Hello, Richard!

Rockin' it old school

2010-06-01T21:28:00.000-07:00

Here are some old photos that I've never shared before. :-)

For a larger version,click here

Larger version

Larger version

Richard's enclosure in the context of our apartment

2010-05-31T11:57:00.000-07:00

It IS possible to have an enclosure that enhances the look of your home. :-)
(For the most part)

2010-03-12T08:49:00.000-08:00

Good morning, sunshine!!!

Relaxation

2010-03-08T13:09:00.000-08:00

I dug up this old photo of Richard. :-)

Richard is no longer wearing his brace. His bone has healed, but he has a new problem... Somehow, he managed to develop an abscess, which caused some swelling in his hand. He is on Baytril and expected to make a decent recovery.

"4 to 6 weeks" is a looooong time.

2010-01-25T09:10:00.001-08:00

Richard went to the vet a few days ago to have his arm checked out. The wrist was swollen, and Richard had trouble getting around, although it didn't slow his pace.

Our vet suspected a break and x-rayed Richard for us, free of charge. It turned out that Richard's ulna was broken, near the wrist.

We couldn't understand why he performed the x-ray for free, but we thought it was very nice of him.

Richard will be wearing this brace for 4 to 6 weeks, and we must return weekly to have it changed since Richard spends a lot of time in water. He has been trying to remove it, to no avail.

We're hoping for a speedy recovery. It's not nice to see him having trouble getting around, even though his pace hasn't slowed.

We've been away

2010-01-19T13:09:00.000-08:00

Well, it's mostly that I've been lazy about taking pictures of Richard. He's in his no-longer-cute phase. Don't get me wrong: I think he's still beautiful. I just don't think adult lizards are most people's definition of "cute." :o)

This is Richard's most recent photo. He's sitting underneath the fogger of his enclosure.

Hanging out

2009-09-07T11:52:00.000-07:00

"Mama's legs. Comfy."

"Do you mind?"

At the Vet's office

2009-08-26T08:35:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, we took Richard to see the vet. He's the only vet in St. Louis with a lot of reptile experience, according to herpetology enthusiasts.

The tip of Richard's rostrum looked sore over the weekend. I noticed what appeared to be whitish goo between his front teeth and the front of his face. We treated him with betadine and Neosporin, which I had previously read about for use on lizards.

By Tuesday, Richard's snout was looking back to normal, but since the appointment had already been made, we figured it would be a good time for Richard to have a check-up. We needed to be absolutely sure that Richard was in good health. For lizards, it's often too late to help them if they really start to LOOK sick. We didn't want to take that chance.

When the doc entered the examination room, Richard shuffled away from him at first. He gently picked Richard up, had a look at him, and then proclaimed that Richard looked great. He used a stick to keep Richard's mouth open, and said we had nothing to worry about.

What was remarkable was the way the vet held our lizard. He had Richard in one hand, upright, and Richard merely dangled there with his hands on the vet's thumb. I couldn't tell if Richard was totally relaxed or too petrified to retaliate.

Our vet anwered my questions and sent Richard off free of charge. Of course, I am hesitant to say that because I don't want people to think that they can have their lizard looked at for free if they see this vet. It's just how our visit turned out that day. And that's why I am not posting the veterinarian's name on the blog. :-)

I'm really grateful to him for easing my fears, and I think it was very generous of him to not charge us. Richard doesn't know what's going on, naturally. As far as he's concerned, we took him to a strange place and subjected him to examination by a random human.

Hahaha. :-)

I also forgot to bring my camera so we could capture Richard's helpless dangling for all eternity. It was priceless!

The usual antics

2009-08-11T09:06:00.000-07:00

"Oh, this thing looks like a tree! Never mind that it's short. I'll climb it, anyway!"

"Do I look like I'm ready to have my photo taken? Can't you see I'm trying to shed?"

"This could be delicious even though it's just the floor."

Close-up of Richard shedding his back:

A Dubia cockroach (not the same species as the one I featured before). This one just molted. Their exoskeletons harden and become darker after a while. I purchased a bunch of these from a breeder and am trying to grow my own colony.

Superworm pupa

2009-08-02T10:44:00.000-07:00

Here's a photo of one of our largest pupae. Superworms (Zophobas morio) are similar in appearance to mealworms. They are larger, faster, prefer warmer temperatures... and according to Richard, more delicious than mealworms.

Breeding superworms was an interesting adventure for us. Unlike mealworms, they must be separated from each other and left without food or water. Before this can be done, the superworms worms must achieve a large size.

Pupae are somewhat freaky. If you harass them, they try to wiggle away!

The most striking difference between a mealworm pupa and a superworm pupa-- other than size-- is the fact that mealworm pupae "hold" their arms closer to their body.

Our insect menagerie has increased to three species! We now have dubia roaches, discoid roaches, and superworms. Richard doesn't seem to care of acknowledge this effort. :-)

We're moving!

2009-07-24T11:51:00.001-07:00

Hello, everyone!

Before I talk about moving, let me share a cool link with you.

The author (Jamie Derkenne) shares his or her experiences with the wild Eastern (from Australia) Water Dragons in their backyard.

On to moving...

Richard's dad and I have been very busy the last couple of weeks. We're moving to a new place. :-) As a matter of fact, there are movers struggling to get Richard's house out of the apartment as I type this. It's a real ordeal-- something anyone with a giant reptile enclosure must one day cope with.

