I need a 12 step plan...

[Hypancistrus]

Went to the local herp store to get some frozen adult mice to hold me over with the new snake until I can get a bunch from the herp meet in January, and lo and behold.... the store's one employee had a batch of hedgie babies for sale. Being incapable at this point of resisting a cute little wiggly snout, I got a little albino female.

Here she is.

 

[Tula_Montage]

She is beautiful! You really are replacing the love of your life to a whole new level!

 

[Hypancistrus]

You really are replacing the love of your life to a whole new level!

I am not sure that will ever happen... I am just looking to stay as busy as possible. These guys help.

 

[Tula_Montage]

Whatever works She really is adoreable. I know she will bring your hours of laughter and fun!

 

[Hypancistrus]

Whatever works She really is adoreable. I know she will bring your hours of laughter and fun!

You know it! Thanks for the comments.

 

[susang]

Oh! I'm moving to your house you're having way to much fun. Just kidding you deserve the little cutey, susang

 

[Cegninedorf]

Oh, wow, that's awesome... I still keep trying to talk my boyfriend into letting me have a sugar glider (too bad that it's *his* house we live in!) -- I keep waiting to see you post a photo of one of those! Although, a step-down for me might be a Brazilian short-tail opossum... But I *really* want a sugar glider...

I don't know if this may help, though...but when a long-term ex & I finally broke it all off (it was a horrid relationship...and the end was simply devastating...I never lose weight from stress, and this caused me to lose weight because the idea of eating made me nauseous...!), the first thing I did was rip all of the bedding off of my bed & throw it in the dumpster. (I couldn't donate it -- that just seemed too unfair to put my bad memories on someone else! But, I did put it in the dumpster in a way that if someone wanted it, it was easy pickings!) And I bought something to replace the bedding that was bright and the total opposite of the previous bedding's color scheme...I went from black & white French provincial-looking to dark red & gold Asian. It was absolutely what I needed -- changed the entire look of the room that I couldn't bear to be in...and I found out that he found out that I'd done that, and it actually seemed to hurt his feelings. I was thrilled...and I could sleep better.

Whatever works for you, keep doing good things for yourself. I even took a trip to Mexico, because I realized that to move on, I needed new memories of my own...and where else can you find a fabulous distraction but on a gorgeous beach with ancient pyramids (Tulum!)?

Congrats on the new baby! What is this lovely lady's name? :cheers:

 

[Hypancistrus]

Oh, wow, that's awesome... I still keep trying to talk my boyfriend into letting me have a sugar glider (too bad that it's *his* house we live in!) -- I keep waiting to see you post a photo of one of those! Although, a step-down for me might be a Brazilian short-tail opossum... But I *really* want a sugar glider...

I like the idea of sugar gliders, but around here they are incredibly rare and super expensive. In addition, from what I have read they pretty much have to have another sugar glider to be happy, so it's double the cost. Ack! Not any time soon. I can think of a few other more exotic small mammals I've considered, but none that are imminent.

Now herps, on the other hand.... there's a few of those I'm interested in acquiring... first and foremost a boa of some sort (I have a python, a king and a corn... and am severely lacking in the boa department) and then perhaps a larger, friendly lizard. I looked at beardies, but adeno and the sheer number of crickets required scares me!! So maybe a blue-tongue skink.

Congrats on the new baby! What is this lovely lady's name? :cheers:

I've named her Annabelle, after the character in a children's book who also happened to be a hedgehog, and also, after my paternal grandmother who I am quite fond of (she won't understand the significance of me naming a hedgehog after her!).

Thanks for the comments, everyone.

 

[Nanci]

Annabelle is adorable!! What kind of diet does she require? I have a friend who has sugar gliders. You need to hire a gourmet chef for those guys.

 

[Cegninedorf]

I like the idea of sugar gliders, but around here they are incredibly rare and super expensive. In addition, from what I have read they pretty much have to have another sugar glider to be happy, so it's double the cost. Ack! Not any time soon. I can think of a few other more exotic small mammals I've considered, but none that are imminent.

