larrys story

[mattxthexpostie]

this story starts off on a sad note but ends on a more happy one

my daughter and her partner were asked if they would like to have a 1 year old beardie called larry who was owned by 2 young *****s who thought it was good to torture larry which culminated in chopping part of his tail off he was rescued by animal welfare and my daughter adopted larry..they have had him for about 1 year and although i went to her house about once a week never took much notice of larry really(like most at first was a bit unsure about lizards)anyway they moved house 3 months ago and asked if we could look after him for a bit(still have him).slowly but surely i have taken larry into my affections to the point that he now comes out every day instead of once or twice a week and we know have the weekly trip to the reptile shop to buy the hoppers..i try to steer clear of crickets as they never bloody shut up and when im in bed its like im back on holiday in the greek islands..lol ..he gets a salad bowl every 2 days..ive not given larry baths but he gets sprayed regular as he has never had baths (unsure how he will react to them.).. he seems to have a fetish for cucumber..he just hoovers the stuff up as soon as it is put in(takes his time with other salad)sooner or later larry should go back to his proper home and then i have the dilemma of whether to get a baby beardie..i say this because i have 3 cats and a dog..the old cat sheba does not bother with larry..jasper whos 3 is a natural born killer so hes kept well away and the kitten boots is ok at the moment(likes to sleep on top of larrys tank over the heat lamp) but when hes older who knows..anyway ive gone on a bit but larry has gone from the depths of dispair to a life of luxury and cucumber..thx for reading and will let you know if i take a baby beardie on when larry goes home if he goes home..lol

 

[mattxthexpostie]

heres a few pics of larry.i love the first one as im pretty sure hes smiling for the camera..the last pic you can see wheres his tail is thick at the end where he was abused

 

[msladydeath]

AWE what a cutie!!! Larry is a lucky guy. My cat's leave Roku alone and honestly haven't even really inspected her. But she sure loves to run at our Yorkie dog with her beard out. Then the dog looks at her and she runs till he puts his head down again, then it's runnin at the dog. Since I have never had a baby though, I have no clue what to tell you about young beardies and cats. Would be good to know though since I would like to get a baby sometime (just not soon).

Welcome to the Forum though

 

[mattxthexpostie]

need a little advice on the baths of beardies..as i mentoined earlier larry has never had baths just regular water spraying..hes about 2 1/2 years old now so im a bit concerned how he may react to being put in a bath..hes had enough emotional problems to last a beardies lifetime already..so the guys on here with years of caring for beardies what do you think i should do.?

 

[msladydeath]

I can't offer a ton of advise, but Roku hadn't had a bath before either when I started takin care of her. I kept my hand under her tummy or front paws till she was comfortable enough to leave me on her own. It didn't take her long, and if your beardie has any residual pain from the abuse, Larry may actually enjoy it since the boyancy can help easy joint pain and such. Good luck!

 

[Wannabarockstar]

How large is Larry's enclosure? It appears to be rather small for him, I would suggest speaking with your daughter about providing more room for larry.

I do not have years of experience only having Drizzt going on 14 months but I can offer some advice. Regarding baths, draw LUKEEWARM water (check temp on your wrist) and fill the tub until it is just below his front shoulders. You should place a washcloth or something similiar in the bottom of the tub so that he has something to "grip", this will make him more secure. Support Larry from his underside gradually letting him go on his own. Larry may panic at first so be prepared for an escape attempt..LOL. You can soak him as long as you feel is necessary, this will help hydrate him as well. When finished make sure you dry him off completely before returning him to his enclosure.

You mentioned that you give Larry a salad every other day. You should be offering him salad everyday :!: You don't mention what sort of greens you are providing but just in case check out this link. It gives a list of acceptable greens and fruits and also contains a list of plants that are safe for his enclosure.
http://www.beautifuldragons.503xtreme.com/Nutrition.html

As to whether or not you get your own baby dragon I suppose that is up to you. If you enjoy your time with larry and feel as though you can provide a good home I think you should do it. Taking care of and watching a little dragon reach adulthood is exciting and very satisfying.

If you have any more questions please feel free to post or shoot me a PM. I will help out if I can.

Peace!
Chris

 

[mattxthexpostie]

thanks for the advice guys..i will try to bath larry and will let you know how we get on...larrys tank is only a temp one i nabbed of my brother as the other one was broke when my daughter was moving house..ive convinced her to buy one of those modern ones with the wood surround and the glass sliding doors on the front so larry can stroll out at his leisure when the cats are out