Friday, November 16, 2012

Fuego, the old man.

Tough to wrap my head around it but Fuego's first birthday is this coming Sunday according to the hatch date given by his "breeder". I've owned him for the last 7 1/2 months and can barely remember a life without reptiles and especially my dragons. Planning to swing by Jabberwock Reptiles in Winchester, MA on Sunday to buy silk worms as a birthday treat for him and maybe buy some squash to add to his salad as I haven't done that in a few months. Hoping my limited picture editing skills will allow me to put a "then and now" composition of him together that I can post on the 18th. To say that he has exploded in size is an understatement...

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Ch-ch-ch-changes...

I am no longer with RRUS. Won't go into details but that caused quite a shake-up for me, and I suppose my animals, but the dust is beginning to settle and I am looking forward to future opportunities in the herp world.

Regardless of that ending, I was able to ship Vader to his new home Monday into Tuesday. If you haven't experienced it firsthand, shipping a live animal is absolutely terrifying. Luckily he arrived in New York in perfect condition and seemed un-phased by his overnight adventure. His new mom is smitten and I can't begin to describe how happy I am to know Vader is happy and will be well loved. Makes rescuing so very worth the effort and occasional heartbreak.

Otherwise, everything with the animals is fairly quiet. Katara is still battling a RI and is on antibiotics for a month. Hoping this is the last of it for both of our sakes. Fuego turns 1 on Sunday and continues to explode into a full-sized dragon which still shocks me considering how tiny he was when I took him home in April. Memphis is in his adult tank and seemingly content (still not a huge fan of being handled) and Severus refused a few meals but took a mouse last night so hopefully he was just being stubborn and this doesn't become a pattern for him.

Monday, October 1, 2012

Severus (the) Snake and a New Home for Vader, Maybe?

The newest addition to "the zoo" is a normal male Western Hognose snake that I named Severus. He's only been here a little over a week so I'm keeping handling to a minimum so I don't stress him out unnecessarily. Per the breeder's advice (Top of the Hill Herps), I waited a week to feed him so he got his first f/t small pinkie mouse this evening. Imagine it will take time for me to get used to handling the dead rodents but just happy that he ate it within an hour of me putting it into his enclosure. Like most snakes, Western Hognoses won't eat when agitated so the fact that he took the mouse so quickly means I must be doing something right. 

As far as the rest of the critters I am currently waiting on two applications to be returned on Vader. I've been trying to get the guy adopted for months so really hoping one of these pans out or I may end up welcoming another permanent member here which I would rather not do until I buy my own place next year. Everyone who happens to read this please send positive vibes that one of these two people is the right home for my handsome boy.

On top of all that, Katara and Pacino are still showing signs of having URIs so waiting on a different type of medication and hoping it works more effectively than the last. I think they both want to brumate (a hibernation of sorts) but can't allow them to do so until they are feeling better so at the moment forcing them to bask, eat, and poop which is less than glorious but necessary for the time being. If this new medication kicks their URIs, Pacino will be available for adoption once I can get a clear fecal and a little more weight on him.

Sunday, September 23, 2012

RRUS at New England Reptile Expo

The New England Reptile Expo in Manchester, NH was beyond nice enough to allow Reptile Rescuers of the United States to have a booth at their event free of charge so myself and two other rescuers spent most of today representing our organization to the hundreds, if not thousands, of people that came through the doors between 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM.

We had a binder of animals for adoption as well as those in recovery, a board showing common illnesses that reptiles suffer from improper care, a quarter drop game, t-shirts for sale, and of course we all shared information and stories with those who stopped by our booth to chat. In those conversations we encountered a lot of people who have taken in reptiles in need, found some who may want to volunteer with us, and even started the foundation of a network with another rescue which could greatly help both organizations. All in all a very successful event for us in my opinion.

RRUS will also have a booth at the Massachusetts Reptile Expo in Braintree, MA on October 27th and we hope to improve our presence with a few additions to our booth.

On a more personal note, saw about twenty animals I wanted to take home but restricted myself to one. He's settling in so no pictures until next week once he gets a chance to relax.

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Where were we?

Holy goodness, where to begin. Maybe some bullets will help.

  • Daisy is now being fostered by another rescuer and is doing well
  • Pacino was diagnosed as having a URI and the beginning signs of MBD (on top of being skinny) so he's on an antibiotic, liquid calcium, as well as liquid probiotics and a food supplement as he continues to refuse his salad
  • Still trying to find a new home for Vader but am continuing my work on socializing him until that happens
  • Katara also had a URI for she is on medication and being a grumpy face per usual
  • Fuego has almost literally exploded in size so I am cutting back on his protein to help thin him out a bit
  • Memphis has grown as well and in a few weeks will be moved to his "adult tank"
I know those are short bullets but it translates to a lot in real life. My mornings consist of making salads, administering medication, and misting tanks all before I eat breakfast and go to work. Upon my arrival home I do more feeding, usually some poop cleaning, baths, and then take care of the nocturnal creatures who are Memphis (crested gecko) and Vader (leopard gecko). Imagine this might sound like I'm complaining but this "work" honestly makes me immensely happy and I can't wait to add more critters to the menagerie. 

Oh! The rescue will be filing the paperwork for our 501(c)(3) status this weekend. I cannot express how happy this makes me and how proud I am to be a part of this organization.

Also, apologies for the seemingly random scattered photos but hate all text entries. Hopefully you don't mind too much...


Thursday, July 26, 2012

New Rescues X Two

I meant to post this earlier but who knew how fleeting my free time would be juggling a full-time job, a zoo, a boyfriend, a social life, and online classes. Trying to work on my time management skills. Need to, actually.

