Norris Notes - Two years already?

[Mirthy]

since it is too cold to go outside with Norris and there are only so many in the viv pictures I can take, here is an old baby photo that I never posted (or don't think I did) of Norris outside, gaping slightly.

man, I can't believe how big he is now

 

[MissT]

Norris is starting to really get those behind the front arm fat reserves. I'm kind of wondering about that. Not having watched a bearded dragon mature before I just sort of wonder. Do I have to invest in a repto treadmill?



2/14 edit: Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

LMAO!!! Haha! Kazi always did pull ups on his uv tube! He also thought he was a trapeze artist on his vines - they can make exercise equipment out of anything, these beardies so I wouldnt worry about purchasing anything new lol!

 

[Mirthy]

Norris is starting to really get those behind the front arm fat reserves. I'm kind of wondering about that. Not having watched a bearded dragon mature before I just sort of wonder. Do I have to invest in a repto treadmill?



2/14 edit: Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

LMAO!!! Haha! Kazi always did pull ups on his uv tube! He also thought he was a trapeze artist on his vines - they can make exercise equipment out of anything, these beardies so I wouldnt worry about purchasing anything new lol!

well, did you see his physique? LOL
right now Norris is more interested in curling up and snoozing than doing any push or pull ups! He is being very lazy. I think if he were older, he'd be brumating. did you see him all flattened on the end of his log?! He is being VERY lazy. (and getting ready to shed again on his head)

 

[PumpkinJelly]

Norris is starting to really get those behind the front arm fat reserves. I'm kind of wondering about that. Not having watched a bearded dragon mature before I just sort of wonder. Do I have to invest in a repto treadmill?



2/14 edit: Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

LMAO!!! Haha! Kazi always did pull ups on his uv tube! He also thought he was a trapeze artist on his vines - they can make exercise equipment out of anything, these beardies so I wouldnt worry about purchasing anything new lol!

LOL! Fiz is still little but we have this round corner shelf in his viv that doubles as his hide and basking spot & he sometimes just hangs on it. Sometimes i think he's trying to flex his arm muscles but I'm just like "No Fiz, You just have flab!".

Norris is SO cute and chubby. I love his little baby picture. He's just like "Aaaaaaaahh I'm outside!" with his little baby mouth open. He's just a chub now, what happened? Norris you used to be so fit, now you're fat. I am STILL wondering how you attract all the lady beardies with all that flubber! :wink: Just kidding, Nor, you look good for a... er... well I don't know how old you are but you still look good for your age :wink:

 

[Mirthy]

LOL! Fiz is still little but we have this round corner shelf in his viv that doubles as his hide and basking spot & he sometimes just hangs on it. Sometimes i think he's trying to flex his arm muscles but I'm just like "No Fiz, You just have flab!".

Norris is SO cute and chubby. I love his little baby picture. He's just like "Aaaaaaaahh I'm outside!" with his little baby mouth open. He's just a chub now, what happened? Norris you used to be so fit, now you're fat. I am STILL wondering how you attract all the lady beardies with all that flubber! :wink: Just kidding, Nor, you look good for a... er... well I don't know how old you are but you still look good for your age :wink:

hehehe, Norris' exact age is unknown because he is a PetSmart dragon. He was very very tiny when we first got him. He is approx. 7 months old at present. He used to be able to sit on my thumb and hold on with both sets of legs (to my thumb!) Now it takes two hands to make him feel comfy and safe and even then he prefers a shoulder or arm to rest on. As to what happened, I think Winter happened. Norris isn't getting enough exercise at all! We've taken to making him run for his dubia. He climbs out of his viv when I open the door and move the dubia box into sight. Then I powder and toss one on the floor and he runs over and gets it. If you realized how much of a roach phobia I had, you'd be amazed! But I figure it helps keep his eating a bit more 'natural'. He gets 10 med/large dubia nymphs a day or about 45 crickets and a huge salad. We are to the point where he is weening off bugs and filling up on greens without any real trouble. As long as he doesn't have another growth spurt, then we will stick to the plan of having him on a adult diet by one year old. I thought at first that we'd wait until a year and a half but he's kept the same length through the last two measuring sessions. 8) When he is on his adult diet, we will stop getting crickets all together and just feed out of our dubia colony. (I hope!) with occasional worm treats. The only worms he has enjoyed are horned worms and they are a bit tricky to get here.


Norris had a occurrence of his diarrhea today. First time in a while. fingers are crossed that it was a one time thing.
Also, he did the silliest thing to me today. After he had his romp and ten dubia, I put him up on his log and offered him a little bit of squash on my hand. He gave it the most stinkiest of stink eyes and then, very pointedly, turned his head away and refused to look. :lol: It was sooo deliberate that my hubby and I just burst out laughing.