Other news: We have a breeding colony of about 20 Zophobas morio ("superworm") beetles right now. We have no choice but to breed. Richard goes through about $12 in superworms every week. That doesn't include his red wigglers.

He'll also have his first nightcrawler tonight. He's finally big enough to tackle them. :-)

Yesterday, we saw a baby water dragon at Petsmart-- the smallest I have ever seen in person! The little guy's body wasn't even as long as Richard's head. And its head was only slightly bigger than one of Richard's eyeballs. He was a real shrimp and seriously cute. Just imagine: Richard was that small at one point in his life. Unreal.

I can only imagine a parent giving their "okay" for a water dragon that small, only to find out-- the hard way-- that they get pretty large... :-P

Let's play catch-up!

2009-07-09T08:12:00.000-07:00

"How you doin'? Where have I been all your life?"

Don't be shy, baby. Your Prince Charming is finally here. I know-- you can't handle this feeling... But it's okay because Richard is here to sweep you away.

(What a charmer.)
-------

I'm mellltinggggg!!!!

Richard will appear in the Cute Overload calendar!

2009-06-26T15:29:00.001-07:00

I was just notified by Theo of Cute Overload that Richard will appear in their 2010 page-a-day calendar! The very thought of many people flipping their calendars and coming across Richard's surly face... makes me smile. :-)

I never thought that would happen. It' a big source of pride for me and Richard's dad. The funny thing is that Richard is a lizard and therefore has no grasp on the gravity of this news.

I have to say that I am truly honored, especially since most people do not find lizards "cute". It's understandable. But since you check out Richard's blog every once in a while, you know that there is at least one funny lizard around, and his name is Richie!

I wish Richard had not been shedding when the photo was taken. It doesn't do him justice. But he looks great anyway, and why? Because he's a handsome guy and his mom and dad love him. We really do.

The latest: Richard has chosen a new sleeping place, and he prefers to have his head buried in the leaves. Before I go to work in the morning, I leave him breakfast. He awakes, sleepily, spots his morning meal, and groggily climbs down to have it.

We're also making him chase down his food a little. We do this buy throwing a superworm a few feet away, letting him run after it, and then tossing another worm in the opposite direction. We will try to get some footage of this, since it's downright hilarious.

Also hilarious is Richard dragging himself across the crown molding above our window to get to the best spot on the curtains. We will have footage of that, too.

Thanks for sharing this wonderful news with us.

Sorry for the absence!

2009-06-02T06:35:00.001-07:00

The past few weeks have been a whirlwind. Richard's dad and I were out of town, and I got a new job. I apologize for not uploading photos.

Two of our friends bought Richard a little sofa/armchair. I'm thinking about re-upholstering it to match the color scheme of our house. This is how it looks right now. By the way, it sits on the floor of our dining room. Sometimes, during his house adventures, Richard climbs onto it and relaxes for a spell.

Charming, huh? It was really nice of our friends to get it. Better photos of the sofa/armchair thing in the future. I promise!

Here we have a shot of Richard in our little dvd shelf. If you ever wondered what kind of animal would hang out on dvd's and camcorders, now you know.

Richard has chosen a "bed." Actually, it's just a twisted vine that I installed in his enclosure. It was originally just for decoration (to fill empty space), but Richard actually prefers to sleep on it. Around 9:30, he climbs onto it. When the lights go out, Richie goes to sleep. The funny thing is that he doesn't hang out on that vine unless it's right before bedtime. He does not frequent it during the day! Silly lizard.

Once Richard actually tried eating a discoid roach, he developed an appetite for them. Here he is, mid-munch.

Oh! I should also mention that one of my roaches laid an egg pouch! We're looking forward to having baby roaches to give to Richard soon. (Don't say it out loud. Richard might hear. It's supposed to be a surprise)

More to come soon, I hope. :-) Thanks for reading.

What is the Pee-pee dance?

2009-05-03T13:02:00.001-07:00

Unfortunately, I do not have a video of Richard doing the pee-pee dance. It happens too suddenly for me to capture it. :-(

Occasionally, Richard is let out of his enclosure before he has made his daily poop. (It happens, folks) When this happens, he sometimes has no choice but to take care of business wherever he may be. Usually, Richard goes to the bathroom in his swimming pool.

Here's how the pee-pee dance works: Richard shuffles his rear end back and forth, frantically, in a shuffling, dance-like fashion. Since water dragons are arboreal, this shuffling usually positions them so that their hind end is hanging over the edge of a tree branch. This allows them to defecate onto the ground.

This behavior is useless on a wooden floor. :-)

When Richard begins to perform his pee-pee dance, we sometimes have the time to take him away. And other times, we don't. Bummer!

And that is the pee-pee dance.

You can't turn your back for a second!

2009-04-24T12:15:00.000-07:00

I left Richard on his tower for about ten minutes and returned to find the tower... vacant!

After a brief search of the living room, this is what we discovered. A very smart idea, indeed!

Let's take another look at his antics:

As long as Richard is sleeping, he is still an angel. Too bad he's not always asleep. :-P

Another look at the harness and leash:

Life is great. Of course, Richard seems to hate us more and more each day, but at least the hatred is amusing. For now. I told Richard that if he keeps it up, this will be his fate. (Click on link to view photo)

Richard's cage. The video!

2009-04-21T12:17:00.001-07:00

Lizard on a leash

2009-04-12T11:01:00.000-07:00

I've just completed Richard's new harness. I also sewed a matching leash for it. :-) Richard looks very sharp in it.