Last Sunday, I drove about 45 minutes to pick up two dragons from someone who was going to college and could no longer continue to care for them. I met up with his father who was kind enough to meet me halfway between our respective homes and along with the dragons donated their tanks, lighting, and accessories. We managed to smuggle it all into my little Beetle and off I went back home with two new bearded dragons in tow.

Once I got home, I finally got a good luck at the pair and was taken aback. I was told they were healthy (the people did care for them greatly) but there were obvious signs these guys hadn't been receiving proper care. The girl, now named Daisy (seriously, who names a female dragon Godzilla...), was the worst of the pair. Despite being seven years old she's about the size of my eight month old Fuego, her hips and spine are visible, and her jaw is obviously deformed from MBD. Despite this, she is by far the most absolute doll of a dragon I have ever encountered and I can't wait until she fattens up and gets into a better state.

The male, now Pacino, has a much better body condition but he's still short for being six years old and his head seems massive and disproportionate to the rest of his frame. This poor guy is a bundle of stress and tends to panic whenever I have to handle him regardless of how brief. Luckily for me, he doesn't show aggression so giving him time to settle in and calm down a bit and keeping interaction as short as possible for the time being.

Bowel talk here so feel free to stop reading if you get squeamish. So far, only Daisy has pooped and that was only one small, not well formed fecal that she did inside of her tank on Monday which had pieces of undigested beardie bites which were fed by the previous owners. Despite baths every other day, I haven't gotten anything else out of them despite trying belly massages so if there's nothing tomorrow will mix in some olive oil and see if that does the trick. I know, owning reptiles is very glamorous and you can't wait to follow suit. 

Friday, July 20, 2012

Just a Little Rant...

As a rescuer for the reptile rescue, and a volunteer at an animal shelter, I have heard every excuse under the sun for people surrendering their animals. Sometimes, the people have valid reasons and I will never fault a person who is forced to give up an animal for reasons beyond their control and my heart breaks for the pain they must be suffering.

But, I am beyond tired of all the Craig's List ads I have been seeing where people "don't have time for their -fill in reptile here-" so they are rehoming it for usually an insane fee. 

Most reptiles don't require a lot of handling; it's one of the benefits of owning them. How do people not find 20-30 minutes each day, or even every other day, to take a snake out and let it curl around their bodies or explore a safe space?

I work full-time, am taking classes towards my MBA, volunteer at the animal rescue, see my friends & family on a somewhat regular basis, and I still magically find the time to make sure all of my animals are fed, all their cages kept clean, give them some outside-of-tank-time, and even managed to squeeze in additional moments with Katara who currently needs to be syringe fed and given almost daily soaks.

It's not easy. I miss some sleep here and there. I might have to skip out on a night out from time to time. These are my animals. I took them in and I can bother to take the time out of my schedule to meet their limited requirements.

Please, if you are thinking of getting a pet take the time to research what they need and ensure you can fit them into your lifestyle so someone like me doesn't have to take over your responsibility.

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Vote for Fuego and Katara!

I entered both of my permanent dragons into a contest to win a leash from Ogle R Pets and am not above asking you to help (don't you feel lucky!).

All you have to do is "like" the pictures of them I entered on Facebook which you can do by clicking on Katara's picture and Fuego's picture.

Promise a more in-depth entry is coming (included how I woke up early to boil sweet potato so it would be mushy enough to add to the dragons' salads).

Thanks to all those who vote/voted!

Monday, July 9, 2012

Where to Begin...

It's been a few weeks since my last post so my apologies there. I got caught up in the whirlwind of work, starting a MBA program, and a short vacation. Now that I'm home, and adjusting to the additional pressures of being in classes, plan to write on a regular basis.

Well, since my previous entry enough has happened with the dragons. Katara has been having unpleasant bowel movements the last week or so which leads me to believe the medication did not eradicate the parasites. Planning on getting another fecal done on her but since the odor has been horrendous, I know that at least the coccidia remains so am trying a new medication to see if it helps. On top of her digestive issues, the poor girl went through an entire body shed so imagine she's been less than comfortable the last few days. I peeled most of it off in her bath this evening and she's showing a much brighter yellow, some green, and a more defined pattern on her back. Once she stops hissing and puffing out at me (she was less than cooperative when I gave her the medicine) I'll try to get a clear picture and compare it to one when she first arrived. 

Fuego is also in full shed mode so his mood is dampened as well. He's been getting daily soaks to help, which he despises, so I'm really not on the top of his good list at the moment. I intend to buy a digital scale with my next paycheck so I can track the dragons (and Memphis') weights but I know just by appearance that Fuego has been packing on the pounds in a good way. Just hoping he doesn't devour all the supers I have on hand before the shipment of roaches arrives later this week. Not going to hold my breath.

And, this is very tentative/unknown, but I might be taking in a "rescue" dragon from CT. There is a person who needs to rehome three dragons as they are off to college and hasn't had any luck placing them. On behalf of the rescue, I reached out and offered to foster one, and place the others with different rescuers, until we could find a suitable home. Glad I decided to clean Jabba's temporary tank tonight...

Sunday, June 24, 2012

One Less Dragon

Jabba went to his new home yesterday. Actually, I delivered him there as he was adopted by my good friend Kim who I've known since college. She saw a picture I posted on Twitter and fell in love so Jabba is now living close to the city with a hedgehog and a ball python as siblings. I also get the added benefit of being able to visit him which makes me, and my boyfriend, very, very happy indeed.

