Nathaniel, Cierra, Castiel, Freya, Grrl; RIP GABRIEL

We never expected to get another dragon, but our neighbours next door wanted to give away Cleo, as he was called. We'd babysat him before, he's such a sweetheart. We nicknamed him Velcro because when he snuggles he never wants to go back to his viv, he hangs on as if he's made out of velcro.

So here he is. Today was his first day with us. He ate 13 supers and ate some squash, not bad for the first day he was here. He's only in a 30 gallon tank, which will be ok for now. He's 18" long but weighs only 200g. We figure he's probably 2 yrs old. Our neighbours rescued him last fall, they found him and a female (which they named Puff) on Craig's list. They were in a 30 gallon dirty tank, with sand and a huge log that took up 1/2 the space in the tank. Leo was at the bottom, he was sooooo skinny. He's gained weight, but never got the attention he deserved. I took some pics today, but will take more tomorrow. I think he remembers our place as didn't get stressed as I expected. No stress marks at all. When we let him run around the living room, he noticed our girls and immediate black beard, so his hormones are working!

He had a bath this morning, had a big poop, no smell, so not worried about parasites.

So here are a few pics, he's a yellow & dark gray, light gray colour.

Under the communal power sun in the living room:

Discovering there are girls in those tanks up above, he has a great black beard for such a skinny boy:

On the couch, he's got a pretty diamond pattern on his back:

Hope you enjoy
Deb and my six dragons :shock: :shock: :shock: :love5:

 

[sweetiepie9]

Hi Tracie, I am feeling better. Still cough here and there & take puffers when I do, but otherwise back to work & taking care of my crew.

Cierra knows where those male dubia are. Yesterday, when she was out, she went right over to the blue bin, stared at me, back at the bin. So I gave her a couple, but now she gets none until she shows me a poop. None since the weekend and it's starting to worry me a bit. So got a bath this am (well, they all did). I made my Carnivore Care mix for Puff, Cierra and Nathaniel loved it, too, so they got their share after Puff was done with hers.

More of the same tomorrow. I noticed that Nathaniel ate his greens and a bunch of his worms this am after I left for work, so I was glad to see that. He prefers worms to roaches and Cierra prefers roaches to worms, so that works for me.

 

[sweetiepie9]

Well, it's official, Puff is laying eggs again, her 5th clutch since September. Explains the constant black beard. So the eggs she laid last week are part of the same clutch, she's up to 6 already. Oh my, more baths and daily calcium for awhile.

Cierra hasn't pooped yet, so another bath for her with lots of massage, getting pumpkin tonight to give her tomorrow, as that will be day 5, way too long. And no male dubia until I know she can handle them.

Last day at work for 3 days, YAHOO! Looking forward to 2 days to myself with my crew, then to my sister's on Sunday for Easter dinner and Carly's birthday.

I wish everyone a very good and safe Easter weekend!

 

[BlueDragon09]

Hapoy Easter weekend, Deb!

From Kami and Broly.

 

[Goonie]

Oh dear! Why is Puff making so many eggs? Doesn't she realize that it's not necessary?
Let's hope that there won't be as many this time and that it'll be the last for this year.

 

[diamc]

Glad to hear you are feeling better Deb, sure takes a long time.

Guess Puff hasn't gotten the message that she can stop laying eggs now. Hope this clutch isn't as big as the last. Poor girl just can't get a break. :roll:

 

[sweetiepie9]

I don't get why she's still laying either and she doesn't look well or comfy. She's laid 7 now in the last week, black beard every day. I'm giving her a soak every day (she's my water dragon :lol: ) and even when she's done she'll turn around and jump back in...if it makes her feel better then I'm all for it. I'm giving her the mix again tomorrow with lots of bee pollen and I ordered some Serrepeptase last week, so hoping it will be in next Friday when I check my mail again. Still have to go to the distribution centre, it's been over 2 months but the lock still isn't fixed & Canada Post won't let our building mgr fix it. Stupid Canada Post...So hopefully with acidophilus, the mix and lots of snuggling over the next 3 days, she'll feel better. I just don't get it but I'll be talking to my vet next Friday when I take Leo in, and will find out how much the spaying will cost and if she can do it in May. I'll find the $.

Update on Puff, she laid 10 eggs altogether today, 2 in her bath & another in her tank for a total of 18 this week. I'll be glad when this batch is finished.

We had a good day today, cleaned out & fed all the bugs, bathed and fed all the dragons, too, then had the finest time with Cierra, Puff and Leo all out together. Cierra was out first this am after her successful poop, she watched TV and then played a bit with Puff who puffed at her at one point & was looking to bite, but when I called out, (was sitting in the big chair close to the ramp,) she looked up at me and stopped right away. I've noticed that Puff is more attuned to me than any of the other dragons. When I call her name she looks up right away, is always looking me up and down, it's just too funny & endearing.

