Tag: Copper

BATS AND WOLVES AND LIZARDS, OH MY!! I Never Would Have Imagined…
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BATS AND WOLVES AND LIZARDS, OH MY!! I Never Would Have Imagined…

Dawn ReneeLeave a comment

20150906_224044That an oh-so-cute bat would magically & mysteriously appear in the living room!

My attempts at capture & release were futile…  “Ah-ha… I’ll call Dad! He’s ‘old-school’ and he lived in the country with a farm for a spell during his youth, he’ll know what to do!!”

*ring, ring…  “Pick up, please pick up!!”

  “Helllooo” 

    “DAD… CUTE, LITTLE BAT IN HOUSE! I’VE DONE THIS AND I’VE DONE THAT, WHAT DO I DO?!” Dad’s response: “Well babe, you may just have to whack him.”    “What?!!  That is not an option!! Thanks anyway Dad, I love you, call you later!”

    So what happened: Easily an hour into sealing off doorways, running around the room with various items with hopes of trapping it, climbing on ALL the furniture, cussing in frustration and smiling about this strange experience, I hear a, “Tappety tap tap” at the back door. My son unexpectedly paid a visit!

“Oh I am so so so happy you came by!!! Hey, wanna help me with a little something?!”

I ushered him to the living room to reveal my muddled predicament!!!

He said, “What??!!” “How!!??”   I said, “I have no idea!!”

It took four hands and two minds to accomplish this feat in battery (ha-ha)!!!

  At the location where success was achieved, my savior son held the curtain stretched & out where the bat was clinging to the reverse side. I then reached around the wall-facing side of the drape and enclosed our winged visitor in a box & slid a thin, flat, something between little batty & the curtain, thus scraping and releasing his clawed grip from the fabric!

     HOORAY!! Savior son swung open the door! We’re elated, feeling successful in our mission here! Little batty and I step onto the front porch. I turned my head & uncovered it expecting it to fly like a bat out of hell!! He or she just layed in the box looking at me, it was scared and too exhausted to move!! I couldn’t let this opportunity pass, regardless of the consequence. I slowly reached down, and gently stroked it repeatedly as I spoke softly!!! IT WAS AMAZING!! IT WAS THE SOFTEST FUR I’VE EVER TOUCHED!! This sweet, helpless bat let me stroke it a number of times before flying away, seemingly no longer frightened!

*One might think encircling a bat with an empty clothes hamper would be a great bat trap… no, it’s not! It’s too large, you’re fingers will slip inside the vent holes, and there’s nothing conveniently laying around large enough to seal the open end.

I Never Would Have Imagined…

That I would cordially meet, have my toes kissed by, and hug a Timber wolf!!!  

 

I Never Would Have Imagined…

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that I’d see a monkey outside the door and feed fruit to wild beauties in Costa Rica!

I Never Would Have Imagined…

Copper
Copper

That I’d have 2 loving, handsome, and talented sons, such amazing parents, and more! I Never Would Have Imagined… we’d have squirrel friends that climb the window and door trim to look inside, or tap at the door for food, that the birds recognize my vehicle and our faces as friends and food suppliers!

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take 2

I Never Would Have Imagined…  that I’d love a lizard so intensely, that losing her, my Copper, would leave me feeling hopelessly empty, that I’d experience loving pets such as an iguana, fish, a crawdad, numerous cats & dogs, two robins: Tweety I and Tweety II, a pigeon, a rabbit, a cricket, and now a finicky dog and another Bearded Dragon (whom you all now know as Lil’ Murph!!), both with bizarre eating habits and incredible personalities!

 

“Give me Lizardry or give me Death!” – Dawn Renee♥

 

Mom Never Met Lil’ Murph (revisited)
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Mom Never Met Lil’ Murph (revisited)

Dawn Renee4 Comments

Let’s face it, the humans came up with a special occasion and now I’m smacked in the face and beaten upside the head with memories of all kinds…     If this is a day you celebrate or if it isn’t, we hope you have a lovely one. I am grateful to be a Mom to multiple species, please don’t take that whole “..beaten upside the head” portion too too grimly.  Mothers can be a blessing. Murph and I have made more friends since this was shown some time ago. To them, (if you’re Mom is great, show her you love her first, and)  somewhat meet my Mom, if you wish:

Debra -Wesley-Obituary

….She departed her earthly home on June 22nd, 2017.

Jane, as she preferred to be called, enjoyed writing poetry and had two works that were published. She also enjoyed coloring, bowling and playing games of all kinds with family and friends. She was an admirer of American Indian heritage and enjoyed an array of music including the oldies, chirping birds and surprising to many, Metallica. She even attended a Metallica concert with her daughter….1992.

Jane loved all animals and enjoyed going to the zoo, carnivals, pow-wows, and dining out with her husband. She also enjoyed shopping with her daughters and grandchildren. Amusingly, in later years, Jane and her mother discovered that they nearly always donned similar attire to attend church without previous planning. Jane was preceded in death by her mother and father, her step-father….

