Tengu's great adventures

Hello all!

So, now my BD is 16 months old and she is at 42cm long and 355g. We believe she is fully grown and would like some advice on feeding.

Currently she gets fresh salad every day and 20 L size crickets once a day. Should we now start decreasing the amount of crickets? She LOVES them of course and salad is like a "Do I have to eat it?"

So any advice at the age she is at etc?

Thank you in advance

 

[sweetiepie9]

OMG that is such a funny card, she doesn't look very excited does she. I Hope you're having a great New Year's Eve and day. There's no time off for Christmas in Japan?

I had a wonderful Xmas. Friday was with my youngest brother Dave, his wife Annika and my two nephews, Cole and Ryder. I went over in the am, her mom and sister also came over and we all opened gifts. Then went back for Xmas dinner. Then on Saturday my sister Gail and my b-i-l Ian had the whole family over, even my son and d-i-l and my grand kids. So I spend all Saturday playing with my grand kids, it was wonderful!. I gave my nieces and nephews movie tickets, so we all went to see the new Star Wars movie on Monday night, it was so awesome. I loved the original and the original cast was in the new one, so it was a very good movie for all of us to see.

Now I'm sick with a sinus infection and cold. So no New Year's celebration for me. Can't even go to my folks tomorrow for lunch, don't want them to get sick, so we'll get together next Thursday, I'm sure I'll feel much better by then. Have antibiotics to take, plus cough syrup. Waited 2 hours at the local clinic to see the doc this am, but it was worth the wait.

Thanks goodness for my dragons, they do keep me occupied, at least until 2p when they all wind down and start to get sleepy.

So that's how my week as gone. I still haven't heard from Health Services about going back to work or starting to, anyway. My ankle isn't as improved as it should be, probably because I'm diabetic and my feet get very cold, so the exercises haven't been working as well as they should be. I'm seeing a physio weekly now, the achilles tendon (behind the calf above the elbow) is very stiff, so have exercises for that, too. Will get them all done more tomorrow, today was not feeling at all well. The surgeon said, on Dec 15 when I saw him last, that it will take about a year for my ankle to be normal, it takes that long to get the rest of the healing done. So I have to be patient and walk as much as I can to build up that leg, continue with chiro and physio and eventually get normal again. For now I use a crutch for support when I walk a long ways. Works well.

Give Tengu a hug for me, if you dare

 

[tengu1]

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh that sounds like Christmas

Yes, christmas day I took some pictures of Tengu (she wasnt impressed) moody girl!!! But I love the card You know the grumpy cat? I bet you could do a book with that same thing with a beardie.

Nah in Japan it is just an event and an excuse to shop and for shops to sell. Like I said the first year here I was shocked and I arrived dec 5th so it was even more of a shock. new years eve/day is a big one to celebrate here. The dinner is awesome! main thing is to have very expensive beef with it.

Star Wars...... How AMAZING was that!!?!!! I was so happy with it. I mean i was 2 when the 4th came out but grew up as such with the 4th, 5th and 6th. When they released the "1st" I actually walked out the cinema around half way through along with many other people. I only watched the "first three" last year because I was bored. I still did not enjoy them but the stoory was good for the actual first three. So yes really happy with the 7th. JJ Abrams did a great job and now I am buzzing for the 8th! It is amuzing to see so many people buying everything star wars when they havent even watched the first 6!!! Some guy on FB here said "it was rubbish, story made no sense etc and finished it with "better watch the first 6 now" ehhhhhhhhhh????? *****! he got so much hassle from people for it.

Ankle sounds evil! I do hope it gets better soo. It is quite amazing how long it takes for an injury to heal. My shoulders are very bad and affectiong my jaw especially in the morning now but I have a dam good idea what it is. I am starting to use tennis balls to break the trigger points down and honestly it seems to be working. It is my fault.... camera is too heavy and my posture sucks as well as too much PC time.

Yesterday we went to the reptile shop to get silk worms for the princess but they were tiny!! So we will order some. The HUGE iguana was out again and it amazes me how tame he is. It is unreal!! I want him so much I could build a huge vertical tank for him and they are quite easy to look after, easier than beardies I recon. But it comes down the electric in this place. Hmmmmm

Lately Tengu is very happy to get out of tank and go for a walk/run. It is so funny to see her trying to run on a wooden floor!! slipping and sliding everywhere hahaha :lol: :lol: I love the way they pick their belly up and sticl their tails up hahahhahaahhah Actually the other day she did her business everywhere in the tank (horrible) and off to pink prison she went while I did a deep clean as in everything out! She was making a right noise and as i turned to see what she was doing she was pushing the lid with her nose and hanging bby a single claw and looked at me and froze...... It was hilarious!!!! So i took her out and let her walk while I finished. It seems she is more reluctant to go back in her tank now when I put her back.

Anyway hope all is wel with your beardies and talk soon

 

[sweetiepie9]

I got a great picture of Castiel resting on his blanket one morning, we call this sexy legging:

This is my big boy that is only 16 mo old, he's 20" long and almost 600g. And still has almost a year to grow, so no idea how big he'll end up being. He's bigger than all my other dragons LOL

So I'm on antibiotics for the sinus infection but I'm so tired, I'm tending to sleep most of the afternoon. I'm hoping to feel better soon. Headaches, too...

