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 After e-mailing the owner, I got an (obviously out-of-date) photograph of a healthy-looking but obviously annoyed dragon.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

 

[jacqui778]

Thanks Haley!! I haven't seen you around (or maybe I'm just not looking :roll: ), how have you been??

And thanks for the adorable kitty picture Barbara So far, I'm home alone for most of the day (does that suck or what?) but we're going out to eat tonight and presents should make up for it. :wink:

Saccharidicule: I haz my methods.... To be honest, I get paid for my grades by my dad. I get around $15 for each A and $10 for each B, and a $25 bonus for getting all 'A's. He puts it on a prepaid Visa for me. This new tank is coming from a family friend, though, she has it lying around, so she figured she'd just hand it over to me. I also won $150 from a Pro-Life Essay Contest, but I donated that money to Mom's House.
My mother has plans for the old tank. I bought it cheap off an old science teacher who used it to grow plants, and now my mother is going to use it to start her vegetables in before she plants them outside.
So, I'm finally starting to pull my own weight with the lizard thing (sort of) and I don't have to mooch off my mom, which is great. But now I hear that SunGlo's are no longer any good so I have to buy a new MVB. Hopefully birthday money will help out with that. Maybe I will switch to ReptiSuns again.

Well, I'm out of here on Thursday. Anxious! But I'm enjoying my birthday so far, so WOOHOO! :mrgreen:

Jacqui

 

[jacqui778]

Oh.... and Saturday marked the 1-year anniversary of Reggie's passing. Hard to believe it's been so long since I lost my little man. I still miss him so much. RIP Reggie

 

[beardie parents]

Happy Birthday, Jacqui! I hope you have a wonderful day. I understand how you miss Reggie, you will forever, it just gets less often as the years pass.

 

[haleygirl272]

Thanks Haley!! I haven't seen you around (or maybe I'm just not looking :roll: ), how have you been??

I could be way better, haha. How are you?!

And you are soo lucky! MY parents won't pay for my grades!! :roll: I'll use you as an example if you don't mind. Haha, maybe that's a bad idea.../shrug

I remember the day I read about Reggie passing I'm so sorry. I hope you are okay. Rest in Peace little man.

-Haley

 

[jacqui778]

Thanks Haley!! I haven't seen you around (or maybe I'm just not looking :roll: ), how have you been??

I could be way better, haha. How are you?!

And you are soo lucky! MY parents won't pay for my grades!! :roll: I'll use you as an example if you don't mind. Haha, maybe that's a bad idea.../shrug

Eh, I know how you feel. I'm not too spectacular either. Apparently, since I decided to visit my dad I'm now "the enemy" in my house, and everything I do has some evil motive. :x Not to mention I may be having appendix problems. NOT COOL.

My mom won't pay for my grades, haha. She doesn't have the money and thinks I should get them just to get them, with no other motives. But my dad apparently has lots of money to spare (eh) so he really doesn't mind. You could use me as an example. I'll be the leader of the Teen Liberation Front.... :wink:

beardieparents: You know, it's like ever since he passed, all my memories feel like they were only dreams. It's like he never existed. I hate that.

In other news, MoMo won't grow. I think it's probably a fault on my part. I've been so busy lately, I don't have time to feed her more than once She's always been my microbeardie, and I know that genetics have some role in it (her parents were very small!) but I still feel really guilty. In my really depressed moods I've considered asking someone to foster her for a year, take care of her until I get things sorted out. But I can't do that. She doesn't look like a 1-year-old should. She doesn't have "that" appearance. IDK. I'm stressed out so I'll just shut it.

Gem is great. She's still temporarily homeless, and is "camping" in the beardie travel box, but she's doing fine. She still won't eat the proper amount of greens, but she's finally eating them! I have a whole half of a garden dedicated to them. Squash, romaine (I know, lettuce isn't good, but they love it, and they get plenty of other veggies), a huge collards plant, basil, clover.... and some dandelions that my stepdad hasn't gotten around to killing yet (it's on the list, after "take the christmas lights down" :lol. They LOVE dandelions.

Well, I have to pack, and spend some time with the girls before I go tomorrow.... (sad)

Jacqui

 

[beardie parents]

beardieparents: You know, it's like ever since he passed, all my memories feel like they were only dreams. It's like he never existed. I hate that.

Jacqui

I know what you mean Jacqui. We lost our first two almost 4 years ago (this August and then October will be 4 years ago) That was hard, especially Miss O (lost in October of 06) as we didn't realize she was that sick until it was too late. We didn't know very much about beardies until almost one year after their death when Redrock was one year old. The seem like history almost. About a month ago, or more, I ran into the lady that gave our first two to us and it brought back the pain of loosing them all over again after 3.5 years after their deaths. Reggie will always be in your heart and you will always miss him, but if you didn't have Reggie, you wouldn't have the two you have now.

