ZZ's life up top! Pictures :)

Flashback roughly two and a half years ago. There I am 16 years old and I am dying to get a bearded dragon. I have spent the past month staring at a computer screen just to watch bearded dragon feeding videos. I did very little true research and therefore rushed into buying the beardie before gathering the essentials. I could go on and on with this story but I'm sure we know how it ends... Fast forward to September 15, 2013, two days after my birthday, I have been without a beardie for about a year and have done 2 months of research. I didn't go a single day without trying to memorize everything I need to know and have before I start this adventure all over. As I approach the bearded dragons one of them runs to the front of all of them to get a good look at me. At that very moment I knew that was the little guy I wanted.....I was wrong. When the lady let me handle him he scurried back to her hand and wouldn't let me touch him. Then, as she was setting the "untouchable one" back in the enclosure, out of nowhere a little girl that had been pretty reclusive crawled onto the lady's hand. This one was the one. It climbed off her hand into mine and immediately flattened out to absorb the heat my nervous palm was expelling. I had just about everything left over from my last beardie so all I needed was a UVB bulb and a new heat lamp. It's been 2 days now and I've cleaned poop a total of 4 times! This should be great. OH YEAH!! The little one doesn't have a name....

The day after we got her, I noticed that she was scratching on his climb constantly and there was a little shed around his eyes. So she got his first bath that day.


This is probably 15 minutes after the bath. Lots of shed!


Here she is "eyeing" her greens. 30 seconds later she devoured them.

 

[zandi202]

Yup, because at that age is should be 80% live feeders and 20% greens and once they reach a year old it's visa versa.

 

[AstinGivens]

*Saves given information in SUPER DUPER IMPORTANT section of brain* Thank you very much. You have been nothing but helpful! :study:

 

[zandi202]

It's no problem! I had a lot of learning to do with Jace including buying a whole new set up. I spent probably $800 alone between purchasing a wrong set up and getting all the correct things.

My problem was a beardie was a spur of the moment thing - kind of - and I assumed that pet store employees actually knew what they were talking about because, I don't know, it's their job? :lol: Well, long story short I found this place, started a thread, and got all the help I needed to properly care for Jace and I continue to get help with all six of my reptiles. This place has been a great learning experience for me.

 

[AstinGivens]

Zandi I need some more of your knowledge. Yesterday she had a runny poo that smelled terrible but she's been eating her greens a lot more but I upped her cricket count to 35-40 and we are ordering a reptisun 10.0 24 inch uvb bulb this week. Her basking spot is 105-108 and the cool side is usually 80-85. I baked everything in the tank at 220 for 30 minutes. I'm worried that it's parasites but she has a pot belly so my question is: Can parasites cause a pot bellied beardie? :study:

 

[zandi202]

They're usually pot bellied after eating and until digesting.

From what I understand you shouldn't get a fecal until he's older - maybe 6 months because they have higher levels of coccidia when they are going through relocation stress and when they are little they cannot handle the meds for parasites well.

What kinds of greens do you offer? Kale has been known to cause runny and stinky poo and shouldn't be fed more than 1x a week It looks a lot like mustard greens (I learned this the hard way).

Hope that helps!

 

[AstinGivens]

What kinds of greens do you offer? Kale has been known to cause runny and stinky poo and shouldn't be fed more than 1x a week It looks a lot like mustard greens (I learned this the hard way).

Hope that helps!

I give her collards....

 

[zandi202]

Collards are a very good staple for them.

Do you offer any veggies? Carrots (not great for them any ways) can cause runny smelly poo too.

It could also be his body is adjusting to the new and better diet and kicking out all the bad stuff from the pet store.

 

[AstinGivens]

I do offer sweet peppers in with the collards but I haven't noticed an interest in them. I really hope its just the stress and better diet. I am stressing so much!

 

[zandi202]

Don't worry, I did and still do worry about my babies. On my thread it's either about me worrying about my babies or worrying about other things, usually baby related.

I know bell peppers should be only fed occasionally, I don't know anything about sweet peppers...

I don't see anything about sweet peppers so to be safe I would stop offering those all together and instead try squashes.

My guys only like greens, not veggies, so your little one could be like that as well.

 

[AstinGivens]

I probably should have said bell peppers. Sweet peppers are just another name for bell peppers because they aren't a spicy pepper. My bad. But I will cut down on them even if I haven't seen her eat them. I'd say as long as anyone actual worries about their beardie then they will probably take care of them the best! Anytime you fear for something's health you are probably going to protect it.

 

[zandi202]

I'd say as long as anyone actual worries about their beardie then they will probably take care of them the best! Anytime you fear for something's health you are probably going to protect it.

So true

 

[AstinGivens]

I should have some pictures up sometime today!!! Her stress marks are slowly digressing! AND her poop is getting more form! (still a touch of stink lol) :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

 

[zandi202]

From what I understand parasitic poo clears the whole room so if you don't notice the smell until you are near the viv it should be good.

Glad everything is on the up and up!

 

[AstinGivens]

Just got some pics up. Got a lot of stress right now with college and the little one so I may not post as much...

 

[zandi202]

That's all right. I hear you. I go to college full time, work part time, write books, read books, watch shows, and take care of six reptiles including posting about them.

Can't wait for you to post the pics!