Leo was funny, at one point he posed in the middle of the living room and got Gabriel and Nathaniel both going at the same time. Good for Leo, I say! Puff and Leo were together but again Puff didn't get any rise out of Leo, it frustrates her alot. So she went off to the sofa and started digging, Leo would go over and check on her, then wander around, driving the other 2 boys nuts (between Puff, Cierra and Leo, they really didn't know who to bob & black beard at first :lol: ). Cierra stayed up with me later to watch Cinderella with me on the computer. So it was a really good day, got most of my food shopping for next week done. Only thing I didn't get done was cleaning the bathroom...oh well, dragons and bugs come first in this household :mrgreen:

So some pics of this afternoon:

Puff was very pleased to have Leo out and put on her best colours and a pretty beard, too:

Then she ran up the ramp to check Cierra out:

Cierra was really pleased to be on the ramp most of the day:

Nathaniel and Gabriel didn't know what to do with themselves with 2 girls and Leo out at the same time, drove them nuts!

And Nathaniel kept looking at me as if he was saying "I don't understand why you won't let me out with the girls, Mom" :lol:

Then Cierra watched Cinderella with me (I have a link that posts movies that are sometimes still in the theatres). She got right into it for alot of it, especially when the fairy godmother changed the animals and pumpkin into the coach

 

[sweetiepie9]

I weighed everyone today, Cierra gained again & so did Nathaniel & Leo. Puff is way down & Gabriel lost some, so gave him 20 worms to try to make up for the. Everyone got red pepper as a treat today, too.

Cierra up to 294g from 278g

Nathaniel up to 318g from 300g

Puff down to 402g from 469g

Gabriel down to 472g from 481g

Leo up to 528g from 512g

Gabriel seems to lose quickly because he's so active & so does Nathaniel, but eating the small supers seems to be making a difference & Nathaniel's keeping on weight for a change. I guess I have to feed worms to Gabriel more often during the week. Time for that schedule!

Puff is up to 20 eggs this week, explains the drop in weight. I'm giving her that mix she likes daily, plus she ate a worm today. So at least she's getting nutrition while she's laying.

Cierra still loves those male dubia, she also pooped again today in the bath (yeah!) & everything is digested. She eats medium dubia in the afternoon, plus greens.

Leo is eating some dubia about 20 small a week or less, might explain being up a bit in weight, but it's still a good weight for him.

So I'm hoping that Puff finishes her eggs soon so I can get her eating again & her weight up. I guess we're going to get the spaying done sooner than July. I'll try for May, will talk to the vet on Fri.

 

[Goonie]

Hooray to the babies for gaining weight!
Boo to Puff losing so much weight, and still laying eggs
Gabriel is just like Pookie in being able to maintain his weight. Being so active all day long sure can burn off those calories
Great that Leo is gaining a little more weight. He can hold that little extra, now that he's getting more time out to play.

 

[sweetiepie9]

Thanks Gina, it was a fun morning with all of them. It was a sad day, though, too, as it was a year since Rubio passed, Easter Sunday 2014. So I was glad to get out at 2p to go to my sister's for the rest of the day and tomorrow it's back to regular routine.

Gabriel goes up and down with weight, it's amazing, he'll lost 20g, then gain them back, then lose them again, yet he always looks the same. He's also shedding in tiny bits and pieces, now its around his left eye and I think that's bothering him the most. I think it's getting ready to shed off, though, so I think he'll feel better after that. He gets especially clingy when he's shedding anywhere on his face, the rest of his body doesn't seem to faze him at all.

Everyone was sound asleep when I got home. We had a ball at my sister's, great food, lots of room for the kids to run around (she has an attic bedroom, so they like to disappear up there) and lots of time to get caught up on each other.

 

[Esther19]

I'm glad you had a happy Easter. Justin and I went to Golden Corral, a local buffet, for dinner, as is our custom on Easter. I had forgotten that Rubio crossed over on Easter Sunday. I know he was especially dear to you, and his absence still leaves a large void in your life. Big hugs to you, my friend.

 

[Goonie]

It'd been an entire year since Rubio passed away? Oh Deb, I'm sorry that I didn't remember. Hugs to you, my friend.

That's good that you were over your sister's for the day to celebrate Easter with the family. I'm sure it kept your mind (and emotions) busy.

 

[sweetiepie9]

It did, the grief is gone, just good memories with Rubio, but he was my special baby and I'm just now starting to be able to look at his pictures. I never did get his memorial done or Lonzo's or Didi's. So will have to get that done one day.

 

[beardie parents]

I haven't done one for Goldie and she died almost 3 years ago. It was the last Saturday of July 2012.

 

[Esther19]

Deb, a memorial is not something you have to do. Kind of like some folks choose not to have a service. We all remember your babies, and can go back through your thread for memories of the good times and the wonderful pictures. The morning I found that Cissy had left, I wrote lesson plans and found a sub. Then there was a bit of time before my son went to school when I could not yet freak out. So I wrote a letter to Cissy. Not a proper memorial with pictures and stories. I just wanted to talk to her. Perhaps the mood will strike you to write memorials some time, but there certainly is nothing wrong with not posting one. They know their mama still misses them and is thinking of them. Just do it for you, when and if the time is right.

 

[sweetiepie9]

Thanks Esther, I appreciate you writing that. It's true, this thread is a much a memorial for my lost boys than anything else. I'm writing their stories for a friend who's going to put together a book of rescues to raise funds for a rescue site I belong to, I think that's memorial enough, too.