Lately, Richard has been developing an attitude, which I can only associate with his approaching sexual maturity... He's exhibiting some hilarious behaviors, such as puffing up his neck, sudden repositioning, and sitting very erect in response to what he considers harassment, e.g., petting and tail-touching. As a matter of fact, I got a mild whipping from Richard's tail today when I tested his harness on him.

We had two guests over at the house last night. It was the first time they had met Richard. As soon as they entered the door, Richard reacted by inflating his neck. We've never observed him do that unprovoked. He exhibited no fear whatsoever, and even seemed to show off to the guests by being extra energetic (climbing my leg to my chest and then launching himself to the kitchen counter and eyeballing everyone carefully).

While these behaviors are amusing, they also herald the coming of the "new" Richard, and it saddens me to an extent. But such is the way of life! Our children-- I mean, lizards-- become ungrateful and surly, even though we keep their tummies full and their bodies clothed.

So, say "goodbye" to the sprightly Richard and his charming antics, and say "hello" to the grumpy fellow he is becoming.

I'm kidding. :-) This is just a part of growing up. I can deal with it! Hopefully you will still appreciate hearing about Richard when he's not cute anymore.

Missouri Botanical Garden

2009-04-11T20:45:00.001-07:00

Just thought I'd share :-)

First adult discoid roach

2009-04-02T12:53:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, one of the nymphs shed its exoskeleton, and emerged as a very beautiful adult. He/she is gorgeous. :-|

Richie Boy goes for a test drive

2009-03-31T14:52:00.000-07:00

Enclosure renovation is still in progress. :-) I'm currently covering the platforms with "reptile carpet." It's not the most attractive stuff in the world, but it's practical for clean-up. They are affixed to the platforms with velcro.

I put Richard in for a little while to see how he would like it. He studied his surroundings carefully and seemed a little frightened by the new environment (as evidenced by his less than beautiful coloration in the photo above). He cheered up shortly thereafter. I sensed satisfaction.

I bought him a Dracaena plant! This is safe for herbivorous reptiles, according to multiple credible sources, including Tricia's Water Dragon Care Page. Tricia is basically the water dragon authority on the internet.

I gave the Dracaena plant some thorough bleach-water dunkings earlier and brand new, safe soil. I topped the pot off with coconut bark. This particular coconut bark is used for reptile and amphibian vivaria. I do have some artificial vines. I'll let my pothos plants grow a bit more before I use them in place of the artificial vines.

*Getting back to work*

Shaving kits and discoid roaches

2009-03-30T10:13:00.000-07:00

We relocated Richard's tower from the living room to the bedroom during the enclosure-renovation process. He figured out how to get to a shelf in our closet. This should come as no surprise since Richard has an undying love for closets...

It just so happens that his dad's shaving kit is on the shelf, too. In a lizard's mind, I suppose it's a great place to relax, even if it doesn't make any sense. :-)

By the way, I'm thinking about putting a webcam on Richard's cage when it's complete, so that anyone with plenty of time to waste can watch our little guy as he... sits around. Basically, antics that will have you at the edge of your seat. Really exciting stuff, folks. :-P

Here are two shots of our discoid roaches.

Below is a nice photo taken by shadowshador from Flickr, used with permission. He also has an extensive portfolio of animal photography.

Enclosure progress, cockroaches, and MSDS

2009-03-23T08:43:00.000-07:00

What I've done since last I blogged:

Sealed (x 3) the faux rock panels
Mounted them
Started staining the outside
Purchased a 36" Fluorescent fixture that accommodates two tubes (10.0 UVB and full spectrum)
Purchased a mercury vapor bulb (UVB, UVA, and heat)
Started the disinfection process of the driftwood and swimming pool

10.0 UVB is usually used for desert-dwelling reptiles, but since there is an aluminum screen between the fixture and the cage, 5.0 won't really do the job. Besides, the platform is over one foot below the fixture, and one foot is basically the limit of effectiveness for 5.0 UVB tubes (it's about 30 inches for 10.0). UVB is necessary for the production of Vitamin D, and Vitamin D is necessary for calcium uptake in lizards. (I won't speak for others, as I wouldn't know. I think snakes require much less UVB because they get the majority of their Vitamin D from the livers of their prey. That's what I READ. If I'm wrong, please feel free to correct me.)

Don't be surprised if Richard starts doing the hilarious, territorial arm-waving that is observed in several species of lizard. UVA light increases territorial behavior, as well as (no surprise) breeding behavior and appetite. I say this because the mercury vapor bulb I'm putting in produces quite a bit of UVA. The set up I currently use is crappy in that department, I admit. The mercury vapor bulb will be used in a part of the enclosure where Richard can't really get too close to it (right side), and it too is separated from the enclosure by an aluminum screen. I'll put some tall-ish driftwood on the right side so he can climb it.

The left platform that you see will just have a basking light over it. There will be ceramic heat emitters over the large platform.

I've consulted a water dragon expert in Illinois about the lighting scheme, and he likes it.

If I had to give some kind of estimate, I would say Richard's enclosure is 70 to 75% completed. I'm in the process of staining and sealing the outside, and don't worry, the cage is going to air out for a month, at least. After a month, we're running it with lamps and the humidifer (without Richard) for a few days. Then, if everything is peachy, Richard will move in.

On the fascinating subject of MSDS, I try to gather the information that is available, both anecdotal and otherwise. I read about the methods of others, whether or not they have had success, and then I look for information to confirm or deny what they say. Inert is inert.

