Update on Pennywise!

[Grover]

Since I know you are all aching to know how the little new guy is doing..

I've put him into his 55 gallon tank with a couple 100 W bulbs and flourescent UVB light. I've replaced the substrate with Patio Quick Dry (looks like turf, but is soft). Added some background to cover the clear glass and put in some climby things. I'd show pictures but I can't figure how to host them yet.

Problems I see:
1.) Pennywise isn't eating much. A couple superworms a week, if that. I know he knows where the food is, I keep it in the same spot. They don't move too much though. If I dangle them in front of him, he just looks at them.

2.) Pennywise isn't too keen on playing in his pool. He likes getting sprayed with water but never jumps into his water pool.

3.) His serious gash on his back isn't really healing. It's not getting worse, but isn't growing skin back. I see white (almost looks like bone). Maybe this will take months and not a couple weeks.

4.) He's starting to warm up to me, I can pet him, spray him with water, rub in his Shedding Aid. I still can't take him out of the cage without him going beserk though.

[wdm]

My girls don't seem to eat much but the gain weight with no problem. I have a kitchen scale that weighs grams not an expensive thing and tho it takes a bit to confince them to sit still you can tell if they are getting enough because they will be gaining weight

[DaremoAlpha]

1: have you tried different food sources? Waxworms are good and fatty so try a few of those to bulk PW up some just do not use them as the only food.

2: Awol never bothered with his pool for the longest time but has spent the last 2 days sitting and even sleeping in it with his head propped up on the side of it. Dragons know when they want to do stuff and from what I have seen it is never when we expect them to do it LOL.

3: Think about how long it takes us to heal from wounds... nuff said there I think but keep a close eye on it for infections.

4: Awol will sometimes sit on my arm but when he wants to go it is hard to get him under control too. When you lift your dragon make sure you support all his feet, I have found that Awol is much easier to handle if all his feet are planted firm instead of just his body .

Thanks for posting, always good to see what others are doing for their dragons too

[Grover]

I've tried crickets, mealworms, and superworms. He seems to like the superworms best, never bothers with mealworms and crickets just die to easily for me. I think I'm going to put his old 10 gallon tank to use and keep crickets alive instead of the tupperware container. Doesn't matter anyways, the 3 or 4 in his terrarium have just been crawling around for the last couple days. I'll pick up some waxworms this weekend and see what happens.

I put antibiotic ointment on his back every day, he doesn't seem to mind it.

He's doing better than one of the guys in the pet store I got him at..I noticed some pretty bad mouthrot on the littlest one in their cage.

-Chris

[DaremoAlpha]

what did the petstore clerks say when you pointed that out to them???

[Grover]

DaremoAlpha said:

what did the petstore clerks say when you pointed that out to them???

Not much. I'll check up on him when I go in and get some crickets. I've got waxworms in his dish now too. I put some fish food and Flukers in there to give the worms something to eat.

I think he ate a waxworm. I put it RIGHT in front of him, it started crawling on him and then down the branch. I couldn't find it anywhere. Hopefully he ate it. Waxworms look fatty.

[DaremoAlpha]

Yup thats about all they are too hehehe just a fattening treat for kids LOL But they can help bulk up littles a bit.

Another great food source although much more costlt is silkworms, very healthy for dragons but 5 bucks a dozen where I live Good thing about the silkies is that they don't wander to far from where you place them.

[char]

You can also get silkies at silkiestogo.com. They are very good there and pretty resonable prices.

Also try soaking Pennywise in a Betadine bath made to the color of tea. This will help with the healing process. I know PW is still a little skittish but it will help.

As for the crickets, don't let them run around in the tank for days. If uneaten you should remove them the same day. They will bite your poor baby and irritate the skin even more. They are little vultures. I hope Pennywise feels better soon.