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Finally got a Bearded Dragon! - Libby - 04-26-2018

Just picked up our new baby today.  The same friend that gave us Jean-luc and our rats and actually lead to us taking in Uncle Iroh and Prince Zuko asked about a month ago if we were interested in adopting a special needs Bearded dragon.  I talked it over with Kasey and we decided to take him in.  His previous owner was a teenager who wanted to breed bearded dragons.  She got him and he was already sick with parasites.  Had him for 6 months before taking him to a vet, that vet didn't help anything.  Then they saw Dr. Ray who I got him from.  He wasn't eating or pooping, had an absess under his left eye and lost teeth on that same side.  Gave him meds to get rid of the infection and parasites and a feeding schedule to syringe feed.  He started losing weight and turns out the teenager was not syringe feeding him like she was suppose to and was just putting bugs in the dish, they would escape and she would think he had eaten them.  Dr. Ray convinced the mother to serenader him and his healing really began.

His jaw was nearly fused from calcium deficiency.  They thought it was permanently fused but in the last month he has gotten to where he can open it enough to get his tongue out.

I'll include links to pictures of him at the end.  He is a German Giant which means he is huge. Pictures do not do him justice.  Dr. Ray actually said with the progress of his jaw he might eventually get to the point where he would eat like normal.  Dr. ray showed me how to fed him and I wrapped him in a blanket like a burrito (beardrrito) and syringe fed him for about 45 minutes.  It takes time because all you are doing is squirting a little food into his mouth and then give him time to swallow.  In between I would pet his head and he would fall asleep in my arms.  He's a sweet heart.

His original name was Merlin but since his illness his left side of his mouth is curled so everyone at the vet office called him Popeye.  Once you look at him you can't not call him Popeye.  I could tell Kasey wasn't too crazy about the name, he has always said he wanted a bearded dragon named Smaug, but once he saw him he agreed he's a Popeye.


http://myparadog.tumblr.com/post/173312491835/popeye

http://myparadog.tumblr.com/post/173310884305/our-new-baby-he-has-special-needs-has-to-be

You can't really see the curl in these pictures but I'll get some more tomorrow that really show it.


RE: Finally got a Bearded Dragon! - Catherine - 04-26-2018

He is a beautiful bearded dragon! Even with his problems he is going to look amazing. You have the patience and the knowledge needed to feed him so he will be okay. So congratulations on your beautiful new bearded dragon.  Even though he has had a rough start he is going to do very well.

I just wonder how people let an animal like a beardie reach a point where they have infections.
Maybe Popeye is a good name now, but some day he will be healthy and strong and you will wish you had given him a better name. 

Smiley4 Beardrrito is pretty creative.  


RE: Finally got a Bearded Dragon! - LPC - 04-26-2018

That's one lucky beardie!


RE: Finally got a Bearded Dragon! - Libby - 04-27-2018

He has a snarl because of the abscess that will likely always be there and I love the name Popeye. I use to watch it as a kid and had a popeye toy that was rubbery with the wire in it so he was positionable and I would bend him all out of whack and would cry to my dad, "Popeye's crazy!" My dad still tells that story so even in the short time we've had him I'm already saying that about him.
Kasey doesn't have that same relationship with the character or name. But everyone wants me to dress him up as Popeye with a can of spinach for Halloween.
His original name was Merlin which I like too but time will tell if he stays Popeye or not.


RE: Finally got a Bearded Dragon! - Catherine - 04-27-2018

I'm back. I was about to answer this when I noticed that Barrie had totally messed up his tank. He had even put his blanket in his water dish. The joy of having a big lizard eh. Smiley4

Your beardie really is a German Giant. Is he a full 24 in long? He looks it.
His markings and colours are really nice. So you have one really good beardie. Even if he is left with some problems he is still going to be a beautiful beardie.

Naming is tricky. I can understand you liking the name Popeye. It was a popular show. If you have started calling your lizard Popeye the name will probably stick. He won't mind. He will just be happy to receive the good care you are giving him. You won't just pull him through, you will make him strong and healthy again.

Can he eat on his own yet?


RE: Finally got a Bearded Dragon! - Libby - 05-03-2018

(04-27-2018, 02:49 PM)Catherine Wrote: I'm back. I was about to answer this when I noticed that Barrie had totally messed up his tank. He had even put his blanket in his water dish. The joy of having a big lizard eh. Smiley4

Your beardie really is a German Giant. Is he a full 24 in long? He looks it.
His markings and colours are really nice. So you have one really good beardie. Even if he is left with some problems he is still going to be a beautiful beardie.

Naming is tricky. I can understand you liking the name Popeye. It was a popular show. If you have started calling your lizard Popeye the name will probably stick. He won't mind. He will just be happy to receive the good care you are giving him. You won't just pull him through, you will make him strong and healthy again.

Can he eat on his own yet?
Really any animal has a way of messing up anything you've just cleaned.  My Ball Pythons love to poop after I've cleaned their tanks.  I will wait until they have gone and then they still manage to save some up and will poop again.

I'm not sure if he's the full 24in but he's got to be close.  I'll have to find my measuring tape.  He is longer than my arm and just my forearm is roughly 10in. His head and body goes from my hand to my elbow with his tail hanging down.  He's my big boy lizard.

