Gem (and MoMo): I'm gonna be a big sister (again) and news

Hello, everyone! Some of you know my Gem from her ER thread, but if you don't, you will soon.

Gematria was a rescue (I definitely consider her one) that I found on Craigslist. After e-mailing the owner, I got an (obviously out-of-date) photograph of a healthy-looking but obviously annoyed dragon.

So, we went to meet the owner. After examining the dragon, I couldn't see anything that couldn't be fixed immediately. But, after interrogating the owner (who, mind you, thought she was in perfect health) we learned that she'd been put on sand and eating bugs from OUTSIDE. I knew that I had to take her home, so I paid the guy the $100 for her and all her stuff.

Upon arriving home, I did a quick inventory.

- 1 55 gallon tank, complete with poo and sand. Nice.
- 1 heat rock (threw that away....)
- 1 water dish, complete with algae! and a water pump to make it bubble. (That thing was caked with algae)
- 1 food dish, complete with dried poo and carrots (yummy)
- 1 hide, which was way too small
- 1 light fixture with a blown bulb (useful)
- 2 UVB fixtures, with the glass still over the bulb, and a bulb that put out 2% UVB (also useful)
- 2 thermometers, one a stick-on that doesn't work, the other so caked with sand and dirt that I had to throw it away because the buttons wouldn't push and it was trying to tell me my room was 34*F

Then there's the dragon herself. Obviously female, but she'd never been handled or bathed, and had obvious MBD. After removing some yellow scab substance from her mouth, I found two sores on the inside of her lip. I knew that she had to have parasites, considering her conditions. She definitely wasn't underweight, at least. I also found a large lump on her right ankle which we haven't identified yet.

We made her a vet appointment (for 3:00 today) and tried to treat what we could. I put Hibiclens (which is like Betadine) on her mouth sores, got some babyfood into her, and wrapped her in a towel.

She was vicious, gaping at everything and anything, hissing, trying to bite, bearding, the whole 9 yards. However, as I type, two days after buying her, she sits in my lap in her 'security towel' (she freaks if she's completely exposed to the air). She has learned to tolerate me after I talked and read to her (yes, read to her).

Since she had no name before, I decided to call her Gematria, or Gem. Her head is simply beautiful, yellow with orange and red in the beard, with golden eyes. The rest of her is grey, but that will change in time, I'm sure.

Soon, we'll be headed out for the vet.
I will definitely post updates on that.

Jacqui

 

[zebraflavencs]

Ask the vet about the black cherries if that is gout, okay ?
Lovely lovely lady, and the Dragon whisperer is born !
Janie.

 

[clbauman7]

she "tolerates" you already, soon she will be so in love with you, that if you put her down she will pout Keep us updated on that appointment.

 

[jacqui778]

Updates on the appointment posted on ER thread.

 

[jacqui778]

Gah. I'm a complete failure at remembering to update things.

Gem isn't eating. Anything. She denied supers, watches the 24 escapee crix boredly, and won't take her soy yogurt. With the MVB in and ready to go, I'd expected her to be more active. Dang expectations. They're always wrong when they're mine.

Sorry. My head is way too cluttered and my legs hurt. I'm rather negative today.

ANYWAY, I'm going to go lay down. Blech. I feel all icky today.

Jacqui

 

[gulfbrzdawn]

Hi Jacqui! Just wanted to check in and see how my favorite little internet niece and her babies are doing.
How is Miss Gem doing? I hope she is not still on her hunger strike. Is she showing any improvement with the new mvb?

You know it's funny you mention that you were expecting to see Gem more active with the mvb. I was the same way when Rex started using her megaray. For years she had always had the fluorescent uvb's, so when I got the megaray I expected to see her doing flips and running back and forth in her viv. The way she did when she was younger. I didn't see that and was very discouraged. I can tell now that the mvb was the best thing I could have done for her. She just looks and acts so much healthier now!

How's little MoMo? (I know this is not his thread, but I figured I would kill two birds with one stone :wink: )

Have you posted new pics anywhere that I don't know about?

When do you head back to PA?

 

[protiemama]

Hope you are feeling better today Jacqui.
Gem may be dealing with relocation issues. Even though life is better, any change is stressful, good changes too. :? Hope she starts eating soon.

Sandy H

 

[jacqui778]

Sorry. Again. I'm bad with the update thing.

I finally got Gem's fecal in, expecting the phonecall today to tell me how awful her parasites are!

