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announcements => meet the mods & staff => Topic started by: Loc on August 18, 2012, 12:44:44 pm

Title: [Loc] Gelby
Post by: Loc on August 18, 2012, 12:44:44 pm
Hi guys. I just got appointed to Watcher. *hugs the staff*  Here's hoping I do a good job :) Thought I'd make one of these now or else I'd forget, heh.

Okay, so. I'm Loc, I'm 22,and live in the UK, on the south coast. My fursona is a blue-spotted anthro snow leopard. I joined Furtopia back in June last year, but I've been floating around the fandom for about five years now.

I spend most of my spare time reading (preferred genre is fantasy), writing short stories or playing PC games (my favorites are RPGs and first person shooters). I have a pet bearded dragon called Daenerys (points for getting where the name comes from). I recently graduated from university and have a degree in palaeontology (yes, like Ross from "Friends") and I'm currently unemployed, although I'm hoping that'll change soon.

That's all I can think of for now. So any questions or anything, feel free to ask ^^ I like to think I'm quite friendly.
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Kobuk on August 18, 2012, 01:12:05 pm
What flavors of tea do you like?
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Alsek on August 18, 2012, 01:19:45 pm
Congratulations Loc!   ^_^
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Storm Fox on August 18, 2012, 02:37:45 pm
Welcome to the team Loc. :)
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Mylo on August 18, 2012, 02:38:41 pm
Congratulations Loc! Here is your celebratory tea お茶 :D

(http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5098/5557779328_4f757dc9ef_z.jpg)
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Hashira on August 18, 2012, 02:52:10 pm
Congrats loc!
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: The Wise one on August 18, 2012, 04:01:44 pm
Congrats bro!
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Loc on August 18, 2012, 08:39:08 pm
My favorite teas are Earl Grey, English Breakfast and those nice red berry teas. Although I'll drink pretty much any other tea with the exception of peppermint :( Can't stand that stuff.

Thanks for the congratulations guys :)
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Shim on August 18, 2012, 09:08:09 pm
Welcome to the team!
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Arbutus on August 19, 2012, 02:22:27 am
I have a pet bearded dragon called Daenerys (points for getting where the name comes from)

Ooh, a puzzle! ^_^ I don't know the answer, but is it by chance a word spelled backwards?

Also, a real question for you: Why did you choose the snow leopard as your fursona? Based on your other interests, I would have thought you'd go with some kind of prehistoric creature... but I guess not. :)
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Loc on August 19, 2012, 06:49:56 am
Nope, not a word spelled backwards XD

I do have a second fursona that is a smilodon. For my main one though... I'm not sure. I made her in my first few months at university, after toying with the idea of a doberman. But a feline seemed more appropriate to my personality and habits, and the deciding factor was I wanted my fursona to have an awesome fluffy tail :) That's the bad thing about extinct creatures. We can't tell exactly what the skin or fur or whatever on them was like (generally, I can think of a few exceptions). The idea of having a prehistoric fursona never really crossed my mind at the time.

I've been a snow leopard since I first joined the fandom though, and I haven't wanted to change her (not in major way anyway, she went through a year-long period of being a borg that I'm considering taking her back to for a while), and I'm happy with her.
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Old Rabbit on August 19, 2012, 11:48:58 am
Congratulations Loc. :orbunny:
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Loc on August 22, 2012, 08:19:37 am
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8426/7837633448_0b2d3abafd.jpg)
Thought I should upload a picture, so, this is Dany. She's a year and a half old (we think) and her favorite place to be at the moment is clinging to my shoulder. Whenever I try to take her off me she gets unhappy and flails around until she is back on me, forcing me to go about my day one-handed. We fed her spring greens and butternut squash as the main part of her diet, with crickets or mealworms every other day and fruit as a treat. I try her on other veg from time to time, but her general reaction to things she hasn't seen before is fear, so it takes her a while to get used to them. She also has to be hand fed and refuses to eat off a plate XD

Thanks for the congratulations everyone :3
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Loc on November 26, 2012, 02:54:52 am
Time for a Dany update.

It's about three months since that picture was taken, and she's gotten a bit bigger. She's shed two or three times now. She's currently shedding across her head and front legs, with huge patches of scales hanging off, so she looks a bit like a batman villain XD

We've made some progress on teaching her to eat off a plate. She'll eat things that are left for her on her log, and will actively chase down any live food that is put in her tank. She's bright-eyed, spiky and, while still afraid of most new things, doesn't flail around to try and escape any more. She likes to snooze on people's chests during the day, but perks up when someone plays Assassin's Creed, and she tries to get at the Xbox  :D

The less good news. We took her to the vet because she has a lump on her jaw, visable on both the underside and the inside of her mouth. The vet told us that, unless it grows, it is nothing to worry about (could be scar tissue, could be malformed bone in the jaw), but called our attention to something I had been wondering about for some time. Her lumpy, crooked legs. Turns out, she wasn't looked after properly by her former owners, and has had bone disease. Either her legs and toes never grew right or they broke and never healed correctly. There is nothing we can do about it now, they're going to be wrongly shaped for the rest of her life, but we can make sure that it doesn't happen again.

Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Ickyrus on November 28, 2012, 12:59:12 pm
I KNOW WHO DANY IS NAMED AFTER, but you knew that I knew that just like I knew that you knew that I knew that.
<3 Dany, she's so cute :D
So, are you excited for next march/april? :O
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Iara Warriorfeather on November 28, 2012, 06:29:47 pm
Nice Game of Thrones reference! And she is cute!  :D
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Loc on December 02, 2012, 08:11:41 pm
I KNOW WHO DANY IS NAMED AFTER, but you knew that I knew that just like I knew that you knew that I knew that.
<3 Dany, she's so cute :D
So, are you excited for next march/april? :O
Is that when the new series comes out on TV? Considering I haven't watched what has come out so far XD I've been wanting to read the books before I watch it. I've got to the point now where the first series isn't going to spoil anything for me, and I think one of my housemates has it somewhere, so it is on my list of things to watch.
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Ickyrus on December 03, 2012, 02:20:31 am
I forgot about that. Silly literary people and their READING.
I think you should be pleased if you watch the first :D
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Mylo on March 22, 2013, 10:17:06 am
<.<
>.>

*looks for the super awesome snow leopard whose birthday happens to be today*

Happy Birthday Loc! :)

*puts out a cup of hot birthday-flavored tea*
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Loc on March 22, 2013, 11:26:24 am
*sticks her snout in the tea and gulps it down* Thank you Mylo :3
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Jackie on March 22, 2013, 11:30:08 am
*Brings in a snow leopard cake singing happy birthday and cuts Loc the biggest piece,
(http://go.jamberry.us/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/DSC_3813-e1356897524860.jpg)

I apologize for the non cyberness.
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Loc on March 22, 2013, 11:32:59 am
:O Oh my word, that is the most impressive cake I've seen in a long time.

I need to get back in to baking.

Thank you ^^
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Jackie on March 22, 2013, 11:47:38 am
Yu are very welcome, i hope you have been having, and will continue to have, a very lovely day  :)
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: dodbringr on March 22, 2013, 07:04:19 pm
It's a little late, but happy birthday from all of us Loc!  :D
*brings in a large box of assorted teas (minus the peppermint ones) and sets it down carefully in front of you*
Hope you have/had a wonderful day!  :)
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Loc on March 22, 2013, 08:25:23 pm
Thank you dodbringr! And yes, I did have a very good day. I spent it with Weisseman and his family, and will go and see my parents next weekend to have a "second birthday" with them (they live further away and couldn't come to visit this week due to work).
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Avan on March 23, 2013, 02:52:46 am
oooh! it was your birthday! ^.^
*makes a birthdaynest in the kairanest in the locnest on the sofa (which is part of the danynest)*
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Storm Fox on March 23, 2013, 03:17:42 am
Happy  Birthday  Loc


Sorry for my belatedness. x_x
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Loc on March 23, 2013, 09:41:41 am
Thanks to both of you ^^
And don't worry about the lateness, it's more fun to have birthdays spread out over a few days :3
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Amducious on April 01, 2013, 01:54:55 pm
I was wondering how do you get a profile picture im new just wanting to know so please help :(
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Loc on April 01, 2013, 01:57:50 pm
Hi Shard, welcome to Furtopia. Have a look at this link, it might help you. Any questions after that, feel free to ask.
http://forums.furtopia.org/index.php?topic=38972.0
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Amducious on April 01, 2013, 02:42:52 pm
Hi Shard, welcome to Furtopia. Have a look at this link, it might help you. Any questions after that, feel free to ask.
http://forums.furtopia.org/index.php?topic=38972.0
   thx for the help
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Loc on April 11, 2013, 03:42:08 pm
Dany update:
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8086/8568960085_b8da35669b_n.jpg)
She had her first full-body shed a little while ago. That's a picture of her right int he middle of it. She was exceptionally grumpy as her skin itched, so she had baths twice a day for a week, plus extra waxworms to cheer her up (also they were the only thing she would eat, she was ultra-fussy >.< )

Most of her skin came off in one huge piece, complete with the little spikes along her sides and her eyelids and everything. We put extra rocks in her tank for her to rub her skin off on, and now she's looking much happier. She's a brighter colour, the bands along her back are more noticeable and her beard is a cheerful red again.

Of course, no sooner does she finish the big shed than she starts doing little sheds of her toes and face again. Must be a lizard thing.

I'm also going to start trimming some of her toenails. Two of her toes on her front feet cross due to the bone disease causing deformities, and the claws don't wear down on the logs properly and tend to grow a bit out of control. So I need to learn how to clip little tiny lizard feet. But hey, if I can burrito her to get medicine in her mouth, I'm sure I can work this out.

Also people have been asking a lot how big she is. Here's your answer:
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8226/8554361257_209c22375f_n.jpg)
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Jackie on April 13, 2013, 05:01:19 pm
I'd hate to have to shed, sounds very annoying. you may have posted this before but, how long have you had her?

also, oooh! i spy a real fire, i fantasize about turning off all the lights and just sitting in front of a real fire, reading a book. makes all your troubles melt away.
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Loc on April 13, 2013, 05:36:15 pm
We've had her since at least August - that was when I got promoted to Watcher and I mentioned her in my first post here. Probably had her for a month or two before that, but I have a bad memory at the best of times. Hopefully we'll have her for a long time to come ^^

And yup, we've got a gas fire. :D Heats up the room until it's like a sauna. Took us five months to work out how to turn the darned thing on. We didn't even think it worked for a long time. I tend to put a spare duvet and pillow down on the floor in front of it and relax with a book or my DS and Dany.
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Jackie on April 13, 2013, 05:40:27 pm
That second paragraph almost made be turn green with envy ;) i've always wanted a log cabin with a woodburning fire, itsjust something about the wooden walls and the light from theflames that seems so....relaxing.
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Loc on April 13, 2013, 05:47:55 pm
:O Yes. Fire places in houses are a must for me. At my dad's house, there was pretty much no heating except for the log fire. So when my family went up there, we'd spend the sumer piling wood outside and then bring it in at winter and all gather in the living room, watching TV and doing other vaguely family-ish things, and sometimes stamping out the odd spark that came out XD Our floor was carpeted almost right up to the fireplace, so we never left the fire unattended.

Only disadvantage of a log fire is the chimney. We had so many birds come down it, get stressed and fly around making a mess of the living room. Or bees. We had a queen honey bee come down and set up on our curtains. And then of course all the drones followed her... And before you know it we have a room full of bees :| Fortunately my parents knew someone who kept bees, so he came and took them away for free, on the condition we let him keep them. Also our old cat used to try and climb up the chimney unless we blocked it up when she got scared or stressed.
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Jackie on April 13, 2013, 05:59:46 pm
most chimmneys have a sorta mesh thing on the top now though dont they? Also, is that you in the picture? You look very different from your pic in the IRL section.
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Loc on April 13, 2013, 06:16:24 pm
Ours doesn't have mesh, unfortunately.

And yes, that it's me XD
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Jackie on April 13, 2013, 06:25:18 pm
you look like your avatar, (as similar as a blue cyborg snow leopard can look, Good thing!)
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Mylo on July 07, 2013, 09:07:54 am
Columbus sailed the ocean blue....
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Loc on July 12, 2013, 10:24:26 am
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3697/9270241828_d2a195f43b.jpg)

Dany Update

Dany's doing really well :3 We rearranged her tank, as due to her limb deformities she was having trouble getting on and off her basking log. So we've put in more stones (mostly fossils actually, she was basking on an ammonite the other day) and made little ledges and areas all over the place for her to sit on. Her current set-up looks like this:
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3773/9267505467_38f1152d9a.jpg)
She's very happy with the new set up, especially being on newspaper instead of sand (the orange and red flecks are the remains of her dinner: butternut squash and red pepper). Sand increases her risk of bowel impaction by a lot, and is also harder to keep clean. Newspaper is much easier, just whip off the top layer and done. Also she can wriggle herself under the folds of the paper at night: being wedged under something makes her feel safer. The hot side of her tank is on the right, and she tends to sleep under the box with a log on and bask on top of it. On the cold side, she has some sand to settle in when she gets too warm, another log to hide under, and a bowl of water. She gets most of her water from baths and her food, so she doesn't need a very large bowl.
 
