donprec
Juvenile Dragon
- Messages
- 262
I had been active in this forum months ago. But then something happened with Precious.
She started getting very picky with eating. Only ate a few veggies, if they were hand fed to her. She didn't seem to be that interested in super or wax worms either (stopped crickets long ago).
Her cage is just a couple inches off the ground so I'd just open it and she'd be right out and off. She could go back in whenever she wanted to but she never willingly wanted to. She loved this arrangement! She would usually head right to the window.
But with the colder weather, it got to the point that I had to limit her time out to just a few mins because she'd always insist on going straight to the window when it was just too cold!
She would paw and climb at the cage door, giving us the most pathetic face, begging us to let her out. I think being forced to stay in the cage longer put her into a sort of depression.
Eventually, she started to hide in the cold dark corner underneath her hammock. Rarely she would come out on a branch for a little while but wasn't really trying to bask underneath the light.
She barely ate, wasn't even too interested in hornworms, her favorite treat! Although she had enough extra weight, there was obvious weight loss. Her normally constant smiling expression now looked so dejected and sad.
She would be nervous when we took her out of the cage and would run right back in on her own.
Strangest thing of all...she seemed to want nothing to do with us, almost like she was even scared of us. Precious...who was quite the cuddler and shared several obvious affectionate moments with us (despite those who insist reptiles don't comprehend affection). Now she would scramble in our hands to get away!
Sometimes I'd sit in front of her cage for an hour, just staring at her, trying to brainstorm where I went wrong, what could I change or do to make her happy again, trying to think what could be stressing her out.
This all went on for 4 months. I was heartbroken, I felt that I failed her, that she was unhappy with us and going downhill. I was starting to think the dog was scaring or stressing her out. Not that he ever had any contact with her, but I thought maybe his scent was intimidating her (we'd only had him a couple months when this started).
I even got to the point of talking to a close friend about possibly taking Precious if things don't get better.
That in itself was a testament. If anyone knows me, they'd know I believe your pet is family for life. But I actually thought that she was dying here and that she might do better with someone else.
I stopped coming onto the forums because it made me so sad, I just wanted old Precious back. She was such a strong presence in the family.
Finally, the weather started getting warmer and the first really warm, bright day came. I immediately put her in the window, in her favorite spot. She seemed a little shocked and on guard at first. Then...she started spreading out and basking. She spent 4 hours in that window until the sun went down, she was in heaven!
Would you believe everything changed almost overnight after that? She immediately started eating, she still basked in her cage until the lights went out and hasn't hidden in the dark since.
That next morning, she was fervently clawing at her cage door to come out. I cuddled and kissed her and she looked up at me with that old smiley face of hers...and I'll admit I started crying. I knew my little angel as back!
It's been about 3 weeks since coming out of that. Her coloring lost some of it's vibrance so we've been giving her extra vitamins and letting her pig out on whatever she wants so she'll get back to her original weight...she's almost there again.
So that was my very first experience with brumation...it was horrible! It was like she went missing and finally came back home again 4 months later.
We already knew how special she was but after going through that, we've been so grateful to have her back to normal, she's been so pampered and spoiled lately...and loving every minute of it!
I guess because she didn't go into brumation before, that's why I was so unsure if that's what she was going through at the time. Plus, I didn't realize it would take so long. Or how much it would change her whole personality and bother her!
At least if this happens again, I shouldn't get so stressed out wondering what's wrong, but I so despise brumation now!
Here are some recent pics after her ordeal. She doesn't quite look her best yet but she will soon enough:
Sitting with mom outside
This was her waving the sun good bye
Trying to figure out how to get the door open.
Next she'll be trying to get out of her vents
Cuddling with mom last night. I missed my Precious cuddles so badly!
She started getting very picky with eating. Only ate a few veggies, if they were hand fed to her. She didn't seem to be that interested in super or wax worms either (stopped crickets long ago).
Her cage is just a couple inches off the ground so I'd just open it and she'd be right out and off. She could go back in whenever she wanted to but she never willingly wanted to. She loved this arrangement! She would usually head right to the window.
But with the colder weather, it got to the point that I had to limit her time out to just a few mins because she'd always insist on going straight to the window when it was just too cold!
She would paw and climb at the cage door, giving us the most pathetic face, begging us to let her out. I think being forced to stay in the cage longer put her into a sort of depression.
Eventually, she started to hide in the cold dark corner underneath her hammock. Rarely she would come out on a branch for a little while but wasn't really trying to bask underneath the light.
She barely ate, wasn't even too interested in hornworms, her favorite treat! Although she had enough extra weight, there was obvious weight loss. Her normally constant smiling expression now looked so dejected and sad.
She would be nervous when we took her out of the cage and would run right back in on her own.
Strangest thing of all...she seemed to want nothing to do with us, almost like she was even scared of us. Precious...who was quite the cuddler and shared several obvious affectionate moments with us (despite those who insist reptiles don't comprehend affection). Now she would scramble in our hands to get away!
Sometimes I'd sit in front of her cage for an hour, just staring at her, trying to brainstorm where I went wrong, what could I change or do to make her happy again, trying to think what could be stressing her out.
This all went on for 4 months. I was heartbroken, I felt that I failed her, that she was unhappy with us and going downhill. I was starting to think the dog was scaring or stressing her out. Not that he ever had any contact with her, but I thought maybe his scent was intimidating her (we'd only had him a couple months when this started).
I even got to the point of talking to a close friend about possibly taking Precious if things don't get better.
That in itself was a testament. If anyone knows me, they'd know I believe your pet is family for life. But I actually thought that she was dying here and that she might do better with someone else.
I stopped coming onto the forums because it made me so sad, I just wanted old Precious back. She was such a strong presence in the family.
Finally, the weather started getting warmer and the first really warm, bright day came. I immediately put her in the window, in her favorite spot. She seemed a little shocked and on guard at first. Then...she started spreading out and basking. She spent 4 hours in that window until the sun went down, she was in heaven!
Would you believe everything changed almost overnight after that? She immediately started eating, she still basked in her cage until the lights went out and hasn't hidden in the dark since.
That next morning, she was fervently clawing at her cage door to come out. I cuddled and kissed her and she looked up at me with that old smiley face of hers...and I'll admit I started crying. I knew my little angel as back!
It's been about 3 weeks since coming out of that. Her coloring lost some of it's vibrance so we've been giving her extra vitamins and letting her pig out on whatever she wants so she'll get back to her original weight...she's almost there again.
So that was my very first experience with brumation...it was horrible! It was like she went missing and finally came back home again 4 months later.
We already knew how special she was but after going through that, we've been so grateful to have her back to normal, she's been so pampered and spoiled lately...and loving every minute of it!
I guess because she didn't go into brumation before, that's why I was so unsure if that's what she was going through at the time. Plus, I didn't realize it would take so long. Or how much it would change her whole personality and bother her!
At least if this happens again, I shouldn't get so stressed out wondering what's wrong, but I so despise brumation now!
Here are some recent pics after her ordeal. She doesn't quite look her best yet but she will soon enough:
Sitting with mom outside
This was her waving the sun good bye
Trying to figure out how to get the door open.
Next she'll be trying to get out of her vents
Cuddling with mom last night. I missed my Precious cuddles so badly!
My Izzy has just started coming out her hide today! She has been slow since NOV!!! she never went out cold sleep she just would want to stay under her cool hide, she was not old enough nor fat enough to fully brummate so I kept taking her out and making her bask which would then make her want to eat... But I do know that come next time she will likely fully brummate and I'm dreading that time... 
I can't believe how big they are now!