Reptile & Amphibian Forums

and in the trees there is not a whole lot of Direct sunlight
Why oh why does Erowen try to run away to the windows to the outside whenever she is allowed out of her cage?
I use her JUMPING off my daughters sholder, as a clue that she needs to go home to her tank.
She finally ate, she was only eating one small Nightcrawler (and I mean small, only a little bigger than a red wriggler) every other day for the past week or so.
but Yesterday she ate 2 of em

I M looking into getting a Vermicomposter so I can compost, AND raise worms for her.
Anyone ever try this?
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Elizabeth (ecb)

'Good Judgment Comes From Experience
but Experience Comes From Bad Judgment'

Hey ecb,

I raise worms, love the dual purpose of food for Iggie and food for my plants. Its pretty easy, I'm using a rubbermaid bin and coir as bedding. Have lots of coffee grounds, egg shells, and plenty of fresh veggies to feed them. I'm pretty sure there are baby worms in the bin already. Will certainly make it easy come winter when the bait shops are closed and buying worms will get difficult.

Linda ö¿ö

R U in Pa? like Ur name implies?
I M just at the edge of Philadelphia

ecb
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Elizabeth (ecb)

'Good Judgment Comes From Experience
but Experience Comes From Bad Judgment'

Yup, a little further north----Erie, right on the lake.

Linda ö¿ö

I have seen many of mine try to get through the glass on their cages too. I believe that they don't understand the concept of being able to see through a solid object. They don't know it's glass, it's only a path to the bushes or a new tree to them.
It sounds like she might still be a little skittish about being handled as is looking to run for cover. My daughter was holding one on her shoulder once and as I walked by her it dove off trying to get to what I can only guess was the "taller tree", me. Be on watch for her running hard into the glass, it might cause some injuries. I believe Marcia once used fabric screening to mask the bottom few inches of her cages to discourage digging at the glass. It might be helpful to put a screen on the window that way she will be able to see that there is something solid there and not charge at it.

Regards,
Cheyanne
Spitfire Reptiles

yeah, my daughter was putting her (erowen) back in her tank, and erowen jumped out of her hand, DOWN, to her chest, then climbed up her FACE onto her head. My daughter kept her cool, and picked her up and put her int he water in her tank, and closed up the screen before she realized she had a scratch on her eyeball. Dr put her on Abx Drops for a week, and a patch for 3 days. she is fine, but has a VERY healthy respect for erowens escape reflex.
When we see her running away, towards the windows (or TV) we just put her away
NOW
any hints on how to UN-Spoil her, she will not eat crickets anymore, only red wrigglers, or nightcrawlers
I took Froggie B's advice and de-jumped some crickets and have them captive in the tank (in a tub, with high enough edges they cannot climb out, and cricket food in there)
but she is NOT eating them, not even a little bit that I can see.

ALSO
what are the pros and cons of planting the plants DIRECTLY in the tank, as opposed to leaving them in the pots?
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Elizabeth (ecb)

'Good Judgment Comes From Experience
but Experience Comes From Bad Judgment'

I don't think there is any way to un-spoil MHDs when it comes to their food items. You have to find what insects they prefer and concentrate on them. I am now raising roaches and find they are more interested in them than in crickets. My adults will occasionally eat crickets but only on rare occasions so I don't waste my money on them. Mine will eat mealworms, superworms, silkworms and nightcrawlers. It seems that if they won't eat anything else they will usually eat crawlers. So, the best suggestion I can offer is to have a variety on hand. I know this is more difficult with only one dragon than it is with a larger breeding group but it still may be feasable to raise mealworms and/or roaches. Meanwhile the crawlers are a great high calcium food for them.

Marcia

Thanks, that is what I thought
I M planning on keeping the crickets alive as long as I can, they are feeding well on the food and gel I have for them, so its a back up food source if the kid who is pet sitting does not feed her one day.
ALSO, as far as I can tell she has YET to shed. I have had her over a month. is it possible I missed it?
I sawe a (VERY CUTE) water dragon shedding at the petstore, just swimming and wriggling in the water (actually seemed happy and playful) and the old skin was VERY different from the new, and I have seen nothing like this on Erowen, and I have seen NO patches of skin in the tank.
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Elizabeth (ecb)

'Good Judgment Comes From Experience
but Experience Comes From Bad Judgment'

I would agree with Marcia, it is difficult to unspoil them Most of mine are quite happy with crickets but some prefer mealworms and some turn their noses up at them. Everyone follows the roaches but not everyone eats them. Its kind of a pain but if what I am feeding is refused I try to hand feed it to them. If they dont take it its no big deal I just offer what they will eat. Some of mine wont eat out of hand but some of them seem to prefer it to actually chasing their own food. I make them chase it more often than not but if it has been a few days since they have fed I will give in and hand feed them. Technically they govern my feeding habits, lol.
I am glad to hear that there was no serious damage to your daughter, I have had dragons climb up my face and their toenails are quite sharp. They seem to always want the tallest tree, even the tallest human one!
As far as shedding goes it is possible that it just isn't time yet. They don't eat their skins so you really can't miss it. Plus it comes in stages instead of all at once. Sometimes it goes tail, body/limbs, head, sometimes it is body and back legs, tail, head and front limbs, sometimes it is just the body, then the tail and back legs, then head shoulders and front limbs. I have never seen any of mine shed all at once, nor have I heard of it happening. It is a process that can take a couple of weeks to complete. You can't miss the head shed, at least I can't, their skin puffs off like mummy wrappings
Keep humidity up there and she should be just fine when it comes to shedding time.

Have a good day
Cheyanne