While I am now down a dragon, the work has not diminished much other than having to make one less salad in the morning (today he missed mustard greens, turnip greens, strawberries, and cilantro), minus one struggling beardie during bath time, and a half an hour where I don't need to lock my cats in the basement so a dragon can safely explore the kitchen and living room. Still, miss the chubby guy but I know he's with some great people being adored upon and I now can plan for rescues in the future.

In other reptile new, despite only accumulating about four hours of sleep last night, I managed to go shopping this morning for dragon salad ingredients, made said salads, bathed Fuego and Katara (separately), and took my rescue leopard gecko out for a bit of exploring while I cleaned his tank and gifted him with a new hide thanks to the accessories I got from Katie. Before I go to sleep, which may happen at any moment as my eyelids continue to grow heavier with every key stroke, I still need to feed Memphis and mist down his cage. Tomorrow, he'll have his cage cleaned thoroughly and I'll continue working on his socialization. Maybe, just maybe, I can get him to stay still for more than thirty seconds so I can take some photographs not utilizing my cellphone.

This week, intend to write entries on Katara's continued battle with parasites, the process of trying to find a new home for Vader, and my plans for making Memphis' adult tank.

Friday, June 15, 2012

(One of) My Dragon Hates Me

It's difficult owning an animal that really cannot stand you. Katara has been through a lot, more than I can imagine, and intended to spoil her rotten so she would realize how amazing her life is/going to be with me and shower me with dragon kisses and general affection. My plan started out well as she happily explored when I took her out of her tank but also made sure to scuttle over and investigate me and even take short breaks perched on the pillow besides me or even on my lap from time time.

Then came the vet visit.

Seeing the vet wasn't all that bad for her. She handles travel pretty well and didn't mind people picking her up and taking her picture. The problem came about a week afterwards when I got a call from them letting me know Katara had two different types of parasites and needed separate medications to treat them. One of the medicines she took fine (must have tasted OK) but the other she fought with all her will and underdeveloped muscles to try and not have to ingest which then forced me to force her into taking it.

Ever since she bats me with her front legs when I try to pet her, wiggles to get out of my hands when I pick her up, and spends all of her time out of her tank ignoring me. I know she's an animal but it honestly hurts a bit that what trust I had started to build with her disappeared entirely due to a medication.

Trying to keep faith that in time she'll "forgive and forget" and we can work on building a bond again.

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Jabba Available for Adoption

The bittersweet moment has arrived as Jabba got the all healthy assessment at the vet yesterday so he is now available for adoption. In only a week, I have fallen hard for this not so little guy and know that giving him up will be heart breaking. Hoping, just as my boyfriend is, that someone one of us knows will adopt him so we can get updates and maybe a visit here and there.

For those who might be interested, or want to pass the information along, here are Jabba's stats -
  • Approximately one year old
  • Weighs 550 grams (could lose some weight) and measure about 16 inches
  • Currently eating live feeders twice a day (dubia roaches & super worms) and a salad (have tried mustard greens, collard greens, cilantro, and zucchini)
  • Tolerates baths but doesn't enjoy them
  • Adoption Fee is $50 
Despite his chubby appearance, he loves darting across my apartment floors and has quite an adventurous spirit.  He will submit to some cuddling but being not an adult yet he prefers to stay on the move as if by resting he'll miss something. He doesn't get stressed easily and seems un-phased by my cats and showed no signs of distress the entire time we waited at the vet to be seen despite lots of noises, people, and animals. I believe he'll do best with someone who has the time and ability to let him roam out of his cage for 30+ minutes everyday as he truly does enjoy moving around and exploring.

If you have any questions on Jabba, or on the adoption process, please email me at laurenobrien@reptilerescue.us

Many thanks.

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Farewell Lazy Sundays

Sundays used to be my one day to unwind. My day to not worry about work, maybe go grocery shopping if the mood hit, and when I would spend the majority of the day in my pajamas laying about the house and indulging in hours of TV shows courtesy of Netflix streaming. Now that I have "the zoo" the lazy part of Sundays have all but disappeared.

Today, among other activities, included getting up at 7:30 AM so I could feed the dragons before needing to leave at 9:00 AM. Once back home from the other responsibilities, I fought with Katara to give her the medication she needs for one of the parasites she's fighting, took Jabba out for some exercise (also known as scuttling across my kitchen floor as fast as his little legs can go), gave Katara a bath, fed everyone again, cleaned out the roach bin (I will spare you the details...), cleaned Memphis' cage, fought with Katara again with a different medication, and took Fuego out so he could explore some before lights out at 7:15 PM.

Can't forget the cats underfoot all day begging for attention and/or food.

While the thoughts of doing nothing sound appealing as I'm in the middle of scooping roaches from one container to another; I can't imagine my life any other way for the moment.

Now, off to warm up some meal worms so the leopard rescue gecko has something to eat for dinner.

Friday, June 8, 2012

Jabba the Rescued Dragon

I came across Jabba through a Craig's List post advertising a bearded dragon and cage for free. I reached out to the person and discovered that Jabba (formerly Drake) had been a gift from his girlfriend and since the relationship ended and he never much wanted a reptile anyway he decided it best to re-home him. He agreed to surrender him to the rescue and I picked him up Wednesday evening. Despite the slightly bumpy ride, Jabba remained fairly calm and didn't appear too stressed from his relocation as evidenced in this picture to the left that I took right when we got back to my place.

