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]

Sorry, Gina, didn't see your post. I can't weight bear for another 6 weeks at the earliest, then only partial for 2 weeks. Right now, I can put my left heel down when I'm sitting, but normally I have my foot up, boot and all, as my ankle still gets very swollen. So I see the surgeon & physio on Nov 3, that's the earliest I'll find out about weight bearing and when physio starts. Until then, I can take the boot off only to shower, and to exercise my ankle 2x a day. That's it. I have to keep my foot at a 90 degree angle the rest of the time...At least I have this knee walker, sort of a scooter, but I'm upright the whole time. It's too heavy to put in my car, so when I'm driving, have to take my crutches...oh well. At least I get around easily at home now & when the weather is better, I can actually go outside for awhile.

 

[beardie parents]

I remember seeing one of those "leg/knee scooters" a few years ago. We had gone to a local cycle store that sells quads and motorcycles and parts to repair them. Anyway I saw one man that has helped us in the past using one of those. It looked like it would be useful for me. He informed me that the only way to get one is to have a broken leg. His leg has since healed.

 

[Goonie]

I'm sure all of your babies were very happy to see you home again.
Isn't it funny how a simple thing such as a shower could make us happy

That's too bad that you won't be able to have the physio paid for because it can't be transferred to a different hospital.

 

[sweetiepie9]

Luckily I have great extended health, will only cost me 5% of their total cost, the rest is paid by the insurance company. So I'll be fine, it won't start until mid November at the earliest. Then I get the full amount to use again Jan 1.

All my babies were up today for baths and poops. I even weighed them. Cierra is 469, Nathaniel is 477 and Castiel is 580. So their weights are really good for them, considering how long Nathaniel has been sleeping and that Cierra has been sleeping, except for a couple of days, for a month.

So I did take some picture.

Gabriel looking cute a few days ago

And this is how I found Gabriel this am, possible brumation?

Nathaniel looked happy to be up

Cierra not so much, so she's now on the bed with me, watching TV

Leo sleeping his day away

Castiel enjoying the ramp

It was great to have them all up today, now for tomorrow, who knows. I put food out for everyone, Cierra ate a bit, Nathaniel didn't. Castiel ate alot (as usual), so we'll see tomorrow who's up.

I'm getting around better now, using the dining room chair as well as the knee scooter to get around in the house, crutches when I go out. Joanne is coming over tomorrow am with collard greens for the week, then we're going out a bit to get a few things. I can't get more than 2 things at a time when I'm on my own, so hopefully get what I need tomorrow so don't have to shop again until mid week.

I talked to my mom today, my dad went to the eye surgeon this am. His right eye cataract surgery was done 2 weeks ago and is all healed up. The left eye was done on Wednesday and already healing. Doc said he can get the magnifying reading glasses, so they found a pair at the Dollar Store and he can now read. That's all he needs, the rest of his vision is 20/20. He can now drive and play golf. Good for 88, right? I'm so glad he got that done.

Mom is having my brother and nieces over for a small Thanksgiving dinner, so she invited me, too. We're having the big family Thanksgiving dinner when my niece is here from London, England on the 25th. Tehya, my niece, has 2 weddings on the weekend before, so that will be the big day, we're going to celebrate my mom's 80th birthday and my b-i-l's 65th birthday which is today. So lots of big things to celebrate on the 25th!

 

[sweetiepie9]

So I decided to take Cierra into my room and she's now hiding under my comforter. I hear something in the hallway, so I get up, check and forgot to put the partition up between the living room and dining room. And there's Castiel, in the same place he was a week ago when he got out. Luckily he's a dragon of habit, so I put him back in his tank and I'm back with my leg up. I've stopped taking pain pills, but find, if I'm up for awhile, my ankle starts throbbing, so better to take the day off today and just rest it. Will do some exercise of my foot in awhile, too. Have to start doing that twice a day.

 

[BlueDragon09]

I love the pics! I love how big the twins and Castiel are.

I love Thanksgiving! Have a good time at the dinner party.
Happy birthday to your mom and b-i-l! Glad your dad's eyes have healed.

 

[sweetiepie9]

Thanks Kami,

I got a good picture of Cierra last night, when she was wandering on the bed & ended up behind the computer:

Then today she was looking so sad in her tank, I took her out & she's sleeping with me again tonight.

I had Nathaniel out on the ramp, went out to get gas, got home and, of course, he'd hidden in his favourite spot, behind the 20 gallon roach tank :roll: Took me awhile to get him out of there, that tank is heavy when I can only use 1 leg :lol:

So everyone stayed up today until 1p, except Leo, he had something to eat this am, then fell asleep with his head up. He does this every day now, I know he thinks he's brumating but I still don't feel good letting him go into his hide. I'm taking him to the vet on Friday for a blood test, hopefully his protein results are normal now.

Gabriel must have fallen off his log last night because I found him awake at the bottom of his tank, on the far end of the cool side. Silly boy, put him back on his basking spot & gave him some food. By 1p, he was asleep sprawled on the steps of his basking platform. Wonder if he'll actually brumate this year? Last year he slept for 2 weeks.

Castiel is up and eating again, I was right, he was just mad at me. Wonder if he'll brumate this winter?

