Big Chief: Man of the House (Huge Update 12/29)

[ChiefsDaddy]

Haha... thanks everyone! That last picture might be the last one for a while. Chief is brumating again, just like I thought. The last couple of times, he only did it for a couple of days, but something tells me this will be the big one. I'll miss him, but I have Papa Smurf to take care of and my 3 girls.

 

[FranktheTank]

I'm so excited to see some new pics of Chief! He inspired my boyfriend and I to set up a basking area in the living room for our beardies so they can stay out longer! Frank is barely in his cage anymore, he even gets to sleep in the big bed with us on occasion! Anyway he's looking good, and the headdress is amazing!! Looks like he and Beauty are going to have fun this spring!

-Kaleen

 

[TASTIGER]

huh i never thought of using the stick on hooks for the hammock thats a great idea. do they stay on?

 

[ChiefsDaddy]

huh i never thought of using the stick on hooks for the hammock thats a great idea. do they stay on?

Oh yea. Those are 3M Command Hooks. They hold VERY well. Almost impossible to pull off.

 

[Mirthy]

I loved the updates! Not only did I love them but I laughed so hard when I saw Chief with his headdress on!!! It's the second picture in particular. The one with his head up and his chin right in the camera. He looks so adorably smirky. "Yes, I AM the Chief!"

 

[ChiefsDaddy]

I'm so excited to see some new pics of Chief! He inspired my boyfriend and I to set up a basking area in the living room for our beardies so they can stay out longer! Frank is barely in his cage anymore, he even gets to sleep in the big bed with us on occasion! Anyway he's looking good, and the headdress is amazing!! Looks like he and Beauty are going to have fun this spring!

-Kaleen

Wow, that's great!!! Isn't it so much fun? I love having Chief out on the weekends. Now that his new viv is on the ground, sometimes, I just leave the doors open and he just comes and goes as he pleases. He is even potty trained. He usually goes to his viv to poop, then comes right back out to play. Well, now he's brumating, so I can't have outside fun with him but at least I'm being kept busy with 5 other beardies in the house.

 

[AJD]

Cheif looks awesome! I could barely tell that that the first pictures/vid are of the same beardie?! :shock:

 

[ShannyBeard]

We have always called Chief our 'little' - it was like a nickname when he was so teeny he would lay along our finger...and we still call him Little. :lol: :lol: :lol:

When we got Maya as a baby it was so silly to call Chief our Little and not call her anything, so I was calling Maya our 'Little-Little,' which was even sillier. :lol:

Never thought we would get another beardie, or another, or another... :silent:

 

[ChiefsDaddy]

Cheif looks awesome! I could barely tell that that the first pictures/vid are of the same beardie?! :shock:

and to think that all of that has happened in 6 months!!!! :shock: :shock: :shock:

 

[AJD]

JEEZE
I hope my little RJ sprouts some color like Chief did! RJ looks a lot like Chief as a baby :mrgreen:

 

[ChiefsDaddy]

I'm sure he will. They only get brighter and brighter with every shed. Lots of good UVB and orange and yellow veggies like carrots and squash help.

 

[FranktheTank]

Question, how did you potty train Chief? Teach me oh great one! hahahahaha :mrgreen:

-Kaleen

 

[ChiefsDaddy]

Question, how did you potty train Chief? Teach me oh great one! hahahahaha :mrgreen:

-Kaleen

Honestly, I do believe that Chief might be a bit smarter than all our other beardies. (Don't tell them I said that) He just seems to understand me and my tone. Also, I spent a lot of time training him by repeating the same word every time I perform an action. I had plenty of time to do that when he was our only beardie. He knows "poop", "kiss", "come out", "go back", and "good boy" (followed by a kiss). He also knows "Crickets" and "worms" and "hungry" and a few others. And of course, his name.

When he was smaller, he used to poop as soon as I brought him out of his tank, and usually did it on our carpet. I thought there had to be another way. So what I did for a while was bring him out and set him down on his poopy pad. I repeated the word "poop" and rubbed his tummy until he pooped. If he tried to run off, I grabbed him and put him back on the pad and repeated "poop" and rubbed his belly. Eventually, he would poop, and then he was free to go. He seemed to understand this well. If he ever pooped off his pad, I grab him in a way where he is not fully supported and uncomfortable (not hurting him of course). He would wiggle and wiggle and I would just say "CHIEF!" in a loud, stern tone, and eventually he would calm down, and he knew I had something to say. I would show him the pad and remind him that he needed to poop in the pad next time, and he would have to "go back" in his cage. It was that reward vs. punishment strategy that eventually got him to where he is. We don't use the pad anymore. He's at a point where he knows where he is allowed to poop and where he isn't. Now that his viv is on the floor, he will usually go back inside to poop, and them come back out to play again. I say "good boy" and give him a kiss, and usually some sort of reward, such as wax worms.

He does other things as well... for example, if it's time for me to go to work and he needs to "go back", i just repeat that command until he goes back in viv all by himself.

I'm really proud of my boy!!!!

 

[MissT]

Are you sure that Chief is actually a beardie? Sounds like he may be a puppy in a scaly body!

 

[ChiefsDaddy]

Are you sure that Chief is actually a beardie? Sounds like he may be a puppy in a scaly body!

Sometimes, I wonder.