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:

 

[BlueDragon09]

Hey glad it all went well. Leo is so funny and I love the look of Gabriel. Glad you have a chair with wheels that should be fun right? I always thought they were fun when I was young. Hope Tuesday goes well! Also pic of Broly!

 

[Goonie]

That Castiel sure likes to play hide and go seek, whether you wanted to play or not :laughing6:

 

[sweetiepie9]

Still haven't found Castiel and now I'm stuck with my leg up, taking pain killers soon. I'll start the hunt again tomorrow. Left the balcony door open a foot and the light on the ramp, hope he shows himself soon. I could have sworn I heard the clicking of his nails on the kitchen tile, but got out there as fast as I could, still coudn't find him. He'd better show up soon! Now I'm starting to worry but I know he didn't get out.

 

[PogoLover]

Is there a cabinet he can into or under? I used to keep rats and I didn't realize that in bathrooms (maybe kitchens too) sometimes there is a gap where the cabinets overhang the bottom base of the sink area and there was a hole there so that rats could literally get into the space UNDER the cabinets. We had to rip the piece of wood under the cabinets off to get the rats out - I learned my lesson about that and now check all of the cabinets.

 

[sweetiepie9]

I've been checking every where but it's hard with this stupid hard, heavy splint on my left leg. I'll keep trying, I only got 4 hours sleep last night & checked again b4 sleeping. I haven't checked under the china cabinet, lots of room under there but need the flashlight & get on my knees, a production of it's own. Then to check the balcony again. I'll just keep looking & looking, he has to be somewhere!

 

[onceblue]

Oh no Castiel!!! I bet he'll turn up soon, sneaky boy!

 

[sweetiepie9]

Well not yet. I checked everywhere, even underneath the china cabinet and my dresser. My friend Joanne thinks he might be in the workings of the lazy boy, as that's his favourite place to hide. So when my sister comes over tonight to get me to my chiro, if she's here early enough, maybe she can dig into the lazy boy to see if he's stuck in there. Joanne is going to come over tomorrow night to check with me again, in case he hasn't shown up yet.

I sure am worried about him. sweet boy/

 

[sweetiepie9]

I guess it took a different eye. My sis took me to the chiro, then to visit my parents. When she brought me back home I told her I hadn't been able to find Castiel, so she grabbed my flashlight and within 5 min she found him hiding behind the concrete bricks I have underneath the table beside the desk. She found a tail & there he was, he's been there since 10a yesterday morning, so he was pretty cold. In his tank he went, closed the balcony door, turned off the ramp light...aww, my baby is home!

 

[Goonie]

Yay! Thank god he wasn't hiding behind/in anything that required you to take apart to get to him.

 

[onceblue]

I'm glad he turned up!

 

[MufasasMomMakayla]

Glad your surgery went well! And that you found sneaky Castiel.

 

[sweetiepie9]

Yes, Castiel is the major hider in my dragon family. I have had to search for him before, especially if he was out sunning himself on the balcony, he'd always find the most inaccessive place to hide. Thanks goodness for my sister, I don't know why I missed that spot!

Here he is trying to make himself small to hide under another concrete block that I use to hold up the blue barrier along the balcony front and sides.

He even turned himself around so I wouldn't see his tail, but his tail is so long it stuck out the other side & that's how I found him. He is a rascal.

I'm doing better on crutches & getting around on the chair in my apartment. I'm getting stronger, too. So it's all working out well. I'm glad I got it done, think the worst is behind me until I start physio, I know that's going to hurt!

Annika, my s-i-l, figure skates in the winter and they're doing a fundraiser at LaffLines, a comedy show in New West, not far from where I live. It's from 6p to 7:30p on Sunday and if I can get up the stairs I can go. Luckily my very strong brother Dave (Annika's his wife) will be coming, too, so he's going to support me going up stairs. Unless there's an elevator. It'll be nice to be out on a social evening!

 

[BlueDragon09]

Glad he's found and safe! If you have any time left over from everything I don't know if you know but there is finally have a picture of how big Broly is.

Get out there in social events. I can never do that even with lots of people around I get all like lonely. It's strange.

 

[diamc]

Wow Deb, what a scare that must have been having him missing for about 3 days. What a hider he is! He must have been very cold & probably enjoyed the warm up. Must have been hard for you to try to get around looking for him. What a stinker he is!!!!! Your sister is a good searcher trying to think like a beardie. Good thing she came to help you.

Leo is just so cute. Love the position he was in, sure looked comfy. Gabriel is such a show off. :lol:

Your leg does look very heavy with all the bandaging. The boot will be so much more comfortable & lighter for you. Bet you can't wait until Tuesday.

 

[sweetiepie9]

I can't but even with the boot, I'll be no weight bearing for another 4-5 weeks. :roll: Which means not getting around so well. I hate the crutches but at least my armpits don't hurt (beardie blankets to the rescue, the ones Dawn made for me years ago )

Castiel was hidden from 10a on Wednesday until 9:30p on Thursday, he was sure cold, but it was too late to get him under the UVB on the ramp, so he slept but today he was nice and warm, he stayed on his basking log all day. I checked on his later in the morning and he was nice and warm. Cierra was out today on the ramp for awhile and got in behind the TV partition, little brat, took me awhile to find her and she was back in her tank. She seems to have disappeared in her hide behind the newspaper she's dug up against the opening, in other words "Mom, keep out" :lol:

Gabriel is always a good boy when I leave him out, he's always 1/2 asleep these days, so just stays on the ramp watching TV and doesn't move off it. Leo doesn't want to be out more than 10-20 min and only if he's in the sunshine. Nathaniel is still in his hide. But they're all having a bath on Sunday, even Cierra, as they all have to poop. And Nathaniel needs a bath. Plus supplements.

I'm managing ok, my ankle pain is better in the am, but by 4p, it really hurts. I take 2 doses of Ibuprofen in the am, when I get up and after lunch, but then it's 2 T3's at 4p and at bedtime, that seems to get me through the afternoon and nighttime.