maybe you kids are too young(?)

Zardoz is the worst Sean Connery movie ever made (and possibly in contention for worst movie ever made, period.) The trailers don't do justice to what a stink bomb it really is. 105 minutes and $1.6 mil production cost to set you up for a really bad joke. You can check it out for yourself on IMDB or Wiki, and possibly find it on a bad sci-fi movie channel. But I digress...

Since the days of the original Mr. Spectrum, I've shortened "lizard" to "zard" (not claiming to be the first; more like... whatever the term is for people independently getting the same idea) like kids shortening "pizza" to "za". Not too much of a stretch to figure out the rest.

I'd like to have gotten a model of the flying head from the movie to use as a hide, but so far haven't found one big enough at a reasonable price (heck, I'd 3D print my own if I could find a decent pattern).
 

DorgEndo

Sub-Adult Member
Photo Comp Winner
Beardie name(s)
Devlyn
I love watching bad movies with friends, it is a thing we do. Zardoz will definitely be viewed at one of my future friend meet-ups.

Amazing name for a super beardie. He has some nice spikey sides
 

MrSpectrum

Gray-bearded Member
Original Poster
He really likes basking in that "push-up" pose/position (1st pic). Today he decided to sit like this for a couple hours... Not really what I'd call "sexy leg".
full

Yeah, he's still got that, "I am not amused" expression/attitude. We like it.
Sometimes he likes to bask in the push-up posture with both rear legs stretched out straight behind and alongside his body--not unlike a puppy. DW thinks it's a scream; I think he's just relaxed & comfortable.

His appetite is a bit off; I expect either due to lack of UVB, the extra calcium dusting, or both. The lights should be here tomorrow.

Trying to get him used to sitting on my hand (for now). He won't climb on to my open palm yet, but when I put it out in front of him, it doesn't freak him out either. I have to chase him around just a bit to get him to sit on my hand, but once he's on it, he calms down and he's fine. He's now quite used to the giant hand coming in & out of the enclosure--it usually brings food!

Movements are daily (after nothing for the first 3 days) and regular. He likes early afternoon, though he hasn't picked any particular spot--today he spread it across 3 rocks... swell.

First night he slept in a hide, but since then he's "camped out" in the open. I think that's another suggestion he's getting comfortable.

One puzzlement. When we brought him home, his tail was shedding (see pic in OP). It stayed like that for the first few days. Just as I was thinking about giving him a little bath to help loosen that shed, it disappeared. From a previous discussion here, I didn't think he ate it, and it isn't anywhere to be found in the enclosure. It's like his tail reabsorbed it or something... :dontknow:

DW is taking to him more than she thought she would--she thinks he's cute.
 

MrSpectrum

Gray-bearded Member
Original Poster
DorgEndo":4rr9p028 said:
I love watching bad movies with friends, it is a thing we do.
Wow, you can get friends to watch them with you? I'm usually relegated to waiting until the wee hours to watch them at all...

Thanks--I like spikey--the spikier, the better! (I also like the armored tails on Uros & Ackies... 8) )
 

Claudiusx

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
MrSpectrum":3sev6dcu said:
Not really what I'd call "sexy leg".
Well, I 'spose sexy is in the eye of the beholder! :lol:

Hopefully the light comes in tomorrow.. in working condition lol.

That's great that he seems to be getting comfortable with you. Don't be surprised though if one day he decides he's not anymore. At least that's been my experience with a few of mine. Once they get fully settled, their real attitude comes out, and while they once could stand me, not so much anymore when they felt more comfortable in "their" new domain.