*Where there is …. above, it is an omission. No need for all the rest here.

     Mom would have loved Murph! He has character and a loving spirit! Years ago, when she and Dad would occasionally make the 40 minute or so trip to visit, the first thing Mom would do, naturally, is hug me & a grandson or two (now in their 20’s) if they were visible. The 2nd priority was to use the bathroom. The next thing she’d do is ask, “Where’s my baby?” She was referring to Copper, my first Bearded Dragon (you can learn a wee bit about her here). photo My Mom loved that little girl. She held, cuddled, and kissed her just as I.

 *Informative note: Spikey things can be quite cuddly!

     We lost Copper 1/4/14. An awful winter storm was approaching that night. She was held by 3 family members as she left this world. Sadly, Mom wasn’t one. Our loss left me in a pit of despair. I didn’t work for a week. I couldn’t shop for produce without thinking of Copper. Her essence could be felt when entering the house for months. She was my companion (& my 1st truly life-impacting loss from Death). She slept on the pillow with me every night (do not try this at home).

     I’d wake in the middle of the night only to cry myself back to sleep. It was heart-wrenching to keep her body cold until we could drive the streets to a certain crematory (where she was cremated with her blankie and a teddy). Some may find this odd & I’m fine with that.

      In all this, I forgot my Mom was sad too. She’d call sounding so caring, to check on me because I wasn’t making any phone calls and the roads were hazardous for a week or more for travel. I confess, if I had my Mom in my life again, I wouldn’t be so wrapped up in my own duties and concerns that I’d neglect her need for me as well.

     I called Mom and Dad nearly every day except during that sorrow, and at the end of Mom’s life. She was no longer home with Dad where he could answer the phone for her. She could no longer answer the phone beside her in the room which became her living quarter. Sometimes I’d call anyway hoping the ring would connect our souls.

     I still call my Dad at home every day. Of course, in my eyes, I can’t seem to do enough for him (same as I feel about Mom) to satisfy my own level of care-taking and thanking him for being so great! We just celebrated his 83rd birthday! Mom waited until after his birthday last year to leave here.

     Dad still doesn’t understand my love for scaly beauties, but is happy they give me joy. Mom loved all animals. I found a picture of her with a Boa Constrictor on her shoulders & a wide smile on her face!

      I would have taken Murph to meet Mom in that place, wherein sadly was the last room she saw. I brought Murph to his new home 4/23/17 to live with me. Mom wasn’t well by then, she needed medical experts near at all times. but had moments of absolute coherency and sweet Lil’ Murph in her hands would have made her face light up. I just know it. The place she stayed allowed rare pet visits, but probably only of the typical sort.

     I considered sneaking Murph in under my sweater or just telling the staff a lizard is entering the building & that’s just how it is. I didn’t because long road trips stress him. Copper loved long trips, I took her with her bag of blankies and food (yep, like a diaper bag) to visit people and Mom often. Murph likes very short driving trips only (but long walks). I’d pluck Mom from the facilities when I could to get coffee or food, go on drives, take her home to visit Dad & the cats or to my place. After I adopted Murph, leaving the facility with her was no longer an option, so she & he did not have the privilege of meeting one another.

Mom, meet Murph, your new grandlizard.20180327_131840

I hope for you happiness wherever you are, sweetest Mom and Grandma♥

 

 

you can see here how Lil’ Murph in my life is good for both of us, & how I needed him the night Mom died:
“Lizards Are A Girl’s Best Friend!”

(to my Mom on the ‘light a candle’ page of her online obituary)

I love you so very much Mom. You’re not being here doesn’t always seem real. I wish I could see you. I wish we could call each other again. I wish we could play Kismet. I hope I’ve done right by you. You didn’t deserve pain of any kind. I hope you are happy and loved and free. Please forgive me for my faults. You are the most loving mother a girl can have. Thank you Mom.

September 02, 2017

 

My Lizard Ate A Bee! What Lizard Parents Need To Know:
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My Lizard Ate A Bee! What Lizard Parents Need To Know:

Dawn ReneeLeave a comment

Lightning Bugs (Fireflies) will kill your scaly sweety, and never let him or her eat rhubarb! Avocados are toxic to many creatures! Lettuce has nearly no nutrition! These are just a few important things to learn of.

One sunny day, Copper (seen below) ate a bee! I never took my eyes off her. Instantly, a bee teleported itself directly in front of her. She ate it with hyperspeed! I grabbed her, held her tightly and cried like a baby! I thought, “Any minute now I’m going to lose her.” I raced inside to research what I can do or what will happen. I learned she should be fine to digest the bee (ech, & poor bee) & may very well not get stung!

 

Other things are surprisingly detrimental though!