 

[jacqui778]

Well, I leave for home on Friday. I've had a great time here in TX and we still have more things to do! I've been super busy. But, seeing a fence lizard headbobbing on the patio yesterday made me realize how much I miss my little girls. I bug my mother several times a day for updates, and she swears that they are eating and pooping okay ( :lol: ) but I still miss them like crazy.

On a completely random note, I'm amazed at how Gem has transformed. While editing my thread title, I glanced at the picture on my first post.... she looks so different now. And don't even get me started on not-so-little-anymore MoMo.... :lol:

I also miss the feeling of squeezing something furry. The black lab here (Max) smells like cricket droppings and doesn't like to be hugged. Sigh. I miss my Jethro and Louis.

By the way, has anyone seen Despicable Me yet? I think we're going tomorrow. You're never too old for cartoons (unless you're 40 living in your mother's basement watching Yogi Bear or something).

Jacqui

 

[Goonie]

Glad to hear you're having a great time. Hope you got to do/see everything you had wanted/planned to.

I thought your little sis was taking care of Gem and MoMo. No? Did anybody take pics for you on how they're doing?
You'll be so happy to see them again. Even a couple of days is too many for me, so I can't imagine 2 weeks.

By the way, has anyone seen Despicable Me yet? I think we're going tomorrow. You're never too old for cartoons (unless you're 40 living in your mother's basement watching Yogi Bear or something).

HEY! I'm over 40 and I watch Yogi Bear, but I don't live in my mother's basement.
If you do decide to see that movie, you must report back whether it was good or not. I want to see it too.

 

[beardie parents]

By the way, has anyone seen Despicable Me yet? I think we're going tomorrow. You're never too old for cartoons (unless you're 40 living in your mother's basement watching Yogi Bear or something).

HEY! I'm over 40 and I watch Yogi Bear, but I don't live in my mother's basement.
If you do decide to see that movie, you must report back whether it was good or not. I want to see it too.

I, also, am over 40 and those type of cartoons as they are the only ones worth watching to me.

 

[Saccharidicule]

I am under twenty, and yet I, too, crave the "good-old days" of actual cartoons, rather than the live-action drivel the "cartoon" channels are showing nowadays. :C

 

[gulfbrzdawn]

Hey Jacqui! Glad you are having a good time at your dad's. I'm sure you miss your babies terribly, but before you know it you will be back home with them, spoiling them crazy.
I too want to know how Despicable Me is. Hubby and son want to go see it. I don't do movies too well... I fall asleep :sleepy2: :roll:

 

[jacqui778]

I thought your little sis was taking care of Gem and MoMo. No? Did anybody take pics for you on how they're doing?
You'll be so happy to see them again. Even a couple of days is too many for me, so I can't imagine 2 weeks.

By the way, has anyone seen Despicable Me yet? I think we're going tomorrow. You're never too old for cartoons (unless you're 40 living in your mother's basement watching Yogi Bear or something).

HEY! I'm over 40 and I watch Yogi Bear, but I don't live in my mother's basement.
If you do decide to see that movie, you must report back whether it was good or not. I want to see it too.

Yes, Kasey is taking care of Gem and MoMo.... but she never has her cell phone charged so I can't go directly to her for updates. My mum is nice enough to check in on them and let me know.

We are leaving pretty soon to go see Despicable.... Yesterday we decided to go to the zoo instead. Shall I post pics? :wink: I got some nice closeups of hippos. :lol:

There's nothing wrong with watching cartoons. I was referring to the creepy people who sit in the basement all day watching them and eating fishsticks and not doing anything productive. :lol: THAT is when you should probably get up and do something. :roll:

Jacqui

 

[fresnowitte]

Pics?

 

[jacqui778]

Pics?

Gah, I've done "that thing" again, where I forget about things. :roll: I have been way too dang busy for a 14-year-old. All of the sudden I'm taking up archery and tennis, the girls were horribly cared for and so I had to get them stable again (and they'll probably need fecals now ) and I've been having electronic goof-ups all around. My cell phone is overworked, my laptop needs new RAM, my phone charger burned out, my camera charger still isn't working.... SIGH. I seriously need a break from, like, LIFE. :lol: Not to mention my best friend is being all dramatic. Drama bites.

I'll get the pics up as soon as I can get my phone to stop being immature. I'm pretty sure it just deleted all my texts without my telling it to. Stupid undisciplined phone. I *should* have them up by tomorrow. Oh, and my uncle got married today. Just thought I'd share. It was definitely a redneck wedding (he has a mohawk and she had a dress that showed off her tattoos and garter) but they're happy, and that's what matters. :lol:

Anyway, I've got to go try and fix my phone (I may need a whole system reset :shock: ) but I will definitely try to get those pics, kk?

Jacqui

 

[gulfbrzdawn]

PICS!!!