It is certain than MSDS is flawed, but if I can't look at anecdotes and MSDS for SOME kind of idea as to whether or not I'm taking an appropriate route, who should I ask? Water is dangerous if you try breathing in it. A brick is dangerous if it falls on your head. A feeder insect can be dangerous if it has a parasite. A piece of non-toxic paint is dangerous if a lizard chokes on a chunk of it. Driftwood that has been disinfected and aired out can be dangerous if a splinter from it goes into Richard's eye.

Nothing about Richard's life is ever going to be 100% safe. I have to take reasonable actions, of course. I have to gather information as best as I can and hope nothing bad hapens. And I'm going to bank on the experiences of others, especially if dozens of them have used their methods without a hitch.

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

Richard's dad and I went to a reptile show here in town, and we bought Blaberus discoidalis cockroaches for Richard. Don't freak out. They aren't nearly as bad as you think. Crickets are much stinkier and annoying. Discoid cockroaches are more nutritious, easier to gutload, make no noise, have no odor, can't jump, can't fly, and have a long lifespan (up to a year or so). Lizards love them, and they are relatively easy to breed.

Basically, everything is better about them (except for their price. They are quite expensive), but they aren't mainstream because people hate cockroaches. After all, the sight of one in your house is most unwelcome.

Discoid roaches aren't cute or anything like that, but they're definitely not as horrible as you would think. Their scurrying motions freak me out, though. These are special cockroaches, though, and they are not native to the U.S.

I will blog later on their care. :-)

Is it morning already?

2009-03-14T16:52:00.001-07:00

... because I'm still so... sleepy...

*going back to sleep*

A little pearl

2009-03-13T23:48:00.000-07:00

Check out his hands... (Click for a larger view)

Here are shots of William, the wild anole. He is really fat because I used to leave him mealworms. He lived on our front porch. We didn't keep him.

I had more mealworms than Richard could eat. I filled dishes with them for the birds, too.

A sneak peak...

2009-03-11T22:20:00.000-07:00

Here's a small part of Richard's new house. It is a faux rock that was constructed with styrofoam, tile grout, and paint. There's plenty more where it came from.

This is my first time trying to make faux rocks.

Flashbacks

2009-03-09T23:35:00.000-07:00

Funny way to relax, huh?

A Tower for Richie

2009-03-04T16:48:00.000-08:00

A perfect hang-out spot for a growing dragon to survey his kingdom from.

Today, I let Richard check it out while I worked on his house. I think he likes it. :-)

Update on Richie's house: I'm still working on the false-rock background. I'm carving the entire thing out of styrofoam! I spent almost six uninterrupted hours sculpting it today. Fwew.

Popcorn

2009-03-02T11:04:00.000-08:00

I was sitting on the couch and eating popcorn while Richard sat with us. He seemed interested in what I was doing, so I offered him some to see what he would do. Sure enough, he deemed it edible. The video is actually of his second attempt. My apologies for the lighting!

Lizard photography how-to

2009-02-27T10:55:00.001-08:00

How do I take flattering photos of Richard? Before I get to that, I'll post some new stuff.

This is what relaxation looks like. The arm belongs to Richie's dad.

Yes, this is right side up. :-D

Diet
Everything starts out with Richard's diet. I meticulously "gutload" the prey items that Richard receives.

The obvious exceptions:

Waxworms - which eat honey and are given only as treats
Mice - "whole prey" which are highly nutritious on their own

I make my own gutload. The recipe is based on several ingredient lists I have found online, with modifications that I have determined to be appropriate. I include a pigment-promoting nutrtional supplement that isn't cheap.

Since I believe that people should do their own homework for their pets, I won't reveal what the supplement is, not that the information is difficult to find in the first place. Animal husbandry is something that takes effort and dedication!

I also try to not over-feed Richard. While it is said that water dragons know "when to stop", I still want to make sure that he doesn't get too fat.

Shedding
I prefer to take photos when Richard isn't shedding large parts of his body. A shedding lizard looks grayish! This is what he looks like when he's shedding his face:

Not very pretty, huh?

Lighting

It's my experience that indirect natural light is the most flattering for Richard. His scales reflect natural sunlight very beautifully, as you would expect. The above photo was taken under hideous ceiling-fan incandescent light bulbs, showing a more muted green. Direct sunlight tends to wash his scales out. Also, scales can appear to have a different color, depending on what angle they are being photographed from. This is because the scales have a grain, like shingles.

Don't get me wrong: Richard's scales ARE very green. But what you see, way something is, and what you capture with a camera can be very different just because of your vantage point, the spectrum of light involved, and the way light behaves. We're not hear to talk physics, though. :-P

Richard

Although Richard cannot change his colors as dramatically as a chameleon, he does go between shades of dark green to shades of very bright and light blue-green. It all depends on how he's feeling. If he's afraid or uncomfortable, he tends to become quite dark. When he's comfortable, he is much greener and lighter. When sleeping or napping, he becomes a shockingly bright blue-green and looks absolutely gorgeous. He is never so beautiful as when he is asleep.

If it weren't for his closed eyes, I'd choose his resting state for photos all the time!

Richard can also change the intensity of the stripes on his body. When he sleeps, the stripes are PALER than the rest of his body. When he's afraid, the stripes can be much darker (black, in fact) than his body. Because the stripes are isolated to certain scales, they appear "pixellated."

This is why Richard's coloration can vary dramatically from photo to photo.

