Omega Ridley! New Beginnings!

Is Noodle something I can put in a bowl and laugh at? No she is just a sweet bearded dragon that I instantly have fallen in love with. MY story of how I got to Noodle is a long one but I'll try to make it short just for pictures! Anyway most of you know how I first got introduced in to beardies. And for those who don't I'll tell you my happy tale, so sit around my campfire kids and roast some marshmallows its Story Time!

I first encountered bearded dragons when I went to my first Repticon back in 2006 with my step dad, my friend's dad, my friend, and me. While I was there looking at all the cool animals I noticed upon a type of lizard. What got me about this lizard was it had SPIKES!. I was instantly confused, Are the spikes pokey and do they hurt? Are they more for show than dangerous? Are they both for show and dangerous? I just kept looking at the lizard in utter aw. Well it was time to go and before we left I found out the name of the lizard was a bearded dragon. And after that all I did for years was look on the computer at them, watch videos of them, read books about them, and dreamed about them! Anyway fast forward to today and I finally have a place I can call home for my future bearded dragon and myself for now. :lol:

Now here is the story about how Noodle came to become mine. After knowing for sometime that I was going to move to my mom's house. I started talking her into a bearded dragon. At first she kept saying NO! but with much persistent I budged her a little to say that she will think about it. Well one day I was browsing the For Free section of this forum for fun like I normally do. And I saw a post where a lady, Michele, was looking for a good home for her 2 year old baby, Noodle. I instantly posted because she said she was located in Atlanta and with me moving to Woodstock she was only a 30 minute drive. Me and her started transferring emails about Noodle. Michele told me all about Noodle and I knew I wanted her. We talked on the phone and decided that the 13 of April I could come visit Noodle. (Wish I got pictures of my visit but my phone was dead ) Anyway I told her about my situation of moving because school was almost over for me and about me moving campuses. She told me that if I was really serious into taking Noodle she would give me her entire setup and hold Noodle until May when I decide a good date after I move to come and get her. My mom was surprised about her giving me Noodle's setup because I'm not gonna lie I was too she told me they spend $200 on her tank and all she wanted was for Noodle to go to a good home so she was willing to give me everything.

Well thats my and Noodle's story. IT has only began but we have a huge journey ahead of us. For now Pictures!

 

[sweetiepie9]

It shouldn't be too much longer. You should help her dig to see if she gets the drift.

 

[Oki05]

I've tried to and she just lifts her paw up and starts moving around

 

[sweetiepie9]

Keep putting her in her lay box. She might be like Puff & prefer to lay her eggs in her tank or bath. Puff would have nothing to do with the lay box, every time I put her in there & tried to get her to start digging, she'd run out of it. :roll:

 

[Oki05]

Ok well sorry guys its been a busy week but update time. I have been giving her calcium daily along with feeding and regular 15 minute baths. And going to work form 9-5 to when I get home she goes in the lay box for 2 hrs and still nothing not even in her cage. Is it possible she is done laying after those 9 eggs? Also fed her some cabbage and about 10 worms and she ate every last bite My sweet baby is still a feeding machine. :love5: :love5: :love5: :love5: :love5: :love5: :love5: :love5:

 

[sweetiepie9]

It's possible Mat, Puff only lay 12 eggs, so she could be done. Glad she's eating but don't give her cabbage, it's another type of green that binds calcium, not what she needs right now. So I'd hold off on the daily calcium unless she does more eggs and a bath a day is enough for her now. Keep us updated, though, k?

 

[Oki05]

Ok I've been giving her baths regularly and she's pooping normal. Is cabbage really that bad, I didn't know I've been feeding to her for almost 2 months now because it's the only green I can get her to eat. I guess she's done laying right now she's shedding. Is it ok for her to eat her shedded skin some came off and I was trying to grab it to throw it away and she ate it.

 

[sweetiepie9]

Won't do her any harm to eat her own skin, it's just protein. As for cabbage, I've been told it's not good for them as it binds calcium so can cause issues with her bones later. Can you get baby bok choy? It's a Chinese cabbage but doesn't bind calcium, mine grew up on it as it was the only green I could find. I guess you've gone through this list? www.beautifuldragons.com under Nutrition. Maybe there's something there that she'll eat. I'm lucky, I can get collard greens at Walmart & that is one green they will eat. I wish you luck with that, they get so darned fussy!

So you figure eggs are done? That's good! Puff, my new dragon that my friend gave me laid 12 eggs in Feb/Mar and then laid 8 eggs over the last 2 weeks. She won't use a laybox, just lays them one by one in her tank or bath. So she's done for now, too, but has fallen in love with digging up the newspaper in her hide. If you have a chance to check the last couple of pages on my thread, there's a picture of Puff in the middle of the newspaper, she just makes me laugh!

Take care!
Deb

 

[sweetiepie9]

Thread unlocked at OPs request

 

[BlueDragon09]

No worries my dragon eats his own skin too.