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Mylo on July 16, 2013, 07:59:47 pm
Whoa  :o

Nice avatar.
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Loc on July 16, 2013, 08:07:12 pm
Thanks ^^ I've been told by Weisse it's fine to put this picture up, so the full version here:
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3800/9302065167_3692886e1f_z.jpg)
A good friend of mine commissioned it about 8 months ago XD I should be getting the full-sized version of it soon.
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Mylo on July 16, 2013, 09:50:24 pm
Oh God, the pornography!  http://forums.furtopia.org/general-furry-discussion/is-%27clean%27-furry-art-considered-porn/ (http://forums.furtopia.org/general-furry-discussion/is-%27clean%27-furry-art-considered-porn/)

In all seriousness, wow that is a pretty awesome picture.  :o
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Loc on August 10, 2013, 10:50:42 am
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3756/9477302053_794cd64bcb_z.jpg)
Dany likes watching Miser streaming Dark Souls.
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Loc on September 06, 2013, 10:54:32 am
Someone on the IRC asked me the other day "how badly are Dany's legs deformed?"
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3805/9687803194_b198f53627_z.jpg)
By the looks of it, she's had a broken wrist, hand, and at least three fingers, leading to that permanently swollen, puffy look. And that's just on that one foot. Her other foreleg is slightly better, with a couple of minor toe issues and a crooked elbow. The longest toes on both back feet are warped and some of the joints are bent at almost 90 degrees from where they should be, and one of her knees is crooked. She walks with her front legs under her body more than reptiles normally do - more like a mammal than a reptile.

She's happy and healthy though :3 She's started shedding again.
(http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2874/9416483440_9f28efe3ee.jpg)
She also moonlights as a glove.
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: SkyFire on September 08, 2013, 02:14:46 pm
Dany is very cute. :3 I never thought I'd ever say that about a lizard, but she is. :) she seems awfully loyal and devoted to you, not to mention smart.

You know, I remember a time awhile back when you asked me out of the blue how I was doing and ended up giving me some solid advice. I don't think I've ever really thanked you for your advice, so this is a bit overdue. Thanks Loc, for your hard work and advice, it's helped me become who I am. Thank you.
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Loc on September 08, 2013, 03:45:48 pm
Smart is debatable XD

Oh ^^ Well, not a problem. I'm glad I could be some help.
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Loc on September 16, 2013, 10:08:45 pm
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7406/9780254253_f82131e138_z.jpg)
I couldn't fit all the types of tea in the picture either. I have several apple and assorted berry blends.

I think I have a problem. :|
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: McMajik on September 18, 2013, 06:22:13 am
I think I have a problem. :|

Yes, you do. The problem is that your definition of problem is a bit off. :p
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Scarlegs on September 21, 2013, 01:15:32 am
Those teas look nice :D
I have strawberry and cream tea from T2 (I think that's what it's called)

Dany is so cute!
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Loc on September 24, 2013, 06:56:07 pm
:O Strawberry and cream tea? That sounds AMAZING.

Dany is indeed adorable ^^ She went to the vet today: I was concerned that she had an overly fat, puffy beard for several days. The vet said he thinks she got kicked inside the throat by a locust when she was eating, and that she has a few scratches or cuts in there that have got irritated. So she's on a soft food diet for the next week or so, so lots of TLC and waxworms while she recovers.

On my end, I'm being used in another psychology case study ^^ As I'm one of the most established and long-term patients at my counselling service (I've had 70ish weeks of counselling there to date) and have some pretty varied problems, my counsellor asks sometimes if she can use my stories and progress in papers and classes (I'm only ever referred to in these by the initial L and my age, so I'm not worried about confidentiality. Besides which, she's been a great help to me. The least I can do is help her). This week she was getting me used to talking with a tape recorder in the room, and next week I'm going to be recorded talking about some of my issues. I'm kind of excited and also kinda nervous ^^
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Mylo on October 21, 2013, 07:55:24 pm
Congratulations on your promotion Loc! :D
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Loc on October 21, 2013, 07:56:39 pm
Thank you ^^
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Jackie on October 21, 2013, 08:01:03 pm
Congratulations!! Here, have a silly bear face ʕ ´ᴥ` ʔ

Now your name matches your fur colour ^_^
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Loc on October 21, 2013, 08:34:29 pm
 It does :O Neat
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Storm Fox on October 22, 2013, 08:10:07 am
Congratulations on your promotion.

Now just don't Mod too hard… you wouldn't want to over mod your moding, because then you might have to re-mod your first mod to make that mod modout properly. ;)

Don't worry, I double checked, that all makes sense (I think). (: :)
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Loc on October 22, 2013, 11:22:14 am
o.o /me faints under a pile of mod.
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Old Rabbit on October 29, 2013, 12:54:57 pm
Congratulations Loc. :orbunny:
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Loc on October 29, 2013, 03:43:20 pm
Thanks OR!
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Elusive on November 19, 2013, 10:34:07 am
(http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2874/9416483440_9f28efe3ee.jpg)

So, this is Dany, she's adorable :D. How is she at using a laptop btw (:? What are her favorite insects and veggies?

Oh, before I forget congratulations on the promotion. :)
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Loc on November 19, 2013, 10:39:21 am
She's very fond of crawling across laptops XD Probably because they're nice and warm, but she also likes watching the screen if you're playing any games. She's not very fond of most veggies, she's rather fussy, but does eat butternut squash and drinks pineapple juice. Insects, she mostly has locusts (she doesn't like crickets) dusted with various vitamins and calcium to make up for her fussiness with veg, but she goes absolutely crazy for waxworms. They're like lizard candy.

And thanks ^^
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Elusive on November 19, 2013, 09:16:17 pm
You ever try dubia roaches for Dany? They are a bit on the pricey side for feeder insects but they are a bit healthier than crickets, and less of a hassle to breed than crickets in my opinion(I have my own colony of roaches going atm).
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Loc on November 19, 2013, 09:31:45 pm
They don't seem to be sold over here. Not locally anyways. I'm trying to get a mealworm breeding program going, and might try and breed some locusts in the shed when the weather starts to warm up. I've bred them before, some years ago.
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Loc on November 25, 2013, 06:46:18 am


(http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5510/11047510085_9d814c9b5d.jpg)

I also have a fondness for piercings, especially ear ones. The one slap bang in the middle is new today.
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Jackie on November 25, 2013, 11:52:30 am
My auntie has lots of ear piercings like that, and an eyebrow one too ^_^

Cool!
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Loc on December 26, 2013, 10:51:57 am
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7369/11566682394_54d4d80e2c_o.jpg)
Merry Christmas from a very sleepy little lizard.
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Aloneness on December 26, 2013, 12:30:06 pm
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7406/9780254253_f82131e138_z.jpg)
I couldn't fit all the types of tea in the picture either. I have several apple and assorted berry blends.

I think I have a problem. :|

Hehe looks kinda like my tea collection, I get mine from the Republic of Tea though :D Yeah Tea! My Second Favorite Drink (First being hot cocoa)
Title: Re: Tea-drinking snow leopard
Post by: Loc on March 19, 2014, 04:55:13 pm
(http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2836/13271238964_99b693926c_c.jpg)
Dany has been digging, so we redid her tank to give her a nest.

A couple of hours after this photo was taken, she started laying eggs. When I last looked, she had three. Apparently she could lay as many as 25 or 30.

Sadly they are unfertilized (she's never had a beardie boyfriend, and I think this is her first ever clutch) and she will probably trample some of them anyway. So when she is finished I'm going to have to remove them.
Title: Re: Loc - Dany is a mummy?!?
Post by: Loc on March 19, 2014, 07:52:01 pm
Dany laid her last egg somewhere around 11pm, two or three hours after she started. She's filled in her nest hole and is now looking skinny and exhausted. Offered her some fatty waxworms and she refused them, so I'm just letting her rest. Tomorrow I'm going to feed and bath her (get her rehydrated and she is caked in dust and dirt from digging), and then unbury her nest and remove the eggs. I'll try and get a photo of them and will update with a count. As far as I know, this is her first ever clutch.
Title: Re: Loc - Dany is a mummy?!?
Post by: Loc on March 20, 2014, 12:39:40 pm
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3691/13290672493_947094112c_z.jpg)
Dany laid 28 eggs. A decent to large clutch.

She is now going to be having a lot of calcium: as I didn't know she was going to lay, I didn't adjust her diet accordingly and she might have taken calcium from her bones to make the eggs. She was also digging in newspaper and sand a lot rather than dirt, which would have exhausted the poor little thing. She's had a bath (most of which she drank) and a lot of waxworms (high energy and fat), and apart from looking skinny and tired (like any new mum), she's active and cheerful.
Title: Re: Loc - Dany is a mummy?!?
Post by: Iara Warriorfeather on March 20, 2014, 07:11:46 pm
Congrats on the new...er...colony! It'll be cute I am sure!  :D
Title: Re: Loc - Dany is a mummy?!?
Post by: Loc on March 20, 2014, 07:18:03 pm
Except they are all infertile eggs XD No babies here.
Title: Re: Loc - Dany is a mummy?!?
Post by: Iara Warriorfeather on March 21, 2014, 12:10:52 am
Oh! Well...I'm sure she's glad that's done, then!  :D
Title: Re: Loc - Dany is a mummy?!?
Post by: Loc on March 21, 2014, 12:18:00 am
I bet she is XD I wonder if she's going to do this every year.

She didn't crush a single one of her eggs ^^ She'd be a good mum, if I ever introduce her to a nice young male. I was worried about if her bone deformities would cause her issues with laying, but they didn't seem to. Just going to give her lots of cuddles and feed her back up now, poor little soul. If I knew she was actually going to lay eggs rather than have a phantom pregnancy type thing (which is all I thought it was) I would have set her tank up with a better digging spot a week or so ago. I'm so glad she didn't become egg-bound.

I was probably panicking about her more than she was XD All natural to her, of course.
Title: Re: Loc - Dany is a mummy?!?
Post by: Jackie on March 22, 2014, 11:46:29 am
ʕ ´ᴥ` ʔ !Happy Bearthday Loc! ʕ ´ᴥ` ʔ
Title: Re: Loc - Dany is a mummy?!?
Post by: Loc on March 22, 2014, 01:21:41 pm
Thank you ^^
Title: Re: Loc - Dany is a mummy?!?
Post by: Storm Fox on March 22, 2014, 08:10:17 pm
Happy Birthday Loc. :)
Title: Re: Loc - Dany is a mummy?!?
Post by: HazardJackal on March 24, 2014, 12:04:17 am
Ah!  How did i miss it!? :-[

Um, Happy Belated Birthday!
Title: Re: Loc - Dany is a mummy?!?
Post by: Loc on March 24, 2014, 11:39:11 am
Thank you ^^
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7164/13382523455_37b2d194be_z.jpg)
I had the chibi vaporeon, flareon and eevee. And then Weisseman and his family got me... Well, all the rest of them for my birthday.
And now I have two of each of them (except sylveon, there is no chibi version of him).
Title: Re: Loc - Dany is a mummy?!?
Post by: Mylo on March 24, 2014, 01:05:31 pm
Happy (belated) birthday Loc. :)
Title: Re: Loc - Dany is a mummy?!?
Post by: Loc on March 24, 2014, 01:08:30 pm
Thanks Mylo :3
Title: Re: Loc - Dany is a mummy?!?
Post by: Avan on April 01, 2014, 12:42:39 am
hehehe eeveeons

happy birthday! (belated >.<)
Title: Re: Loc - Inked leopards
Post by: Loc on April 19, 2014, 02:23:06 pm
I got my first tattoo done today ^.^

It's a sorta tribal Vaporeon going down the left side of my hip. I'd put up a picture but it's still in the stage of looking like I've had needles rammed into my skin - Funny that, really XD

The tattoo artist even added shading onto it for me. Once it's peeled and healed up, it is going to look so pretty.
Title: Re: Loc - Inked leopards
Post by: Loc on April 22, 2014, 09:12:12 am
While I was away getting tattooed, Dany laid 23 more eggs :O
Title: Re: Loc - Inked leopards
Post by: the lone shadow wolf on April 22, 2014, 10:16:44 am
what is he a chicken

happy b-day
Title: Re: Loc - Inked leopards
Post by: HazardJackal on April 22, 2014, 11:31:25 am
what is he a chicken
Male lizards don't typically bear eggs...  (:
Title: Re: Loc - With 90% More Dany
Post by: Loc on June 06, 2014, 12:24:07 pm
Dany Update
(https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2935/14360019025_42f4bb1ce6.jpg)
Dany and I are moving house.

As some of you might know, I lived for the last two years with four other people. Dany was a house pet, rescued by one of the other girls in the house from a person who didn't know how to look after her, had done a crap job, and didn't want her any more. We've shared her food, vet and heating bills. As soon as I became attached to her (which was pretty much the first time she crawled up to me and licked my fingers), I would have nightmares about when we all went separate ways and she would get taken away from me. Touchingly, my housemates all decided that I should be the ones to take her. So it's official. She's now my pet. And so, in the next month, Dany and I are moving into a two bedroom flat with my friend Brian.

Dany's recovered from laying 50something eggs in the space of a month. She's putting on weight again and is nearly back to her usual self, although is a lot more active than she used to be. At the time of writing this, I have her loose up in my bedroom. She's done a lap of the bed, climbed up and down me, licked everything around her including every side of my phone, and is now making a pest of herself by trying to use my laptop.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3884/14173454900_dc1000bcec_z.jpg)
She isn't very good at it.

The actual move is going to be tough on her. She'll be unhappy at the view from her tank being different and will probably go off her food, and I won't be able to really take her out of her tank for hugs until she's more settled in. When we first got her, it took her nearly two months before she would eat anything, and then she had to be handfed. To get her to the new place, I'm going to have to bundle her in blankets in a box with a hot water bottle in. Which she associates now with the vet, who she loathes (he's cold, he picks her up and flips her upside down, and it smells weird there).