I take tons of photos
I take a lot of photos so I have more photos to choose from. Many of my photos aren't taken under optimal conditions! But I tend to not post those because it takes time and energy to add borders, credits, and watermarks.

Richard has a new house!

2009-02-21T19:13:00.001-08:00

I'm going to be working full-steam to finish the modifications on Richard's house. Be on the lookout for updates on my progress!

We're also looking forward to finding (hopefully adopting) a companion for Richard!

Richard's Motion Picture Trailer!

2009-02-13T12:04:00.000-08:00

Enjoy :-)

Snow Dragon

2009-02-01T09:26:00.000-08:00

Why make a snowman when you can make.... a Snow Dragon?!

It's hard to believe these photos are of the same animal, huh? Before, his head was something like... 1/3 eyeball! My little alien...

Troublemakers will climb anything...

And nap wherever they please!

Natural-born lady-killer

2009-01-22T12:14:00.001-08:00

Newness :-)

Aliens for $44.99!!!

2009-01-11T14:23:00.000-08:00

Now you can get your very own alien for a mere $44.99! Great price! This is a baby water dragon I saw at the petstore when I went to pick up crickets for Richie. He's a wee bit smaller than Richard was when I brought him home.

Richie and I have moved! Now we're settled in at our new home.

He doesn't seem to mind having an extra body to sleep on!

For anyone who is curious about how to keep a lizard warm in a car during the winter months, I used heat packs under a towel for him. You just have to shake the packs vigorously, and the dry ingredients in the bag warm up. Such heat packs can generate a lot of heat (and for a long time-- up to 20 hours), so you must keep an eye on them. I found the packs at a sporting goods store for $1.99/4. They are intended for use in coat pockets and boots.

To maintain humidity, I draped a moist towel over Richard's pet carrier (a normal one for small dogs or cats).

Let's hold hands. :-)

2009-01-02T10:07:00.000-08:00

Before....

After!

Vintage Richard :-)

Packing for the big move...

2008-12-30T19:36:00.000-08:00

If it looks like food, it can't hurt to hunt it!!!

The lovely coloration that is developing on his neck

Some footage:

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-27T08:50:00.000-08:00

314 grams = 11 ounces

Richard's 2nd and 3rd Pinkies

2008-12-04T13:38:00.000-08:00

Warning: the following videos contain footage of Richard eating live pinkie mice. Please watch at your own discretion. I have decided to stop feeding him live pinkies. But this is still an important part of his life, so it's on his blog.

I spy with my eye.... something that is green!

2008-11-29T13:48:00.001-08:00

A week of Firsts

2008-11-26T20:48:00.001-08:00

Yesterday, Richard met his dad, and today.... he ate his first pinkie. :-)

I defy you...

2008-11-13T11:47:00.000-08:00

... to raise a finer specimen. Richard is nearly flawless.

Have you seen my childhood?

2008-11-12T09:54:00.000-08:00

It seems so long ago...

Snapshots from a not-too-distant past

2008-10-08T20:45:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking a lot about Richard's early life. I know he hatched from an egg, and that he ventured out into the world. He had his first meal once. He had to hide from predators. He was captured. And his journey to Petco was probably very stressful, considering water dragons arrive in the mail... Not a lot of lizards make it that far, much less mature into healthy young adults. That is a saddening thought.

But enough of the gloom! I'm happy to have Richard, and I love watching him get bigger and bigger each day, even if it makes me miss his tiny former self.

When I look back at the past, I wonder what the little guy has seen. I wish he could tell me!

Happy Birthday, Richard!

2008-10-04T19:04:00.001-07:00

It has been ONE year since Richard came into my life :-) To technically, it's not his birthday or his hatch-day. It's an anniversary. But it's more fun to celebrate birthdays!

Richard likes to watch his Aunt Tiffy do her homework.

Don't hate him because he's beautiful

2008-09-10T14:56:00.000-07:00

I knew something skinked.

Richard's legs, toned from all that climbing he does.

Gotta love that just-shed freshness

2008-08-19T19:55:00.000-07:00

Preview to Richard's upcoming Sailor shoot!

2008-08-18T14:15:00.000-07:00

And Richard befriending a T-Rex...

They grow up so fast....

2008-08-14T17:50:00.001-07:00

When you first get them, they look like little aliens with spindly legs. Ten months later, they are genuine cricket-murdering monsters! :-)

Cricket update: most of my crickets are now medium to large, in terms of pet store classification. Richard is averaging 15 to 20 crickets a day, as you can tell by his ever-expanding waistline. I have added baby rice cereal, alfalfa, and crushed spirulina tablets to my gutloading repertoire.

This is a real adventure. Everyone should have a Richie Boy, as my sister calls him. :-)

Bugville

2008-07-23T18:09:00.000-07:00

Literally, just a snapshot of my collection of insect prey.

2008-07-21T19:28:00.001-07:00

At 10 cents a piece, crickets can get expensive, especially when you take their mortality rate into consideration. That's why I decided to try breeding them.

Luckily, there's quite a decent amount of information concerning this endeavor online. After quite a bit of trial and error, I was finally successful.

Rather than rehash my method, I will share the modifications I made to the tried and true techniques of others.

Breeding

The crickets were allowed to lay eggs for a couple of days before being moved into the gutloading chamber. A few males were kept in the breeding chamber so they could do their business. The rest of the males were fed to Richard first because they were noisy.
Paper cups were trimmed so they would be shallow enough for the crickets to easily climb into. One advantage of paper cups is that they can be stacked in tiers. (Please see Incubation for more details on that). The cups were positioned at the corners of the breeding container so they would be in the crickets' path as they walked the perimeter of the container. I found that doing this increased their chances of climbing in and laying eggs.
The largest females are closer to the end of their lifespan, so I pulled those out for gutloading before others.
The adults were provided crushed guinea pig food, gutload, and orange slices.