Another thing of note on an already long post.
Norris is on a late day timer. It coincides with our schedule better. He always has been. His lights are set at 10am/10pm. Since we have blackout shutters, we can really control how much light he sees and he had seemed completely adapted to this until just recently. Norris' has decided that he likes sleeping in.
He normally sleeps on top of his favorite log. It's usually where he is when the lights go out. BUT when the lights go on, just lately, he has taken to moving UNDER the log to get another two to three hours of sleep. After that, he is his usual hungry self. Anyone else have a dragon who does this? He is very intentionally avoiding the lights and he curls up and just stays snoozed until about noon or 1:00pm. He isn't getting good UVB down there. I'm curious about folks thoughts on keeping the light off a little longer? 12hours is the usual recommended UVB time, after all... Do you think it could indicate him not feeling well? It's pretty regular timing though? Any advice is appreciated.

 

[Mirthy]

HI folks, just a note to say all is well. Norris is doing good. His diarrhea has made another appearance but his weight is still going up nicely. He is 490 grams at the moment. His weight gain has slowed a bit because we are doing more salads trying to wean down the bugs and fight the diarrhea which last time seemed to be caused (maybe) by the water gel packs for the bugs. ???

Norris has taken to daily naps under his log in between basking times. He also likes to come out to 'hunt' dubia nymphs which we toss on the ground for him...good exercise and a handy skill for him to have, I suppose.

The cats enjoy watching him catch bugs but have been VERY good around him. We still are on close guard, regardless.

That's about it. Working lots so posts will continue to be infrequent. Hope everyone is doing well!
Carrie

 

[McSkweeky]

Hi Carrie!

 

[Mirthy]

Hi Maggie! How are you and your gang doing?

I have a few new pictures of Norris but I don't have time to put them up just yet. I think Norris has finally stopped growing though I still wonder if he might put on a few more grams. He is currently 516 grams.

 

[PumpkinJelly]

Woah he's 7 months and that big? My Fiz is 7 months and he's only 12 inches. Oh my gosh!

 

[McSkweeky]

Carrie -

My gang is doing well. A lot has happened in the last few months. I got engaged, we bought a house, and are moving next month. I am super happy to have the beardies downstairs so they can be a part of the family more. I'm also looking at getting a baby from Brenda Gore who has stock from Where Dragon Dwell. Miss T's Travis is from their stock, and Brenda has 4 clutches from a pairing that I'm just in love with. I'm hoping to get another baby soon to start eating the dubia mine lot aren't.

I want to see photos! Please post more

 

[Menolly07]

I'm just curious, for all the boys, it seemed like there wasn't a lot of gender specific sizing tendencies. I just wonder, now, if boys tend to be shorter but heavier. Our Odahviing (female) is four months (est) today and is in at 13.5 inches and 200 grams. She's a PetSmart baby as well. One of those three month old three inchers they carry ( :laughhard: ). We estimated based from the size and characteristics of her appearance (barely present spikes, oversized adorable head, round head shape, no fat gain yet etc etc), so we think we're close on her age. The date was arbitrary.

 

[Mirthy]

This is one unhappy dragon. It's his closest black beard yet. It is more black on the sides of his chin than the middle which just turned really red and orange.

(more to come)


Sorry again for the long time between responses. I've just been really busy with work and in between I've had some pretty awful headaches.

Norris was 12" at the end of the 3month mark...but he was very thin. Very long and skinny! He was only 70 grams. I have a growth/weight chart for him up until just recently. He seems pretty much topped out. He actually lost just a little bit but he's been more active, too!


Here is another Poor-Sad-Norris-Because-He-Is-Shedding picture....he was sleeping and looking so hang-dog that I couldn't resist. (bad Tree!)

and yet another shed picture (this time his lower back and the top of his tail) but he is smiling and happy for the camera because he just chowed down on a big bowl of greens and squash! Look at that manly gut!

"I Claim this Salad in the name of Norris the Mighty! Now what is that weird green thing?! Get it away, Tree!"

Close up of a eating lizard. I love this picture. If you click view picture, you can see all of these photos larger. (and you can see that he is even shedding a little in this picture)

 

[TerratheBeardie]

Shedding must be a pain for Beardies,but at least he's eating like a pig for you ^^

 

[Mirthy]

Shedding must be a pain for Beardies,but at least he's eating like a pig for you ^^

Yes, he finally got the food thing figured out! Now he waits, poised to strike, where he knows the food dish is going to get placed in the morning.

 

[Menolly07]

I love how regal he looks in that last photo!