Here (https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2918/14173741819_99e64cd63b_k.jpg) is a nice big picture of pretty little Dany and her adorable boogly eyes :3 It's too big for me to paste it into this message and I don't want to resize it, so you'll have to follow the link
Title: Re: Loc - With 90% More Dany
Post by: greenfox on June 06, 2014, 10:44:24 pm
:D More lizard pictures! *pets it cautiously*  Im guessing it probably looks spikier than it actually is.

Congratulations to the proud new owner ;)
Title: Re: Loc - With 90% More Dany
Post by: Loc on June 07, 2014, 07:29:05 am
She's softer than she looks, actually. The spikes aren't the pointy and they bend fairly easily unless she's shedding them - then they become like  iron XD

Interestingly, a mutation does exist in bearded dragons called silkback (http://www.dachiubeardeddragons.com/pictures/silk66.jpg), where the beardies completly lack the large, round scales on the back and sides, and the spikes are completely absent. Silkbacks tend to have brighter colours, but their skin is very soft and easy to tear. The halfway between the two are called leatherbacks, for those interested.
Title: Re: Loc - With 90% More Dany
Post by: Loc on June 09, 2014, 02:13:08 am
And now you can see my lizard moving (https://flic.kr/p/mCjj8M)

I was talking to her throughout this, mainly requesting she not squirm and flail too much, but there's no sound.
She does the adorable little exploring-licks ^.^
And then I got a foot in the face :|
Title: Re: Loc - With 90% More Dany
Post by: Jackie on June 09, 2014, 03:26:03 am
That smile when you get a foot in the face ^-^

I like when they freeze for a while, and just stare.
Title: Re: Loc - With 90% More Dany
Post by: Keitsu on June 09, 2014, 06:35:21 am
Which she associates now with the vet, who she loathes (he's cold, he picks her up and flips her upside down, and it smells weird there).
Yea.. I wouldn't like that either.
Title: Re: Loc - A change is comin'
Post by: Loc on June 18, 2014, 07:02:45 pm
Dany and I are moving house.

The lease on our current house runs up in the next month, and so she and I are moving into a two bedroom flat with my friend and boss at the club I do part time door-work at, Brian.

Dany is already installed in my new room. The only bit of furniture I have is a table that her tank is sitting on, although Brian and I are going bed shopping this weekend to get a mattress, and maybe a frame and some bookshelves so I can start to unpack my things. Dany's taking to the new place fairly well, although she has had a bit of an upset stomach. Not that she seems to care.

The flat is a tip, at present: Brian moved in three years ago (about the time he and I met) and has never really unpacked or done much in the way of cleaning. Still, he has installed a shower and sealed up the bathroom properly, and is working on the kitchen while I move my stuff in. I should be able to start living there at least part of the time from early next week. I'll have to get some photos of the new place ^^
Title: Re: Loc - A change is comin'
Post by: BassCreator on June 19, 2014, 10:13:14 am
I hope all ends well, good luck at the new place, maybe hang up some posters to make it seem more like home.
Title: Re: Loc - A change is comin'
Post by: Loc on June 20, 2014, 02:29:02 pm
(https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2936/14444417606_9f20ba73f4_n.jpg)
Ta-da. The tattoo I got done a couple of months ago.
Title: Re: Loc - A change is comin'
Post by: Iara Warriorfeather on June 22, 2014, 04:03:51 pm
(https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2936/14444417606_9f20ba73f4_n.jpg)
Ta-da. The tattoo I got done a couple of months ago.

Nice vaporeon. I bet it hurt though...I'm too much of a weenie to get a tat  :P
Title: Re: Loc - A change is comin'
Post by: Loc on June 22, 2014, 05:09:15 pm
Didn't really hurt at all actually ^^ I'm pretty good with pain. The top of the tail was the worst part as it is right over a bone, but it was less painful for me than getting piercings.
Title: Re: Loc - A change is comin'
Post by: Mu Rho Ni on June 22, 2014, 05:56:06 pm
(https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2936/14444417606_9f20ba73f4_n.jpg)
Ta-da. The tattoo I got done a couple of months ago.

Thats pretty cool. I really like the tribal like design. 
Title: Re: Loc - A change is comin'
Post by: greenfox on June 23, 2014, 10:05:05 pm
That drop shadow still gets me.
It really does look like its hovering! ;)
Title: Re: Loc - With 90% More Dany
Post by: Mu Rho Ni on June 23, 2014, 11:05:37 pm
Interestingly, a mutation does exist in bearded dragons called silkback

Sure thing Mr. Silkback. (Slaps in the face) My name is A Dragon Named Silkback! Ya say the whole thing!

I'm sorry. It had to be done
Title: Re: Loc - A change is comin'
Post by: Loc on June 26, 2014, 02:22:47 pm
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5520/14491048876_0d8da03175_s.jpg)
 (https://flic.kr/p/o5wpYh)These are a few of my favourite things...  (https://flic.kr/p/o5wpYh)

Flickr has recently redone the way is displays pictures and I can't work it out yet XD If you click the picture it will take you to a full-sized version though.
Title: Re: Loc - A change is comin'
Post by: redyoshi49q on June 26, 2014, 04:29:15 pm
Flickr has recently redone the way is displays pictures and I can't work it out yet XD

You can get to the traditional "View All Sizes" page by clicking the arrow pointing down at the bottom right of the grey area of the page and selecting "View All Sizes" from the drop down menu.


Lizard a la Geek Paraphernalia, anyone?

(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5520/14491048876_0d8da03175_b.jpg)
Title: Re: Loc - A change is comin'
Post by: Loc on June 26, 2014, 04:51:24 pm
Thanks RY ^^ I appear to be getting different things on my end on Flickr, I'll have to mess with it at some point in the future.
Title: Re: Loc - A change is comin'
Post by: Keitsu on June 27, 2014, 02:47:11 am
Nice pic :D
Title: Re: Loc - A change is comin'
Post by: Iara Warriorfeather on August 06, 2014, 12:45:50 pm
Let's hope Dany rolls a D20  :D
Title: Re: Loc - A change is comin'
Post by: Loc on September 22, 2014, 08:01:07 pm
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5552/15303313756_15db8a45a9_z.jpg)
Dany is getting big. Her sheds are coming along thick and fast as she continues to have the growth spurts she should have had years ago.

She's also starting to bruminate, so she spends a lot of her time curled up in her next, fast asleep, or else with her head peeping out, drowsily watching the world go by.

She's also developed a behavioural oddity. She is territorial... Over one specific corner of her tank. In that corner, she will puff up, hiss, and beard. Moving even an inch or two away from it, and she is happy and snuggly. It's rather bizarre. I don't want to encourage that sort of attitude, but unless she starts to become grouchy in other parts of her tank, I'm happy to leave that to be her special lizard-only area.
Title: Re: Loc - A Lizard Update
Post by: Loc on October 14, 2014, 08:01:00 pm
(https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2949/15514848411_55801316c9.jpg)
Dany learned to swim today :D
Beardies are meant to be good at swimming, but Dany has never shown any real ability to - too uncoordinated XD Accidentally overfilled her bath a little today, and she started doing tentative, flaily laps of it. She worked out that lashing her tail side to side helps. She swims just like she's trying to stomp along XD It's adorable, but very noisy as she kicks up a lot of water. Swimming is going to be easier on her deformed joints that running, and it might help her to keep her weight down - she's getting a little chubby over winter.
Title: Re: Loc - A Lizard Update
Post by: greenfox on October 15, 2014, 12:24:42 pm
x3 cute.  Now she can start doing some water aerobics for exercise :P

...and oh my, I never noticed how long her front claws were
Title: Re: Loc - A Lizard Update
Post by: Loc on October 15, 2014, 12:28:51 pm
Yeah, her claws are a bit long. Where her toes are deformed, they don't touch the ground and wear down well, so I have to manually clip them back if they get a bit long. It upsets her though, so I try to limit it. When she isn't in hibernation mode, she can usually keep them down reasonably, with the exception of the second toe on her right foreleg, which crosses over the third toe - I always have to trim that one myself to stop her hurting herself with it. Her back toes are less wonky (although still visibly damaged), and they wear down properly.
Title: Re: Loc - A Lizard Update
Post by: Loc on February 14, 2015, 03:32:55 pm
A me update:

After several doctors visits and appointments with a physiotherapist, the issue with my arms has finally been worked out - My nerves are sending bad signals to my brain and registering everything as pain. I'm now on painkillers for the foreseeable future (possibly for life).

On the upside, I can now do things again like hold a pencil, and am getting back into artwork and writing.

I've also recently "converted" to Buddhism.

-----

Dany is still sleepy and spends most of her time burrowing into my pocket until winter is over XD
Title: Re: Loc - A Lizard Update
Post by: Old Rabbit on March 22, 2015, 11:09:00 am
Happy Birthday to you Loc. 

Thanks for all your hard work here on the forum.

Hope you have a fine day today.

"Tosses you a bag of chocolate chip cookies and a large cake
with the appropriate number of candles. "

Old Rabbit :orbunny:
Title: Re: Loc - A Lizard Update
Post by: Loc on March 22, 2015, 11:15:54 am
Thank you OR :3
Title: Re: Loc - A Lizard Update
Post by: Storm Fox on March 22, 2015, 06:00:00 pm
Happy Birthday Loc.
Title: Re: Loc - A Lizard Update
Post by: Mylo on March 23, 2015, 01:05:47 am
Happy Birthday Loc
Title: Re: Loc - A Lizard Update
Post by: Jackie on March 23, 2015, 04:29:09 pm
Happy Birthdaaaaay! ^_^
Title: Re: Loc - A Lizard Update
Post by: Timberwuff on March 23, 2015, 06:37:18 pm
Happy Birthday Loc! :D
Title: Re: Loc's New Arrival
Post by: Loc on April 11, 2015, 01:16:10 pm
Today, a new arrival joined my family.

(https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8826/16924778709_c4a34fb6df_c.jpg)

Meet Vivec. He's a corn snake (if you want to get fussy about his morph, he's an Amel stripe het hypo), born on the 14th November 2014. He's settling into his new tank. After being in a car for an hour, being a little cold, and winding up in a new place, he was reasonably happy to be held, all things considered - a little flighty, but not aggressive. He buried himself straight into his bedding and hid XD Peeked in on him an hour or so later and he was winding his way along the back of the tank, having a peek about.

I'll be feeding him on Friday (I have some pinky mice all ready to go - I'm going to give Dany one as well and see what she thinks of them), and leaving him to get used to his new home for three to four weeks. Then I can start to handle him and get him used to me :3 But the initial holding went well. He's deceptively strong - he wound his tail into my mala beads and I could feel him tugging on them.

Massive thanks to Fern - every time Fern and I went into the pet shop, we were squeeing over this little pink nose booping against the enclosure, begging to be taken home. Fern called the shop last week and put him on hold, and helped me move him in and get him set up today.

He and Dany are probably never going to get more than a glimpse of each other - While given enough time, I don't think they would care about each other's presence, I don't want to stress them out by trying, especially not now. When Fern visits, they might both be out of their tanks at the same time, but I'm not planning on letting them interact.

I'll be putting some more pictures up later, Fern took them on his phone and got some very good ones of him winding around my hands.
Title: Re: Loc's New Arrival
Post by: Timberwuff on April 11, 2015, 01:45:50 pm
Very cool! I love snakes! :)

Best part of Florida were the wild snakes you could capture and briefly hold as they wandered in your garden.
Title: Re: Loc's New Arrival
Post by: Loc on April 11, 2015, 04:04:58 pm
(https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8687/17111958441_b6bc13957d_b.jpg)
Vivec winding himself around my hands and beads

(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7657/16490180134_21c3293306_b.jpg)
He's so tiny :D He won't stay tiny though. Corn snakes can get 5 or 6 foot long.
Title: Re: Loc's New Arrival
Post by: 9141702 on April 12, 2015, 07:59:22 am
He's so adorable I could die XD I'm so glad he's settling in well, and I look forward to watching him grow into a bigsnake :D
Title: Re: Loc's New Arrival
Post by: Loc on April 14, 2015, 12:14:43 pm
Dany update: Cleared off some space in the living room to give Dany and I a window seat in the sun. Going to plop us both out there for an hour or two a day. It'll do wonders for my mood and might convince her to wake up. Gives me some time to groom her without worrying about her getting cold - Got the last bit of retained shed off from her third eye and some from around her mouth. She was out for maybe half an hour, and is already looking a bit perkier.

Vivec update: Vivec has been spotted again! He's hanging out around the water dish now, and didn't go slithering off when I moved this time. He's peeping out at me as I type this. He's now been sighted around both hides, inside the sock I put in to familiarise him with my smell, at his water, and halfway up the back wall of the tank, so he knows where everything is now.