Incubation

Every couple of days, the paper cups were transferred to a 10-gallon incubation tank. Packing tape was placed at the corners so the baby crickets wouldn't crawl up the silicone sealant.
The paper cups were stacked in tiers to save space. Stacking them also prevented the soil from drying out quite as quickly.
A moistened paper towel was placed on top of the cups daily.
To prevent other insects and spiders from infiltrating the chamber, cheesecloth was doubled over the top held down by the mesh lid of the tank. The cheesecloth was eventually replaced with a kind of filter material that my parents use for our reef aquarium. It resembles padding.

Rearing the young

Extra moistened paper towels were provided to help the baby crickets shed. Orange slices, gutload, and crushed guinea pig food, as well as egg cartons were made available.
A small electric fan (purchased at Wal-Mart for around $6) was placed on top of the lid. Because ventilation decreases mortality, I thought it was more than a worthy investment.

Just a handful of the baby crickets. There's plenty more where these came from.

So far, so good. It looks like the baby crickets are thriving very well. I find that the tiny exoskeletons they leave behind are an encouraging sign. Some are growing extremely fast.

In short, for a girl with no end in hobbies, breeding crickets serves multiple purposes. It's a way to feed a growing water dragon and a hands-on approach to learning the cricket life cycle!

And it doesn't hurt to know that I'll be saving money, too.

It's a jungle out there...

2008-07-16T17:00:00.001-07:00

My sister found this teeny tiny little guy on our back patio. We invited him in for a brief photo shoot. He told us his name was "Emile." We rolled our eyes.

Our rude little guest fell asleep! He was probably exhausted from just hatching.

This is the huge anole that also hangs out on our back patio. I dubbed him "Philip."

Philip, once more.

And here we have Richard, who is bullying the chess pieces in this photo.

Sometimes Richard likes to watch his grandma working on her puzzoh (puzzle).

Happy Fourth of July!

2008-07-05T15:38:00.000-07:00

American lizard, stay away from me
American lizard, Richie let me be
Don’t come hangin’ around my door
I don’t wanna see your face no more
I got more important things to do
Than spend my time feeding crickets to you
Now Richard, I said stay away,
American lizard, listen what I say.

Introducing... William!

2008-06-21T11:59:00.000-07:00

William is the wild anole lizard that lives in the garden by our front door. He gladly engorges himself on the mealworms I leave for him. And he guards his food bowl to prevent other freeloading anoles from having a bite to eat on his account.

William sleeps on the aloe plant we have. We discovered him dreaming away when we returned from an evening walk.

Here's a video of him stealing pupae that my mom and I didn't think he would be interested in. The first time, he ran off with one in his mouth. The second time, he consumed one on the spot.

While William is not my kiddo, I still feel responsible for him. I bet he's the fattest wild anole in Texas. Expect high-quality videos of him as soon as I get my mini dvd filled.

Meanwhile, please enjoy this rehashed, modestly-edited video of Richard.

Richard, the beast of summer

2008-06-15T17:27:00.000-07:00

Richard is approaching his growth spurt. He's also been practicing his "I'm going to eat you" face. If you look closely, you can see his perfect little dangerous teeth. I'd hate to be an earthworm, that's all I can say!

He has not-so-fearsome looks, too. Check out those killer armpits! *proud*

2008-05-30T20:51:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, I miss his little baby proportions, from his scrawny little thighs to his stubby snout and (relatively) giant eyes. Reminiscing about young Richard distracts me from admiring the current Richard, though, so I'll try to let go. :-(

"Can't a guy get some privacy these days???"

Beetle Boom

2008-05-29T13:22:00.000-07:00

What will I think of next?

It's my party and I'll lounge where I want to

2008-05-15T10:23:00.000-07:00

Like on your desk.

Or on your towel rack.O

Richard, the sock cubby pirate

2008-05-06T06:23:00.000-07:00

Because it's normal to find reptiles in your socks. :-) Because Richard likes that area so much, I've had to find a way to hang his UV light near it.

I promised myself I wouldn't turn this blog into a soapbox, and so I won't, but I should make a statement about my opinions on keeping wild animals for pets, since Richard is wild-caught. Technically, I don't think it's nice to capture something wild to turn it into your own personal source of entertainment. In the case of Richard, he was at a pet store. If I didn't take him home, someone else would. A lot of people go into pet stores and buy animals on a whim, without serious investigation as to how the animal needs to be accommodated. So, the way I see it, I guaranteed Richard a safe and healthy life, and I don't regret that! :-)

Switching gears...

My efforts to breed mealworms have resulted in what I can finally declare a self-sustaining operation! I'm replacing beetles as they die of old age. I have larvae of all sizes, as you can see below. The smallest mealworms were too tiny to disturb for this photo-op. The largest mealworms had already been fed to Mister Richard.

Richard brings his balancing act to town

2008-04-30T20:54:00.000-07:00

March and April 2008

2008-04-29T22:13:00.001-07:00

March was a crazy month for me, so there aren't many unique shots of Richard. So let's skip to April, shall we?

It's amazing what Richard's concept of "comfortable" is.