Dawn

Gem has eaten.... some.... like, 4 supers a day, no greens. She doesn't know what greens are, which could be problematic. She went 1 1/2 years on shredded carrots, what are GREENS?

The thing is, Gem never MOVES. She just sits on her rock. All day. Everyday. But at least she's starting to hold herself up more. Then we go to "Wrestle with the Dragon" time, which is, of course, meds time. She hates meds. The vet taught me some way to get their mouths open, by pulling on their beard and opening their top lip or something.... looks painful, don't blame her for trying to run away (and succeeding until I catch her again, she's starting to move FAST when she sees the syringe).... but I do what I have to do to get the meds in, and she wouldn't open her mouth for all the hornworms in the world (they're green. She's learned green things are not part of her noms).

I should totally make this MoMo and Gem's thread, but, MoMo isn't a rescue....
MoMo is great. I figured out the trick! For greens, and for water! If I dangle the collards just above his nose, he ATTACKS! He bites and thrashes so hard I'm afraid he'll hurt his neck. :lol: He also ATTACKS drops of water on a syringe! No joking! I'll sit there with a drop of water on the end of the syringe, and he'll see it and practically twist himself into a pretzel (no matter where I hold the syringe) and lunge for it!

He's also started getting all dark and grumpy when I put him back in the box. I have to take him out and pet him and talk to him ("Hey Mr. Grumpy, whassamatter?") and eventually he goes back to that tan color. Oh, yeah, and he's a redhead. :roll: His head is positively red-brown compared to the rest of him. Everytime I see him I think "Irish" for some reason. It's been like this since his full body shed.... beautiful little guy.

Sandy

I am feeling better. Got back onto the routine of my anxiety meds, no more negative thoughts (Even though it would've been Reggie's first birthday today )

The thing is, she was eating fine before, just not now.... she completely quit. Then again, she's been denying soy yogurt, so her gut flora's probably down. She's 289 grams, forgot to mention.... is that good or bad?

No pics. Sorry. I'll go take some. Kk? Just for you guys.
(Although I'll probably have to buy my dad a new memory card for his camera soon :mrgreen

Wish Reggie was still here to celebrate his birthday today....

Jacqui

 

[jacqui778]

As promised-- immediate pics.

MoMo (Mai beautiful little guy)
That's raspberry on his face if you notice. I notice everything on mai babies....

Size comparison!

Then:

Now:

Different angle, but you can compare to the keyboard keys.

Now, Grumpy Girl.

Gem

Sitting.

More sitting.

Something interesting. A comparison!
Foot THEN:

Foot NOW:

Even more sitting.

**Grump grump grump grump**

That's pretty much all Gem does. There are a couple crix running in her tank, but she's not interested. Oh well. She'll eat when she gets hungry. If she ever does.

Jacqui

 

[zebraflavencs]

Jacqui, it looks from her head spikes, she might be starting to shed. That would be one reason for her to be soooo grumpy!
I could be wrong, have been before, but it's an idea.
Janie.

 

[jacqui778]

Jacqui, it looks from her head spikes, she might be starting to shed. That would be one reason for her to be soooo grumpy!
I could be wrong, have been before, but it's an idea.
Janie.

Wouldn't be surprised. She has scales coming off one at a time on her arms and legs. It's weird, b/c the new scales GLOOOOWWWW and they stick out from the grey ones. She has a yellow/orange/white on her tail, whereas her tail is grey! Promise of colors!

 

[dna14]

Jacqui, so glad to see Gem and Momo! I feel that Gem will come around, she's just so shocked at being treated RIGHT! Way to get Momo to eat salad!!!
I hope your legs are feeling better! Can you tell me how tall you are? My daughter's 5'1'' and been in so much pain she had to quit soccer last summer and couldn't play softball or soccer this year. I feel so bad for girls who grow so fast they hurt! That didn't happen to me (I'm so short) and it's not fair to you girls!
Has Gem eaten anything today? We are going to Massachusetts (that's where I'm from) in a week and if we weren't so booked for the week I wish we could come visit you and meet Gem & Momo and show your mom that NONE of us are 43, in a basement or in our underwear lol :lol:
Keep us posted! (I know you will)
*hugs*

 

[jacqui778]

Jacqui, so glad to see Gem and Momo! I feel that Gem will come around, she's just so shocked at being treated RIGHT! Way to get Momo to eat salad!!!
I hope your legs are feeling better! Can you tell me how tall you are? My daughter's 5'1'' and been in so much pain she had to quit soccer last summer and couldn't play softball or soccer this year. I feel so bad for girls who grow so fast they hurt! That didn't happen to me (I'm so short) and it's not fair to you girls!
Has Gem eaten anything today? We are going to Massachusetts (that's where I'm from) in a week and if we weren't so booked for the week I wish we could come visit you and meet Gem & Momo and show your mom that NONE of us are 43, in a basement or in our underwear lol :lol:
Keep us posted! (I know you will)
*hugs*

Yeah, now that we're done with the antibiotics and anti-inflammatories, she's been doing well. No syringes today!