So everyone is still up, not sure for how long, though. Will sure be bored if they all sleep all day.

 

[sweetiepie9]

It's our Thanksgiving this weekend, so went to my folks for lunch. My brother Richard and my two nieces were there, too. Then just got an email from my sister. Her daughter Tehya, got in today from London, England and they got to my folks just after we all left! I was so disappointed to have missed seeing her. Oh well...

I took a picture of this leg walker that I rented, it's working out really well to get around the house.

And my nieces are sure growing up fast! Emily is now almost 14 (next mo) and Carly is 11 1/2. Emily is now 5'6" tall!

Cierra is back in her hide, hopefully not for much longer.

Nathaniel is still up and I hope he stays up!

Gabriel is getting sleepier by the day, hardly moves after he wakes up, have to keep my eye on him and cover him if he wants to sleep.

Leo is still falling asleep after I feed him, he sleeps, still, with his head up most of the day. He's to the vet on Friday for a blood test. I'm so hoping his protein levels are back to normal!

Castiel isn't mad at me anymore, up every morning eating, basking and watching TV. They'll get more snuggles and outside time this week coming as I'll have most of what I need in the house tomorrow for a few days. My friend Joanne is coming over to take me food shopping, which is a relief, it's hard when you can only carry two light bags of groceries at a time. So will stock up tomorrow.

 

[Goonie]

Happy (belated) Thanksgiving!

That naughty Nathaniel! He will do anything to give you more gray hairs :laughing6:

I hope Leo's blood work results will be positive.
How had he been doing lately? Tummy still squishy?

 

[sweetiepie9]

Yes, Gina, his tummy is still squishy, for which I am grateful. He eats bugs almost every day (sometimes he'll skip a meal) and he's gained weight, which he does easily because he's not very active. He then sleeps with his head up most of the day, the scrunches down his basking platform and sprawls out to sleep the night away. When I get up, I put him back under his light. There's been no sun for a few days, so haven't had him out, but I'll get him out in the am to see if he'll walk some. I can't get him into the tub, the way I am right now, so he hasn't had the exercise he needs, but being so sleepy doesn't help either. I'm so hoping the blood results are normal for him, I'll let you know.

I fed Nathaniel this am, he ate quite a few roaches, which was great. They all had baths, then Joanne came over to take me shopping. They have these great electric carts with large baskets on them, so I had fun whizzing (slowly) around the store, picking up what I needed. Joanne was great, took my garbage out, then I drove to the store, she got me out & into the cart. Then got all my groceries back up to my place. She does this every week!

So I went to vote (Federal election going on right now for Prime Minister), got back downstairs to the car & wiped out. My left crutch took off on me slipped...luckily there were a couple of people there to help me up, I was so grateful and just skinned skin, no bleeding. Thank goodness for the boot I was wearing, too. Stopped at another store on the way home so all my shopping is now done for the week! Now I can just be home, do my exercises, which I haven't been doing as often as I should, play with the dragons...put my foot up so it doesn't get swollen. And continue healing.

 

[Goonie]

Oh goodness, Deb, you be careful moving around on your own. You can't injury any more body parts.

Joanne is such a wonderful friend for taking you food shopping then hauling all of the bags up to your place.

You better start doing those exercises if you want your ankle to heal properly.

 

[sweetiepie9]

I know, about the exercises, which is why, now that I've got food in for at least a week, I'm home for the rest of the week, will start the exercising & won't have any accidents 'cause I won't be going out until the weekend. Gives me time with my dragons, too. That fall was scary, mainly because I couldn't get back up. Now I'm super careful when on my crutches, go more slowly. Got a bit bruised but not as bad as I thought it would be.

 

[sweetiepie9]

So today I decided it was time for Leo to be out, it was sunny, so I put him on the living room floor. Well he WALKED across the living room to the roach bin & stared at me, so I fed him :lol: Nothing like being told what to do! I had Gabriel out at the same time, he approached Leo with that look in his eye (oh good, something to bite). I said No Gabriel and he turned around & went up the ramp. He tried again, again I said NO and again he turned around. So I'm very proud of both of my boys!

Nathaniel was out earlier and watched TV for a couple of hours, then after Leo and Gabriel, it was Castiel's turn. I had to put my leg up, so put up the barriers and went to my room. I heard a noise and Castiel was hunched up against the main barrier, trying to push it away, little stinker. So I decided to wait to put up my leg, instead grabbed Castiel and had some one on one time. I put him down, first thing he did was run down by Gabriel's tank, so I checked and he was on his toes, trying to push the smaller barricate down. So he can't be on his own, I'm afraid he will figure out how to push the barricades away and get out again. I know where he'll hide, but it's a pain to get him out of there. Interesting, though, that he'd figure out how he might be able to get out. Stubborn brat :lol:

 

[PogoLover]

I love your dragon stories. They make me laugh. I never knew reptiles could have so much personality. Pogo is being weird lately - she is reminding me of my daughter when she was 11. LOL.

 

[sweetiepie9]

How is she being weird? Is it just because you're not spending all that time with her that she's used to? They get used to a particular routine and get so out of joint when their routine is disrupted. Doesn't matter that your back is very painful and it's difficult for you to get around, they just don't get that! I'm glad I make you laugh!