Wednesday, November 24, 2010

New Baby!
...today I adopted my second Beardie (and from the same place as my first, Kayla). Initial impression is a 4-month old male, but time and vet will tell.

When Kayla died, I realized that I needed to adopt again and soon. Dragons are excellent for anxiety and depression (which I have anyway) and mourning is no exception to that. I remember when Brownie died, that there was a window for adopting again and it passed by. I wasn't willing to do that again.

But I wasn't planning on adopting today (nor any other day I ever adopted). I just told myself to walk in to the 2 pet places in town and do my upmost not to be overwhelmed. It's part of the process. First stop had a Beardie who was under observation for illness (never ever buy a sick pet), next stop had one Beardie who was younger and a tad more skittish.

Apparently I was in there for an hour "whispering" until the little one came towards me, ate in front of me, tried to scratch some ear-shed off, licked at me, and then "climbed" at the corner. Like with Kayla, I was the one who got the liz into the box, after I called Mom in and held the little one for a short while.

At home, Dad had washed out all of Kayla's things back on the 18th, the day she died/we brought her body home. While on the phone with the local reptile rescue (finally called me back) I got licked and licked and licked until finally I got the "put down the phone and pay me some attention!" AHA! Paid attention while I gave a tour of the house. Still a bit scared by new surroundings tho. Store said it's 8 months old. Size says 4. Initially, I said it was a boy, but if it's really *that* young, then it could be a while before we know for sure.

Anyhow, the new dragon is here. Is already quite attentive and communicative (reptiles are *BY FAR* smarter than generally given credit for) and alert. Dad's taken 1 photo. Now I have to update my Flickr account. But not right now.

So small, so soft, so smart. <::sigh::> :-) <3

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posted @ 8:52 PM  |   0 comments  |  

R.I.P. Kayla
A post I had hoped to make 10 years from now.

Kayla developed an itchy spot which she *loved* to have scratched this spring. It got a little dark in color, and a little larger. She had on-again off-again eating habits, but showed no signs of distress. It wasn't until about 2 weeks ago that I discovered a berry-sized bump in her sinus cavity directly behind said spot. It had never been sensitive before now.

Her symptoms fooled me. She was shedding and brumating and appeared to have a sinus infection/cold. Even her tail faked me out. She would let me rub it and give her a warm bath, after she figured out I was trying to help her. It wasn't until the morning of November 17th...she became very limp, and liquid drained from her left nostril and mouth. Off to the vet, a stay overnight. I called "after nine" like they said, and she had died within the past hour.

We buried her in the backyard underneath where her fountain sits during the other 3 seasons. I'm still not completely over this (obviously) since it was so sudden.

She had gone on a 2.5 week trip w/Dad & me to Clayton New York and then to the Washington DC area. I had plans to get documentation from my pdoc saying that she was officially/legally my therapy pet.

She was my baby, my friend, my partner, and my first dragon. No need for "Rainbow Bridge" postings- I know I'll see her again in Heaven. And that she's no longer in pain. I also now know that the Bearded Dragon is the critter I need to have petwise, and that Beardies need to be listed and accepted as service/therapy animals on par with with seeing-eye dogs/horses and PTSD aids for returning vets.

Love you forever Kayla! All that "Dragon Whispering" has already paid off in multiple dividends...

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posted @ 8:38 PM  |   0 comments  |