Jabba had been living in a tank about 1/2 the size needed on sand (considered a not great substrate as it can cause impaction and equates to living in a litterbox) being fed dehydrated veggies, pellets, and canned crickets. He was also lacking the proper type of UVB bulb and had no basking bulb to speak of so am actually surprised/happy with the decent condition he's in (except for the pudge factor). My dragons live like royalty though so he is now being fed live feeders (primarily roaches) twice a day, getting a fresh made salad every morning, and has been upgraded to a MUCH larger tank thanks to my amazing friend Katie (which, P.S., if you are looking for an amazing face painter/make-up artist, see her work here). Today, just waiting on his new UVB bulb to be delivered and he'll be all set until he goes to his forever home.

Already realize that parting with this guy is going to be difficult. He's adorable, personable, and honestly pretty hysterical as he enjoys jetting around my apartment despite his very large size. I need to keep in mind that if I want to continue rescue work that I can't keep every animal I take in as I will quickly run out of space, time, and resources. My boyfriend has already fallen for this dragon though so maybe, just maybe, he won't be too far away from me once he's found his permanent home.

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Quick Update on the Permanent Reptiles

Planning a rescue specific post tomorrow so thought I would do a brief entry tonight on my reptiles with pictures included.

Getting Memphis accustomed to handling and trying to make him less flighty is a slow process but baby steps are happening. Understandably, being as small as he is, getting him out of the security of his tank and onto my hand still usually results in mean gently chasing him around a bit until he accidentally jumps onto my palm. At this point, and during the entire out of tank time, he alternates between perching on my hand or arm licking his eyeballs or taking crazy leaps without truly assessing the distance of the object he hopes to reach. At least he's active, which is a good sign, and I am slowly picking up on the stance he takes as he prepares to propel himself so I can be ready to "catch" him before he does any damage.

Katara enjoys one of her medications and despises the other so it's a bit of a challenge trying to medicate her properly but am taking advice from people on forums I frequent and will continue to try new methods to trick her into accepting the non-tasty medication. I had read one of the medications causes a decrease in appetite but Katara challenged that today as she devoured her salad and left her bowl almost licked clean. Since I stayed home sick today, she got extended time outside of her tank and spent a good ten minutes glass dancing at the leopard gecko. He was in his hide though and didn't come out to watch the show. After that display, she finally let me pick her up without a fuss and she snuggled next to me on my bed and napped for a little while. She can be a pain but she sure knows how to turn on the cute when needed.

Fuego continues to thrive in his larger tank and I often see/hear him exploring which he almost never did in his original tank. The poor boy's head is in shed though so he's keeping the juvenile attitude going and refusing most cuddles and attempts at affection when I take him out. I understand it's a phase, and one that he will grow out of, but I can't wait for him to be an adult lug. I have a long way to go as he's still small for his age, though growing rapidly now, so I don't imagine he will get to his full size for another year or so. In the meantime, I will deal with the attitude knowing that it's hormones and he's just being a boy.

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Call from the Vet & First Rescue Retrieval

Got a call from the vet shortly after work that they had received the results of Katara's fecal exam and she had two types of parasites - pin worms and coccidia. Both are fairly common in bearded dragons but of course they require different types of medicine for treatment so I got to make an unplanned trip to the vet to pick up the vials (goodbye $33) and learn that I have seven days of fighting with my girl to get her to take said medication and follow it up with another fecal exam in a month to ensure it worked. Owning these guys is a labor of love for sure.

After that excursion, I raced 40 minutes North to pick up my first reptile rescue. Google Maps got me there with next to no incidents and I met the guy surrundering, transferred Blink (now named Vader courtesy of my boyfriend) to a travel container, and blasted the heat in my car for the whole ride home so he could be comfortable. Once home, I moved him to his new temporary home (a 20 gallon long tank equipped with a log hide, a "moist" hide made out of a tupperware container half filled with dampened peat moss, and another hide made with the bases of plant holders) during which he tried to bite me so he'll need some work on socialization before adoption but it shouldn't take long to turn him around. I was happy to discover he's a lot chubbier than the picture I had so his weight is appropriate and he's in the process of shed which means he just needs some time to settle in, get used to handling, and he'll be good to go. Pictures will be forthcoming but didn't want to add any additional stressors after taking him from his home, a car ride, and a new home in an unfamiliar place.

Now in prep mode for the rescue dragon I am picking up tomorrow. Thankfully I have some amazing friends and am getting a 40 gallon breeder tank & accessories for free on Thursday so rescue boy can be upgraded from his too small tank to an appropriate environment by Friday. Hoping his fecal results come back negative so he can be in a forever home sooner than later.


Sunday, June 3, 2012

Busy Weekend and an even Busier Week Ahead

This weekend, reptile wise, consisted of getting Katara acquainted with her new harness, bringing her to two separate Petcos for their Reptile Rally only to find out neither were participating (she still got a lot of attention and behaved perfectly), and set up Fuego's adult tank after going to Ikea and two different Home Depots for supplies. I was worried he would react badly to the move, as he can be a little emotional, but he seemed ecstatic with all the extra space and wasted no time head bobbing at his plant background, exploring every decoration with some licks, and tried out all the different perches available. Glad I made the switch now instead of waiting.

Truthfully, the change though planned for a bit happened this weekend specifically as I am getting my first rescue tomorrow, a leopard gecko, and I needed Fuego's baby cage to house the new little guy affectionately named Vader by my boyfriend. The gecko is a bit thin but otherwise appears in decent health so plan to get a fecal done if anything appears abnormal, fatten him up, judge his attitude (seems like a sweetheart), and get him adopted. For those considering getting a reptile, leopard geckos are great "beginner" pets not requiring much space and easy feeding and heating needs. Happy to provide any information for anyone considering adoption.

