I’ve renamed weigh in posts from Dragon Diary to Reptile Health Diary, as in the months since the last time I posted one, our reptile family has not only grown in number but in species as well. We are no longer sharing with only Bearded Dragons, we have a Diamond Python and a Shingleback as well!
Given the events of the past week, I have decided to reinstate weigh in records and general health observations for reference and record keeping. Probably just monthly at this stage. I wish I had taken measurements before Lolly and Beau went to sleep for the colder months (mind you it is still the middle of winter), but, I will still have a record of how they fare from here on. With Bruce joining us and needing to put some weight on, this will be a particularly useful exercise. Finally, Lacey being so young and along with Bruce a new species to me, I am going to record her progress as well. Although I do have more detailed records of Lacey’s feeding and health more generally in a spreadsheet that I will look to put up as a page here at some point.
Lolly
Weight: 417 grams
Length: see image
Food: Kingworms
Toilet: not yet
Behaviour: Lolly seems to have dropped back into her typical bright personality. She is very keen on food as always and has even coloured up nicely. I am amazed at her weight. The last time I weighed her was in what I think was the early stages of being gravid. Even with a couple of months of no food or water she has put on 80+ grams since then. So I can only imagine what she weighed before going into brumation. She had a good drink after I woke her up and had a few kingworms. No sign of eating any veggies yet or any bowel movement, but, it has only been a couple of days. I might try giving her a pinkie mouse on the weekend.
Beau
Weight: 280 grams
Length: see image
Food: Kingworms
Toilet: not yet
Behaviour: Without having any point of reference, my first impressions of Beau are that he is pretty easy going. Despite having been the one to draw me into waking the Dragons up through his restlessness, he seems to be more happy to laze about. No veggies for him yet either. I’ll pop out and pick up some crickets tomorrow if at all possible and see how he goes on them. He has some good thickness to the base of his tail, but, I am surprised at just how much bigger Lolly is. That does of course auger well for breeding this year. I just need to be confident that Beau is in good nick too!
Bruce
Length: see image (for what it’s worth cheeky)
Food: chicken mince, dog food
Toilet: not yet
Behaviour: Look at the cheecky bugger making it hard to measure him. It’s also amazing to see his size given that he would be lucky to be half Beau and Lolly’s age. Bruce is a very nervous little guy. Although if handled correctly, he seems happy enough. He put a wonderful display of bluff on after this image was taken. Mouth open, tongue flared. Awesome! When I picked him up shortly after, he was happy enough to be handled again and only plodded rather than rushed away when I returned him to his enclosure. I have been very very pleased to see evidence without witnessing the act itself, of eating both chicken mince and dog food (the meaty kind). Both are recommended foods for Shinglebacks, but not as core staple foods. I need to get Bruce onto his veggies. I am happy to report he is looking a little brighter already.
Lacey
I will add information about Lacey next month when I can synchronise her weigh and measure schedule. I have her currently as 32 grams and 54 cms a couple of weeks ago. She is feeding sensationally well and is actually keen to eat and hunting on the days leading up to when we feed her. I could not be happier with her progress to this point.
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