I'm 5'. Flat. See, I already had my growth spurt, too, so I'm pretty much.... done. I don't have any hope of getting taller, I'm already the same height as my mother AND my father. Nobody is tall in this family. Really.

She ate 7 supers today. She won't eat for me, only my dad. **Grumblegrumblegrumble**

It would've been great if you coulda visited me, except for one itty bitty problem-- I'm currently in Austin, Texas, visiting my father! You still could've assured my mother though, as long as you showed up fully clothed and all that, y'know....

WAITING FOR THE VET TO CALL. Expecting the call tomorrow, seeing as they're closed on weekends. For the fecal results, of course. She has to have parasites. I'm sure of it. Positive. Abso-tively 100% certain. Stinky poo, living on sand from outside her whole life, eating bugs from outside all her life, she's gotta.

I took her to a shift party today (for those who've never heard of them, like me, it's a party with all the people from your shift at work. Weird, right?) and I got to take Grumpy Gal! She liked it, she just won't admit it. It was a nice comfortable temperature outside, and she got to bask in the natural UVB. The Blue Lacy (which is a very pretty dog) that the host had, named Colby, was beautiful, and licked Gem. She wasn't pleased.

The little man ate 9 crix today before he got to the point where oh-if-they'll-come-to-me-I'll-eat-them came in play. Then I took them away. I caught him rubbing his chin on my finger.... which means, of course.... SHED. Back-to-back shedding! Woo! **happy dance**

Jacqui

 

[dna14]

ah... still in Texas... awesome! So you're there for the whole summer? Not gonna grow anymore at 13? :shock: wow! My family's so not fair, my dad's tall and my mom's 5'5'' but I'm only 5'2'' and my darn brother is 6'2''! HOW IS THAT FAIR??? You have cool parents in that your dad helped you get new beardies and your mom's ok with that. Plus traveling with beardies. I wish we could take Twitch and Hermes with us I'm going to be so worried. But they would have to ride in the cargo hold of the plane and I'm sure they'd be much happier at home even with an unexperienced slave taking care of them. They do have an experienced slave coming in for baths, I didn't trust the unexperienced slave enough to take them out for that. Twitch would be fine but Hermes is SO little and fast!

Gem, you need to eat for your big slave person Jacqui. She loves you so much! I don't want to hear any more of this eating only for the man stuff. Momo, you need to be a good hunter so you will grow! Don't make me come to Texas! 8)

Waiting to hear for vet results. That's another good point for your dad. Vets are so expensive! Shoulda seen the look on my husband's face both times I've taken rats to the vets! 'Course he loves the beardies more than the rats so he'd probably be ok hopefully we don't need one anytime soon tho' *crossing fingers* so far the Beardie ER's helped us a lot!

 

[jacqui778]

I actually had to pay for the vet visit.... with money I earned for grades.... but okay.

Gem is staring at me. Just sitting on the computer desk and staring. She has started moving around some! I'm a bit concerned, though, because she can't use her toes? What if they are dead or something? I'd hate for her to have to be an amputee or something after all the stuff she's been through.

I'm leaving TX in a week and two days. Already counting down, I miss my littlest sister (and, of course, my mom!). She's been telling my mom I'm being "too long" and is mad at me. She won't talk to me on the phone. Oh, yeah, and she's four....

Grumpy gal is showing some colors on her back, finally. She isn't exactly gray anymore. She's a yellowish brown. Maybe from the Powersun?

I woke up at noon today. OOPS!
Got a HUUUUUGE death glare from the little man. I usually turn on his lights around 9:30. Gem was snuggled into my arm, still sleeping.... went to bed late last night, being at the shift party and all, so she was as tired as I was.

Morningstar Bacon is good. I'm eating some now. Just thought I'd throw that bit of randomness in. I can't believe I've been a vegetarian for a year!

Jacqui