Also stumbled across a free bearded dragon on Craig's List and am picking him up Wednesday to temporarily foster until I can get him to another rescuer in my group. He's a big boy being housed in a slightly too small tank with incorrect substrate and not proper lighting. Luckily he seems healthy regardless and he should find a home soon as he's young, chubby, and according to his current owner very friendly. To repeat from above, bearded dragons aren't exactly "beginner" reptiles but aren't too difficult to keep as long as you do some research. Prefer to get him in a permanent home sooner than later so please contact me at fireflymusings@gmail.com if you have an interest in adopting or doing foster work.

Of course, plan to document and take pictures of both rescues to illustrate their progress and hopefully be able to post about their fantastic new homes when the days arrive.

Thursday, May 31, 2012

The Run Around

This evening, I was supposed to be picking up five pictus (also known as panther) geckos from a woman whose ex-boyfriend had purchased the animals and left them behind. We had agreed on a time and she sent her address and phone number over and told me to let her know if for any reason I wasn't going to be able to get there when I promised. I assured her everything would be fine and that I'd see her at the decided time to pick up the geckos.

Once all of this was solidified, went about researching their care and preparing to separate them into smaller groups as five was too many for the one tank and I could almost guarantee there was at least one male in the bunch and having a bunch of bouncy baby pictus geckos wasn't my ideal foster situation. I even made arrangements with another rescue member for her to take in a pair as she was looking for gecko(s) to foster/adopt and it would take some of the strain off myself.

While nervous for my first rescues to be a species I didn't have experience with I learned they were similar to leopard geckos in care and had minimal requirements. I actually was getting excited about experiencing a new animal (as if I haven't had enough "firsts" lately) until I got an email from the woman saying someone else showed up and since she wasn't home her daughter gave them the geckos. She apologized, and I responded calmly, but now my nerves are on overdrive that some "stranger" took in these geckos when the woman herself couldn't identify them. I can only hope that the person has done/will do proper research and raise these guys well.

The sad truth of rescue is that there will always more more that need help so just need to believe that the universe didn't think these were the ones that need my assistance most urgently and that another animal will cross my path at some point that I can truly help.

Until that point, plan to get some supplies cheap to build an enclosure appropriate for leopard geckos or panther geckos just in case.


Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Today's Adventure at the Vet

I scheduled to bring both of the dragons to the vet today as I wanted Katara to be looked over and have a fecal run and my vet advised to bring Fuego in so she could get a weight on him and see how his tail was healing up. Since Fuego flips his lid whenever he sees Katara I had to put paper over one side of her traveling container so he couldn't catch site during our rides. Luckily, this tactic held up despite the bumps and traffic I encountered.

Once I arrived at the vet, I got the nice surprise that a picture of Fuego was posted on their large message board. I filled out the paperwork on Katara and after only waiting a few minutes one of the techs who I've come to know since Fuego's surgery came out happily greeting us, and admiring Katara, and brought us to one of the exam rooms where I gave details on Katara which she relayed to my lovely vet (Dr. Jennifer Mateleska at Fresh Pond Animal Hospital for my local readers). Dr. Mateleska gave Katara a thorough exam and noted that she looked fantastic considering her MBD and previous living conditions. For free, she did an x-ray to ensure there weren't any fresh bone breaks and came back reporting nothing was abnormal aside from the fact that my not-so-little girl is carrying eggs. We have no idea how long she's been containing them but we are taking the wait and see approach at the moment before surgically removing as she's eating, having bowel movements, and is active. Will post the x-ray tomorrow as my home computer is giving me errors during loading, of course.

Fuego's "exam" showed that he almost doubled in weight in 2 1/2 weeks! I noticed my boy was a bit bigger but had no clue that he had increased so significantly in size. He's finally on track to being the giant, chubby male I always envisioned him as an adult.

Most of the staff came into the exam room as some point to greet Fuego (as I previously posted, he won a lot of hearts during his surgery) and I got to use the occasion to educate them on bearded dragon care and passed out the business cards I made for the rescue. One of the technicians was considering getting one after her son saw pictures of Fuego and she seemed ecstatic to get one through a rescue versus a pet store. Cannot describe how happy I am to have found a vet, and a practice in general, who embraces my reptiles so readily.

Monday, May 28, 2012

Great News & Not-So-Great News

Let's start with the great news.

Today, after almost a year in my current apartment, I learned that there's a legitimate dollar store ten minutes away from me. Once I made this joyous discovery, I drove there and for under $5 got a bunch of fake plants to help better accessorize Memphis' tank and got extras to use in his/her juvenile tank when the time is right as well as a few porcelain bowls I can use to feed live feeders to both Fuego and Katara. Plus, I "splurged" and got myself a pair of car sunglasses, sponges, and got some new toys for the felines of the house. Now everyone is happy.

The not so fantastic news is that my first rescue fell through and while I'm glad the animal found a new home I'm also disappointed that I wasn't able to help. A guy has been advertising a leopard gecko on Craig's List for a few days so I decided to reach out and offer my assistance if he couldn't find a home (he was having a hard time feeding all his animals) and he agreed so we tentatively set up that I'd pick up the gecko either Thursday or Sunday. A few hours later he tells me it has been re-homed. Again, I am glad that someone stepped up but I was actually looking forward to temporarily owning a leopard gecko and has done some research to make sure I was prepared. Of course, there will always be more that need help so perspective is necessary.

P.S. Katara continues to be the sweetest dragon I have ever encountered. Ordered a harness for her so be prepared for outdoor adventure pictures/stories soon!