Fern suggested I get a little webcam (one that can see well in low light, as Vivec's tank is pretty dark - while Dany has two lights, Vivec has none and gets his heat from a buried heat mat) and stream reptiles :3
Title: Re: Loc's New Arrival
Post by: Old Rabbit on April 15, 2015, 12:48:27 pm
Interesting hobby. You will need a large terrarium when it grows up. Unless your planning to
let it have the run of the house. That would handle any rodent problems you might have.
Title: Re: Loc's New Arrival
Post by: Loc on April 15, 2015, 02:21:07 pm
He's going to be upgraded to a bigger tank in a year, when he'll have another foot or so on him. Full grown, he'll be about 4-5 foot long at least. Snakes don't need as large tanks as some other reptiles, as they tend to have poor vision and are somewhat agoraphobic.
Title: Re: Loc's New Arrival
Post by: Old Rabbit on April 16, 2015, 11:44:38 am
He's going to be upgraded to a bigger tank in a year, when he'll have another foot or so on him. Full grown, he'll be about 4-5 foot long at least. Snakes don't need as large tanks as some other reptiles, as they tend to have poor vision and are somewhat agoraphobic.


I have noticed most snakes tend to avoid humans given the chance.. Same can be said for
many humans too.  :D

Hope everything goes well with your new boarder. :orbunny:
Title: Re: Loc's New Arrival
Post by: Loc on April 19, 2015, 02:03:39 pm
Vivec approached me on his own today :) Put my hand in his tank and he was licking around my fingers while Dany was splodged out in my other hand.

After I put Dany back for a bask, I scooped out Vivec. He was nervous and bundled up, but not being aggressive or trying to flee, and once he was out he had a bit of an explore around my arms. He's still nervous, but not bad tempered. If he's this calm and happy as a baby, he's going to be a lovely thing when he's grown up.

(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7584/17014139338_21fd14a8d9_b.jpg)

He's a shy little noodle.
Title: Re: Loc's New Arrival
Post by: Loc on April 21, 2015, 08:07:15 am
Dany went to the vet today.

In good news, her bones look strong, the bone disease of her past considered, and what is slightly abnormal in most beardies seems to be the standard for her.

In less good news... She had some x-rays. They revealed lumps in her soft tissue, around one kidney and her liver. She's had some blood tests drawn to try and determine if they're calcification, gout, or something else.
Title: Re: Loc - Dany update
Post by: Loc on April 25, 2015, 08:24:26 pm
Vivec escaped today.

I got home after being away for the night, and found that one of the vents on the back of his tank had fallen inwards, leaving a hole I could fit my fist through. Carefully removed everything in his tank, including his bedding, and he was nowhere to be found.

I only just avoid breaking down, look up how to catch corn snakes online (fat lot of good it was too) and then start slowly moving everything out of my room, hoping to God he was still in there.

Fortunately, he hadn't gone far - My room is a large place to a little snake, and fairly cold outside of the reptile tanks. He'd got chilly and curled up in a pile of underwear at the foot of my bed that I'd left for going into the wash. He's used to curling up in my clothes - Since I got him, he's had a sock in his tank that I'd cuddled for a few hours to get him used to my smell. I guess he went there because it was soft, dark, he could burrow into it and it smelled of me.

He was pretty happy to be found. He let me pick him up and fuss over him in tears before draping himself around my neck. Aside from being a bit cold, he was none the worse for wear, still strong and active, not a scale out of place. I had to put him into a little cardboard box while I reassembled his tank and snake-proofed the vents, and he kept peeping out over the top, looking to get out again XD He got a little boop on the snout and put inside a sock til the tank was ready to go.

I think he was out for a good six hours, if not longer - Could have been closer to 20. I'm going to glue the vents in place as soon as I can (they're taped front and back at the moment). I'm just so glad I got him back. After the first few days of being out, if a snake can't find somewhere suitably warm and safe with some food or water, they tend to move on. If he'd left my room to go out into the flat, I never would have found him.
Title: Re: Loc - Dany and Vivec
Post by: Purrrl on April 27, 2015, 02:57:17 pm
Well, this happened :|

(http://i.imgur.com/KojiBAq.png)
Title: Re: Loc - Dany and Vivec
Post by: Loc on April 27, 2015, 05:21:34 pm
YES
Title: Re: Loc - Dany and Vivec
Post by: Loc on April 28, 2015, 01:33:50 pm
Heard from the vet.
Dany has lost some definition in her lungs.
This is usually cause by a growth, fluid, or changes in tissue density. But the upshot is, her lungs are probably not working as well as they could, causing her sluggishness.

My options at this point are:
1. Put her in for invasive surgery, with the understanding that it has very high risks, due to small animals and aesthetic, and also her reduced lung function, and may not tell us anything anyway.
2. Monitor her, try and make things easier for her, with the understanding that if she starts to suffer, putting her down will be recommended.

This might be something she's always had. It might be something she can fight off and sort out on her own, with a little assistance. It might not. I don't know.
Title: Re: Loc - Dany and Vivec
Post by: Loc on April 30, 2015, 06:58:33 pm
Dany seems to be improving. A combination of a helping hand onto her basking spot in the morning, warmer temperatures and a new UV lamp are slowly making her more active. She's scoffing up wax worms and spends a good five hours early in the day ambling up and down her logs. I'm hopeful that this shows she can get by with a little extra help.
Title: Re: Loc - Dany and Vivec
Post by: Loc on May 11, 2015, 12:08:49 pm
Dany had her vet follow-up x-rays today.

The lumps have gone completely and her lungs are unchanged.

The vet is concerned that she might have fluid buildup in the chest area, which usually points to heart failure, but if so it's been going on a while and she is still trucking. There is no medication currently existing for heart failure in reptiles, and due to the positioning of the heart, x-rays don't show anything and echocardiograms are hard to interpret, due to reptiles not having four chambered hearts. However, heart failure patients of any species can have decently long, happy lives. And it is only a maybe - her heart could be fine.

She's had as much of an all clear as she is going to, and is back at home with me. I'm going to keep on going giving her extra support, although she is going to have the fatty waxworms cut back on.
Title: Re: Loc - Dany and Vivec
Post by: Loc on June 02, 2015, 08:00:41 pm
Vivec shed a few weeks ago. His first shed with me, and it was a good one - His eyes misted a little bit for a few days, cleared, and then the next day he'd shed in one long, continuous piece along the back wall of his tank. Tail tip and eye caps all there. It's a bit rumpled around the neck and the lower jaw is gone, but it's a wonderful shed. I plan to try and keep it in a scrap book.

Dany likes soup. I was drinking some from a mug and on the offchance she wanted some (it was tomato soup) put a little bit in the syringe she had her antibiotics in and splodged it on her snout. She started licking it up and changed to her happy colours (pure white stomach, pink beard and yellow back), so I kept gently squirting it onto her nose while she drank it.

I'm now blending her some veg every day with a bit of water and making lizard smoothies for her. It's the only way I can get her to eat her veg, and she seems to tolerate it at worst and loves some flavours. So far, tomato is still her favourite. Only downside is it is very messy - I have to drip it onto the end of her nose and she then drinks it when it falls onto her mouth, but she misses bits that end up going down her beard. So I have to feed her on a towel and mop her up afterwards XD
Title: Re: Loc - Dany and Vivec
Post by: Old Rabbit on June 07, 2015, 12:43:30 pm
It's interesting how colours show the emotional condition of your pet snake.

I suppose it's related to how emotional stresses affect her blood circulation.

Hopefully she is doing better. :orbunny:
Title: Re: Loc - Dany, Vivec, and....?
Post by: Loc on July 28, 2015, 05:33:02 pm
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/526/19909137179_7e40e5c83b_b.jpg)
Meet Gelbstoff.

She belongs to a uni friend (K) who has been fostering her with another uni friend (M) for a few months while she was in America. M is moving back to Australia, and K is moving to America for at least six months, possibly longer, and she can't take Gelb with her (shipping her there and then maybe back again would be too traumatic). So today, I got an email asking if I would be interested in long term fostering Gelb. She's a carrot tail leopard gecko, somewhere around 3 or 4 (but she's a rescue like my Dany, so exact ages are unknown). I'm going to be talking to K and M to work out a time that I can collect her from M's house. K is heartbroken to have to leave her behind, but I've promised her a loving foster home for as long as she needs it. She's apparently a very sweet, mild tempered little thing.

So if all goes well, my little reptile family will be up to three in the next few months. Even more reptile updates XD
Title: Re: [Loc] Dany, Vivec, and....?
Post by: phinox on July 28, 2015, 06:45:23 pm
I love leopard Geckos. My friend has one and he used to let me feed it. Shame my parents hate reptiles. :'(
Title: Re: [Loc] Dany, Vivec, and....?
Post by: Loc on July 28, 2015, 07:15:32 pm
I don't get how people can hate reptiles. They can be such laid back, relaxed little things with a bit of love and care. I'm told Gelb likes to cling onto people and ride around while they go about their day. How cute is that? :) How can people hate something that hides in your hair and peeps out at the TV.
Title: Re: [Loc] Dany, Vivec, and....?
Post by: phinox on July 28, 2015, 07:21:02 pm
I know. I ueed to have a few grass snakes that live in my garden. Obviously I never went up to them but I used to watch them from my back door window. They stopped coming after a fox decided to start coming in. Which means we were constantly checking on my rabbit to see if he was okay (nothing happened).
Title: Re: [Loc] Dany, Vivec, and....?
Post by: Loc on July 28, 2015, 07:25:35 pm
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-j0E2Y3JDHKM/VbgOKUFo32I/AAAAAAAABVA/ACZ4MC6zIDs/w759-h569-no/2015-07-28.jpg)
A Dany update as well.

She has a new tank - a 4 foot x 2 x 2. She has a lot more floor space - a foot extra length and half a foot height and width. It seems to agree with her so far - She's been a lot more active. She has more space to turn around and is actually climbing a bit now - Not very well, due to her leg problems, but she's trying. She actually ran across her tank earlier today to come to my hand and boop against me.

Her tank is on the floor now instead of on a table, and I like lying next to it with a couple of pillows and having a read. I leave the glass open on one side, and she wanders in and out of her tank as she likes, climbing on to me and then heading back in when she gets cold. Free range reptile. But only while supervised - She's decided she likes to climb wires at the moment, and I don't want her doing that and getting into trouble.

Dany's old tank is going to be fixed up (it needs a lot done to make it fully secure) and then used as Vivec's adult tank.
Title: Re: [Loc] Dany, Vivec, and....?
Post by: charcoal on July 28, 2015, 07:51:30 pm
Hey loc can I get your advice on what I should get I'm caught between a tortoise or a gecko
Title: Re: [Loc] Dany, Vivec, and....?
Post by: Loc on July 28, 2015, 07:58:12 pm
Read up on both first. I've only had very limited experience fostering a tortoise and have never had a gecko before. Things to think about:

Feeding - Are you okay with providing live food? Can you get hold of live food easily? Tortoises are vegetarian, while geckos need live insects. Some people are not good with handling and looking after insects (yes, they need looking after too before they get eaten), and if you don't have easy access to a pet shop or the space to breed your own insects, an insectivore might be tricky.
Temperatures - Does where you live lend itself better to the required temps for one or the other?
Hibernation - Tortoises famously can do it for several months of the year. Can you provide a safe place for them to do it? Would you want a pet that you can't interact with for long stretches?
Activity time - Do you have to stick to a rigid schedule of sleeping? Tortoises are more active during the day, but some gecko species are nocturnal. Having a pet that is on a similar schedule to yours if you are fairly fixed can make cleaning, handling and feeding easier as you won't have to stress them out by waking them up.
Space - Read up on tank requirements for them both. Are you pressed for space?
Life span - Tortoises are a very long lived species. Leopard geckos average 6-12 years, but some are alive and breeding into their late 20s. Are you willing to invest the decades needed to look after them?

Reptiles need a lot of reading up on them before buying. From what I know though, both tortoises and geckos are fairly hardy and laid back, for the most part - They're generally good starter reptiles. But without knowing your living situations I can't recommend one over the other I'm afraid.
Title: Re: [Loc] Dany, Vivec, and....?
Post by: charcoal on July 29, 2015, 09:42:17 am
Ok thanks loc
Title: Re: [Loc] Dany, Vivec, and....?
Post by: Loc on July 29, 2015, 10:11:01 am
No worries :)

And since the others have had pictures, here's Vivec, giving a little tongueflick to the camera.
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/523/19491517914_8672072f9b_z.jpg)
Title: Re: [Loc] Dany, Vivec, and....?
Post by: charcoal on July 30, 2015, 02:57:03 am
Aww he's so cute how old is he
Title: Re: [Loc] Dany, Vivec, and....?
Post by: Loc on July 30, 2015, 10:27:09 am
Vivec's 8 months. He hatched in November 2014.
Dany's between 4 and 5 years.
Gelb is 3 or 4 years.
Title: Re: [Loc] Dany, Vivec, and....?
Post by: Loc on August 06, 2015, 12:55:39 pm
Gelbstoff is joining my little family on Tuesday :3
Title: Re: [Loc] Gelbstoff arrives
Post by: Loc on August 11, 2015, 02:56:24 pm
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/531/20499789961_e6431e7ff5_o.jpg)

I picked up Gelbstoff today.

Her tank needs some work done - She has no damp hide, no calcium dish, no thermostat for her heat mat and was on sand. The sand is gone and she is now on newspaper, a damp hide has been improvised, a thermostat is on order, and I'm going shopping tomorrow to pick up a proper hide and some calcium without D3.

She has some retained shed around her feet that is a potential concern. I'm going to give her a day to calm down, and then try and give her a shallow bath tomorrow evening.

