The Fitz and the Fool

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Hello there forum-goers!

This will be the central location for all things Fitz related.

This is the Fitz, I am the Fool in love with him already. (If you've read Robin Hobb at all, I'm sure you see where this is from, and where Fitz's name comes from)
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He is my first reptile of any kind so I did many months of research prior to committing(it helped that my husband wanted me to hold off until our new flooring was installed in our apartment so that there wouldn't be as much disruption). Over time my plans for him changed, everything from what kind of doors to install on the enclosure, to what kind of flooring, whether to do a Styrofoam background(still considering doing this), what I would feed him, what kind of lights to buy (MVB or heat bulb and UVB tube). There is a lot of information out there and a lot of misinformation.

Fitz is what the breeder called a neon, though of course she referenced a bunch of genetic mumbo jumbo that I'm not clear on, I'll get that from her one of these days.

I picked him up on Saturday evening, so today is my third full day with him. He is currently living in a large Rubbermaid tub with papertowel so that I can monitor his health, poop, and eating habits for a few weeks prior to moving him into his final home:

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This is not yet complete, it still needs the tracks to be installed (currently awaiting shipment), glass doors and some more substrate. Once the tracks and glass are in I will also introduce the clean up crew (bioactive substrate). The above is basically what it looks like now, except I've added some plants and Fitz's temporary home is sitting inside it so I didn't have to remove his UVB light from the main enclosure.

He is obviously still settling in, but he has not yet missed a meal, eating his bugs like a champ and some greens. Not the huge amounts of bugs I've heard of yet, but a decent number twice a day. Pooping on the regular and looks normal with no visibly undigested bits.
 

dezismom

Juvie Member
Hello! Fitz looks like a very healthy, happy little guy! And I really like your enclosure. Thanks for sharing! The pup is adorable, too--love those schnauzers..

I too am a first time Dragon mom. Dezi is now about 19 months old, and I just adore him. I never dreamed a reptile could be so affectionate and loving...when he was a little tyke like Fitz, he was all about the food. Not much in the way of snuggles and interactions. But as he got older, his true personality started to shine, and we have developed quite the relationship. I learned his language--posture, color, even facial expressions--and he is as good at communication as my terrier was! They are amazing creatures. Please keep us up with photos; I love seeing other peoples Dragons as they grow and become big beautiful adults. I probably spend way too much time gawking on this site! :):) Sometimes, Dezi will crawl up in my arms, as if to say, " hey! why are you looking at those Dragons, when you have my fabulous self to adore??" He loves attention!

Dezi welcomes Fitz
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BriGecko

Member
The water dripper is so cool! I think I'll try that for my little Aries. Your enclosure looks AWESOME.



In the spirit of sharing pics... Aries is reluctantly saying hello to Fitz! He looks like I'm forcing to go say hello to another kid xD
 

quyllur

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
Fitz snuggled up in the crook of my elbow last night at bed time. Was so adorable!

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Thanks dezismom and BriGecko for the welcome and kind words!

Your dragons are beautiful!
 

dezismom

Juvie Member
Thank you! Dezi happens to agree that he is beautiful! And so is Mr. Fitz! He appears to be having no problems with bonding with you...what a cutie, snuggling so comfortably in your elbow...he owns you, now!! :):)
 

quyllur

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
Fitz got a few new plants and a bit of a re-arrangement over the last few days.

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I'd really like to make better use of the vertical space in this vivarium, so I'm going to do one of those Styrofoam and grout 3D backgrounds and I'm always on the lookout for more (larger) branches that will be able to support Fitz's adult weight.

I'm also going to add another layer of substrate. I'd like to add some clay to give more staying power to any burrows that might get dug out. I did catch him digging for the first time and the smart little guy picked the perfect spot, under the ground end of his large branch where it will not collapse on top of him as he digs.
 

quyllur

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
fitz.jpg


Look mum, I'm a collared lizard!

The poor dude, yesterday morning I was feeding him breakfast and he was looking normal, by the time I came back in to feed dinner his face had exploded with shed. I gave him a bath and this is what he looked like just before bedtime.

This morning he's peeled halfway down his back, poor little guy looks so uncomfortable, not that it's affecting his appetite.
 

quyllur

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
67g & 30cm today.

That's nearly triple his weight from a month ago and 9 extra cm in length.
 

quyllur

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
Fitz's sleeping spot for the night:

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I got him to eat some strawberry pieces yesterday evening. He's not eating much in the way of greens out of his bowl, if any, but I see new chunks taken out of my plants and the little shoots of basil in the corner are gone as soon as they sprout little leaves, so I know he is getting something at least.
 

quyllur

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
Fed Mr. Fitz a couple more small pieces of strawberry this morning before offering bugs. I may try the same with some dandelion leaf pieces tomorrow, see if I can get him to eat one or two from the tongs.

I usually feed him his crickets (when crickets are the protein of the day) using tongs so that I can leave him in his enclosure and not worry about too many escapees. I knock a toilet paper rolls worth into a sandwich size Ziploc bag, shake them up with the calcium dust and then pull them out individually by gripping a large hind leg with the tongs.

Well Fitz didn't want to wait this morning, he dove head first into the bag and just sat there helping himself with his hind legs holding onto his basking branch and the rest of his body fully inside the bag. Then when he was done he went all the way inside the bag to turn around instead of backing out, and calmly pulled himself back out onto his branch. What a character.
 

dezismom

Juvie Member
A baggie full of Beardie! ?????
you rock Fitz! Thanx for the laugh...what a great visual! I really needed that just now. My boy Dez is shedding his face, and none too happy. Down right grumpy, actually...Wouldn't even take any of his current fave treat. (raspberry) Acted like I was trying to poison him.

"take away that bleeping raspberry, and bugger off, you useless servant! Why can't I get any good help, around here?"
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quyllur

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
Fitz says "Good help is hard to find Dez"

He pooped in his veggie bowl to tell me what he thought of those non-strawberry, non-bug items in his viv.
 

quyllur

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
Well Fitz's tail has gone all light, which means another shed cycle is upon us. Didn't we just finish the last one?!

He ate some more bits of strawberry this morning and the bag diving has become a morning ritual for him.

The last couple of days when I go into check on him just before lights out, he has been attached to his dragon cane vertically with stress marks all over his beard and belly. I'm not sure why he's doing this. Yesterday I pulled him off for a cuddle and most of the stress marks on his belly went away, then I put him back in his viv and he went to sleep on his basking branch.
 
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