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Rescue Work

A few weeks ago while perusing one of the bearded dragon forums where I am a member I came across a post regarding a start-up reptile rescue looking for transporters and rescuers/foster homes. I responded to the post and got directed to their Facebook page where I realized what a passionate and wonderful group of people were involved so I jumped straight in.

I haven't done any transporting yet but have been searching Craig's Lists for reptiles in need of rescuing (it's sad the sheer volume that fall into this category) and have been assisting in assembling the group in working towards our goal of being a certified non-profit organization. Of course, I would love to be fostering but the group started as mainly a bearded dragon rescue and I knew that I didn't have the space or resources to foster one on top of Fuego with his recent surgery and Katara with the special care she needs for her MBD. Additionally, 40 gallon tanks take up a lot of space and my bedroom is only so large.

In comes Memphis. The rescue, titled Reptile Rescuers of the United States, realized that we couldn't focus on bearded dragons alone so have expanded to take in any reptiles we were equipped and able to help. I've decided I can offer my home to a crested or leopard gecko as their space, heat, and food requirements are very minimal in comparison to Fuego and Katara's demands as Memphis lives happily in a Kritter Keeper being misted twice a day and feed every other day. I am awaiting word if I'll be taking my first foster, a leopard gecko, shortly and of course will track its progress and journey to find its new home.

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Officially Introducing Katara

I intended to write this post yesterday but instead decided to focus on my new beardie's arrival and actually getting work done and eventually celebrating a friend's birthday. Luckily, everything I felt yesterday is still fresh on my mind so not worried about forgetting too many details.

She was shipped via UPS Overnight Air which guarantees arrival before 10:30 AM. Believe the universe wanted me to suffer as much as possible as she wasn't at my door until 10:25 AM. That morning I had already prepared her salad and where she would bathe so I could quickly give her a nice soaking and then allow her to settle which I'm glad I did as she was, understandably, phased from her almost 24 hour journey so I kept the bath short and then brought her upstairs to her new abode where she positioned herself for a nice basking session.

I checked on her every half an hour or so and each time I entered the room she would glance over at me displaying no fear whatsoever. She also seemed fine with Fuego who, upon seeing another dragon, decided to become Mr. Macho Man with a display of black bearding, glass dancing, and head bobbing. She didn't buy into it for a moment. 

Once work wrapped, I brought her out for a longer bath. Despite her limited mobility, which is focused mostly on her legs and feet that don't have proper strength or muscle content, she wiggled around her container like a champ once she took a solid few gulps of water. She kept looking up at me during her bath (already moving into my heart) and finally I couldn't resist plucking her out and having a short hang out session on my bed where she readily lapped up her calcium supplement. Doesn't hurt that it's banana flavored.

Since she ate some of her salad, and all of her medicine, I decided that trying some live feeders may be worth the effort. I took out her super worms, that come to find out are nasty little buggers, and she promptly half rolled/half leaped off of her perch to devour them. She managed to eat five without any issue. Her old owner wasn't wrong; this girl loves eating.

At the moment, Katara sits in her tank watching me as I type. I just had her out with me for about an hour where we did a mini photo session and she explored as well as leaving me a nice gift on my comforter. I have a spare. In the short time she has been here she has illustrated how sweet, calm, and adorable she is and I can't believe she exudes these qualities after all the abuse she suffered. I feel lucky that she gets to spend the rest of her life here being cared for and adored upon.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Delay

I was hoping to be posting all about the new girl today and spamming you with pictures but sadly her arrival date got delayed until Friday much to my dismay. Despite the woman and I going back and forth for weeks regarding shipping the dragon to me she lets me know Monday night that she doesn't have the proper sized box in yet and the weather isn't great (a fib, I imagine, as I know the town she lives in and the temps are perfect for sending a dragon) so she couldn't ship Tuesday night. Livid doesn't quite begin to explain how I felt but I calmed myself before replying and a few messages later we are supposedly set for her to be at my door on Friday. Fingers crossed.

Not that I'm lacking animals to fill my time up by any means. Somehow Fuego managed to eat 500 roaches in 4ish days so I had to run out to buy crickets after he black bearded at me when I took him out for his bath. Got to love the juvenile/teenage stage in male bearded dragons. Thinking I might move him into his "adult" tank in the next week or two and hopefully that allows him more space to burn off his pissy attitude. At least he's still stupidly adorable.

Memphis, the Gecko, is still terrified but hope to make a run to the Dollar Store this weekend so I can customize his/her tank a little better and hopefully add to its sense of security. I really want to start handling him/her but am waiting at least a week which is a slow torture. Once I start handling, will be sure to post pictures as they are absolutely fascinating looking creatures and his/her colors pop when he/she is fired up. Side not, can't wait to know the gender so I can stop with the he/she bit. Seriously.

Monday, May 21, 2012

Cleaning and Preparing with some Additional Preparing Thrown In

After spending 45 minutes cleaning the rats' cage (yes, I have rats also), I took a short break to peruse the internet and eat a healthy dinner consisting of chips, salsa, and some sour cream. Once I had the proper sustenance in me I convinced myself the cleaning must continue so I headed back upstairs to test the temps in the new girl's tank which luckily didn't take too long to get to the proper measurements. The next project entailed organizing most of my pet products into my newly acquired (again) dresser to help free up space and make my room slightly less of a disaster. This was partially a success (my room is still a mess...).

