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:

 

[Esther19]

Oh no, Deb. What a shock. I am so very sorry this happened. I'm sending you big hugs and prayers.

 

[beardie parents]

Deb, I'm sorry to read the news about Puff. I know it was a shock but starting to lay eggs at her age had to have been hard on her, physically.

 

[sweetiepie9]

Thanks Gina, wish you were here, too. Thanks Esther and Lori, that's why we had to get her spayed, my vet discovered that she had more than 20 eggs forming again, so this constant egg laying would have continued. I'm picking her up tomorrow am and then taking her to my friend Joanne's where I'll bury her with her brothers. I sure do miss my Puff

 

[beardie parents]

You will miss her for a very long time. We still miss the first two we lost in 2006

 

[sweetiepie9]

I miss all my lost babies, Titan, Rubio, Lonzo, Didi and now Puff. It's too many losses in one year, hopefully that the end of it and the rest of my dragons stay healthy.

Now to get Cierra to eat. She ate a bit yesterday but not being home I couldn't get on her, I'm home for 4 days and going to get her a little fatter

 

[BlueDragon09]

Hey Deb as I said on the last page sorry she didnt make it.
I hope 2015 doesnt get worse (as in more dead dragons).

Wishing Leo, Gabriel, Nathaniel, Cierra, Bunny and Rocco stay healthy.
You stay healthy too even though mice are running around.

 

[sweetiepie9]

Hi Kami, I now just have 1 mouse in my bedroom behind my dresser, so will get more traps and eventually catch this one, too. I've caught 7 so far, little brats. I hate that they like my place. I've put everything they could possibly like eating in glass jars or in the fridge. Close up my dishwasher all the time, in case they find a stray nut from breakfast. So have no idea why this little guy likes it in my bedroom.

And I'm hoping my crew stay healthy from now on. Cierra ate SO much today, tons of roaches and a few supers and a few greens. She's got her little belly back already, so more tomorrow. I'm glad I'm home for 4 days, it'll do me good to just veg with my crew.

I buried Puff in her bed earlier today with my boys. She's at rest now, sweet girl. I sure miss her. Kind of in a funk today.

 

[Esther19]

Deb, I'm so sorry. I know exactly how you feel.I'm so glad you have the 4 days off, because it would be difficult to think properly at work. Big hugs and prayers your way, dear.

 

[diamc]

Deb, I am SO very sorry to hear that Puff didn't make it. I signed in especially to hear how she was doing and sure didn't expect to read this. I'm crying right along with you. Poor girl having that many eggs again, no wonder her fat stores were low. You will miss her always and she certainly knew you were trying to help her. HUGS TO YOU.


R.I.P. SWEET PUFF

I know I haven't been on the forum much, have been trying to help my mother get better. She was in the hospital for 17 days and is still having horrible pains that wake her up from sleeping causing her to yell out. It has been so devastating seeing her go through this and for so long.

 

[sweetiepie9]

Thanks so much Diane, I'm feeling better than that she's buried. It will take time but I've cried myself out and rested alot today. Gabriel insisted we had a nap together so had a 2 hour sleep together. He always knows what I need, sweet boy.

Good grief! Do they know what's wrong with your mom? Poor woman to be going through so much pain. I'm glad you're there to help her and don't worry about being on the forum. You have your hands full! Hopefully they figure out what's wrong with her & help her with that pain! Sending healing thoughts and prayers to your mom.

 

[NeosMom]

Hi Deb. I haven't been on the forums in about 2 1/2 years. I used to talk with you a lot when I was here, but left because I got off the computer and lived exclusively on my tablet. I hate that I have come back to hear of so much sad news with your family. I'm so sorry for all of your losses. My heart breaks to see all of this. I'm glad that Gabriel napped with you today and made you feel better. The last time I followed, he was your newest dragon and you were still fighting to get him healthy.

My prayers are with you. I hope you feel better soon.

Mindi

 

[sweetiepie9]

Mindi, how are you? I wondered where you'd disappeared to. Last time I talked to you, you were in Florida & had gotten a better job. Your dragons were doing ok, right? Is that still the case? I've missed you!

I know, alot of losses. But I'm managing. I was very out of it yesterday but feel better today. The others have been keeping an eye on me today and keeping me busy with baths, supplements, snuggling and playing in the living room. Gabriel is now a very healthy 4 year old and a very curious dragon. He's into everything and considers himself the Boss now that he's the oldest. Leo is older but he's so laid back and hates to be out of his tank, Gabriel is definitely the Boss :lol: Leo almost had Fatty Liver Disease but I switched him from super worms to roaches and gave him lots of greens, his last blood test was all normal. He gets 10 roaches a week, the rest is greens to keep his weight down.

Cierra and Nathaniel, the twins, came to me after Lonzo and Didi passed away. They're both a year 1/2 old. Nathaniel came to be in December, Cierra in February and they're both doing very well, both very healthy & very much into everything. They've also grown alot. They were so small when I got them, just around 15" each and underweight. Cierra is 301g today and Nathaniel is 378, so I'm very pleased with how they're doing.

So I miss my boys and Puff so much but they're all in my heart all the time. They're also all buried together, which means I can talk to them often at their grave site.

I sent an email to the reptile society where I got Cierra and Nathaniel. They have another brother who was with a foster mom when I brought Cierra home, so I asked Val, who owns the society, if he was available for adoption.