The guy who has been looking after her up until now has not handled her much, if at all. While she is okay with hands in her tank and being petted, she doesn't like actually being picked up. I held her to take her out of the travel box, holding her low over her tank. once she was in my hands, she was calm enough, licking at me. But she's going to take a little bit of work.
Title: Re: [Loc] Gelbstoff arrives
Post by: Iara Warriorfeather on August 12, 2015, 12:39:23 am
Your reptile family keeps growing! It was so kind of you to foster the lizard...so many times pet owners lose their pets during a move and it's heartbreaking... :'( Glad all is well  (:
Title: Re: [Loc] Gelbstoff arrives
Post by: Loc on August 12, 2015, 10:23:27 am
K was so upset she couldn't take Gelby with her, and wanted to know she'd be looked after and loved while she's gone. She's been a good friend to me for about three years now, and I couldn't say no to Gelby's cute little face. K is repaying me costs for food and anything else Gelby needs.

I got her a new hide to use as a damp hide today, as well as a little reptile hammock. She was trying to climb the glass last night, so I thought she might appreciate something there to scramble up. She was active almost all of last night (I went to bed at 4am, and she was still out then) and was out again until 11:30am. She's asleep under her cold side box at present, just her chubby little tail poking out. She's going to get a bath tonight if she's calm enough, and I'm going to offer her some food.

Within three hours of coming to her new home, she had desecrated it by pooping everywhere XD Still, suppose that shows that the sand she was on hasn't bound up her insides at all, so I don't have to worry about potential impaction.
Title: Re: [Loc] Gelbstoff arrives
Post by: Jackie on August 13, 2015, 06:11:47 pm
And what a lovely and exotic little creature she is! Congratulations on a new addition to your family Loc... ^-^
Title: Re: [Loc] Gelbstoff arrives
Post by: Loc on August 13, 2015, 07:38:39 pm
Gelby is eating and hunting well. She lets me pet her around the head for a little while, will walk over my hands to get somewhere, and sat on my palm for a few seconds before pinging off. She's not aggressive or even defensive, just doesn't really want to know.

I managed to get her into a damp box for a few minutes to help the stuck shed on her feet. She's already lost a couple of toe tips under her previous owners - It doesn't bother her in the slightest (she's only missing the very ends and the claws) but I don't want her to lose more if I can help it.
Title: Re: [Loc] Gelbstoff arrives
Post by: Loc on August 19, 2015, 08:52:37 am
Gelb has got most of the shed off her feet, just a bit stuck around her claws now. She's not in danger of losing a foot to blood loss any more.

She also let me hold her properly last night. She was climbing all over her tank, and walked onto my hands and let me lift her for a good ten minutes. I'm handling her over her tank only as she can be a bit unpredictable with when she decides to go catapulting off - She nearly sprang out of her tank last night. She's slowly getting used to me though, and realising I'm not going to hurt her.

Bought her a feeding dish, a fourth type of worm (which Dany can eat too) and some crickets for her to hunt. Also made her a proper damp hide from a takeaway box and some wet paper towels. She's not sold on it for anything other than a climbing frame yet, but she has the option of it.

Caught her drinking yesterday to :3 I love seeing the reptiles drink, it's just so rare. Dany drinks perhaps once a month, Vivec every other week (but usually in the middle of the night), and I have no idea how often leos drink.
Title: Re: [Loc] Gelbstoff arrives
Post by: Loc on August 19, 2015, 07:56:19 pm
Gelby and I have definitely reached a turning point :) She climbed out the tank onto my lap, went scuttling up my shirt, perched on my shoulder for a little while, ambled down my back and then explored the bed a bit, and let me carry her on my hands to and from her tank.
Title: Re: [Loc] Gelbstoff arrives
Post by: Loc on August 26, 2015, 05:09:29 pm
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5662/20720982539_373b25f3a8.jpg)
I tried to take some nice photos of Gelby the other night.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5712/20898020912_f484355a16.jpg)
She had other ideas however, and was more intersted in getting at my phone than sitting still. Then she climbed onto it and started licking the lens.
Title: Re: [Loc] Gelbstoff arrives
Post by: 9141702 on August 30, 2015, 01:28:58 pm
She's so pretty :D I can't wait to meet her and feed her a tasty worm or two!
Title: Re: [Loc] Gelbstoff arrives
Post by: Loc on September 06, 2015, 07:43:15 am
Here is Gelby (https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5723/20999512988_149fab4d92_o.jpg). I don't want to scale this photo down, it looks better full sized.

Fern took this when he came round yesterday to feed and fuss on the trio of reptiles. It's the best photo of Gelby so far.
Title: Re: [Loc] Gelbstoff arrives
Post by: Loc on September 15, 2015, 07:05:26 am
Vivec had a lovely shed today, and I got it early before it dried and crinkled up on itself. So I measured it - 26 inches of skin, which means between 22 - 25 inches of snake (as the skin stretches to come off). He needs a tank upgrade once he hits 30 inches, so I'm going to try and get Dany's old tank cleaned, sealed and redecorated for his one year birthday in November.
Title: Re: [Loc] Gelbstoff arrives
Post by: 9141702 on September 17, 2015, 04:26:37 pm
I already have some ideas for that! The basic structure, that is.... :3 We'll make him a fine big-boy nest!
Title: Re: [Loc] Gelbstoff arrives
Post by: Loc on September 19, 2015, 11:38:15 am
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/563/21515120036_3775036b4e_b.jpg) Even more Gelby! Half dressed this time.
Title: Re: [Loc] Gelby is here to stay!
Post by: Loc on October 26, 2015, 01:05:14 pm
It's official. Gelby is my gecko for life.

K told me the other day that she and her fella in the States are not planning on returning to the UK. She asked if I would mind keeping Gelby for the rest of her life.

So the little gecko is now a permanent part of my home :3
Title: Re: [Loc] Gelby is here to stay!
Post by: Loc on October 28, 2015, 05:52:31 pm
https://www.flickr.com/photos/85542275@N04/shares/521heL

Here is a link to a bonus snake video, to show how much the little guy is growing. He's pretty chill and lazy in this one, as he's in the middle of preparing for a shed - His skin will be coming off in the next few days, so he's feeling a bit vulnerable and shy. But he's still happy to be held and have a climb around me.

Excuse the cheerful reindeer jumper >.> I was feeling a bit chilly after a shower and it was the first thing I grabbed.

EDIT: Vivec shed about three hours after this video. He is now shiny, bright and very very lively.
Title: Re: [Loc] Gelby is here to stay!
Post by: Loc on November 14, 2015, 02:33:42 pm
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/616/22989664386_335ec30f1e_b.jpg)
Spot the snake.

Vivec is 1 year old today! He has been moved into his adult tank, which is Dany's old tank. Fern came round and helped me fix it up. He has 5 hides at various temperatures (2 damp hides for shedding), a nice, thick layer of aspen to hide in, and some rough bits of bark. He's shy and unsure at the moment, but he should be settled in before his next feed.
Title: Re: [Loc] New nest
Post by: Loc on December 13, 2015, 03:28:46 pm
So I have recently bought a house with Syi, and today the reptiles were moved in, with the help of Fern.

Gelby didn't enjoy being put in a box, but let me pick her up to move her to and from it, which is a huge step from where she was even a few weeks ago. Vivec didn't want to go into his transport - a pillowcase - and knotted himself around my wrist for a while. He is also in the middle of a shed, and is mostly blind and feeling very vulnerable. But once he was in, he got settled and was a very good snake. Dany is a pro at moving, and plopped herself into her box and just sat and watched the world go by. They are now all in a bedroom, christened the Reptile Room, and with luck, they will never have to move house again in their lives.
Title: Re: [Loc] New nest
Post by: Jackie on December 17, 2015, 10:48:38 pm
Awesome to hear that you've got yourselves a new home Loc! I hope you are setlling in well there.

I know a lot of Herpetology students who'd probably love to meet Dany, Gelby, and Vivec. ^-^
Title: Re: [Loc] New nest
Post by: Loc on December 30, 2015, 04:45:59 pm
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1532/23963906912_1bc10cfe9f_o.jpg)
Vivec is now big and confident enough to be a scarf.
Title: Re: [Loc] New nest
Post by: Loc on January 05, 2016, 04:19:26 pm
https://flic.kr/p/CiLrMc

Gelby, strutting her gecko stuff.
Title: Re: [Loc] New nest
Post by: Loc on June 08, 2016, 11:33:04 am
There's going to be more photos of Gelby in the next week or so. I'm going to be moving her into a larger tank. Her current one was very empty when I got her, and filling it with things to entertain her and keep her feeling safe have made it a bit lacking in floor space. So I'm going to go visit Fern and the shop we bought little Vivec from, and come home with a larger tank for her.
Title: Re: [Loc] I appear to have changed colour...
Post by: Loc on July 06, 2016, 06:56:25 pm
Kind of odd for my name colour to not match my fur any more...
Title: Re: [Loc] I appear to have changed colour...
Post by: Kobuk on July 06, 2016, 07:20:15 pm
Then it stands to reason that you'll have to change your fur color to red to match your new name color. ;)  :D
Title: Re: [Loc] I appear to have changed colour...
Post by: Loc on July 07, 2016, 04:01:27 am
It's really the only reasonable option I have at this point
/me sighs and gets the hair dye
Title: Re: [Loc] I appear to have changed colour...
Post by: Storm Fox on July 07, 2016, 06:09:33 am
Red dye on blue hair...
...And now you're purple. :D
Title: Re: [Loc] I appear to have changed colour...
Post by: Loc on July 07, 2016, 06:12:34 am
Hey, I've had purple hair IRL. It's not so bad xD

Also had red and blue hair... And green, blonde, ginger, black, brown, tricolour...
Title: Re: [Loc] I appear to have changed colour...
Post by: Storm Fox on July 07, 2016, 06:21:37 am
Presenting...

Loc and the amazing technicolor dreamhair!
Title: Re: [Loc] I appear to have changed colour...
Post by: Loc on July 07, 2016, 06:24:28 am
And all the colours in that rainbow are things I've had XD

Well, the blonde was closer to white than yellow, and was just a base colour to dye over, but close enough, right?

The blue was my favourite, closely followed by the unintentional tricolour. But it was so expensive to do xD My real hair is very thick and dark. To get a good platinum blonde to dye over took two packets of bleach and four hours spread across two days. A lot of hassle.
Title: Re: [Loc] I appear to have changed colour...
Post by: Kobuk on July 07, 2016, 01:03:01 pm
Presenting...

Loc and the amazing technicolor dreamhair!

Such a comedian.  :P
Title: Re: [Loc] Dany has done it again
Post by: Loc on August 18, 2016, 03:34:29 pm
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8551/28785372600_652c488e5a_o.jpg)
27 eggs. All in one clutch, laid a few hours ago by my darling little bearded dragon.

As last time, she looked tiny, scruffy and exhausted. And once again, oddly for a beardie, she was guarding her nest. She objected a little when I took her out to dig the nest up, but calmed down when I gave her a dish of water and a plate of calcium-dusted waxworms, both of which she stuffed her snout into with glee. She's now relaxing under her heat lamp to rest and recover.
Title: Re: [Loc] Dany has done it again
Post by: Loc on August 24, 2016, 06:16:20 pm
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7537/29176110666_7f8e2f3773_z.jpg)
Gelbstoff's eye.
Title: Re: [Loc] Dany has done it again
Post by: Avan on December 05, 2016, 12:05:32 pm
For some reason I was half asleep earlier and thinking dany's name was dany-floofs.

What would you do if one day dany was suddenly fluffy but otherwise completely happy and healthy?
Title: Re: [Loc] Dany has done it again
Post by: Loc on December 05, 2016, 12:51:20 pm
Braid her tiny little floofs and embrace her new life as the only fluffy dragon.

She's brumating for the winter now. I wake her up once a week to give her a drink and a little bit of food, but otherwise she sleeps solidly.
Title: Re: [Loc] Dany has done it again
Post by: Loc on June 12, 2017, 11:36:10 am
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4242/35016640262_b3a530d85f_b.jpg)
Dany continues to do well. She's feeding herself now and is very active outside of her tank. She has started shedding her face, and spends most of her time slithering around on her belly, rubbing her snout on every surface she can.

Vivec is in the middle of breeding season, so is being a little handful. He's also sleeping in the open so he doesn't miss any lady snakes that might happen past, but does tend to get started awake and start rattling his tail. He also decided to take his last feed underwater for no good reason, but it didn't do him any harm. He's outgrown two more hides, and is very suspicious of the new replacement hide. He's about four foot long now, and looks to be set to grow to five foot or more.

It's also breeding season for Gelby, who has stopped eating and started parading around her tank, showing off her new skin. She's not had more than the odd waxworm here and there in about two months, and probably won't start eating properly until mid July. She's dropped down to 99 grams, which is still a good weight for her size.
Title: Re: [Loc] Dany has done it again
Post by: Loc on July 14, 2017, 07:16:16 pm
Five years ago today, I adopted little Dany :3 A tiny little disabled beardie, who had had a tough upbringing and had bones issues.
Today she is a happy, active critter. Still small, but significantly larger than she was.
Title: Re: [Loc] Daniversary
Post by: Loc on September 05, 2017, 05:13:30 pm
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4345/36881021272_b79bd1b96c_b.jpg)
Rapidly approaching the third birthday of this little nose.
Title: Re: [Loc] Snekiversary
Post by: Loc on November 14, 2017, 08:13:26 am
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4449/24318515888_88b9913cfb_b.jpg)
Vivec is three years old today :3 And still as cute as a button.

He's still growing in length, and might wind up just under five foot by the time he starts bulking up. Although he's pretty much mature now and should be done with his growth spurts, so we'll see. He's already on large mice, and if he gets much larger I may have to swap him over to rats.

it also means this coming spring/summer, I'm expecting a handful as his hormones kick in fully. The summer just gone, he was interested in a vague way, but not quite sure what to do as he was still young.