Since Fuego is deeply in shed I took him downstairs for a bath and wrapped him in his "sleep towel" so I could clean his tank without worrying about him taking leaps off my bed. Cleaning his tank includes taking everything out, which included five live roaches this time, blasting it down with my steam cleaner, replacing the paper towel substrate, putting paper back up on three sides of his tank, putting all his decorations back in, and finally adding Fuego to the mix. This entire process usually takes about 20-30 minutes if I'm not occupied by Fuego's juvenile antics.

Wrapped up my dragon related duties by ensuring that the new girl's lights worked properly with the timed outlet (they do) and checked out her 100 superworms who are currently living in a tupperware container with oatmeal as a bedding to make sure they are still kicking. Once both items were confirmed, I finally got to turn my laptop on to check the forums for the reptile rescue I am involved with, looked at FaunaClassifieds to see if the new girl's current owner had sent my shipping quote over, and briefly hopped on Craig's List to see what reptiles people are advertising.

Obsessed?

...maybe just a little.

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Preparing for "The New Girl"

While it wasn't the ideal transport option having to ship the new girl has provided me additional time to get everything all set up for her arrival. I have, rather frantically, been spending way too much money and obsessing over each detail hoping to make her as happy and comfortable as possible in my care. In list form, here is what I purchased especially for her -
  • 40 gallon tank with screen
  • Lights (reptisun 10.0 & halogen bulb)
  • Under-the-Cabinet Light Fixture
  • Large Hiding Log
  • Non adhesive shelf liner
  • Calci-blast Supplement
  • Large Corner Water Bowel (flipped upside down to use as a basking spot)
  • 3 pairs of fleece shorts
  • 100 superworms
Of course, I still need to pay the shipping to get her here but honestly couldn't be more excited and am OK with spending my money in this fashion (less happy about the car repairs and medical bills I've had lately). Once I have her, I will be investing in a leash, additional live feeders (silk worms and maybe horn worms), and need to get her travel cage before I go on any of my weekend summer getaways. Is it possible for her to be spoiled by me before I actually have her? If so, she's spoiled.

P.S. The gecko's name is Memphis. Trying to keep this blog mostly beardie orientated but don't be surprised by the occasional post on this family member. 

Saturday, May 19, 2012

Reptile Expo and an Inevitable Addition

This morning I went to the Massachusetts Reptile Expo which is an entirely volunteer run event. My first reason to go was to coo over all the animals, of course, but I also wanted to get some supplies and feeders for my new girl arriving Wednesday. My second goal was well accomplished as I got a well-priced UVB bulb, 100 superworms for $5, and got a nice basking platform that I now realize is probably a bit too small but it's perfectly sized for Fuego's tank so he gets to enjoy that the lucky boy.

Despite my best efforts, I also brought a new addition home, a baby Crested Gecko. From what I can tell he/she (too young to determine gender yet) is what they refer to as a Harlequin which is a term for his colors/markings. The poor babe is entirely stressed out at the moment, and who wouldn't be after being on bright display for several hours followed by a bumpy car ride and then finding yourself in a brand new environment, so I am giving him a few days before I begin handling. It's much more important that he/she feels safe and secure than for me to enjoy petting his suede-like skin. Put food in for him about an hour ago and hope he/she eats a little at least.

I also came across an absolutely gorgeous leatherback boy from Jungle Jewels Reptiles who I would have snatched in a moment if I had any further space for another baby but my new girl will need a dedicated amount of time so I made the reasonable choice and left him for someone else to snatch up. There were also a multitude of corn snakes but that must wait as well.

Already well aware I'll have a reptile room as soon as I own my own house.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

And cue in being a nervous wreck...

I'm leaving tomorrow morning for a business trip so my boyfriend has taken Fuego so he can receive proper care while I'm sitting in sessions and being forced to network until Friday afternoon. I fully trust in my boyfriend, who loves Fuego almost as much as I do, to follow my written instructions (two pages with pictures included) and keep Fuego happy, healthy, and well fed. Despite this understanding, I am already panicking as my boyfriend left with my dragon in tow about twenty minutes ago. Already my room feels like it's missing something.

Of course he promised to send me plenty of updates but I know the sense of worry will linger until Fuego is back in my care Friday evening.

Can't believe I'll be doubling my concerns come next Wednesday when my new girl gets delivered but honestly can't imagine life any other way then surrounded by animals whether they be furred or scaled.

P.S. Will write a much more in-depth post on this subject but starting to get involved with a reptile rescue and they have a great fundraiser going on right now on their website now which is a raffle ($1 for one ticket or $5 for six) to win 250 super worms and a cup of 15 horn worms. If you don't have reptiles, happy to feed them to my babies or they can be donated to someone in the rescue doing fostering. Many thanks.




Monday, May 14, 2012

Craig's List Fury

I have a very bad habit of browsing the "Pet" section of Craig's List because, well, I'm a masochist and I enjoy seeing all these poor animals that need homes that I don't have the space to rescue. While partaking in this activity last night I ran across a posting for a 4 foot long corn snake with "everything needed" included. This "everything" included a 10 gallon tank and lights that the snake doesn't need at all and ones that probably disrupt proper sleep patterns. 

I emailed the poster and fairly nicely told them that a 20 gallon tank is the bare minimum for an adult corn snake and that I hope they told the new owner to upgrade the enclosure as keeping a snake that large in that small of a tank is bordering on cruelty. To say they didn't take my advice well is putting it lightly.

His response included threatening physical harm if I ever showed up at his house (let me mention that I never said anything remotely close to going to meet him) and accusing me of having no life/being a loser. While I'm certainly not the coolest kid on the block it only takes 2 minutes for me to shoot over an email so not sure why that qualifies me as not having a life. Anyway.