So I just weighed everyone & Cierra has gained. She was 271 after she laid her eggs but 301 today, so she's gaining well. Leo is still at 541, Gabriel is 521, which is a great weight for him and Nathaniel is 378! up from 357 last week. I'm very pleased with his weight gain, you can fell it when you pick him up, he's got a solid tummy now :love5:

So I took pics of everyone today & they turned out really well:

Cierra, looking good after laying all those eggs

Gabriel decided to climb his log today, he's getting almost too big for it :lol:

Nathaniel looking so yellow after his bath

And on his log, his favourite place except for the ramp

Cierra enjoyed the ramp today, she was there a couple of times today (I love being home!)

Leo, looking very cute

After being on the ramp, Cierra was on my shoulder while I was looking at stuff on the computer and she decided to visit Leo:

She liked that log and kissed Leo a bunch of times. Leo looked at her like "what are you & why are you here" but looked pleased at being kissed. It was a short visit, even though I'd trust Cierra with Leo any day.

 

[NeosMom]

They are all so beautiful, Deb. I didn't realize how much I missed hearing about everyone's family. Now I wish I had been here during all you have been through. When I got my tablet, I changed the way I was dealing with the internet. I had been so many places where people are just awful. It made me not even want to be online anymore. I started using the internet for research and shopping only and left every place that I talked with people. I was just so worn down by all the trolls. But recently I placed an order with Tracie and it made me realize how much I missed being here.

We have left Florida! Last time you and I talked, my husband had just started a new job and I had started my own business. Everything went well for both of us. His company offered him a position in North Carolina where they are planning to open a lot of new stores. We were living in an area that was really filled and his only hopes at promotions was waiting for people to die. Harsh, but true. So, when the opportunity to come to a new and expanding area came up, we decided to take it. I am not especially fond of Florida anyway. The only thing I miss is family.

So, here we are in North Carolina. Neo is 15 now and working on getting his learner's permit!! Ahhhhh!!! I am homeschooling him. Our move happened very quickly and the school board here made me really angry when I tried to enroll him, so I just decided to do it myself. Yup. Still the same old me. So, he is just finishing up his freshman year of high school. Poor baby. He used to practically sleep through school and bring home straight A's. Now he works harder than he ever has and is getting mostly B's. Ha! Ha! He starts Pre-Calculus and college Chemistry in August. He is considering majoring in Theoretical Physics in college, so I figure I can push him as hard as I want.

As for the dragons... I don't have pictures handy right now. I'm using my husband's laptop while he's at work. I will try to get some good ones tomorrow. But we still have Fluffy and Crystal. Both are around 365 grams and 20" long. Fluffy has the biggest jowls I have ever seen. She rests her head on a pillow and they just spread out under her like a second pillow. She's not as much of a diva as when she was younger. More mellow now, but ridiculously sweet and insanely jealous of other dragons. Crystal is rowdy and obnoxious as ever. (Of course my son would get a dragon that drives me bonkers.) She is gravid again, so it's like bipolar disorder. She is either bouncing off the walls or desperate to be held. Last year she laid so many eggs in the spring and refused to take any calcium, so she ended up with a crick in her tail. Sad, but nothing horrible. I finally bought flavored liquid calcium from Tracie and all of my problems are solved. She doesn't even fight me anymore. In fact, all of the dragons love it.

As for our boy... Figment passed away earlier this year. Poor thing never completely recovered from that vet overdosing him on panacur and albon. Everyone here helped a ton and I babied him for years. But he stressed out so easily and he hated moving up here. It took two months to get him happy again after the move. Then, he hated the winter. Although I never let the temperatures dip below where they should, he was a Florida baby and was offended at anything below 75. After we grumped our way through that whole issue, he ended up with a respiratory infection. By the time we realized what was happening, it was too late. I hate that dragons are so stoic. I cried and cried and just kept asking "why didn't he let me know?" So...

Because I couldn't stand the empty viv, we brought home a new baby. He was rescued from the local pet store where they were starving him. They told me he had been in their possession for 4 months and he only weighed 26 grams. Shockingly, he didn't look sickly. He looked like an 8 week old baby with long, gangly legs. That was 5 weeks ago and I have him up to 67 grams now. He's also already been treated for pinworms and roundworms. (In proper doses.) He is very sweet and very playful. I had forgotten how different it is having babies around.

Anyway, I came on to investigate dubia roaches. Now that I am out of Florida, I am seriously considering going that route. I'm just so squeamish. That's what brought me back to the boards. But I had to stop and say hello to you. Now I realize how much I missed everyone. I may have to stick around and see if I can be happy online again.

Please rest and feel better. I will catch up with you more soon.

Mindi

 

[sweetiepie9]

Wow, North Carolina, but the move was great for your husband, so glad you did that. Even though it's tough to be away from your family, I sure understand that.

And Neo is 15???? Wow!!! I have 2 grandkids now. Eric is 31 and his wife Tara is 26; Leo is 21 mo and Safara is 7 mo old. I saw them in March for a few hours, I was in heaven. I don't see them very often but they are just so beautiful! And sturdy. They're great parents, too, love their kids.

I retire in 5 1/2 yrs (yes I'll be 60 this November, time sure flies) and I just can't wait! I hope to see my grandkids a bit more often when I'm retired. They only live 15 min away...

I'm glad you're home schooling, bet it's alot more work for him, right? But he'll be better off this way. Has he met new friends where you're living, plays sports? New life for sure!

I'm still in the same place, same 1 bedroom apartment I moved into in 2010, just love it, not alot of space but still, it's the dragons den mostly :lol: They run the roost, that's for sure!

 

[Drache613]

Hello Deb,

I am so sorry that you lost Puff, oh my how horribly devastating for you to pass at the vets like that. You were trying so hard to help, but those eggs got the best of her.
I am glad to see your gang is all doing wonderfully right now, that is terrific!
My sincere condolences for your loss.


Tracie