HTTYD

[QuirkyLogic]

Hello everyone! I have been eavesdropping on this site since we got our little baby Beardie back in December.. && I figured....... I should probably join && stop being a creeper -,- lol

Let me tell you the story of our little one:​

So one day Mid-December my mother decides to tell me to come downstairs from my apartment && meet her in the parking lot.. she has something. Upon approaching her car she gets out with a little bowl in her hand.. Inside was a little Beardie Baby.. Was I ready to have this THING in my house? NO!!! I had read the books && the care for these things are WAY more than that of a cat *Which is what I wanted -,- But no one listens to mom* She pulls out the cage, The lights, The basking rock..... ALL this in my tiny Apartment.. I'm not even going to lie.... I was p'd!!
My son on the other hand..... Lit up like the fourth of July! && who can stay mad when a child is so happy?

I knew SOMEDAY we would have a Bearded Dragon.. But I didn't expect it THRUST upon me like this! Resentment.. I felt for several days! I'd walk past his cage && cut my eyes at him.... && he would cock his head && look back at me like 'You gonna feed me or what?' The crickets!? HOUSING the crickets!?! UUUGH! Single Mothers NIGHTMARE!!

So finally on Day 3 of being home alone with this... Creature... I figured.. 'Well..... He hasn't died yet.. Maybe I'm doing something right?' So I open his door && reach in for him.... He walks up to me && proceeds to... LICK me!!.. Really dude? Then he crawls on my hand.. && right in my palm...... he nestled himself in.. like a cat.. or something!! My heart melted!! He is all of 6 inches && he won me over in 3 days!

My son aptly named him: Toothless the Night Fury​

So.. Have you guessed my title yet? lol Yup.. HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON! My Son's favorite movie!! He is already looking forward to getting a Chinese Water Dragon && a Gecko of sorts to also name after his favorite movie. He's only 8.. So this Dragon is mostly mine. But we Wouldn't trade him for the WORLD!!

After bonding with him for a day I had realized he is missing the long toe in the back :\ Or more like.. it's the same length as the rest of them.. Which after searching I found out he was probably fed with other babies && his brother or sister ate his toe in a cricket frenzy... My poor TOEless lol

He (We are hoping.. Still not sure yet) is a VERY cuddly, Sleepy, Lazy && what I call a Twilighter, baby! && we love him!

Looking forward to buggin y'all with my questions because there aren't enough people here in town who like to talk about raising their beardies... It's like it's a secret or something -,-

See ya on the boards!!!! Sorry for rambling!!​

 

[Germ]

 

[Noella]

Welcome to BDF! They can steal our hearts without warning. Allie was a rescue from a previous owner who couldn't care for her. She was deathly ill with parasites and pinworms. I was lucky and saved her life. Her colors show off really well, better than other bearded dragons in our area. Everyone who sees her in person, loves to know what to feed her and how I got her to look so beautiful. I told them feeding greens, great lights, great UVB tube bulb, and love.

 

[QuirkyLogic]

Aww<3 your Allie is pretty

I always thought I would get mine from a breeder but my mom got him from Petsmart.... SO I consider him a rescue also LOL! By having his toe missing I am about 99% he came from a 'puppy mill' :\

I HOPE I'm doing everything right with him.. He seems happy.. You can AWLAYS tell when he is not.. like right now.. He is BLACK! because he is about to go through another shed && is craaaaanky! lol && of course he hates baths -,- so shed time is difficult..

But when he is HAPPY!! He is a BRIGHT almost white sandy color with orange all down his back SO we work hard to keep him a sandy color because when he is black he is pretty intimidating haha!

He mostly eats crickets that I gut feed with spiniach && apples.. && then he has whatever super greens are on sale this week for variety.. Loves his veggies!! But not when he is shedding.. he mostly WON'T eat but when he goes after his crickets he takes out his agitation with SUCH ferocity!! lolol Can't wait til we have out happy dragon back..

Thank you ALL so much for the greetings

 

[Noella]

Thank you! Which reminds me that Allie's in shed, too and isn't a happy camper! She loves her baths and will swim or attempt to swim around by moving one front leg and one back leg at the same time. Then she flattens herself out and relaxes in her tub while using her vent to drink water. She loves to splash me and sometimes she'll go to the bathroom.