I did send another email back, well worded and very polite, telling him that threats are not appropriate and that animal cruelty is not something to take lightly. I am awaiting a curse filled response but also tried to talk him down on price as this poor girl deserves a proper enclosure and not a tiny tank with nothing to climb on and improper lighting.

I am such a bleeding heart for these creatures.


Saturday, May 12, 2012

Freedom

Brought Fuego to the vet this morning (exactly what I wanted to be doing at 8:00 AM on a Saturday while dealing with sharp stomach pains) to have the bandage on his tail removed. He's had the bandage for a little over a week ever since he had surgery to remove 1/2 of his tail due to a condition called tail rot. While he didn't appear phased by the bandage, I wasn't able to bathe him while he had it and he is starting to shed so baths are even more important than usual. Side note, yes, dragons should be bathed to help with hydration (they absorb water through their vent) and aid in shedding.

Everyone at the animal hospital seemed thrilled to see Fuego (he's a bit of a celebrity there and their first dragon patient) and I was more thrilled when the bandage came off and his tail appeared to be healing perfectly and had even started to regenerate. Maybe even betters news, he gained 10 grams in the week since his last appointment! At some point I will have to post all of the "issues" Fuego came to me with but one was that he had stunted growth so I've been working diligently to put some weight on him so this is a fantastic sign. Planning to buy a digital scale to keep tracking his progress.

For being such a good patient, Fuego got a large helping of dubia roaches for breakfast and got to spend the day basking in some of his favorite spots. He even tolerated me taking his picture and gave me his cocked head stare as I aimed my camera at him...


He lost quite a few inches from his length from the surgery but he's still my adorable boy.

Friday, May 11, 2012

Making the Blog Title Accurate

At the moment this blog's title is Living with Dragons which to be honest is a lie as I only live with one, my boy Fuego. I have learned, through way too much time spent on forums and in Facebook Groups, that dragons are like pringles and "you can't have just one". Well, I guess I am adding to that truth as I'm planning to bring another dragon, a female this time, into my world.

This girl was rescued by someone on a forum I frequent but she can't afford to keep her as she already has a few other dragons and feeding can get expensive. She has MBD (a disease caused by a calcium deficiency) which has resulted in some physical flaws (a kinked tail, for example) and limited mobility but she's supposed to be an absolute doll and at the end of the day that's what matters most to me. Her cage will need to be customized in some ways due to her condition but I think some low incline ramps, a bit of fleece, and tile with enough grip should do the trick. I envision a trip or two to Home Depot and Wal-Mart in my near future.

The only true issue at the moment is getting her to me. The woman prefers not to ship but she is four hours away from me and I don't think my car can handle an eight hour ride in one day. Attempting to get a rescue train established but that's proving difficult as well. Will try to remain positive but have a feeling that shipping will be my only option. This girl, in surviving her ordeal, has already proved how tough she is and I trust that she can also handle an overnight trip. Details will be forthcoming.

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Baking a Branch

Today's adventure in owning a dragon included baking a branch. Yes, you read that correctly, baking a branch.

Currently, Fuego's main hangout spot/basking area is a large branch I bought at the same reptile expo where I purchased him. While he's usually good about pooping in the middle of his salad bowl this morning my cat Nanu decided to leap on top of his tank giving him quite a scare and causing him to release a little earlier than usual and directly on his necessary basking spot. This all occurred as I was prepping to go to work so I scraped out what I could knowing Fuego could handle a slight discoloration for a few hours.

This evening, after putting Fuego to bed, I snuck his branch out and gave it a good solid rinsing with hot water and did a little scrubbing. Once I was satisfied with the level of clean I dug out an old baking pan, preheated the oven, and shoved it in with a timer set to thirty minutes. Still have another ten minutes or so of baking but these are the moments where I pause in life and realize I really am strange...

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Daily Routine

While cats are adept at training people dragons are a very close second.

Here's a regular day of me bending to meet his needs -

6:15 AM: His lights/heating automatically turn on (thank you timed outlet!)
6:45 AM: Wake up, unravel Fuego from his towel wrap, shower
7:15 AM:  Prep his salad (ripping greens by hand and shredding squash)
7:25 AM: BREAKFAST TIME! (roaches or reptiworms followed by salad)
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM : Work :-(
4:15 PM: Check on Fuego
4:45 PM: DINNER TIME! (again, roaches or reptiworms)
6:00 PM: Bath Time (Fuego is not a fan...)
7:30-8:15 PM: Free range time for Sir Fuego. At the end, wrap him burrito style in his favorite towel and place him back in his tank for bed

While his needs will decrease slightly as he gets older (babies do tend to demand more) I imagine I will continue to be a slave to my dragon for as long as I own him and, you know what, I'm OK with that.

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Beginning

On Sunday April 1, 2012 this guy came to live with me -


To be fair, this story starts a few weeks earlier at a company sponsored event that I worked. At said event there was a "reptile guy" who brought an alligator and a large boa for people to pose and take pictures with which of course I participated in happily. I wandered back over to the gentleman once most people had moved on to drinks and appetizers and started talking to him about the alligator he held. Without warning he told me to hold on for a moment and suddenly pulled a bearded dragon out of a bag nearby. It was love at first sight as evidenced below -


That night I began researching bearded dragons and a little over a week later Fuego came into my life. He is my first reptile and I must admit he's teaching me more about these fantastic creatures than I could have ever imagined. I plan to document my life now that I have a dragon (and might be adding another) and of course share pictures and stories as they occur.