-------

Gelbstoff had to go to the vet a few weeks ago. I was concerned that she had turned brown. Turns out they change colour when they get chilly (it had never been a problem before - I knew that some species, including Dany, change colour with temperature but wasn't aware leopard geckos did) and she just needed her heat mat turned up a few degrees. She has been declared a healthy weight, with a fine plump tail, if a bit feisty. I was told to get her out of her tank more, if she will tolerate it, so I bought a playpen. She's... not convinced by it. She gets a bit scared and tries to hide under things.

Her hammocks are back up in her tank, thanks to Fern, a drill, and some hooks. Now I just need to tweak the height on them so she can climb on and off them easily.

-------

Dany is properly down for the winter. She wakes up twice a week for food, and occasionally turns around in her sleep under her basking log. She is much more fond of the playpen, and will splodge out in it next to a heater while I clean her tank. When the weather warms up, she will be going in for a vet check and a claw trim.
Title: Re: [Loc] Snekiversary
Post by: AwesomeToaster on November 15, 2017, 08:35:01 am
Yay! Belated happy birthday, little orangenoodle :3
Title: Re: [Loc] Snekiversary
Post by: Old Rabbit on March 22, 2018, 10:58:02 am
A very Happy Birthday to you Loc. I hope you have many more.

"Showers you with chocolate chip cookies."

Old Rabbit :orbunny:
Title: Re: [Loc] Snekiversary
Post by: Varg the wanderer on March 22, 2018, 05:57:55 pm
Happy Birthday! :) 
Title: Re: [Loc] Snekiversary
Post by: Loc on March 22, 2018, 09:06:21 pm
Thanks guys :3
Had a quiet night in with the reptiles and Weisseman, playing Starfinder and Warframe.
Title: Re: [Loc] Impending news
Post by: Loc on June 25, 2018, 05:16:58 am
Got some important news coming soon concerning this malamute that some of you may recognise...
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/895/29124819768_73448ecfc8_b.jpg)
Title: Re: [Loc] Kimba the Malamute
Post by: Loc on June 26, 2018, 02:42:52 pm
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1797/42124703225_fb63727053_b.jpg)
This is Kimba, a 7 year old female malamute. She looks a lot like Suki, one of Weisse's parent's malamutes, but the two are not related.

Kimba had an owner, a son named Bear, and her son's father, Timber. Timber got into a fight with another dog one day - no idea who started it, but the police got involved. The owner decided they no longer wanted any of the three dogs, and they were shipped over from an island off the coast of England to an RSPCA shelter.

While there, Timber and Bear were found to have such severe hip dysplacia that even with round the clock pain medication, they would have had no quality of life. They were both put to sleep. Kimba was alone. She was put up for adoption on the shelter's website on the 14th June 2018. Malamutes, despite being friendly and adorable, tend to have a hard time being adopted due to their size, strength, activity needs, grooming needs, and the fact they can be very loud, talkative dogs when they want.

Weisse and I went to go and see her on the 15th June.
We reserved her for adoption pending a home inspection a couple of hours later. 

She has since met at least one of us every day since. She gets excited to see us, and will whine and squeak happily and try to jump fences to see us. She's met Weisse's parents as well as Suki and William, who she gets along with, after some initial uncertainty. She is still suffering a little from losing Bear and Timber - they were only put down a few weeks ago, and having other malamutes to band up with will do her some good. She has also met another 7 year old dog from the same kennel, a Eurasier named Kronus (a former show and stud dog), who is being adopted by a couple Weisse and I are good friends with. They also get along well, although with occasional complaints. Kronus came from a house with 22 other Eurasiers, and can be a bit possessive of his food and water.
In less good news, she has started to become institutionalised from being in the kennels and is refusing to go on walks, wanting to go back to her kennel after a short time outside, and generally being stubborn. But kennel stress, while unfortunate, can be fixed.

Weisse and I had a home visit from a shelter volunteer today, and we have been cleared to adopt Kimba. We're making plans for her to come home with us on Sunday. Both of us are going to take some time off work to get her settled in and used to our house.
Title: Re: [Loc] Kimba the Malamute
Post by: Jade Sinapu on June 26, 2018, 03:01:15 pm
Congratulations Loc on Kimba!
I am sorry to hear about Timber and Bear.
Kimba is very adorable, and I bet she will be a great companion!   Thanks to you both for helping animals in need.

I too love malamutes.  I sure hope that I can adopt one some day.  But it seems so hard sometimes, with life being what it is.  And some of the stories I have heard regarding how stringent the adoption centers are about who gets a dog etc... 

Dog photos Yay! :)
Title: Re: [Loc] Kimba the Malamute
Post by: Loc on June 27, 2018, 07:54:50 am
The local shelter here is very keen to get dogs out and adopted, as they do not put a healthy animal down under any circumstances. Even lifelong problems that can be managed, the animals are not put down - Kronus the Eurasier has a thyroid problem that he will be on medication for for life. We had to fill in a form about our home, jobs, plans for the pet, holiday plans, times we are out, other pets... And the animals cannot be rehomed to the area they came from, for everyone's safety and happiness - Kimba cannot be allowed to go back to the island she came from. Then there is an adoption fee - £150 for a dog. That may sound like a lot, but bear in mind a purebred malamute puppy here costs around £1,000... We also had a home visit, but it was literally to check the house wasn't a trash heap and we had a garden that would be suitable. The shelter gives you a month of food and makes sure the animal is vaccinated, chipped and neutered, but asks you have a tag and collar ready to go before they release the animal to you.

Things may have gone smoother and faster for Weisse and I than normal though - I only have a part time volunteer job, so I've been going in for a while every day (except Tuesdays, when the shelter is closed to the public) to play with her and ask questions. The staff recognise me instantly and are happy to let me take Kimba on walks off-site, or take her to the private play areas behind the kennels. Weisse and I also have a lot of prior experience with the breed, so we're the ideal people to adopt Kimba.

Kimba also has no behavioural problems, aside from the kennel stress. Some dogs they get in have far stricter adoption procedures. Some in the shelter currently need applications filled in and gentle questioning, as the dogs are are so shy or in some cases, can't even stand to be looked at, that they cannot be in the main public part of the kennels.

I would encourage people to think about adopting a pet if they can. Three of my four animals are adopted - Dany, Gelby and now Kimba. When I was a teenager, I inherited a very elderly cat named Pixie from my grandmother, who died when I was 11. Pixie died when she was 21 and I was 15. She had three teeth, was mostly deaf, had arthritis (she taught herself to use a stairlift) and hated men, but she was a very affectionate cat to her family. Vivec is the only animal I have had from a baby.
Adopted pets can have behaviour or health problems though (Dany has health issues, Gelby had a few minor behavioural quirks, Pixie had the normal issues that old age brings), and I can understand that not everyone is equipped to deal with these problems, particularly in larger animals. But if you can handle it, and give them time, they are just as affectionate and lovable as an animal you know from a baby.
Title: Re: [Loc] Kimba the Malamute
Post by: Jade Sinapu on June 27, 2018, 11:41:38 am
I agree that we need to rescue animals.   It's good all around.  And I am glad that you and Weiss are helping out.
It's obvious that you two are ideal candidates.

On another note...
I was turned down because of the following...
I worked 6 to 8 hours per day
I was not married
I rented , not a home owner

So, as it turned out...i got a dog anyway, from a farm.  The dog had a litter, and they needed homes.
I am a programmer who often can work from home, and has for 8 of the 10 years.
I live 20 minutes from work and can come home when needed.
I am devoted to my dog like she were human
I recently paid over 7000 to save her life from bloat.
And have rented the same place for 10 years and it has a large yard.
My dog gets to go walking everyday, hiking in the cool mountains, and sees the vet regularly.
She is old now and I am sticking with her through the problems.

I wish some shelters could be less strict.  I could have saved a dog and given it a decent life.
Instead I got a dog Not from the shelter.  Some shelters forgot that perfect doesn't exist, but "good enough" is all around us.

Next time I will try harder to get a shelter dog.   It's what's right.  And they are just as worthy and good.
Kimba looks like she is having fun with her toy!
Title: Re: [Loc] Kimba the Malamute
Post by: Loc on June 27, 2018, 12:07:56 pm
Your dog sounds very lucky to have you! Mind if I ask to see some pictures of her?

I think the shelters in this country, from what I've heard, tend to be a bit less strict that US shelters. Here, you can rescue if you rent, with a note from your landlord, and my unmarried status never factored into things. And for working, they either like you to work from home or have a plan of who you can leave the dog with during the day, so even that isn't a dealbreaker (dependant on the dog and their issues, of course). It seems odd that they would just dismiss you for those things without asking more about the circumstances (and marital status is none of their business, frankly).

I'll admit I don't know much how non-RSPCA shelters work though.

-----

We're booked in to bring Kimba home on Sunday at 2pm. We've got some water bowls, treats, a months worth of teeth-cleaning chews and a couple of toys. We need to get her a collar (large, in purple) and a tag (Weisse is taken with the idea of a nice pink tag, but we'll get a cheap one first just to use as backup and when we get her, as the heavy duty fancy tags can take longer to deliver), more toys, some food dishes, a bed (she currently sleeps either on the cooler concrete of her kennel, or on an elevated bed) and harness. We'll probably also get her a crate, so she has a quiet place of her own to hide out in.
Title: Re: [Loc] Kimba the Malamute
Post by: Loc on July 01, 2018, 08:32:48 am
Kimba has come home.

She was a nightmare to get in the car. Didn't want to get in at all. Ran away back to the shelter when we tried to get her in the boot, and had to be lifted onto the back seat with me. She then whined a little, stress-dribbled everywhere, paced as much as she could on a car seat before finally trying to stuff herself onto my lap for a cuddle.

She's had a walk around the house on her lead, and is now off-lead and at the point where she is following me like mad. She's still not happy - pacing around and her tail hasn't curled back up yet, but she'll sit and lie down for short periods and is eating treats and drinking. We get the occasional wag, but she's not sure she won't just be taken away from here again, like she was taken from her first home and then taken from the shelter.

She has been playing with her new balls, wandering around the garden with me, and is now lying next to the sofa having a fuss while I read her behavioural notes from the shelter. It seems like she was in there for about a month, and her mate and son were put to sleep a week or so into her stay there.
Title: Re: [Loc] Kimba the Malamute
Post by: Loc on July 02, 2018, 01:26:02 am
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1829/43094386032_b7a1e1c126.jpg)
And we are through the first night.

Kimba wasn't too bad. She has bouts of whining, which we are putting down to anxiety and itching - her stomach fur is still growing back in from when they attempted to spay her at the shelter (only to find her chip was out of date and, despite what it said, she had already been spayed). We let her roam around the house as she wanted, closing doors or putting stair gates where we didn't want her to go. I think she slept in the hallway most of the night. We were a bit worried about what she would do if she wanted the bathroom, but she came and woke us up so we could take her out. The issue now is that she's awake and it isn't time for us to get up yet, so she's restless. We also don't know what time she went out or had breakfast at the shelter.

We also found out from reading her notes yesterday that she is not a pure-bred malamute. She's a malamute X. Not sure what she's crossed with, but it barely shows. She has a slightly narrower chest than I would expect, and has a way of standing that is somewhat reminiscent of a german shepherd, but that's all. She's got to be 90% mute.
Title: Re: [Loc] Kimba the Malamute
Post by: Loc on July 16, 2018, 07:39:56 am
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1789/42728109444_7e8d525fb7_z.jpg)
We are now two weeks in.

Kimba is settled inside the house and garden. She sleeps through the night, and is willing to wait for her morning walk until nearly 8am. She has started actually going on morning walks now - she still refuses her evening walk.

With some help from the behavioural therapist on Friday, we are training her to deal with cars. She will walk onto and across the back seats, sit in the footwell for a short time, and jump into the boot. We haven't started closing doors, securing her into the car, or moving yet. The therapist is back this Friday to start working on lead walking, so we can take her out on proper long walks.

She still has separation anxiety - When Weisse went to work this morning, she cried for half an hour. I went to a barbacue yesterday afternoon and she cried for about the same. This is still an improvement over when we first got her, and she would cry for four hours or more.

She is fine with Suki and William, as long as they are not in her house. Suki especially. The two girls are both very alpha personalities, and have clashed over who should be where in the pecking order. Last time, Suki came into the house off-lead (which I would have objected to had I known in advance) and they two fought. Kimba started it, and cut Suki's ear. Out in the garden, they are fine, but Kimba objects to them in the house. We're training her to see that it isn't her choice or her concern who comes into the house, as she is not in charge - Weisse and I are. In the mean time, they are only socialising outside.

I will confess, I had the Puppy Blues. I wondered if we had done the right thing, if we were ready for a dog, and regretted getting her as my life had massively changed, and her behavioural issues meant I couldn't take her to all the places I had dreamed of taking her. The first week, where she refused to go out, cried all the time, and I was dealing with it largely alone (Weisse was working) was tough - I was sleep deprived as she didn't sleep through the night and I had to get up earlier than I was used to to walk her, and her upset meant I had to doze on the sofa in ten minute bursts. I'm glad to say that has gone. She is a very good, intelligent dog and I'm very glad we have her in our life.

