The Adventures of Falkor the Great!

Hi!

Since I've already posted once, I thought I'd come over here and introduce myself and my beardie.

Three weeks ago I had no plans on adopting a bearded dragon. However, a family member told me that she had one that she couldn't keep and asked me if I would take it. I love reptiles, so I did some research and ultimately decided I would.

Upon bringing him to me, however, I discovered that she was underfeeding him and feeding him the wrong thing (she was only giving him a couple of mealworms a day and she'd give him large superworms twice a week, when I cleaned out his tank I found five living superworms in there). I learned that his setup was also wrong (coil UVB and this substrate that had glued on rocks that could easily come loose/be ingested). She was also using a red light for him at night. So I quickly worked to get nearly everything replaced. Now he gets to eat crickets (though I'm transitioning away from those), dubias, and very soon calicworms too. I give him the very occasional small piece of waxworm as a treat, too (I cut them up). I dust once a day. He has a reptisun uvb tube, the correct temps in his basking spot, tile substrate, and fresh veggies every day.

He had a little stress after his two moves (to my house, and then to his new viv), but he's now officially eating around 60 bugs a day! I had to order more dubia. I also bought a colony but they aren't breeding fast enough, haha.

He was only 6" when she gave him to me, not sure if it's because he was very young when she bought him, or because he was underfed, or both. I know he's grown over the past two weeks, though, but I haven't had a chance to measure him again yet. He takes food from my hand, but he won't climb on my hand on his own just yet, and occasionally he'll still puff up at me when I approach, but I can tell he's getting more accustomed to my handling.

My favorite activity is giving him water with a dropper...it took him two tries to learn what that was, and now he opens his mouth every time I offer it to him. It's cute.

Here are a couple of pictures...

Sleeping in his original tank:

On our way to his first bath:

Caught eating veggies for the first time:

Fat tummy after his first big meal:

 

[PogoLover]

She looks pretty. I just wanted a "normal". LOL - like Pogo is any kind of normal.

 

[sweetiepie9]

None of our dragons are any kind of "normal", besides for colour, I don't think it's possible, personality wise :lol:

 

[onceblue]

I agree, haha, Falkor doesn't seem "normal" to me, either — he's too packed with personality! The silkie was very pretty though

I've been so busy! I work in IT and we had a major issue last week so I worked a couple of 15 hour days. My husband took good care of Falkor while I was so busy, but he didn't get much out-of-the-tank time for a couple of days. He's been shedding again, and boy was it a rough one this time! His whole back and chest came off at once, and the day after it fell off, he had attitude! I was so surprised because it's been months since he's puffed up at me, but not only was he puffing up, but when I let him run around the house he also ran away from me, which isn't like him (he usually lets me approach and pick him up no problem). The next day, his nostrils and face were shedding, so I think that's why he was so grumpy. He's back to normal now.

I'm going on vacation in a couple of days and I'm so nervous about leaving him! My husband's grandmother is going to take care of him (and my dogs) and I'm working on making it as easy as possible on her. She likes him a lot but isn't crazy about handling him (makes her nervous) — she prefers to talk to him while he's in his tank — but she told me she'll take him out for night cuddles at lights out, so maybe she'll get more accustomed to it. It's hard to leave him in someone else's care but I feel like I really need the vacation after everything that's been going on at work!

His new enclosure should be finished shortly after I get back from vacation. I can't wait for him to have more space to run around.

In other news, I've been training Falkor to come at the sound of a bell, and it's working. He's now associated that the sound of the bell = worms so if he's under the bed and I ring it, he comes running out. I've read a lot about how beardies can't be trained, but I decided I wouldn't listen to any of that because just about any animal can be taught to make associations, and training my pets is my hobby (I used to do competitive-level rally obedience with my shiba, and shibas are considered difficult dogs to train!). I just need to figure out how to encourage Falkor to come all the way to me after he responds to the bell. Right now, he'll run until I'm in eyesight, stop, and wait to see the worms before he comes any closer. But I bet the more we do it, the more enthusiastic he'll be, especially if I can get more hornworms as treats since he goes nuts for those. But I'm hoping that the association of bell = worms will help me just in case he ever squeezes himself into a place that he shouldn't.