Foods high in oxalates or oxalic acids are a good thing to know about. Please see the links below to learn more.

https://www.beardeddragoncare101.com/avoid-feeding-bearded-dragon/

http://www.moonvalleyreptiles.com/uromastyx/uromastyx-diet/oxalates-goitrogens-toxins

The following is an informative bit I found here: https://reptile-savvy.weebly.com/oxalates.html

Oxalates chiefly affects calcium but also has an affect with magnesium metabolism. Calcium Oxalic acid binds calcium and forms calcium oxalate which is insoluble, indigestible crystals. Therefore, calcium oxalate adversely effects the absorption and utilisation of calcium in the animals’ body.

Spinach, for example, contains a high level of calcium, but the oxalic acid it also contains binds up all but about 5% of it during the digestion process, working at a rate of 1 unit of oxalic acid binding up almost 100 units of calcium. Vitamin A can help reduce the effect a little. A positive feature of oxalic acid is that the crystals help clean the digestive system and may offer some other benefits in small amounts. Foods high in oxalic acid include spinach, kale, lettuce, broccoli, swiss chard and parsley. A varied diet can prevent any nutritional issue, as well as careful and moderate feeding of foods high in oxalic acid.

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It’s easy to get bogged in the details of things scientific, metabolic, and more, in regards to proper lighting, their outputs and distances from different reptiles. All this, and the learning of diet do’s and don’ts can be overwhelming.

No lizard deserves being the victim of negligence in learning. We must try to not make a dreadful mistake! If you need to know more on lighting, my post Lighting for Lizards has some information.

A quick way to navigate through the rigmarole concerning their diets is to keep this in mind:

  1. DO RESEARCH ABOUT WHAT IS DANGEROUS TO DIGEST AND DON’T GIVE THEM THESE THINGS.
  2. MAKE A LIST OF WHAT MULTIPLE SOURCES CLAIM TO BE IDEAL FOR DAILY INTAKE (NEVER RELY ON ONLY ONE PERSON’S OPINION). THEN, DON’T HAVE WORRIES ABOUT THESE THINGS.
  3. IF A FOOD IS VERY NUTRITIOUS WITH NEEDED VITAMINS AND MINERALS, BUT THERE IS CONCERN PERTAINING TO IT’S HIGH OXALATES, FOR EXAMPLE, JUST BE MODERATE WHEN OFFERING IT TO YOUR REPTILE.
  4. KEEP THIS AS A LOG YOU CAN REFER TO LATER. IT’S ALSO GOOD FOR HOUSE-SITTERS AND CARE-GIVERS TO HAVE IN THEIR POSSESSION IF YOU TRAVEL.
  5. YOU COULD CATEGORIZE YOUR FINDINGS AS:  “NEVER GIVE,              WILL KILL”,        “ALL THEY WANT”,     AND    “GIVE ONLY OCCASIONALLY IN SMALL AMOUNTS”                                                                                                                Another something you may want to convey to your reptile care-givers is that it is not wise to not allow them to eat any insects found outdoors. They may have parasites or gotten into chemicals. If they are fed plants from outside that is known to be safe for them to eat, know first that they also have no chemical residue upon them. One could also leave the name and telephone number of an exotic animal veterinarian if the um, babysitter needs to get your sweety seen.

I will recommend organic food. These may be rinsed due to bacteria that can be found in soil and manure. If un-chemically treated produce isn’t accessible, rinse very well and pat dry. There’s some bad stuff in the water too. Personally, I’ve read much about effects of flouride (I don’t think it’s for our teeth) and the chemicals used to “clean” the water. There are some filtration systems that remove flouride along with the other stuff. If these cannot be obtained, any form of filtered water will have to do. Here’s just one thing about some of the water.

Pesticides kill things, so whatever that is, it’s not good for any of us. It also has been claimed they negatively effect the cancer-killing enzymes found naturally in what should be healthy food.

The FDA & others may state something is safe up to a certain dosage, that may or may not be so. I’m not trying to induce a sense of paranoia in the realms of food and drink. I’m simply stating we need to be cautious regarding a number of things to develop a balanced approach to the best choices possible for our loved ones, based on gathered information.

IF YOUR REPTILIAN DARLING NEEDS YOUR HELP BECAUSE THEY SEEM SICK OR TIRED, COLLECT A STOOL SAMPLE, IF YOU CAN,  IN A ZIPLOCK BAG, YOU CAN SQUEEZE OUT SOME AIR AROUND THE FECAL MATTER. THIS HELPS THE DEPENDABILITY OF THE RESULTS (do not allow feces to contact anything & wash hands after handling).

LAY PITIFUL BABY ON A BLANKIE IN A BOX OR HAVE A RIDE – ALONG PAL TO HOLD HIM OR HER TO VISIT THE VETERINARIAN. SOME VETS WILL LET YOU DROP OFF THE SAMPLE WITH THE COST OF THE FECAL TEST. CALL AN EXOTIC ANIMAL VET TO GET DETAILS.

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Man, Murph loves his orange pillow!

THEY’RE SO WORTH IT.

*If you want to know about Copper, she can be found here and here. These are sad stories folks. She was special to her family. Pain-of-loss aside, there’s a beautiful thing within.

“Give me Lizardry or give me Death!” – Dawn Renee♥