I read that, too, about sugar gliders, but what really got me thinking more about them was when a student of mine came in with his care taking guide -- from HOME! I was stunned -- one of my kids has a sugar glider (and apparently, a whole slew of other interesting pets!)! And in reading about them, yes -- I did read that they are happier with a friend, but if you spend enough time with them to socialize them, it should work just as well...

Perhaps this summer, when I'm off from school...hmmm...

Around here, they cost $175, straight from this guy who breeds them & sells them at a local expo...I also found a website that sells them for the same cost + shipping...and gives a bit of a price break when you buy more than one.

Now herps, on the other hand.... there's a few of those I'm interested in acquiring... first and foremost a boa of some sort (I have a python, a king and a corn... and am severely lacking in the boa department) and then perhaps a larger, friendly lizard. I looked at beardies, but adeno and the sheer number of crickets required scares me!! So maybe a blue-tongue skink.

I understand what you mean about beardies -- but maybe go with an adult & then you won't have to deal with so many crickets? Adults are more on a 20% insects (protein)/80% veggies diet, than when a baby, and I'm trying to get my girl into eating dubia roaches, which are better than crickets...yeah, and trying to get her to eat at a time when she'd rather not! When my girl was a baby, ohmigod -- I could deal with the little crickets, but the adult one searching for a mate? Oy...I'll never forget the one that got trapped in the wall of my apartment. I felt like I was losing my mind! I really almost tore a chunk of the wall out to get at the darn thing with the vacuum hose!

Perhaps start a poll -- which herp with Hypancistrus get next?

I've named her Annabelle, after the character in a children's book who also happened to be a hedgehog, and also, after my paternal grandmother who I am quite fond of (she won't understand the significance of me naming a hedgehog after her!).

Very nice name...fits a dainty lady like her!

 

[Hypancistrus]

I understand what you mean about beardies -- but maybe go with an adult & then you won't have to deal with so many crickets? Adults are more on a 20% insects (protein)/80% veggies diet, than when a baby, and I'm trying to get my girl into eating dubia roaches, which are better than crickets...

I tried the roach thing. They all escaped in my classroom the day before thanksgiving when some idiot busted a hole in their tank and covered it with paper to "repair" it. I have no idea which idiot it was, but if I ever find out.... :flames: I spent two hours searching for them and killing the ones I could find... $20 on roach killing powder and spray... uuuuggghhhh.... so we're not doing the roach thing anymore.

So I've thought about an adult, but there's still the adenovirus thing to worry about. Have you had yours tested? I am not sure if it's worth worrying about for a single pet beardie, but I guess that's one of the things holding me back.

 

[Hypancistrus]

Annabelle is adorable!! What kind of diet does she require? I have a friend who has sugar gliders. You need to hire a gourmet chef for those guys.

They are insectivores, which is new for me (I've never had a primarily insectivorous mammal). Fortunately they make dry pelleted foods that work really well for them. You can supplement those with foods like live meal worms or even crickets.

 

[Cegninedorf]

So I've thought about an adult, but there's still the adenovirus thing to worry about. Have you had yours tested? I am not sure if it's worth worrying about for a single pet beardie, but I guess that's one of the things holding me back.

No, I haven't had mine tested for adeno, but she has been to the vet a couple of times due to a pseudo-impaction (apparently, she wasn't really impacted, but per the x-ray, it appeared that she had a build-up of chitin in her belly -- perhaps from the supers she was eating, or perhaps from the few mealworms that she'd get to entice her to her salad...either way, all of a sudden, she wasn't eating, wasn't pooping, like she had been -- even when eating way more supers...), and my vet's greater concern was MBD than adeno -- which, I'm guessing he wasn't concerned about adneo because he didn't see any of the signs of it and that I'd had her since she was 4 weeks old and she was living completely on her own. I didn't even have a fecal done on Jolie (my girl) until I took her to the vet in Oct for her pseudo-impaction...which turned out to be all clear, both times.

