Beware! He's Super Fierce & Ferocious!

Here is Neville who I was warned was "aggressive." ;) It must have been because he didn't have a blankie to snuggle in! 

I think beardies are as aggressive as we allow them to be. Neville huffed and puffed at me when I first got him, and I just laughed at him. When I reach into his tank, he puffs up and takes a defensive pose, and I laugh at him. When I hold him, he kind of thrashes around and I talk to him nicely and pet his head. The first time I held him, it took him two hours to relax enough to go sleep. The second time, he was asleep within minutes. Last night, as soon as I wrapped the blankie around him (shh, don't tell him it's a pink blankie for girls! ;) ), he closed his eyes and went to sleep.

Blankie Training Neville, step one

Tonight was a good night for me to work with Neville and his grumpiness. Time to introduce him to the joys of being wrapped in a blankie!

 He was unsure of it at first, but he also didn't fight it.

Close up, he looks like he's wearing Cherry Chapstick! I love it!

I held him in his blankie while I ate an ice cream cone and then I sat down in the rocking chair and watched a cool program on PBS about Himalayan burial grounds. Neville only freaked out once when I tried to cover his head. Nope! He hated that.

I stroked his head a little bit and rocked in the rocking chair. He looked around and stayed very calm and mellow.

I held him for over an hour and wouldn't quit until I saw this:

Success!!! He was comfortable enough to fall asleep on me. I let him rest for a few minutes and then I put him back in his tank.

We'll try again tomorrow.

Earlier today, I thought back to a few of my first "Aggressive" bearded dragon rescues. They did sorta terrify me. I used to give my grumpy ones to my friend Kristin. My definition of "Aggressive" is SOOOOO different now thanks to multiple iguanas, a couple monitors, and two starving 10 foot long Burmese. Even being bitten doesn't worry me as much (not that I like it) since I've been bitten a half dozen times by mean iguanas, a Savannah monitor, and a Burmese python. It's all about perspective.

Plus, I think beardies become used to reacting a certain way and having people respond back in a certain way. If they flare up and thrash, they are used to the reaction of withdrawing. Neville did that earlier and I just laughed at him and kept holding him. I expect he'll still try to be a brat with me, but he's going to learn very quickly that I don't back off. Ha! He will like that blankie! ;)

Two Super Soft New Etsy Items

A Mermaid Tail Snuggle Sack-- CLICK HERE

These will come in three sizes and three solid colors.

And a super soft minky fabric hammock with adjustable suction cups. These are one size but in three prints. CLICK HERE!

I loved shopping for this fabric! So soft! It made me want to take a nap! 

These will be up in my Etsy shop later today and then I'll post a link. 

Adding in More Personalized Items on Etsy

The personalized blankies have sold SO well in the past year that I'm expanding the selection in my shop to include a bath towel and a Christmas blankie. I'll keep adding more things on too.

The towel set is HERE. 

Comes with a free rubber duck! 

The Christmas set is HERE.

Blankie & ornament

Coming soon is a set of white glitter wings with a name embroidered in the middle as a memorial for beardies who have passed away. Nice enough to be hung on the wall or as a Christmas ornament.

Blaze, the sickly Savvy

Blaze was out tonight when I turned off his lights and so I decided to try something. 

I pulled him out and wrapped him in a blankie. He loves it!! 

He loves having his head rubbed! He's so cute!! 

Now if I can just get him to eat on his own. I'm still having to tube-feed him every few days. 

He goes back to the vet on Monday. He's had a month of tube-feeding, but isn't getting any better. 

Flame

It took awhile, but I finally got Flame to be calm sitting on me. 

He HATES blankies and being swaddled. 

He HATES being covered. 

And he HATES being held. 

And he HATES my phone. 

And he is HATING that I won't let him down as I'm typing this post. 

But other than that, he's super sweet and loves me. 

Ha ha ha! 

I'll just pretend it's all because of the shedding. ;) Denial can be very useful sometimes. 

Snuggly Time

Flame discovered the joy of snuggling in blankies tonight. 

He wasn't too sure at first, but once he wiggled his head and shoulders up, he was great. 

What's with the pictures, he asks. 

Click does NOT want to Snuggle!

It's snuggle time with Click & Clack & Katy. Only Click wasn't interested. 

At all. 

So while Clack & Katy are sleeping, Click was running around me like a crazy man and trying to launch himself off the rocking chair. 

I keep thinking he'll calm down soon, but he's not yet tired. He's too excited to be free. 

Milo's Morning

Milo has proved that he is NOT a morning bearded dragon.

That's his "Really? You want me get up?" face.  

Finally! Success!!

After two plus years, I finally got my big boy Max to use and like a blankie!!!

Blankies!

Most of my beardies have blankies. And they love them! See?

Some mornings they just don't get up. I can't blame them!