MrSpectrum":3sev6dcu said:
When we brought him home, his tail was shedding (see pic in OP). It stayed like that for the first few days. Just as I was thinking about giving him a little bath to help loosen that shed, it disappeared.
Yeah I had to go back to look at it, but it definitely was in shed LOL. He must have ate it if it's no where to be found. Odd.
Are you sure your wife isn't holding out on you and keeping them in some weird scrapbook? :laughing6:

MrSpectrum":3sev6dcu said:
DW is taking to him more than she thought she would--she thinks he's cute.
How are you taking to him? Getting attached or not so much yet? Honestly for me it takes time, or some event to "really" get attached to my crew. Take Moro for example. Bringing her "back to life" was what created our bond. And that was already a month or 2 after having her.
My wife will tell you that's a bad trait of mine.. LOL

MrSpectrum":3sev6dcu said:
I like spikey--the spikier, the better!
Me too. It's what originally got me interested in beardies. And what got me interested in Uro's too. It's why The dunner morph is my favorite morph. They seem to have wild spikes! I know the morphs aren't your thing, but IMO it's the closest thing to super spikey and normal as you can get - morph wise.

-Brandon
 

MrSpectrum

Gray-bearded Member
Original Poster
claudiusx":33c3eelx said:
Hopefully the light comes in tomorrow.. in working condition lol.
Easy for you to laugh.

Are you sure your wife isn't holding out on you and keeping them in some weird scrapbook?
[Whiney]Yes I'm sure my wife isn't holding out on me and keeping them in some weird scrapbook.[/Whiney]

She won't touch him or even put her hand in the enclosure. Don't get me started on how bad the Dubias skeeve her out. I had a muscle spasm last night and dumped the dish of 10 all over myself/the kitchen floor. She thought I dumped the carton of 100 and started a major freakout. No worries--all 10 safely accounted for (and subsequently eaten). Dubias skitter from light like domestic cockroaches, but fortunately, they can't/don't skitter anywhere near as fast--about the same speed (and appearance at this stage) as isopods.

How are you taking to him? Getting attached or not so much yet?
Cautious optimism. Not really attached yet--still working our way through the instructions/owner's manual. Well aware these guys can crash for no reason/fault.

Besides... Not our first rodeo. We've lost reptiles (Anoles) before. It happens.

My concern right now is any lasting negative effect from the UVB debacle. It'd be unfortunate, but we don't feel at fault because we did everything diligently.
 

Claudiusx

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
I really wouldn't worry about the uvb causing an issue. A week is nothing.
I'm not saying its ideal, but it's far from worrisome IMO. Take it for what you will. The majority of chain petstore dragons spend probably their first 2 or 3 months under basically no uvb exposure (weak coils and improper distances at the petshop) that end up being fine once under proper care. Really, a week is nothing to be concerned about.

Anyways, it would take much longer than a week for the body to have skeletal issues from lack of calcium absorption. They really aren't that fragile.

-Brandon
 

MrSpectrum

Gray-bearded Member
Original Poster
claudiusx":3h1f2kw1 said:
MrSpectrum":3h1f2kw1 said:
When we brought him home, his tail was shedding (see pic in OP). It stayed like that for the first few days. Just as I was thinking about giving him a little bath to help loosen that shed, it disappeared.
Yeah I had to go back to look at it, but it definitely was in shed LOL. He must have ate it if it's no where to be found. Odd.
Odder and odder... The shed is back, and now it's peeling. Just to recap, here are the date-stamped pictures again...
Picture taken 11/5 showing tail shedding
full

Picture taken 11/7 showing shed gone--tail fully colorful
full

Picture taken 11/8 (just now) showing tail shedding/peeling
full


This is one strange 'zard...
 

MrSpectrum

Gray-bearded Member
Original Poster
claudiusx":3r7bza3j said:
I really wouldn't worry about the uvb causing an issue. A week is nothing.
....
Anyways, it would take much longer than a week for the body to have skeletal issues from lack of calcium absorption. They really aren't that fragile.

Let's hope.
 

MrSpectrum

Gray-bearded Member
Original Poster
This morning about half (the thick end) of his tail has shed, and now the rest of him is beginning to look a bit dull, so I expect--with all he's been eating--the rest of him is beginning to shed.

Funny, I don't recall any of my anoles shedding in alternating areas like this--it was (IIRC) all or nothing.
I'm guessing things may go this way until he reaches his final size. Or he may always be this way.
.... kids.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Members online

Still Needs Help

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
155,897
Messages
1,255,656
Members
75,965
Latest member
williamyoung
Top Bottom