I don't really feed spinach at all because the spinach binds the calcium. Whatever you're feeding your beardie should be fed to the crickets.

http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html

Here's the trusty feeding guide I use as a food bible for Allie. It really helps if I've got questions. Note the green items are excellent staple items, black is feed occasionally, blue is feed rarely, or yellow's questionable.

Do you also have calcium powder without D3, Calcium powder with D3, and Herptivite Multivitamins available? If not, petmountain.com sells their items at a low price and shipping's low, too. I use them for every thing I need for Allie from UVB lights to maintence formula for bearded dragons.

Don't be afraid to ask questions and find out about how to care for bearded dragons, the dog of the reptile world.

 

[QuirkyLogic]

YES! Dusting the crickets.. such fun lol I'm getting used to handling them.. But I usually have my son set some aside for me in the morning before he goes to school lol

I'll look into that.. Thank you I give the crickets apples because 1.. easy to water them.. 2 their POOP smells....... tolerable LOL && 3.. I am 99% sure it gives them a sweet taste because he goes after them like candy.. when they haven't had apples.. he turns his nose up at them lol He's so spoiled... I blame myself

I also put a tiny bit on his veggies when he is in a 'I'm on a diet' days when he only wants some greens (like now when he's all moody && wants to go against the grain lol) He also likes to lick the powder off your fingers haha! He HATES his baths! if I have him chillin on my shoulder && i turn on a faucet.. He tenses up && looks at you like 'NOOOOOooooo!!' lol I usually let the water run && trickle it on him.. && he will lick the water from your fingers.. I HOPE some day he will enjoy laying in the water.. But if he has to go after a cricket that took off behind his water bowl.. he will write him off LOL! it's just a shallow little thing -,-

But I'll look into the diet book.. But did you have Allie when she was young? I'm worried about the crickets to veggies transition.. He LOVES his crickets.. He likes his veggies but if you try to give it to him he is like '........... CRICKETS first.... Ma'am!'

 

[Mungi's Buddha]

Welcome to the BDF Community

It's quite common for baby and juvi dragon's to prefer live prey over their veggies.....coincidentally much the same as most human children given the choice of dessert over "the healthy stuff" will grab for the gooey goodies first. I wouldn't let it concern you too much if your dragon shows little interest in his veggies. Most of them gravitate to the salad dish more as they mature. They know much better than we do what they need so I would just keep offering fresh veggies daily regardless of if they are touched or not. Sooner or later he will go for them.

Here are some great links to a wealth of solid info to help you provide the very best of care for your dragon.

Basic BD Care Sheet-A Place to Start

Bearded Dragon Exclusive Care Library

Bearded Dragon Diet Nutritional Information

Bearded Dragon Co-Habitation-A Good Plan???

How To Sex A Bearded Dragon

Enjoy!!

 

[Pat B]

What a wonderful story!! These little critters can steal your heart in an instant. You definitely did a rescue from Petsmart. I went in my store I go to the other day and there were about 8 babies in a 12 x 12 enclosure. Made my heart ache. This is a wonderful forum with lots of experience and knowledge. Welcome and come back often.

 

[Noella]

@But did you have Allie when she was young? I'm worried about the crickets to veggies transition..

Not as a baby beardie, but a juvenile. She was 15'' when I got her. She's now 19'' and growing into her body. Her previous owner told me she ate only crickets and no veggies. When I called her previous owner to know more about her, she wouldn't tell me a thing about her. She told me to research about her. When I asked the previous owner if she ate veggies, she said yes, but wouldn't tell me what kind she liked to eat or anything. I researched all over the place until I found a site that shows what they can eat and can't. The first night, I gave her crickets first and the poor baby wanted the whole bunch.

The first time I ever gave her a salad was a spring mix salad. She went through that salad until she found some dandelion greens. After that, I tried her out on mustard greens and she ate the heck out of them. Then they ran out of mustard greens so I switched to turnip greens. (That turned out to be her favorite of all greens. (She'll eat collards and mustards if they're available.)

Sometimes, she'll eat all her greens leaving nothing to chance. Sometimes she doesn't eat all her greens, leaving a few greens behind.

