Gus is very pushy and not very patient!!!

[marisa]

hehehehe. Gus started bugging me for crickets while I was cleaning him up today....so as soon as he saw me get the cricket carrier we use for his crickets he sped down like the flash and climbed right in before I was even putting them in his cage! lol. Considering he has eaten like 30 crickets in the past two days, I didn't think he would be hugnry again today! Sheesh.

<img src="http://members.rogers.com/mattl/gus09-03-03.jpg">
<img src="http://members.rogers.com/mattl/2gus09-03-03.jpg">
<img src="http://members.rogers.com/mattl/3gus09-03-03.jpg">
<img src="http://members.rogers.com/mattl/4gus09-03-03.jpg">

He has definitly gained some weight but its most noticable in his legs..they are thicker than before. I am having a hell of a time getting that shed off of him and he is pissy about letting me touch it so I am just being patient.

Marisa

[marisa]

Oh also....question...I use aloe vera on my iguanas spikes and hard to shed spots. She really loves it and it gets it off like right away. It's also all natural.

I was thinking of putting some on his tough shed and his bad scars (which are still healing) to help. Would this be o.k.? If he lets me that is.

Marisa

[Trace]

Hey Marisa! :D

Gus is definately gaining a bit of weight! I can see it. He's got a little pot belly now too. Or maybe it's just a belly full of poo! LOL!

I always use a drop of baby oil on stubborn shed areas and that always works for me. I have vet prescribed topical antibiotic ointments for chameleons that come to me with lacerations/open wounds and the like, but polysporin is another medication in my arsenal that works on those areas as well. I don't see why Aloe Vera would be bad on any of his scars/sheds. As you say, it's natural.

Keep up the good work with Gus, he does look a lot better. I like these updates.

Trace

[marisa]

HAHA No finanlly, its not poo! He is going normally now! Think he was just a little shy. But hey, who wants someone checking to see if they have done their "business" everyday? lol. His pot belly is all from crickets and various worms! I can't believe how much he is willing to eat. Its insane.

I will keep updating! :D

Marisa

[meow_mix450]

hey,srry i havnt been in these forums for a while, great job of taking care of gus!!! keep us posted, nice shots.

[Matt_K]

good stuff Marisa! That last pic is awesome..

[carl]

would`nt more warm/hot mistings help with his shedding.I think that would be more natural than putting ointment on him.Do you know how old he is.Thats a lot of crix for one cham,unless they are small crix.Cool pic`s.

[marisa]

Carl- Gus has a dripper that is filled twice per day, I also mist him two-three times per day directly. It isn't helping because he has so many scars that seem to build up with old skin.

I was under the impression that he should eat as much as he wants at this point??? (he has been eating 12 crickets per week for four years now :()

Marisa

[Trace]

Hey Marisa! :D

I would still feed him as much as he wants at this point. Obviously he's hungry. It's been my experience with male Veiled's anyways, that they eat what they want. If they are not hungry, they don't eat. For example, some of my adults will eat 24 bugs a day, while others will only eat 6. All of them maintain a healthy weight no matter how much they eat. At some point in the future, if Gus continues to eat the way he does, you may want to cut back a little on the amount of food that he gets daily, just to prevent him getting too porky. Right now he's enjoying it, putting on weight, looking better, so let him be for another few weeks. I think his appetite will level out soon enough.

Hope this helps.

Trace

[marisa]

Thanks Trace....that's what I was planning on. Letting him be a pig until he starts looking like one. LOL.

Marisa