He saved me from an angry Styracosaurus !
But then he took pity on the Styracosaurus and allowed it to live.

Neither of us were prepared for the Deinonychus that would appear.

The Deinonychus ate the Styracosaurus... and then Richard ate the Deinonychus.
When I realized I had a real BEAST on my hands, I thought it would be necessary to protect the public from the rampaging Richard.... so I made him a special vest that would decrease his powers.

At first, he seemed to find it somewhat cumbersome.
But when he realized that it enhanced his looks, he didn't seem to mind it so much.
Now it seems my mom is interested in helping me make these lizard harnesses. I think I'll want one in a hound's tooth print with a red leash.

Febrero

2008-04-26T20:45:00.000-07:00

Here are some images of Richard from the month of February!

Richard vs. Closet door

2008-04-20T16:06:00.000-07:00

A new year, a new Richard

2008-04-19T21:49:00.000-07:00

Until now, I haven't actually said much about what Richard eats, so I think I'll do that now. In January, Richard had already graduated to having a minnow upon occasion. Since fish are "complete" food for a lizard, you can see how they might be especially good for his diet. At first, I released the fish into his water bowl, but he exhausted himself trying to catch it. When I offered it to him on a napkin, he didn't seem to notice it, since it did not move much. Unmoving critters don't exactly capture his attention. So... I put a mealworm next to it, and after eating the mealworm, he promptly ate the minnow.

Richard eats mostly crickets and mealworms for the time being. I was reluctant to give him bigger food because of his size. Crickets are nice because they have a high calcium to phosphate ratio, and excessive phosphate is quite harmful to water dragons (I won't make many blanket statements about other lizards). Mealworms, on the other hand, have a low calcium to phosphate ratio. I believe the ratios are something like this:

Earthworms 1:1.4
Crickets 1:3
Mealworms 1:3-14

I added earthworms because I plan on starting Richard on them (or nightcrawlers) as soon as I can get over having to cut them for him... I like earthworms, so that will be hard to do.

Richard's crickets and mealworms are fed a combination of the previously-blogged gut-load, baby spinach, collard greens, carrots, and-- for the mealworms-- potatoes. Mealworms aren't very crazy about spinach and collard greens, but they will have a party with carrots and potatoes. The potatoes serve mostly to water the mealworms. The crickets receive a polyacrylamide gel that has been fortified with calcium. Yes, that's basically the gel people can put plants in, too. Having worked labs, I thought it might be clever to make agar for the crickets (using agar that you can buy from an Asian market), since they need some kind of matrix. Unfortunately, they didn't seem to care for my agar jello and I was unable to find polyacrylamide gel for plants in College Station.

Upon occasion, I might try to stick the bugs in a puree of fruits, but Richard doesn't fall for it. Technically, water dragons are omnivorous, but in captivity, it's very very hard to get them to eat their fruits and veggies. They are just like little kids, only cuter.

I don't give the bugs lettuce because it's basically useless in terms of nutrition. Not all fruits and veggies are appropriate for feeding, too. I consult The Green Iguana Society's food info chart . (There's a lot more literature on green iguana care than for water dragons)

You're probably wondering why I would even care about what insects eat. Well, whatever they eat is what Richard eats, and to enhance his nutrition, I have to make sure his bugs are well-fed. It's also a sly way to get him to eat his veggies!

Before I realized that mealworms were so high in phosphates, Richard ate them primarily. He was capable of eating 10 small mealworms in one go. Now he eats about 5 large crickets and 3 small mealworms. He gets a minnow every week in place of worms. Minnows are only 12 cents, so it isn't being extravagant, don't worry. Crickets are 10 cents. When I used to buy mealworms, I purchased 100 small ones or 35 giant ones for just under $3. Because I no longer buy mealworms, feeding little Richard costs me about $3 a week, not including what I spend to feed the insects.

Eventually, I'll breed crickets, earthworms or nightcrawlers, and possibly six-spotted cockroaches, too. Richard will get bigger, and his diet needs to be varied. Then he'll have an occasional pinky, and later, a mouse. I'm trying to prolong his lifespan by feeding him correctly. Besides, I have the impression that insectivorous critters are on my horizon.

By the end of January, Richard measured 4.15 inches (10.5 cm) from snout to vent, and 15.8 inches (40.1 cm) including his tail.

December Experiences

2008-04-19T21:07:00.000-07:00

My mom met Richard and fell pretty hard for him, I think. When I introduced him to her, she said (and I quote), "Hello, Richert! Do you know who I am??? I'm your grandma!" Who can blame her, really? The little guy is a heart-breaker.

Richard and I went home for the holidays. My family and I learned very quickly that he had a love for... curtains.... and that eyes are no match little green critters.

Richard's climbing has reached new heights. Literally. Once, I searched high and low, unable to find him. It was a scary moment for a young mother, let me tell you. This is where he turned out to be:

I decided to spare some of my mealworms (Tenebrio molitor) to allow them to metamorphose into darkling beetles. Egg-laying factories, to be more specific. This was my first pupa, which I put in a pill box.

Today (April 19, 2008), I have 17 extremely spoiled beetles and several hundreds of mealworms, large and small.

When we ended the month, Richard measured 3.65 inches (9.3 cm), and 13.6 inches (34.5 cm) including his tail.

Images from November 2007

2008-04-19T20:39:00.000-07:00

November was full of pleasant surprises. By the middle of the month, Richard had become very comfortable with exploring my room. He revealed himself to be a veritable monkey, climbing every possible object he could find. He developed a taste for my violin case, which he would ascend and nap on... daily.