Nanci got Isabel as an adult -- but I don't know if she had any initial worries about adeno, either, as she got Isabel from a breeder (I believe...). Perhaps ask her about concerns with buying an adult.

By the way...here's my pretty girl... (You know, not to tempt you or anything... But she really is loads of fun...!)

This is Jolie, snoozing on my lap when she was undergoing her "treatment" (she was taking a sort-of laxative to help work the stuff out...so, in order to help her poo, I put on my heating pad & she snoozed in my lap while we watched TV...& yes, I did check on the temp to make sure that it didn't get too hot for the girl!):

And, here's the young mademoiselle today -- just now, being a bit snooty...

Thanks for looking! (Sooooooooo...convinced yet? )

 

[Nanci]

So I've thought about an adult, but there's still the adenovirus thing to worry about. Have you had yours tested? I am not sure if it's worth worrying about for a single pet beardie, but I guess that's one of the things holding me back.

Bwwaaa haaaaa haaaaa! I tried that "buy an adult and skip the crickets" thing! My dragon is very, very anti-salad/fruit/greens. So don't count on that.

I am having a severe uromastyx craving right now. If Daytona was next week no doubt I'd come home with one. I'm hoping it's like when you're 20-something, and suddenly you really, really want to have a baby, but your best friend saves you and tells you it's just your hormones talking and soon the evil feelings will go away.

So maybe you should get a uro! They eat BIRDSEED!! (And other stuff, but mostly not insects. 15 bean soup beans! How weird is that!)

But of course I love stubborn Isabel the dragon more than anything. You can always do silkworms- they are like soft friendly little caterpillers.

 

[Weebonilass]

She's beautiful, Christina... but I still am leery based on the reading I've done about not having enough time to care for one correctly. The snakes don't take much time and most of the rest is devoted to work, the horse and dancing. Guess I'll just have to admire everyone else's dragons

 

[Cegninedorf]

She's beautiful, Christina... but I still am leery based on the reading I've done about not having enough time to care for one correctly. The snakes don't take much time and most of the rest is devoted to work, the horse and dancing. Guess I'll just have to admire everyone else's dragons

Thanks, Weeboni... You've got plenty enough to keep you busy already, I see! But, it doesn't feel like Jolie takes up that much time anymore -- she's just as much a part of the "routine" as my own work/school, grad classes, cats & other pets, and now getting-back-into-belly dancing all are... Eh, it all works out in the end, I guess... I'll admire your horse from afar, and I'll let Jolie know that she's got a fan...

 

[Weebonilass]

and I'll let Jolie know that she's got a fan...

Please do... if I got one, it would have to be one of those red ones I love that colour!

 

[Nanci]

All I do for Isabel is buy a bag of greens once a week- put in a snake feeding bin- they keep really well. Order silkies once a month.

Morning: Grind up greens in blender, put a few worms on top. Give to Isabel. Grate food into the silkies.

Afternoon: Bathe most days so she poos in the tub. Vacuum viv with hand-held vacuum. I bought it just for her! Hand feed a few silkies that I have rubbed in supplements.

 

[Cegninedorf]

All I do for Isabel is buy a bag of greens once a week- put in a snake feeding bin- they keep really well. Order silkies once a month.

Morning: Grind up greens in blender, put a few worms on top. Give to Isabel. Grate food into the silkies.

Afternoon: Bathe most days so she poos in the tub. Vacuum viv with hand-held vacuum. I bought it just for her! Hand feed a few silkies that I have rubbed in supplements.

I appreciate being able to read your routine with Isabel because as I was reading it, I found myself nodding my head with everything that you do...which made me feel very validated with how I take care of Jolie -- even after having discussed it all with the vet, too (who has his own monster of a beardie, named Brando, & can smell a female from a mile away!). Thanks!

 

[Nanci]

OMG!! I forgot one vital step: Tuck in with blankie when her lights go out, each and every night, without fail.