The transition from the crickets to the greens weren't easy on Allie. For a while, she had runny stools from the change in diet From the first day I got her, her runny stools stunk and I thought it was because I changed her food out. (Her body got used to greens and her stools are no longer runny or smelly. I had to get her treated for pinworms and a severe bacterial infection.) She couldn't stand being warm and she wasn't keeping herself thermoregulated. I knew something was off because she wasn't digesting her food right or anything. Despite the heat lamps I used, she panted and if she did become hot, she drooled and it prompted me to cool her down before putting her back in. I had to give her warm flannel pillowcases and padding to keep her warm at night. (Yes warm because she was so cold to the touch and it took her forever to get well.) Below is one of her pictures after I got her last year. She's very stressed out and ill. Someone from another forum informed me that she was ill and to have her tested which I did. She doesn't look like this now.

Before Medications:

During Medicines, Plump Belly (People on the other forum were worried about her plump belly. I assured them she was on meds.)

Recent photo, a year later.

Don't worry about the banana and turnip green on her face, they were cleaned off after she ate.

After treatment, she shed all her body and now she sheds two body parts every few months now.

 

[QuirkyLogic]

Thanks.. I hope the transition is as seamless as y'alls but that isn't for another year or so LOL!

@Pat.. Thank you lol I always say that when I get his crickets from Pet Supermarket && they always look at me like '.... Well then what does that make ours in the back?' lol

@Noella.. Yea he has the colors she has in the first picture.. he's typically like that when he is chillin.. But he gets REALLY light when he's happy lol I hope he grows those really cool spikes like yours I love how EVERYONE asks if they are sharp && I let them touch them && they feel like nothing HAHA!! lol I'm not worried about the food on her face.. She looks VERY well taken care of.. I'll glad she found you Does she cuddle with that puppy?<3 lolol Also We have that same hamock.. He HATED it at first.. But he now loves it lol He doesn't like when we add stuff but he warms up to it.. I 'scold' him &7 tell him we are still trying to learn about him so he better suck it up.. && I get that 'Whatever lady' look HAHA!<3

@EVERYONE!! I have a couple of questions.. Is it NORMAL for them to burrow ALL the time? he is always trying to burrow into the crook of your arm, leg, shirt whatever when he's tired.. He NEVER sleeps on a branch like I see other peoples Dragons.. He doesn't do it during the day.. only at the end when he's ready for bed..
Also.. He walks && he will stand on the BACK of his foot.. It looks SO uncomfortable!! But he doesnt try to correct it.. It's like he is in mid step but too lazy to finish the step lol He doesn't seem in pain.. Just.... Lazy -,-
&& Last one.. Maybe it's just a Quirk of his.. But when you pick him up he IMMEDIATELY grabs his tail with his back legs.. if he's chillin on your, he's doing it, if he climbs on my computer, he's doing it.. Is it like a 'I want my blankie' thing? lol Like a comfort position.. He likes to hang on everything with his front legs.. I wonder if it's from his missing toe tip? :\

Maybe I'm just an Over protective Mommy.. But I haven't found a HERP that I like or have heard ANYTHING good about yet.. So just wondering If I am being oversealous or if it is somethings that should put some stank on my Herp finding LOL!

You all have been SUCH a huge help

 

[Noella]

@Does she cuddle with that puppy?<3 lolol

Yes, she actually does cuddle with that puppy, daytime, basking time, and when she sleeps on it. She'll clutch it with one clawed paw and sleep right next to it. Sometimes she'll use it as a pillow. LOL! She's a real cuddle bug. Loves to cuddle before bed, loves to burrow and she loves to sleep on me.

Burrowing before bed's normal. Allie does it all the time. She'll be laying on my chest and she'll do the wiggle with her whole body and go to sleep.

@&& Last one.. Maybe it's just a Quirk of his.. But when you pick him up he IMMEDIATELY grabs his tail with his back legs.. if he's chillin on your, he's doing it, if he climbs on my computer, he's doing it.. Is it like a 'I want my blankie' thing? lol Like a comfort position.. He likes to hang on everything with his front legs.. I wonder if it's from his missing toe tip? :\

Hmm. Does he do it inside the tank before you pick him up?

