mindlessmama
Member
- Beardie name(s)
- Tails
Hi everyone! New beardie mom here! Tails is my very sweet baby boi. We adopted him from a pet store (no names since I also work there, but they aren't that smart) after he had part of his tail amputated due to tail rot (injury from cage mate - I know they are solitary, but corporate doesn't care). The name stuck, but we call him Lizard more than we call him Tails. I fell in love with beardies thanks to a friend who also got her girl from the same store 6 years ago (I've known them both this entire time) and her girl is so sweet, and chill and mom absolutely spoils her rotten. I strive to be like them!
Tails is roughly 8 months old. We estimate his age based on when he was received at the store and his size upon receipt (he weighed 12 grams when he went for surgery in September and was received in the store at the end of August). We guessed he was born sometime in July. He's now nearly as big as his 6 year old girlfriend (friend from above) and a bright orange boi. Don't worry though, she's been fixed (she was egg bound at 3 years old and had surgery) so no baby beardies will come from this relationship!
It has been a learning experience for sure! I know that the enclosure he is currently in isn't ideal and he will upgrade in the future to the 4x2x2 enclosure once I have space open in our dining room, which currently houses our 3 guinea pigs (down from a herd of 5). They are all aging and once they have their angel wings he will move into the dining room. Currently we keep paper towels down in his enclosure since his poops are so frequent (though much less frequent of late) and I've read too many horror stories of carpet when long hair parents are involved (my daughter and I both have long hair). I'm too scared to do sand but may upgrade him when he gets his bigger enclosure, and I have a bit more experience as a beardie mom.
For food I offer him mustard greens when in season and I can find them, kale greens, bell peppers, arugula, and small bits of green leaf lettuce (he shares veggies with the pigs too!). He started out with crickets but quickly lost interest in them once he tasted meal worms. He eats about 10 to 15 giant meal worms a day, though he's started refusing those as well and I can only get him to eat hornworms lately. He won't even eat the veggies. I've tried bee pollen to help entice him but, while he loved it in the beginning, he won't touch it now. He's becoming very picky and it's starting to worry me honestly.
I just found this community and am so glad I'm here finally! I'm thankful for any and all advice and encouragement anyone wants to share. I only ask that you not shame me for my job and his enclosure. I do try to protect the animals in my care at work and this is how I've ended up with so many at home (2 cats, 5 guinea pigs (down to 3 now) and my beardie baby). I would love it if stores like ours were put out of business, but unfortunately not everyone in the world cares to educate themselves before purchasing and not all employees care as much as others so I do what I can. Even after having guinea pigs for 6 years, I am still learning everyday with them and they are patient teachers, so long as they have abundant food, water and hay.
Tails is roughly 8 months old. We estimate his age based on when he was received at the store and his size upon receipt (he weighed 12 grams when he went for surgery in September and was received in the store at the end of August). We guessed he was born sometime in July. He's now nearly as big as his 6 year old girlfriend (friend from above) and a bright orange boi. Don't worry though, she's been fixed (she was egg bound at 3 years old and had surgery) so no baby beardies will come from this relationship!
It has been a learning experience for sure! I know that the enclosure he is currently in isn't ideal and he will upgrade in the future to the 4x2x2 enclosure once I have space open in our dining room, which currently houses our 3 guinea pigs (down from a herd of 5). They are all aging and once they have their angel wings he will move into the dining room. Currently we keep paper towels down in his enclosure since his poops are so frequent (though much less frequent of late) and I've read too many horror stories of carpet when long hair parents are involved (my daughter and I both have long hair). I'm too scared to do sand but may upgrade him when he gets his bigger enclosure, and I have a bit more experience as a beardie mom.
For food I offer him mustard greens when in season and I can find them, kale greens, bell peppers, arugula, and small bits of green leaf lettuce (he shares veggies with the pigs too!). He started out with crickets but quickly lost interest in them once he tasted meal worms. He eats about 10 to 15 giant meal worms a day, though he's started refusing those as well and I can only get him to eat hornworms lately. He won't even eat the veggies. I've tried bee pollen to help entice him but, while he loved it in the beginning, he won't touch it now. He's becoming very picky and it's starting to worry me honestly.
I just found this community and am so glad I'm here finally! I'm thankful for any and all advice and encouragement anyone wants to share. I only ask that you not shame me for my job and his enclosure. I do try to protect the animals in my care at work and this is how I've ended up with so many at home (2 cats, 5 guinea pigs (down to 3 now) and my beardie baby). I would love it if stores like ours were put out of business, but unfortunately not everyone in the world cares to educate themselves before purchasing and not all employees care as much as others so I do what I can. Even after having guinea pigs for 6 years, I am still learning everyday with them and they are patient teachers, so long as they have abundant food, water and hay.
) 