---------------------

(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8426/7837633448_0b2d3abafd.jpg)
It is also the six year anniversary of Dany arriving in my house! She's had her issues - She is an ill little thing, but so wonderfully relaxed and friendly. This is the first photo I ever took of her, the first time I held her. She's better than ever these days - eating fairly well, reasonably active, considering her health problems. For Dany and Gelby, I consider the day I adopted them to be their birthday, as the actual date is unknown. So happy birthday Dany!
Title: Re: [Loc] Kimba the Malamute
Post by: Kay Alett on July 16, 2018, 01:19:13 pm
It's nice to hear that she's improving. Adopting an older dog means a world of issues different from a puppy but it's a wonderful thing to the animal to have a family take them in and care for them.
Good on you. It's too bad you won't be able to take her to all the places you would like as well, perhaps given enough time she might be at ease enough to go there?

Also good that you're stepping in and showing the girls who is boss. People laugh about the concept of a person being "pack leader" cause of the dog whisperer but it's a very true thing. I've owned enough dogs to know that if you don't step up and make some kind of show of dominance they'll stop listening to you.

On another note have you considered getting a little kennel thing for her to sleep in?
Reading back through the posts she seems to like smaller places and while watching a youtube channel gonetothesnowdogs their dog Oakley sleeps in one but it's not closed or anything. I think they removed the door so it's basically a metal box with one opening; with a doggie bed inside and some blankets laid over the top to make it dark.
Title: Re: [Loc] Kimba the Malamute
Post by: Loc on July 16, 2018, 03:34:40 pm
We hope, with a couple more sessions with the trainer, we will be able to get her in cars and on proper walks. Short ones to start with, but she's already showing massive improvements after one session so we are hopeful we will have her going to the park and on good walks or short car trips in a few more months.

The trainer we have did learn from the Dog Whisperer for a while, and her training school is called "Leader of the Pack". She is big on "you are the leader, your dog should respect you, they are pack animals and they see you as pack". Part of the issue I had is that I have only owned pets which don't have a strict social structure, or any at all (non-social reptiles), and I was treating Kimba too much like them. It's a bit hard to break myself of that, but she is showing improvements and listening to me more. The training is less about forcing a dog to do what you want and more about making the dog realise it can't always do what it wants. She is a well trained dog, for a lot of things, and she is intelligent, a quick learner - we've already taught her the cues for going on a walk and to jump onto a surface, and we're working on the command to go to the bathroom before bed. She is also intelligent enough to know when she can get away with being stubborn, and in the shelter she got away with it all the time - She didn't want to go on a walk? Well, shelter was understaffed, don't have time to train her, take her back to her kennel and leave her be.

She has a large crate to sleep in, covered over with a blanket, and lined with the blanket she had in the shelter. Weisse's parents two malamutes, Suki and Will, were both crate trained as puppies and see their crate as a safe space to hide out in. Kimba refuses to use it. Won't go into it. Her ball went inside it once and she stretched her neck as much as she could to get it without going in. She doesn't seem to really like small spaces. She has options of where to sleep all over the house, and she chooses an open space in the living room (or on a sofa - We showed her she was allowed on sofas early on, as neither of us had any objections to her being on them with us. Getting her onto sofas and the bed also helped with the "jump up" command, which we now use to get her into the boot of the car). I don't know if she was ever crate/kennel trained, or if being in a small space reminds her of unpleasant times, but she doesn't like it. She's sleeping well and through the whole night now, so we're just leaving her to it.
Title: Re: [Loc] Kimba the Malamute
Post by: Kay Alett on July 16, 2018, 11:56:13 pm
Awesome! :D

My family used to have a lot of dogs. A lot of dogs and many were kind of small, runty dogs but they were all very smart. One that we had, named "Dog" could even speak some words in english! Maybe it was because his parents were brother and sister :D I'm not joking they were. But Dog knew how to say some words. I'll never forget the first time we discovered it.
We were moving to a new trailer and had our dogs in little cages to move them around. They were cool and calm and relaxed all the way there but then we sat the sat the cage down that held Dog and Freeway (A cute little black mutt dog that looked identical to Toto from The Wizard of Oz, I swear to god)
Anyway mom and I were moving stuff in and Dog wanted out of the cage, I feel it's important to note we treat our dogs like people; like human beings wearing fur, and we talk to them as though they understand everything we say.

Mom and I looked and saw Dog scratching furiously at the cage, wanting out. Mom held a hand up and said "Hey, we'll let you out in a minute just wait."
Then it happened.
Dog let out this long whine, this shrill, high pitched whine and opened his mouth and in a strange mix of howling, whine and growling at once he let out this wail that sounded like scooby doo after taking a kick to the...you get my meaning. The words were clear. "I want out."
or more like "Rye ruhun ow"

Mom and I heard him wail this repeatedly and we looked at each other like we'd seen a ghost.
"Did he just say he wants out?" My mother asked.
"I'm glad you heard it that way too." I replied.

Dog continued scraping his claws against the cage, desperately trying to dig his way through.
We stepped up.
"What did you say?" Mom asked.
Dog paused and looked at her, then ducked his head down and dug at the floor of the cage and once more wailed "Rye ruhun ow" with Freeway laying beside him like nothing was wrong.

What else could we do? We let him out. An animal screams in your own language what they want how can you refuse?

And Dog was able to speak a few other words. Whenever our big Border collie/lab mix dog Milo disturbed his sleeping Dog would get up, let out a series of growls and when we listened He'd say "Milo" within those growls. And only when Milo did it. If someone else bothered him we would't hear it. We tested it out by waking him up from naps and while he'd do the various low growls like someone grumbling under their breath he wouldn't say "Milo".

And as for Milo, he was very intelligent. My dad trained Milo to fetch his harness for walkies, his leash/lead, to hand dad the proper end with the clasp and also to fetch dad's mud boots (Wellies) for when it was muddy out.

Sorry this went on kinda long. I just have a massive love of how intelligent dogs can be when people treat them the same as people. Obviously you still have to maintain the pecking order of the pack, but you need to do that in human social groups as well so we're not that dissimilar from each other.
Title: Re: [Loc] Kimba the Malamute
Post by: Loc on October 04, 2018, 08:31:23 am
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1942/44374773364_a043217f8b.jpg)
According to her chip, today is Kimba's birthday. She's 7. We've had her for three months. In theory, we are due for a home checkup from the shelter any day now.

She's settling in well. Training is ongoing - she will get into cars happily, she loves to get in them. But will cry and whine when she's secured in or we start to move. She is still anxious to go new places that are outside, and taking her for walks involves going the route she knows and loves, and then adding a small amount on to the end to gently push her limits. She doesn't like being left alone, but will deal with it for an hour or two. She and I have fallen into a morning and early afternoon routine, which suits both of us fine for the time being.

Excuse her wonky smooshed headfluff in that picture, she had been lying across my laptop.
Title: Re: [Loc] Dany's Surgery
Post by: Loc on February 09, 2019, 09:21:25 am
(https://fluff.nekojimi.moe/i/PAT.jpg)
Dany had surgery yesterday.

In November, she developed a lump on her side. It was gently cut open and cleaned out under a local anaesthetic, and the vet announced it was a cyst full of necrotic tissue. Due to Dany having bad lungs, it couldn't be removed - general anaesthetic ran too high risks of her going into respiratory arrest. The cyst wall had to be left in place. Sadly, this meant that the chances of it coming back were higher.

Sure enough, it came back. She had to have it removed this time or she had an increased infection risk (and she has a compromised immune system). Removal under local was impossible - the cut needed to remove it would have gone down too far (I was told the vet would have literally been seeing her ribcage, as the muscle layer is not very thick) and stitching up an awake and active reptile wouldn't happen. The vet assured me he would use an anesthetic that has as little effect on breathing as possible, and Dany would be on a ventilator the whole time. If she started to have trouble, she'd be woken up right away and he would stop and close her up.

The operation went with no issues. It took longer to get her asleep than it took to cut the lump out (she is apparently resistant to anaesthetic) and she was breathing unaided the whole time. She had three stitches (visible on the right) and is missing a handful of spikes (which will not grow back). The lump came out nice and easily, no bleeding or leaking, and she was eating and drinking this morning. She is probably quite sore, so I am handling her as little as possible and very carefully when I do.

She goes back for a post-op check on Monday, and the stitches will be in until March - estimated removal is 3-4 weeks (as reptiles have different healing rates to mammals). But it's all looking optimistic.

I've also decided that I will ask for the optional biopsy to be done on the lump - Chances are it is just a cyst, but it will be good to know for sure, and to know if it is likely to reoccur elsewhere down the line.

For now, I'm just happy to have the little trooper home and recovering nicely.
Title: Re: [Loc] Dany's Surgery
Post by: Old Rabbit on March 22, 2019, 12:58:41 pm
Happy Birthday to you Loc.

I hope your havilng a fine day.

"Showers you with chocolate chip cookies."

Old Rabbit :orbunny:
Title: Re: [Loc] Dany's Surgery
Post by: FarFar on March 22, 2019, 03:28:22 pm
Hope Dany is still doing well.

And, I love the most recent pic of Kimba. I had a husky like her, but she was grey in color.
Title: Re: [Loc] Dany's Surgery
Post by: Loc on March 23, 2019, 08:38:53 am
So I spent a chunk of my birthday at the vet with Dany, having x-rays of her feet and lower legs.

Which are a bit of a mess. She's had multiple fractures in her toes which have healed very crooked. Her bones just flat out developed wrong in places. I actually hate her previous owners.

She has arthritis and it looks like her previous MBD is getting weird with age. She may be in the process of self-amputating a very damaged toe (if so then it has been slowly happening over YEARS with no bad effects), but it may just be getting super gnarly with arthritis. If it does come off, it won't bother her and I can keep it clean. The vet is pretty confident that she is in no pain at all for the time being, and if she does develop pain then we can treat her for it.

The lizard endures.
Title: Re: [Loc] Dany's Surgery
Post by: FarFar on March 23, 2019, 08:50:13 am
So I spent a chunk of my birthday at the vet with Dany, having x-rays of her feet and lower legs.

Which are a bit of a mess. She's had multiple fractures in her toes which have healed very crooked. Her bones just flat out developed wrong in places. I actually hate her previous owners.

She has arthritis and it looks like her previous MBD is getting weird with age. She may be in the process of self-amputating a very damaged toe (if so then it has been slowly happening over YEARS with no bad effects), but it may just be getting super gnarly with arthritis. If it does come off, it won't bother her and I can keep it clean. The vet is pretty confident that she is in no pain at all for the time being, and if she does develop pain then we can treat her for it.

The lizard endures.

Yikes. That stinks. Sure hope she improves. She is in good hands now with you.
Title: Re: [Loc] Dany's Surgery
Post by: Loc on March 23, 2019, 11:13:23 pm
Her arthritis will probably get worse with age, sadly - it's just the way it goes. She's 8 now and an average age of beardies in captivity is 10-12, so she's starting to get on (and doing very well, considering her host of medical issues). Still, it isn't bothering her in the slightest and her MBD is under control and has been for years.
Title: Re: [Loc] Dany's Surgery
Post by: Avan on April 26, 2019, 09:38:54 pm
We hope dany is doing well (all things considered), such a good little pancake
Title: Re: [Loc] Dany's Surgery
Post by: FarFar on April 28, 2019, 09:10:54 am
Well wishes to Dany!
Title: Re: [Loc] Kimba's Legs
Post by: Loc on May 08, 2019, 03:56:46 pm
Dany is doing well. She had another health scare recently, but it was the early stages of dehydration combined with slight muscle tone loss related to her age. She is getting elderly.

Kimba had some x-rays done today as she has been limping for a few months. We were worried it may be the early stages of hip dysplacia.

The good news is that her hips are perfect. The limping is she has a ruptured cruciate ligament - This is a band of tissue that attaches the femur to the tibia, preventing the tibia from shifting forwards and helps stop the knee from over-extending or rotating. It looks like when hers ruptured, it took off a piece of bone with it which is now floating loose near the joint. We don't know when or how the injury happened. Some dog breeds are just prone to it over time with wear and tear on the ligament.

This injury is very fixable with surgery. Which kind she has will be up to the vet at the time, but there are two surgeries which involve cutting the bone and render the ligament basically redundant. We are going to book her in for an operation as soon as possible.
Title: Re: [Loc] Kimba's Legs
Post by: FarFar on May 09, 2019, 03:38:56 pm
I hope that Kimba makes a quick and healthy recovery!
Title: Re: [Loc] Dany
Post by: Loc on May 17, 2019, 07:23:22 pm
Dany passed away around 11:40pm on the 17th. She had become ill, had emergency surgery, and never woke up from the anaesthetic.
I will be bringing her home as soon as I can.
Title: Re: [Loc] Dany
Post by: FarFar on May 17, 2019, 07:37:20 pm
I'm sorry for your loss.   :'(
Title: Re: [Loc] Dany
Post by: Storm Fox on May 20, 2019, 06:39:57 am
Sorry about your little beardie friend.
Hope you are otherwise doing okay, it's never easy to lose a beloved pet.
Title: Re: [Loc] Dany
Post by: Loc on May 20, 2019, 07:04:45 am
It's rough. It's really, really rough. I'm not coping well at all. It's still too raw and recent. I love her and miss her, and want her back more than I've ever wanted anything.
Title: Re: [Loc] Dany
Post by: Jade Sinapu on May 20, 2019, 06:11:36 pm
Loc,
I wish I had signed in earlier.
It's clear how much Danny means to you and others, based upon how hard this is for you!  It would be hard for me too.
You care so much about her, and she knew it I bet.  Sounds like you did everything you could to help her out.
She passed away in a peaceful manner, which is all we can ask for at times.