I also got into the habit of hanging towels from my doorknobs to give him something to climb.

And, yes... I take a lot of photographs of Richard! :-) I found that natural sunlight was the most flattering. To be honest, I think Richard does the rest.

If you compare this photo of Richard to others from October, you may note that his nuchal crest has grown slightly! The scales on his face are also duller than those on his body. This is because the regions of his body shed at different times.
By the end of November, Richard measured 3.5 inches (8.9 cm) from snout to vent, and 13 inches (33 cm), including his tail.

Images from October 2007

2008-04-19T20:00:00.000-07:00

On October 16th, Richard measured 3.25 inches (8.26 cm) from snout to vent (base of the tail). Including this tail, he measured 11 inches (27.9 cm). I read that water dragons-- and indeed, many other reptiles-- can have decreased appetite when they first move in. Not so with Richard. His appetite was completely intact! Then again, he seemed to dominate the food bowl he shared with his former tankmates...

It was at the end of the month that I realized the dust from his bark substrate was causing his eyes to be watery, so I switched to the less-attractive reptile carpet. Watery eyes can also be caused by a weakened immune system (due to a Vitamin A deficiency), but since Richard's crickets were eating carrots and collard greens and the symptoms appeared weeks after I purchased him, I was able to rule out the deficiency.

Around the same time, I built my own cricket keeper using a plastic container and pieces of plastic craft grid. The craft grid was hot glued to cover holes that I cut into the container, serving as ventilation.

I also found a recipe for cricket gut-load, which you can find online somewhere. The recipe called for wheat germ, whey protein, powdered egg, dry milk powder, bee pollen, kelp, and brewer's yeast. I found both the powdered egg and bee pollen on eBay at very reasonable prices.

I have also noticed that Richard can change colors. Of course, the changes aren't as dramatic as those you might observe from a chameleon, but they are noticeable. When Richard was younger, he would change from shades from dark brown to green. Now, in April, I observe changes from a medium brown to blue-green! Baby water dragons are darker in color to help them blend in with trees and stay out of the sight of predators.

When I first saw Richard bask in this peculiar position, I was alarmed. I couldn't find anything about it from books, so I decided to join a reptile forum called The Reptile Rooms. It's absolutely normal for a water dragon to relax like this. And funny, too. This kind of basking should not be confused with spastic limb extensions, which are associated with severe calcium deficiency.

Welcome home, Richard

2008-04-18T19:59:00.000-07:00

Richard came into my life on October 2, 2007. I purchased him from Petco for $29.99 (It's incredible that a pricetag can even be put on something so cute and animated). Prior to bringing Richard home, I did extensive homework on what his care would entail. To avoid information overload, I will share my experiences gradually.

In all honesty, I assumed that a reptile would be extremely low-maintenance. I figured that Richard would make a nice "college pet." He has become much more than that, of course. The little, shy guy I found revealed himself to be a real trouble-maker. I say that most affectionately.

Learning to care for Richard has been an adventure-- one that I engaged myself in with utmost eagerness. I am, after all, a biologist... so all things that involve the reproduction of nature are exciting to me!

The first literature I consulted was a book called "Water Dragons" by Bert Langerwerf. It provided a nice crash course on Chinese water dragons (Physignathus cocincinus), as well as Australian water dragons (Physignathus leseurii). It's a very straight-forward book, and it is written by someone with lots of experience with water dragons.

It should be stated that water dragons are by no means "easy" pets. I believe in doing things right... or not at all. This is especially important when animals are concerned. If you are interested in having pets-- any kind of pet-- it can never be stressed enough how important it is to do your homework in advance. This will help you foresee expenses and prepare you for life's little surprises. You should never take a pet's life lightly.

Okay, onto the informative stuff. I'll keep it basic. Before bringing Richard home, I purchased the following:

A halogen reptile bulb (wattage depends on the size of your set up)
Calcium carbonate powder
A fluorescent lamp set up (7% UVB)
A hollowed out log (for hiding and sleeping)
An analog thermometer and hygrometer
A spray bottle
Bedding brick (coconut)
A glazed food dish
A water dish

The halogen light bulb is for producing a basking area. The fluorescent bulb is absolutely indispensable. Water dragons-- and indeed most reptiles-- require UVB to produce Vitamin D. Vitamin D, in turn, is necessary for calcium uptake in the diet. Supplementing calcium is pretty much worthless if your lizard is unable to utilize it. And growing lizards must have calcium to grow strong bones. Water dragons, in particular, grow very quickly, so you can imagine how vital it is to provide UVB in the first place. Unfortunately, the UVB produced by a fluorescent bulb is minute compared to what a lizard would get from basking in natural, unfiltered sunlight, so it's good to let them get some of that when you can!

Thermometers and hygrometers are absolutely necessary, as well. Because Chinese water dragons require certain conditions, you'll want to monitor the temperature and humidity of their habitat!

According to Bert Langerwerf, these are the requirements:

Average temperature of 23-26 degrees centigrade (mid to upper 70's in degrees Fahrenheit)
A hotter top section of 33-35 degrees centigrade (lower to mid 90's in degrees Fahrenheit)
Humidity: 65-70%

Remember that reptiles are ectotherms ("cold-blooded"), so they need to be able to thermoregulate and escape heat when they are too warm, or find heat when they are too cool. So it is necessary to provide a temperature gradient in the habitat.

I'll leave today's entry at that. Enjoy the photos of Richard!