There's also something called Sexy Legs where they stretch out their legs in awkward, positions that look uncomfortable to us, but to them, they're just fine. Sexy Legs Pose below:

 

[QuirkyLogic]

That's EXACTLY IT!! lol But he will then grab his tail with his feet! He basks like that ALL the time (I tell him it's not Lady like because we haven't had his sexed yet HA!) But it doesn't do it right way.. he usually settles on you.. then grabs his tail lol

I FIGURED.. MAYBE it's from when he got his poor little toe bitten off.. Maybe he learned to sit like that so he wouldn't lose any more tootsies haha! I can't imagine it was pleasant even tho it is just a tiny little toe && I'm sure it didn't bleed much..

&& I love that name.. Sexy legs LOL!

 

[Germ]

Question: What is with the double ampersands &&

 

[QuirkyLogic]

lol I've always done it

 

[Noella]

I've got some more sexy leg poses:

She kind of looks like she's getting ready to go to the bathroom in the above picture, but she's not.

Same beardie, different decorations. Cave's gone, basking stick there she's basking on, she out grew it.

 

[QuirkyLogic]

She's very funny.. I'm anxious because I can't wait til he's that big.. so we can quit losing him HA! && Yet I want him to stay small forever.. lol He's so cute! I love her yellows<3

So.. I have a question.. I just gave him his first BATH bath.. I put water in a clear container with low sides so If he freaked he could EASILY jump out.. BARELY enough to come to his sides if he laid down.. gave him a rock && my hand as refuge Cuz I KNOW he hates baths... But he smells lol && he needs them.. && he did two things..

1) His chest got REAL tight!! it looked like he was going to explode!! :\ His he was holding every breath he has ever taken? ):
2) He was scratching the side of his head like a dog!?!? I've seen other peoples do this when they shed.. But he had never..

He did this ALL while he was sitting with his legs floating in the water && his upper body on my thumb.. BUT! he was drinking the water.. eyes closed.. like he was relaxed..... Then his eyes would shoot open && he'd dig at his head!! ):

.... Did I just traumatize my baby? ):

 

[QuirkyLogic]

PS.. His baths have always consisted of very shallow in the sink with a spray bottle because he likes the misting.. But That is doing a NUMBER on my hand sitting there spraying him til it's empty -,- I figured as long as the water was nice && warm && he didn't hear it running he would be okay... guess not? :\

 

[Noella]

She's very funny.. I'm anxious because I can't wait til he's that big.. so we can quit losing him HA! && Yet I want him to stay small forever.. lol He's so cute! I love her yellows<3

So.. I have a question.. I just gave him his first BATH bath.. I put water in a clear container with low sides so If he freaked he could EASILY jump out.. BARELY enough to come to his sides if he laid down.. gave him a rock && my hand as refuge Cuz I KNOW he hates baths... But he smells lol && he needs them.. && he did two things..

1) His chest got REAL tight!! it looked like he was going to explode!! :\ His he was holding every breath he has ever taken? ):
2) He was scratching the side of his head like a dog!?!? I've seen other peoples do this when they shed.. But he had never..

He did this ALL while he was sitting with his legs floating in the water && his upper body on my thumb.. BUT! he was drinking the water.. eyes closed.. like he was relaxed..... Then his eyes would shoot open && he'd dig at his head!! ):

.... Did I just traumatize my baby? ):

1) Allie does that too. Probably normal. (I've seen her hold her breath before releasing it. She breathes deeply and then she starts calming down. All the while, looking around to see that she's in her bath. Then she'll swim around, splashing water on my hand whenever I splash her. Or she'll just sit there flattened out and looking almost like a pancake.)

2) Normal. Some water got into his eye or something so he was scratching the water away or it bothered his nostril. (Allie does this too.)

And Allie hates the bathroom sink when I have to clean her off after going in the tub. She'll scratch my hands and then wet me with her body because she doesn't want to be wrapped in a towel. So I'll have the wet imprint of a dragon where she lays herself down on my chest with that mischevious beardie grin of hers.

Now, she's beginning to show signs of shedding and isn't in the mood to do anything. She ate a little salad this evening and refused her crickets this morning. (I take it she's having a horrible time because everything itches.)

He'll get used to his baths and love them because they're actually fun. When I introduced bathing to Allie, I found a baby's rubber ducky that tells me if the water's too hot. She loves to hang on him.