As for your posture, yes, if you're not holding your head in the right place, your jaw will hurt. That's how I know when I'm off on my posture, my physio told me about that. I had a sore jaw for a long time before I asked her and she had me stand and placed my head where it should be & no more pain. So try standing straight up, then moving your head a bit forward, just a tiny bit and see if that helps your jaw pain.

Tengu makes me laugh, she is such a big personality. I'm so glad she's enjoying her run around time, it's so good for her to get that exercise. But making sure she's pooped first is very important!

I guess it's much different in Japan re: Christmas, here the stores close on Xmas eve at 6p, then are closed Xmas day. the same for New Years, they close New Year's Eve at 6p and closed New Year's day. I'm glad the retail store employees get this time off!

As for the Star Wars movie, if you didn't see the 1st movie you won't understand the older characters in the new movie. I loved those and never watched anything after that, so this one was a big surprise to see my favourite characters back. I loved it! And would see it again, too.

Ankle is because I've been lazy with exercises. Plus being diabetic my feet get cold very quickly and that seems to freeze up the ankle and so it becomes more difficult to get the exercises to work. So I have wool socks now to wear to help keep them warm. Doesn't always work, so also have a heating pad to put my feet on if they get too cold.

Every time I exercise it, there is swelling and pain, so I get lazy and don't do as much as I should. The exercise I'm supposed to do for the achilles tendon isn't very hard to do, it just means I have to be up and I've been flat out for the last 3 days. So I'll get that done more tomorrow and Monday b4 I see the physio on Tuesday. I'm seeing her weekly until the end of January.

My crew are enjoying Mom being home, they get a few hours out each every day, but that will be curtailed once I'm back full time, mind you that will take a month at least, maybe longer. I haven't heard from Health Services to let them know I'm ready to go back for a few hours a couple of days to start. I have to use my crutch now to get back and forth to work, must for the support. So should hear from them this week to get the "return to work" part started.

 

[tengu1]

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh lovely picture. yes I am very aware of the "sexy legging" :lol: :lol:

Last night she actually realized to sleep under the "night light" to keep warm and this morning shes so much more alert so hopefully she will do that from now on. It is such a comfy spot so I never understand why she doesnt sleep there. I have been moving the thermo every night etc so its been better for her, but if she actually seeps under it I can keep it at 22 and shes warm all night

She doing her business first is number one priority. With Princess tengu she always runs around the tank or claws at the glass etc before her business so its a great tell for me to get the bath ready! And on that note she is GREAT at bath time now! Unreal difference!!!! first time she FREAKED out and I cannot even describe it, now she just chills on her rock and even puts her head into the water and drinks it cutest thing ever!!!

Right now she is getting ready to yawn so I got my camera out and she is staring at it!! She knows excatly what it is hahahahha sneaky girl!! You know if we yawn usually person next to us will, well I even yawn at her to see if she will!! I am that deperate for the picture!! ................................................... well its been an hour of watching her and wow she was interested! LOL very funny actually and she tried to hold her yawn over three times but had to yawn! LOL it was like a battle! Then she showed me a sign of her business so off to the bath we went! Now she is super interested in whats happening.... so funny!!!

Show you a pic later on

Star wars was awesome!!! I have seen it four times now!

I will go to pillow doctor soon but it is a month waiting list! he checks posture etc and pillow is made for your weight and height sleeping pattern etc. It will be expensive but worth it.

Anyway must run and get Tengu her veg, shes waiting!!!

 

[tengu1]

HI there

So after two hours of watching her and her watching me she finally gave in an yawned! It was huge as you can see! LOL I love this picture and since taking it I think we bonded while watching each other as now she wants out of the tank everyday. yesterday she was climbing all over me, it was super cute

So here is the picture

 

[sweetiepie9]

Wow that picture was sure worth waiting for, it's awesome. I wish I could take pics like yours, they always turn out so well.

Well I have bad news, Leo is very ill, he's gone so far downhill over the last 5 days, he won't eat anything and his breathing is very bad. He was at the vet on Tuesday, so got his breathing going but still very shallow. I slept with him last night and his breathing has gotten much worse. I'm back to the vet this afternoon and we'll decide if he needs to be put to sleep. He has no life at all, now, very limp, losing weight and the big lump in his belly is getting bigger. My vet thinks it's an abcess or tumour, but either way, making his belly bloat. I've tried everything to help him, but if he won't eat (and he won't, I try to give him carnivore care blend & he won't even eat that. Makes him choke, well everything makes him choke.)

It's still not 100% that he'll be put to sleep but I can't bear to watch him slowly die. So we'll see what the vet says & I'll let you know tonight.

I'm so glad Tengu is getting better at being with you and loving her outside time. I told you it would just take time. Beardie snuggles are the best. That's all I've been doing the last 5 days is snuggling with Leo. Of course, playing with the others, too, when Leo is in his tank warming up, but mainly time with Leo.

 

[tengu1]

oh no that's super sad news about Leo. I really hope he is okay but by the sounds of it he is not. I cant imagine it, I don't want to imagine it. How old is he now?