 

[Oki05]

So I have no idea where to begin. There has been so much that has happened it's insane. I guess I'll explain what's happened to me and then go into what's happened to Ridley. So with out further ado let's go 2 years into the past. :lol:


Me:

So to make things easier I'll start from January of last year and move forward from there. Well to begin with I haven't been in school since then and have no idea when I'm even going to go back . The reason for my departure was because I no longer have my white '95 Honda Civic. I had to sell it for scrap metal pretty much because it blew a head gasket and the mechanic told me it would cost about $800-$900 to replace the gasket or $1200-$1300 to get a new motor. So decided to just sell the car and save for a new one. So I got a 2004 Toyota Corolla from my step dad's mom. Here it is:

Anyway because my Honda caused me so much trouble I didn't have any transportation to school so I had to literally drop my classes the Saturday before the Monday school started. SO because I haven't been in school for a year I went to go at a warehouse with my step dad to help pay for the Toyota. Well it's sorta been good but the biggest problem with the warehouse is that because I was only planning on being there for a few months they had me on 1099-MISC for taxes. If you don't know what that means it pretty much means they don't take taxes out for: federal, social security, medicare, or state for each pay check and you have to pay them all back at tax season. So I owe this tax season about $2400 in taxes about $450 in state and $1900 in federal. I only have $500 saved for. So I probably plan on going to pay state off and go on a payment plan with the IRS. So now I have two jobs the warehouse is full time 9 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday and Kroger, yes I still work there :roll: I am so sick of this place, anyway I work at Kroger mostly on weekday nights from either 6 pm to 7 pm until 11 pm because of the warehouse. Last year was a great year for me and driving. I had no tickets or accidents so that's a huge plus. Other than that I've been doing good. Onto Ridley:



Ridley:


So Ridley has been doing great. I actually got to experience her brumating for the first time when she decided to fall asleep last November. She actually woke up form that two weeks ago. She never woke once from her slumber so I am excited that she is finally awake. It is one reason I decided to come back on here. I actually looked up what to do when she started brumating and because she never woke up I never fed her in risk of rotting food or turned her lights on but I did give her baths every 3x a week to ensure hydration. She has fattened up quite a bit she has a nice plum belly now. She also has been doing good eating normally, pooping normally, weekly baths every 3-4 times still everything for her has been doing great. The one thing I am sad about is I haven't had much time for her because of my two jobs but the nights I don't work at Kroger she does get all the cuddle time as much as possible. Also she hasn't had any eggs since her lay so that's also a plus hopefully no more but I know its inevitable. She still has been getting her calcium weekly also. I would say she is about 350g to 400g now so not to shabby especially because when I first got her she was only 250g. Now picture time

This is how she decided to sleep when she first started brumating

Her first bath awake from brumation she got so skiddish she forgot what to do in a bath :lol:

Plotting her escape to over throw me in my sleep :wink:

I was feeding her this morning and had her food bowl on the carpet and she saw me putting her supers in it and decided to jump out of the cage to get them. Also I moved her viv to the floor now in the corner because I got a dresser that had no room for her viv and the move actually never stressed her at all she is such a chilled dragon.

Trying to get back in her cage since I put the bowl back in the corner

Are you just going to sit there and watch me make a fool of myself and take pictures or are you going to help me get in? I needz my food... :lol:

The rewards of getting into the cage by her self

Now you're going to take picture of me gorging myself too.... You have no life 8)

So because my life is a little crazy right now and I am trying to make time for everything I'm going to make sure I keep in touch with all you guys. Now I am going to try and update this thread ever Wednesday or Thursday from now on. But I will try and be on daily to reply to all of you guys posts. Thanks everyone its great to be back.

 

[sweetiepie9]

This will all pass, but you have to make sure you put $ away from the warehouse if they're still not doing those deductions, or are they doing them now like they're supposed to? I hope so, it's just easier. Don't forget the two jobs add together for your annual income, so make sure there's enough from both. I have a small pension, so I did taxes on a free site for next year to see what I had to deduct from my small pension (it's survivor's pension from Canada for Roger) and next year I won't have to pay taxes either. So sorry you got stuck with all those amounts you have to pay, but at least in a year you'll be done.

Glad you got a car that works! My brother's been helping me keep my car in good condition (engine wise anyway) as my Cavelier is now 11 years old. He's my car mentor and I sure owe him alot for all his help!

Ridley looks wonderful and I"m so glad she's got such energy after brumation. Are you giving her calcium 3x a week? As an adult she needs that, and vit/min once a week. She'll need that the rest of her life, that's what I do with all of mine. She has sure gained weight and eating supers is great for her to gain a bit more. Love her colours and the pics were great! I think it's a good idea you have her home on the floor, she can then get in and out on her own when you're home.

I'm so glad you're going to keep us updated on you and Ridley!

 

[beardie parents]

boy, you've had quite a year. I'm glad Ridley is still doing good. I hope things get better for you.

 

[Oki05]

Thanks you guys. Yes Deb they asked me last Novmeber if I wanted to switch to a regular W2 so I did so after this year it won't be as bad. I need to call my school next week because I got a letter in the mail showing I was a part time student for taxes even though I wasn't in school at all. Yes I give Ridley calcium 3x a week after she's finished eating so to can bask under her Reptisun. What vitamins do I give her? I meant to buy her some but not sure on what to get for her vitamins. My brother has helped in keeping my car up with oil changes and other stuff so it's nice to make sure it's in good shape

 

[sweetiepie9]

I buy the liquid T-rex but any type is fine. Flukers has a good powder if you're using that. Either way, if it's liquid .2ml a week is all she needs. If it's powder, then it's just one meal a week.

 

[Oki05]

I'll probably go with the liquid that way I know she's getting the right amount like I do her calcium