Here's a video showing some of our early progress, this was after only a few days of ringing the bell and feeding him.

https://youtu.be/a-ocRaHnutA

And here are a few pics:

Falkor sleeping in (he hates mornings):

Falkor posing on my bed:

Falkor posing on the floor:

Some nice coloring in the sun:

 

[sweetiepie9]

Wow, that video was great & I loved the cocked head after he ate the first bug "I did good, Mom, didn't I." He certainly did! Good work.

Oh my, he loves to pose, those pics are fabulous, especially the one on the bed and on the floor with his tail help high. That means he's a very happy boy!

I'm sure he'll be fine while you're on vacation. If he doesn't get as many snuggles, he's get over it when you get back home and snuggle him all the time Where are you going and for how long? I envy you, I don't have anyone to care for mine, so 2 days is my max, but even then it was great to get away.

 

[PogoLover]

OMG. He is soooo photogenic - very handsome boy. I love the video. I am always amazed at how far they seem to be able to see. He cocked his head and you know he saw those worms from under the bed. LOL. I got Pogo to knowingly eat four worms today. It's almost as if she can't figure out how to chew since she has been on a liquid diet for so long. Today she opened her mouth and let me give her the worm, but then when she started chewing she ended up pushing it right back out. I am starting to wonder if she really can't pick up the bugs and eat them herself (rather than she doesn't want to).

 

[onceblue]

OMG. He is soooo photogenic - very handsome boy. I love the video. I am always amazed at how far they seem to be able to see. He cocked his head and you know he saw those worms from under the bed. LOL. I got Pogo to knowingly eat four worms today. It's almost as if she can't figure out how to chew since she has been on a liquid diet for so long. Today she opened her mouth and let me give her the worm, but then when she started chewing she ended up pushing it right back out. I am starting to wonder if she really can't pick up the bugs and eat them herself (rather than she doesn't want to).

Thank you so much! Their eyesight always amazes me too, and I'm still surprised by how alert dragons can be. They always seem so tuned into everything that's going on!

I'm glad to hear that Pogo ate four worms! Even though it's not many, it's definitely better than not eating any at all. I wonder if it's strange for her to transition back to eating live food now that she's been on a liquid diet for so long, or if she's having trouble for another reason. I wish I had some ideas to help.

Wow, that video was great & I loved the cocked head after he ate the first bug "I did good, Mom, didn't I." He certainly did! Good work.

Oh my, he loves to pose, those pics are fabulous, especially the one on the bed and on the floor with his tail help high. That means he's a very happy boy!

I'm sure he'll be fine while you're on vacation. If he doesn't get as many snuggles, he's get over it when you get back home and snuggle him all the time Where are you going and for how long? I envy you, I don't have anyone to care for mine, so 2 days is my max, but even then it was great to get away.

Thank you so much! He does seem to ham it up for the camera sometimes, haha. Maybe he's just used to me sticking it in his face so much. I love it when he tilts his head like he did in the video

Here's another clip from today, a little more progress:

https://youtu.be/E-SReyYhZXQ

I know you're right and he'll be fine while on my vacation...but I'm definitely going to miss spoiling him. I'm going to California and Vegas, I'll be gone for eight days. I'm really lucky that I have my husband's grandmother, she's a huge help if we need to go out of town and she also comes and lets my dogs out (and talks to Falkor) mid-day while we are at work. I don't know what we'd do without her.

It's good to get away sometimes, even if you can only get away for a couple of days. I know pet sitting can be expensive and boarding is definitely less than ideal so not having someone you know to come take care of your beardies definitely makes it difficult.

 

[sweetiepie9]

That's why I won't be away for than 2 days, 3 at the most (like last week). It took awhile for them to realize that I hadn't left them for ever. The good thing is mine are all adults, I leave them food and stuff their faces before I go anywhere, so I know they're ok.

That video was even funnier than the last one. After he ate the hornworm, he was sure waiting for more. But it's wonderful that you've been able to train him to come running when that bell rings. I've never seen that before, it's wonderful!