Yes you were right it does take time, a lot of time but once they understand they are great fun! She loves running around the house looking about.She doesnt like being put back in her tank now thats for sure

Quick question as i know you must be going through a bad time with leo. If they are scratching at glass and pushing nose against glass etc is that a sign of "let me out"

Thank you and my thoughts are with you at this time

David

 

[sweetiepie9]

Hi David, yes Leo was put to sleep, he had a tumour in his lower abdomen that had grown so much it was pushing up against the liver, which we figure was pushing up against his lungs. So he's at peace now and I'm very grateful that he is, he wouldn't have survived this and it would have been a very long and painful death. He'll be buried on Saturday with his brothers and sister at my friend's home. We have a beardie memorial cemetary in her yard under a bleeding hearts bush. I'm at peace about Leo, too, he was 9 years old and had a good life with me over the last 5 years. I know my vet and I did everything we could to try to help him get well, it just wasn't to be...

And yes, that means "take me out NOW" in no uncertain terms :lol:

 

[tengu1]

Made me cry :''''''(

But as you say now he is at peace and I think its so sweet you have a burial place.

Right now princess is watching me because it is dinner time and she wants what she cannot have of course as well as shedding again so shes not eating properly.

After a good cry about Leo I then had a laugh at your "let me out NOW" hahahahahahahahaha such funny creatures! The funny thing is when you open the tank to let them out they stop and look at you as if to say "errrrr what?"

Well I am so sorry again about Leo but at least he is at peace now.

Talk soon

 

[sweetiepie9]

aww David, thank you for your heartfelt grief over my boy. When I went to the vet, Dr Wall was in (my vet's partner) and she let me stay with him while giving him the meds. I stroked his head and talked softly to him the whole time and he stayed very calm and closed his eyes. It was very peaceful and we took our time before I came home with him. He was so sick, David, the tumour was disrupting his breathing ability and his ability to eat, it had gotten so big. There was really no coming back from what he had. He was a sweet dragon, but he sure was fierce when I brought him home in 2010, Nathaniel remind me off him in those years.

Here's my favourite picture of him, sunning on the balcony with Cierra:

and sunning on the little sofa I have:

and the day I found him standing up in his tank:

So I have alot of good memories of him, he'll always be in my heart. And he did live 9 years and the last 5 he was very much loved by me.

 

[CooperDragon]

I'm sorry to hear about Leo =(. It sounds like he was suffering without a chance of getting better though so It's good that he's at rest now. 9 years is a good run and it sounds like he had a great life with you =).

 

[sweetiepie9]

Awww thanks, it was just time, he'd been in pain way too long. I'll always miss him but I know he's at peace now.

 

[tengu1]

So sad. But such a happy, calm dragon while with you so its a nice story and lovely memories. I have so many of my princess already so......

Today I got her some silk worms! Out one in the tank and she stood there for a while and suddenly saw it and looked at it for around 2 minutes and very slowly got it. She is so lazy!!!!!! Beyond spoilt!!

Again today she did her business in her food bowl! Has she realized she doesn't get the pink prison if she does it there as no clean up? Cant be that clever? Saying that pink prison is rare! It is for extreme deep clean purpose only and now she is so good being out the tank I don't use it, so I am guessing she is just doing it there for her own reasons, hhhhmmmmmmmmmm

Back to a point you made about my pictures of her. Definitely a perk of being a photographer is being able to get great shots of her. I want to take her outside for some shots but A. too cold now and B. I am worried about the HUGE crows we have here and hawks.

Anyway, will you get another beardie?

 

[tengu1]

Hi there

Quick one...

Tengu is clawing at the glass like all day! She has done her business, been out of the tank twice and still clawing to get out! Is this normal? Now she is out again under her light. Is this just bad behavior because she knows how to get out? Should I limit letting her out? She hasnt eaten her silk worms or crickets today either, just wants to get out.

Any thoughts?

Thank you

 

[sweetiepie9]

I was looking through pictures of Leo when I found this one and it made me laugh, he could be very funny when he wanted to be:

As for her always glass dancing, which is what it's called when they "dance" scratch, yes it's always because they want out, to explore or to snuggle. In her case I guess she's decided that out of her tank is better than inside her tank. You can let her or can let her out again. Don't forget, as long as she has about 5 hours of UVB, she's good for that day.

I have to admit that because I'm home, and they have about 2 hours out each every day, I don't see alot of glass dancing. Guess it helps that they're mostly all asleep by 2p, which is strange, but I figure it's just because they're up at 6:30a. I think Gabriel is wanting to brumate, but isn't quite sure how. I caught him sleeping standing up, then realized that even though his right eye was closed, in the glass you can see his left eye is open, silly dragon:

I'm not sure what you can do about the glass dancing, once they make their mind up that they want to be out, they want to be out. And reducing the amount of time she has out, just increases the glass dancing time.

As for her pooping in her food dish, have no idea about that at all. Nathaniel has done that a few times, and considering how small his food dishes are, it was carefully managed :lol: He now poops in the middle of his tank on the newspaper, which is much easier to clean up.