You are an amazing pet caretaker, and if I were a pet, I would ask for an owner like you!
Depending on what you believe, she and you may meet again.


Science tells us we have conservation of matter and energy.  The energy that makes us alive, where does it go?
Some is lost to heat, some is converted, some is propagating through all of space, influencing all it touches.
In effect, she is never lost.

*Hugs*
 :'(



Title: Re: [Loc] Dany
Post by: FarFar on May 22, 2019, 08:37:43 am
It's rough. It's really, really rough. I'm not coping well at all. It's still too raw and recent. I love her and miss her, and want her back more than I've ever wanted anything.

*hugs*
Title: Re: [Loc] Dany
Post by: Iara Warriorfeather on July 14, 2019, 09:39:50 pm
Loc, I am sorry to hear of Dany...I hope you are well
Title: Re: [Loc] Dany
Post by: Loc on July 22, 2019, 09:10:31 am
It's been a little over two months. I'm still not doing well. The nightmares are out in full force.
Title: Re: [Loc] Dany
Post by: FarFar on July 22, 2019, 11:21:50 am
Things will get better for you. Its hard to believe that now. One day at a time and it will get better. ((((hugs))))
Title: Re: [Loc] Pets
Post by: Loc on October 13, 2019, 05:33:44 am
Some pet updates, Kimba first:

Her knee surgery went very well. She now has a lot of metalwork in her leg, but she no longer has a limp. She is much happier, grumbles less, and plays even more with other dogs.

She has had to have a second surgery to remove a cyst on her shoulder that was causing her pain and was a possible infection risk. She'd had it for a while, it formed around a hair follicle, but the vet recommended removal. She now has stitches in her shoulder and has to wear a shirt to stop her scratching it. Her first post-op check is Wednesday.

Vivec is nearly five, around 550 grams (he was only 5 or 6 grams when I first got him) and had his first vet check the other week. He was very interested in the waiting room, peeping his head out of the pillowcase I transport him in and flicking his tongue at everything and everyone. He was always shy, friendly but cautious, and inquisitive as a baby, and he never lost those traits. He has been declared a beautiful, healthy, happy young snake with wonderful colours and a lovely temperament. He was seen by the vet who used to treat Dany (but was not present for her final surgery. He asked after her, that was a tough conversation), and he just stood there for a while beaming with Vehk winding his way around him. He said it was nice to see a healthy animal for a change, he normally only sees very ill snakes. Vehk is also most likely to be a boy, from his tail size and shape, but I declined an invasive check.
He has developed one dark red scale just behind his head, but the vet thinks that is just a snake version of a freckle -Dany had the odd totally black scale here and there. Vehk doesn't make black pigment, the best he can do is dark red, so it is probably just that.

Gelby is still doing her own thing. The weather here has been all over the place which has messed with her feeding something awful, but she is still getting by just fine. She's still sassy and aloof, and mostly comes out in the evening when no one is around.
Title: Re: [Loc] Pets
Post by: FarFar on October 30, 2019, 08:05:04 am
Thanks for the updates. Nice to hear that your pack seems to be doing well overall.
Title: Re: [Loc] Pets
Post by: Loc on January 11, 2020, 11:40:49 pm
It's been a little while, so some updates:

First off, Weisse and I are engaged. He proposed on the 19th. I'm going to try and tentatively get things planned for during the colder months in 2021.

Kimba is doing well. She had a lot of time with Suki and William over the holidays, and she and Suki have started to play together a little. She has started trying to eat gum off pavements lately, but she goes through short phases of odd little habits - she had a period of finding tissues while out on walks and trotting off with them. Her shoulder surgery has healed now - It had some complications. The skin around the stitched area became infected and wet, which made the stitches tear out. The wound had to be left open and uncovered to heal, so we were covering her in honey for a little while. She was at the vet for cleaning every day, and we cleaned her twice a day at home. She healed  well though, and has a small bald patch that, when her fur has finished growing in, won't notice in the slightest.

Vivec and Gelby are still going well and doing their things. They are healthy and happy, but hiding away a lot due to the colder weather. They have their warm, comfortable hides, get food delivered to them, and while Gelb has to walk out of her nest to get a drink, Vehk doesn't even have to fully get out of bed. Advantages of being long, I suppose. I'm going to try and move them into new tanks fairly soon to give them both some more space. Gelb needs some more rough logs in her tank for shedding - She has always had problems in that department, and she overturned her water dish during the last one and made a mess everywhere.
Title: Re: [Loc] A fox and a leopard do nail art
Post by: Loc on July 10, 2020, 04:08:58 pm
(https://i.imgur.com/rq4Ofka.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/HJTKYXa.jpg)
I have gotten really into nail art lately. I started out doing freehand spots, stripes and hearts but have decided to enter the realm of stamping. Weisse helped me out on these, our first attempts. The black outlines are stamped (by Weisse) and I filled them in by hand afterwards. The green heart on my left ring finger was freehanded.

These photos were taken before I finsihed clean-up around my nails, while I was waiting for my top coat to dry. My fingers look a lot less messy today.

In case anyone cares, I used BarryM basecoat, BarryM Frost (two layers) for a white sparkly base, MoYou black stamping paint for the spot outlines, Stargazer blue and green to fill in the spots, and BarryM quickdry top coat.
Title: Re: [Loc] Pets
Post by: Loc on August 10, 2020, 10:44:10 am
(https://i.imgur.com/lalpFFS.jpg)
I continue to stamp my nails. I'm getting a lot better at positioning and getting clean, straight lines now. I'm also doing a small bit of extra freehand colouring here and there.
(https://i.imgur.com/SppPb53.jpg)
The pets are all doing well. The UK has been hit by temperatures of 30C+, so Kimba has been absolutely melting (the reptiles are in a cool room on thermostats, they don't notice as much). She goes out for an early morning walk and then sleeps for most of the rest of the day until her nighttime walk at around midnight. She's off her breakfast as well due to the heat.

She continues to be a very good guard dog on the night time walks. Someone got too close to us and showed us too much interest a few nights ago, so she stood between him and I and started barking and lunging to the end of her lead until he walked off. During the day she is friendly as anything, at night she is very protective. We never trained her to do this.

Lockdown restrictions are eased over here, so we have started to take her to play with Suki and William again.
Title: Re: [Loc] Medical
Post by: Loc on November 06, 2020, 01:59:38 pm
I'm now about 7 weeks post-surgery.

For people who don't want to trawl through my post history, I had a massive (35cm, 3+kg) tumour on my left ovary. To remove it and give me the best chance of survival in the event it was cancer, I had a complete hysterectomy, as well as some soft tissue surrounding the organs. I'm now totally sterile, over a stone lighter, and take hormone replacement every day to stave off the menopause. I'm 30.

The tumour was pre-cancerous but not cancer itself. There is no indication is spread to or from anywhere. I have a scar down the middle of my torso going from my ribs to below the belt. There is still bruising around my navel, and I still can't do heavy lifting, but I'm starting to get back into the swing of things again.

I have reached the point where I am starting to become a bit more comfortable in my skin again. Still alive.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50573772772_83d8dcb6c1.jpg)
I've also started braiding things into my hair. Today is a long metal spike to cover my split ends.
Title: Re: [Loc] Medical
Post by: cause the rat on November 06, 2020, 02:46:26 pm
You and I have a large scar in the same place! Mine goes from a few inches below the sternum to just below my belly button. However mine was for a way different reason. Seeing you brings back memories of the tightness and pull of a scar that size. I can say from experience you will get to a time where you don't even know it's there.
Title: Re: [Loc] Medical
Post by: Varg the wanderer on November 06, 2020, 03:43:20 pm
I'm now about 7 weeks post-surgery.

For people who don't want to trawl through my post history, I had a massive (35cm, 3+kg) tumour on my left ovary. To remove it and give me the best chance of survival in the event it was cancer, I had a complete hysterectomy, as well as some soft tissue surrounding the organs. I'm now totally sterile, over a stone lighter, and take hormone replacement every day to stave off the menopause. I'm 30.

The tumour was pre-cancerous but not cancer itself. There is no indication is spread to or from anywhere. I have a scar down the middle of my torso going from my ribs to below the belt. There is still bruising around my navel, and I still can't do heavy lifting, but I'm starting to get back into the swing of things again.

I have reached the point where I am starting to become a bit more comfortable in my skin again. Still alive.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50573772772_83d8dcb6c1.jpg)
I've also started braiding things into my hair. Today is a long metal spike to cover my split ends.

I think this is the first pic I've seen of the RL you. My first thought: "She even looks like a badass."

Really glad to hear you're doing well. I'm hoping things continue to improve. I'd warn you that there will be some mental scarring from an experience like this, but I'm sure you're already aware of that.
Title: Re: [Loc] Medical
Post by: Loc on November 06, 2020, 04:09:40 pm
You and I have a large scar in the same place! Mine goes from a few inches below the sternum to just below my belly button. However mine was for a way different reason. Seeing you brings back memories of the tightness and pull of a scar that size. I can say from experience you will get to a time where you don't even know it's there.
Ouch, I'm sorry that you've had to go through a similar scar! The tightness is already starting to ease up a bit. If I sit down for a few hours then I can feel it all pulling and tightening up, but it isn't nearly as bad as it was.

I think this is the first pic I've seen of the RL you. My first thought: "She even looks like a badass."

Really glad to hear you're doing well. I'm hoping things continue to improve. I'd warn you that there will be some mental scarring from an experience like this, but I'm sure you're already aware of that.
Thank you!
I still have the odd days when I disassociate from my own body and think "it's okay, this isn't my scar, this didn't happen to me", but where it happened several times a day shortly after surgery, it is now less than once a week and only lasts for an hour or so.
Title: Re: [Loc] Medical
Post by: Jade Sinapu on November 07, 2020, 02:43:37 am
 You are one tough survivor Loc!
 8)
Good to see you able to stand and adapting to the hurdle life sent you.  Keep fighting.  And thanks for sharing!
Title: Re: [Loc] Medical
Post by: WhiteShepherd on November 08, 2020, 02:16:59 am
Loc *hugs* I can feel some of those emotions your going through and you have a right to your feelings! It's not easy adjusting to what your going through! I know the feeling of looking at your body as "the way it used to be". Living as my pre-illness self I didn't give my health much mind other than an old comfort of knowing my life/health was a constant. I found myself wanting to forget I had suffered a loss as if nothing ever happened.  Perhaps because I was ambushed by my health and had no say in the matter? Those nagging painful memories late at night like to creep back sometimes into my mind when I'm distracted, lonely, or not feeling well. They needle you like a mental ache you can't dodge when something inside of you wants to say  you say, "Please not me!".

For me it was my strength and my back which I held a lot of personal pride. I've always been a big strong man (a bit in the tummy too unfortunately later in life ;) ). I was stronger than most my size. As an example, I was once was jumped by 3 men who grabbed me and was trying to get me to the ground. I picked all three up and tossed them like sacks of potatoes into a big briar bush which bound them by their hair and clothes. Growing up on a farm I would cary 120 pound bags of salt from the truck like it was nothing. I walked home from high school 5.3 miles (often went through a pair of shoes a month). Later in life I used my strength as a helper/care taker for many others. I shared my strength for the joy for others who had no one to care for them. That "was" the me I remember and never thought would change. A couple years ago I was diagnosed with fast advancing Rheumatoid arthritis and Psoriatic arthritis. For all the strength in my old arms, today it is often too painful to lift my arms even over my head. I struggle to even walk across the house. Getting out of bed is so painful I often cry out in pain.  I also like you fall victim to my own thoughts of this health ambush. My comfort concept of a future me was thinking my future self would never change for me health wise. All of my dreams of building machines and traveling are likely gone. I would wonder, "Is what I had in the past all that I have left to love about my life?  Who will love me with the romance and passion that I desire now that I'm a cripple? Who will care for me when it's me that needs a caring hand? In those clawing thoughts I can sometimes feel my self pride slipping away into fear in the night.  Me and you we didn't have a choice of what sudden fate we got. We have a right to our feelings of loss and wanting to avoid them. Though we can no longer change our fate. We must remember that we can always rise to meet our fate if we "chose". It's our mind that builds our reaility, love, and hopes, and ultimately who we will still become. One of the reasons I restarted Furtopia is because I can still work on the computer to help others and furs. Find purpose in the new you that you will find each day! As I deal with my pain, I want to focus on the light inside of me to still change myself and others for the better. I am truly sorry for what you are going through. Your feelings are legitimate and deserve to be felt. But you also deserve once you re-find yourself again to rebuild yourself with love kindness and understanding based on this new you! :)

Good luck Loc and let me know if you ever want to chat. :)
Title: Re: [Loc] Medical
Post by: Jade Sinapu on November 09, 2020, 08:58:26 pm
Very well put WhiteShepherd!
Title: Re: [Loc] Gelby
Post by: Loc on December 14, 2020, 08:10:06 am
Gelbstoff passed away in his (yes, keeping us guessing until the end, Gelby was male) sleep last night, due to complications around long-term liver failure.

He was safe, in his warm hide, and I was keeping him syringe fed so he wasn't hungry.

He will be cremated, and his urn placed next to Dany's.
Title: Re: [Loc] Gelby
Post by: Jade Sinapu on December 14, 2020, 06:06:55 pm
Loc,
I am sorry.  I am glad he had you with him to take care of his needs.
 :'(
Title: Re: [Loc] Gelby
Post by: WhiteShepherd on December 14, 2020, 11:19:22 pm
Sorry for your loss.  :'(