He can't eat on his own yet.  I'm going to see about getting some greens for him to try eating this week.  I'm feeding him emeraid mixed with Pedialyte.  20cc every other day and soaks before he eats.  He's also in shed right now so he doesn't like to eat much right now. He's been eating about 10cc at a time so I'm feeding him everyday right now with soaks everyday to help him shed.  I have a mister that I ordered too but it won't be here until next week.  The mister will fit in his water bowl in his tank to keep the humidity up so he wouldn't need as many soaks.  Between feedings and soaks everyday It takes about 2 hours from start to finish.  If I could cut even an hour out of that it would be nice.  Which if he continues to gain weight I won't have to feed him as much.  He just really needs to bulk up some more because he's still smaller than he should be.  I also don't really know his age so he might not be fully grown.  I'm not sure how much he's been set back because of everything.  I know he's still pretty young.

I have some more pictures of him and I measured him.  I'm just waiting for tumblr to finish uploading the pictures and I'll post the link.


RE: Finally got a Bearded Dragon! - Catherine - 05-03-2018

You are doing an amazing job with him. If you can get some weight on him and build up his bones with calcium he should do well. It will definitely help time wise if he can eat on his own. Once he is established and is healthy he probably won't need as much soaking between sheds. It will be good if he eats some veggies. I give finely chopped butternut squash. The beardies all seem to love it. Collard greens are good too. None of mine have ever eaten fruit, but they will eat dandelion flowers and rose petals. (I know my garden is pesticide free so my roses are safe) They are supposed to like blueberries. You will just have to try different things and see what he likes.

He really is big. Some of the German giants are almost double the size of a usual beardie. You would be able to put a harness on him and take him for walks in the sun. Beardies show amazing colours when they are out in the sun. The natural UVB is still better than the best light bulb. 

What is it about reptiles and poop.
They wait until you clean their tank and then they totally mess it up. If you get a beautiful new water dish they will totally poop in it. Have any of them pooped on you yet. 
That is always a favourite move. Smiley4


RE: Finally got a Bearded Dragon! - Libby - 05-03-2018

Here are the promised pictures.
http://myparadog.tumblr.com/post/173532816555/measured-soaked-and-fed-popeye

The only 3 animals that I have owned that have ever peed or pooped on me were my rabbit Scratch, Buddy hiked his leg on me, and Claire the gecko would do anything on me because she hated to be held. I've been lucky enough so far that none of the snakes have, which to be honest I'm surprised, but I do normally wait until I know they won't. They are a bit more predictable. Buddy was a bit more surprising because I wasn't looking and it was in the first year or so we had him.


RE: Finally got a Bearded Dragon! - Catherine - 05-03-2018

Popeye is looking good. He is sitting up alert and interested in his surroundings. If you can get him eating on his own his care will get much easier. I think he will do well. He measures out a good length. It can be hard to get an accurate measure since reptiles never sit straight or still. So you have a fine looking boy there. You can be proud of him. Wait until he poops on you. Bearded dragon poop is messy.

It is only a matter of time, one of your snakes will get you with poop. Just hope it isn't in your hair or worse that it hasn't just crawled down your shirt. I have had both. I have a special spray from the pet store that takes pet poop out of the carpet. This is a must for any reptile owner. And no, reptile poop will never be the latest care hair craze.


RE: Finally got a Bearded Dragon! - Libby - 05-04-2018

(05-03-2018, 04:21 PM)Catherine Wrote: Popeye is looking good. He is sitting up alert and interested in his surroundings. If you can get him eating on his own his care will get much easier. I think he will do well. He measures out a good length. It can be hard to get an accurate measure since reptiles never sit straight or still. So you have a fine looking boy there. You can be proud of him. Wait until he poops on you. Bearded dragon poop is messy.

It is only a matter of time, one of your snakes will get you with poop. Just hope it isn't in your hair or worse that it hasn't just crawled down your shirt. I have had both. I have a special spray from the pet store that takes pet poop out of the carpet. This is a must for any reptile owner. And no, reptile poop will never be the latest care hair craze.

We took Popeye in knowing he may never eat on his own but it would be exciting if he did end up being able to eat on his own.  Especially after expecting to hand feed him his whole life.  He had been with Dr Ray for 6 months and he's been stable and ready for a home after the first 2 months so for a vet to trust me to take him after having him that long is a great honor to me.  The friend that asked if I could take him had originally wanted to take him herself but she is a wildlife rehabiliator and can't have exotic pets.  It's a dog and cats only.  Side note she has the cutest baby opossums right now.  Their mom got hit by a car and someone thought to check her pouch for babies.  I was the next person up to take him because she knew I would and could take care of him.  I'm finally starting to realize I'm an adult and people have faith and trust in me to truly take care of these animals because I have a history of taking great care of all of my animals.  It's what I've always wanted.  Like child dream come true.

Thankfully Popeye seems to enjoy pooping in his water.  I mean if I were an animal that's what I would do.  Jean-luc likes the same.  The rats just go anywhere but on me so that's kinda cool.  All the other animals I think it's luck or I just have a way with animals.

I'll look for the pictures of the baby opossum I got to hold.