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 After e-mailing the owner, I got an (obviously out-of-date) photograph of a healthy-looking but obviously annoyed dragon.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

Hey guys, long time no see Wow, I remember when I used to spend hours on here every day. It's been awhile!

Thanks for all the birthday wishes! It brought a huge smile to my face to see them all. I spent my sixteenth birthday at George Mason University in Virginia/Washington D.C., actually, attending a Youth Summit on the Environment for a week. I heard from a lot of important people (or, people who like to think they're important, in some cases) and learned a lot. And I got a college credit! Can never complain about that, right? It's made me think that perhaps I want to pursue a career in Biology. I don't know, yet. Sometimes I wonder if I'll ever be sure. :roll:
Oh, and my birthday resolution is to grow my hair out to resemble Merida from Brave. That is what I shall accomplish in my sixteenth year of life. :lol:

Gem is still chillin' here, of course. She's still her old lazy self. I think if it was up to her, she'd brumate year-round. :roll: I brought her out of the viv yesterday to chill with me on a heat pad, and what does she do? Crawl away and tuck herself in the coldest corner of my room, under my dresser with the dust bunnies.
I see how it is. Too cool to hang with momma. :lol:

But in all honesty, how old do beardies tend to live? I feel like Gem's slowing down, becoming more calm. Is she a little middle-aged beardie now? >.<

I've missed you guys. I have catching up to do!

~ Jacqui

 

[Mummapinkham]

Miss Grumpy Gem, is a beauty!! She will come around once she realizes she is loved and cared for!! I like how you read to her! That's amazing, I am a avid reader and my Harry will sit with me while I read. I may start to read to him now, he seems interested when I talk so I think it will a good bonding for us. Granted I read Trashy romance novels, so hopefully he doesn't get bored like most men, lol. Keep us updated and keep the pics coming!!

 

[Goonie]

Look who the cat dragged in!

Hmmm, I wonder if Gem needs a young one in the house to get her energy back.

 

[sweetiepie9]

Hi Jacqui, great to hear from you. Glad you had a good time in Washington & that it resulted in a credit. You have some time to figure out what you want to study in college, right, what grade are you in now?

Gem is how old? Beardies can live anywhere from 10 yrs old to 15 yrs old. I've never heard of a beardie older than 15 but a friend of mine has a male that is almost 13. My Lonzo is 9 and still thinks he's a juvie! I'm not sure why Gem isn't so energetic, is she eating ok? And has the proper UVB light & basking temps? Some beardies aren't as energetic as others! You just can never tell.

Glad your life is going well, hope to hear more of what you're up to!
Take care,
Deb

 

[beardie parents]

Jacqui, it's good to see you back on here. Don't be such a stranger, O.K.? I'm glad to hear where you spent you birthday, it's a good start on your college. Any idea what you want to study?

 

[jacqui778]

Hmmm, I wonder if Gem needs a young one in the house to get her energy back.

Hah, right! I'll be sure to use that line when I'm pitching the idea to my mum

Deb, I'm gonna be in 11th grade this fall. I have a bit of time, I guess! I feel like it'll be flying by and gone before I know it. Gem is about 4 years old, if she really was 1 year old when I got her. I've read elsewhere that they live for 5-10 years, so I wasn't sure. Gem's always been a grumpy lady, so I think it's just in her nature, especially since MoMo left. Only time she moves is when she is looking for a comfier (which, by her definition, is somewhere harder and colder?) place to sleep. :roll:

She's never had good eating habits. It's always a struggle to get her to eat, I've tried pretty much everything. Maybe that's part of the reason. But we carry on, one day at a time.

I've honestly got no clue what I want to commit to studying in college. My problem is that I'm in love with everything. For awhile I wanted to go to art school, and that's still an option. Then I wanted to go into culinary arts, until I heard schooling doesn't really get you anywhere. Then I wanted to do Psychology and specialize in the LGBT area. Now I'm pondering Conservation Biology.... and I'm seriously considering it, since there are a lot of study abroad programs to go to Australia and New Zealand (my dream). So there's that, or I could pursue something in art or music, my two loves. I just don't know! >.<

 

[sweetiepie9]

Well, you have some time to think about it all. Just find something that will give you work once you're done! And going to Australia/New Zealand would be awesome! When my son was in high school, they started getting counselled re: college in Grade 11 as had to send in their applications at the end of Grade 11. He went to technical school for carpentry-framing, so not sure how it works at your end. You'll figure it out anyway & you can always take general courses in the first year. Just keep in touch, ok?

I know Gem was a rescue & I also know she's always been a picky eater, so one day at a time is a good way to go. That's what I do, even though mine are all healthy, I do have 5 and you never know what will happen! I don't plan ahead alot either, I just enjoy them all I can.

 

[jacqui778]

Sooo, as you can tell from the title, we got some very big news lately.... about a month ago, I was arriving home from my annual trip to Texas, and my mum took me out to eat. It was there that she announced she was very much pregnant, and due in October. :shock: Uhm, shocker, right?
Well, turns out, it's (yet another) baby girl, and she's actually due to be with us by next Friday!
I still can't really even wrap my head around it. :roll:
We've decided on the name Faith, but we haven't come up with any middle names yet. We want to keep the "G" theme (I'm Jacqueline Gael, my sister is Kasey Genevieve, and my youngest sister is Gabrielle) but we can't come up with anything. :|


However, on the other side of the spectrum, Gem is not doing very well.
I've tried to get in to the exotic vet, but she is booked up for at least a month. There's no one else I can take Miss Gem to.... this vet is already an hour and a half away....
She's quit eating and has dropped weight. I've tried enticing her with crickets, lettuce, fruits, greens.... she doesn't eat anything. She also refuses to bask and only ever wants to sleep. I'd chalk it all up to brumation, except that she's also been having little thrashing fits, and has been sitting in a corner with her mouth slightly open and her eyes shut. I can't move her without her beginning to cough. It's frustrating.... I don't know what to do and the vet can't make time for me.

But, I'll take this moment to moment, as always, and see what happens. Hopefully she will just snap out of it and I can move her out of the tank and check her out better...

 

[sweetiepie9]

Well, talk about news! Congrats to your mom & to you for having another little sister.

Sorry to hear about Gem, wonder if you called the vet back & told her it was an emergency, if they'd find a spot for you, as it is an emergency. Wish I could tell you what to do, the only thing I can think of is not enough UVB. Do you have a new one? I wish I could come up with something, sometimes the only way to make her bask & get under her UVB is to get her into a smaller tank where no matter where she goes she's under the UVB & basking, but that's hard to do with a stubborn dragon. I can only say I'm praying for your sweet Gem. Keep me updated, Jacqui, and good luck!
Deb

You might want to post her symptoms in ER, you'll get more experienced people looking at that for you.

 

[Goonie]

Wow, another sister to add to the bunch! Congrats!

Sorry to hear that Gem's not feeling well. Have you tried feeding her baby food? What's the highest temp in her viv? If she's coughing and always having her mouth open, she may have an RI, which could also explain her lack of appetite.

 

[fresnowitte]

Congratulations Jacqui on the upcoming new baby sister!