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

[ChiefsDaddy]

Well, I won't claim to be any kind of expert, but that seems to be the consensus based on all the brumation articles I have read. Beardies brumate for reasons other than cold weather as well. Sometimes, getting sick will knock a beardie into brumation, even in the summer. Some beardies will brumate in preparation for mating, and again, that could be any time of year. They are very interesting indeed.

 

[Menolly07]

I've been trying to understand/read up on bearded dragon specific biology. It's been challenging. I've found some diagrams, thankfully. For instance, I was terrified over a weepy eye and a weird purring feeling in my Odahviing's chest. It turned out he had some shed caught in his nictitating membrane (flushing is working on that) and the fluttering feeling I was afraid was a sign of RI was actually EXACTLY where his heart is... I know I tend to get into the biology of my little guys, all of them. Reptiles. New and bizarre ground. I've explained their elimination system to my mother-in-law over dinner. It's ok. She's an RN. We talk about that stuff over dinner anyway.

 

[reptilegyrl]

Well, I won't claim to be any kind of expert, but that seems to be the consensus based on all the brumation articles I have read. Beardies brumate for reasons other than cold weather as well. Sometimes, getting sick will knock a beardie into brumation, even in the summer. Some beardies will brumate in preparation for mating, and again, that could be any time of year. They are very interesting indeed.

fascinating! there is so much more to them than most people think!!

 

[ShannyBeard]

I've been trying to understand/read up on bearded dragon specific biology. It's been challenging. I've found some diagrams, thankfully. For instance, I was terrified over a weepy eye and a weird purring feeling in my Odahviing's chest. It turned out he had some shed caught in his nictitating membrane (flushing is working on that) and the fluttering feeling I was afraid was a sign of RI was actually EXACTLY where his heart is... I know I tend to get into the biology of my little guys, all of them. Reptiles. New and bizarre ground. I've explained their elimination system to my mother-in-law over dinner. It's ok. She's an RN. We talk about that stuff over dinner anyway.

This made me laugh. I have worked in the medical field for 20 years now and it's hard to be in 'regular' company with another medical person, especially around the dinner table. We will somehow find the conversation travel to a place it shouldn't and we just naturally take it further, with the conversation often degrading into the realm of the disgusting. :lol: :lol: :lol: It's so hard to stop a fascinating conversation because someone with a weak stomach can't take it...but we do. :silent:

 

[Menolly07]

It's so hard to stop a fascinating conversation because someone with a weak stomach can't take it...but we do. :silent:

Better then us.... Wayne's Dad was the ONLY one around the table who cared. Becky is a groomer, so she works with dog and cat anal glans. I've a big mammal background. Wayne worked in healthcare and Cathy has been a respiratory therapist AND an RN so blood AND mucus. Nothing phases us! We talk about everything from litterboxes to surgery to the interesting smells of many things and most recently the stages of beardie potty behaviour and why it starts one colour and ends another, something I was fascinated by when I first learned about it and shared over chicken wings and pretzels with beer cheese.

 

[ShannyBeard]

Chief is being Chief - I got a couple of good pics of him away from that blue duffel bag, finally. :lol: He loves his living room basking area so much sometimes he just won't leave it. :mrgreen:

This would make a great hot tub!

Exploring the living room and being the Big Chief!

 

[Menolly07]

So is he officially awake then?

 

[Claudiusx]

OMG Chief looks great!!

Haha, I clicked on go to first unread post in this thread and it took me to page 5.... I got some reading to do :mrgreen:

-Brandon

 

[ShannyBeard]

YES he is finally awake! He woke up right when we got back from vacation. We were worried he was going to wake up while we were gone, but I think the quiet house kept him sleepy. :mrgreen:

While I am thrilled to have our boy back, it's also a teensy bummer. I had gotten used to having my girls out to play in the living room, but I can't now that Chief is back awake. It's less fun and more difficult to play with my beardies, but I guess it's back to the way it used to be. I'm just not quite adjusted yet. :silent:

 

[ChiefsDaddy]

Yep! Chief is officially awake and being himself again. I forgot how happy he makes me.

Haha... Brandon. He is doing great. He kinda stopped growing about 3 or 4 months ago, so I'm trying to fatten him up right now. First, he got sick and got roundworms. He was around 4 months old and 18" at the time. The treatment knocked him pretty hard, and he slowed down on eating and growing. Then after the treatment was over, he brumated. He actually shrunk 1/2" during brumation, but his weight stayed about the same. Now he's 19.5". He just woke up last week and I'm trying to get him back to eating 3 meals a day. Feeding lots of wax worms too. Gotta get him back on the right track. For his size (length), I think he should be a lot heavier.

 

[ShannyBeard]

I forgot how happy he makes me.

Me, too. I just look at his sweet face and it makes me smile. :mrgreen:

Chief is going to be 8 months old on Thursday. We need to celebrate! I am going to make him a party hat for the occasion and see if he will allow some pictures, purely for my amusement. :laughing6:

 

[Menolly07]

Parteh at CHIEF'S HOUSE!!! YEAH!!!!! BEARDIE GIRLS!! I wanna meet Ginger!! She's so cute!! Yeah!! Older beardie babes are the BEST!!! Cougar TOOOOOWWWWWNNNN!!!!!! Back in your box, Odahviing... No girls for you. Too young.. And set the Google safe search back to Baby Beardie.

 

[ChiefsDaddy]

lol

 

[FranktheTank]

Chief makes me happy just looking at him, I can only imagine getting to see him in action everyday! I'm so jealous, my male Frank is still sleeping, I miss him sooo much. Sunny keeps me busy, and never wants to go in her cage. I feel your pain, it's going to be bitter sweet and a huge adjustment when Frank wakes up. I'm used to taking Sunny out whenever she wants not having to worry about equal time, and I don't want to lose the close bond I have with her by not spending so much time together. Listen to me whining, you have umpteen beardies, I only have two!!! Soon to be three though 8) :wink:

-Kaleen

 

[ShannyBeard]

Kaleen, it's hard to get back into the routines I had with my other beardies now that Chief is awake! We'll see how you do with Sunny when Frank wakes up, I can only imagine there will be a lot of head-bobbing. I swear Chief's head is going to fall off after today. With the skink and Maya in the living room today, Chief has been all over the living room being territorial. He's sweet in the way he asserts himself, but it's still a lot of head and neck action.

After we put the skink back, Chief was making sure to position himself on certain things to show it's all his stuff. LOL

"Mine, all mine! My stuff, my room, I stand on it all...!!"