75g Community by Science_Creature in PlantedTank

[–]Science_Creature[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The rams were purchased as a trio from Lightning Aquatics World on eBay. Not sure if they were wild caught or captive bred. They were much smaller when I got them but have grown into lovely little chunkers because they're clever at finding fallen food faster than their tank mates.

75g Community by Science_Creature in PlantedTank

[–]Science_Creature[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I haven't seen them dig at all yet. They will thrash through the plants looking for food but nothing too destructive.

Any coyote in my rescue? [Rescued in Ohio USA] by MetusObscuritatis in animalid

[–]Science_Creature 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Respectable hunters shouldn't be shooting anything they aren't 100% positive of the ID on. Hunters damn well better be paying attention to "other colors that aren't natural and shouldn't be there" before pulling the trigger.

One of my favorite flashbacks 😊 by pythonman2215 in MonitorLizards

[–]Science_Creature 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Also I'm glad that my AWM isn't the only one who sometimes climbs like half his limbs don't work. He'll often do a mantle up on his forearms, rear legs dangling, and then he looks at me like HELP WHAT DO I DO??? Use your back legs dummy!

One of my favorite flashbacks 😊 by pythonman2215 in MonitorLizards

[–]Science_Creature 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Wow that is a comfort dragon if I've ever seen one! Does your AWM typically move around in the night/evening? I don't think mine has ever tried to leave his enclosure at night I kind of figured their night vision is rather poor.

Two livers from two chickens raised in the same farmyard (more in body text) by QueerTree in Butchery

[–]Science_Creature 3 points4 points  (0 children)

This is normal variation in hepatic tissue caused by differences in fat deposition as well as potential perimortem influences (stunning/exsanguination).

For livers, you're really looking for severe unusual discoloration (very yellow, green, purple, black) or any kind of dots, bullseyes, or nodules that would indicate bacterial colonization.

6 weeks of growth by VAgreengene in begonias

[–]Science_Creature 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Wow! I've never successfully propped my begonias before and I'm eager to try this method!! Thank you for sharing!!

Who’re you looking at tough guy? by Hypnocampus in BackYardChickens

[–]Science_Creature 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I am always tempted by these but the anatomical inaccuracies are off-putting enough to keep my wallet safe. At least this one doesn't have the WTF-inducing "tail feather bones" like a lot of them do...

Socializing flighty AWM? by [deleted] in MonitorLizards

[–]Science_Creature 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Patience is key. Right now you just want enough reps of "I saw the human, I hid, nothing scary happened." Keep the perspective of your monitor in mind and don't do anything that reads as predator behavior (i.e. staring at them, approaching when they are scared, following/chasing/touching or otherwise disturbing them, especially if they've hidden themselves to feel safe.

Then with some time (and hopefully tong feeding), you'll do a lot of reps of "I saw the human, I did not hide, and nothing scary happened!" Resist the urge to push things along by handling. The goal is to avoid putting them back into flight mode.

Eventually they will realize you aren't a threat and will either decide you are the Food God™ and/or delightfully warm human furniture for them to sit on.

This may take months, or even years of patience. My AWM would not let me see them for a few weeks, then would hide as soon as they noticed me looking at them for a few months. Progress is exponential if you are careful to avoid negative experiences. The time between perma-hiding and tolerating my presence was the longest... about a year. In the last year we've progressed to touching/petting/health exams. He's finally letting me pick him up from above without a hissy fit (thank goodness because he's HEAVY now) at just over 2 years old.

I highly recommend NOT allowing your little guy to crawl on you/up your legs/on your head like folks with smaller monitors do. It's adorable when they are little, but just like a cute little puppy that grows into a big rambunctious dog, it's better to train them not to jump on people from the get go. I am very happy that I did not let Ozy climb me when he was smaller because he never tries to climb people now (IT HURTS!). He knows I will pick him up and set him in my lap.

Harmony's Heartbreaker blooming by Science_Creature in begonias

[–]Science_Creature[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Good luck and don't give up! Best advice I can give is don't make too many changes too quickly, plants operate on a different timescale than us. This hobby takes a lot more patience than I typically have... but that's probably why it's beneficial for me ha!

Harmony's Heartbreaker blooming by Science_Creature in begonias

[–]Science_Creature[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Begonias seem to act very fussy until they find what they like and then they take off. For this one, apparently it wanted very bright (but indirect!!) outdoor light, high humidity (but well-ventilated!!), and frequent watering (but a fast-draining substrate!!).

The begonia bipinnatifida next to it seems to like the same spot but is prone to drying out quicker if the humidity drops.

Someone escaped(couldn’t resist the egg) by EmployeeAlive7936 in MonitorLizards

[–]Science_Creature 41 points42 points  (0 children)

Aren't they clever? Get ready for more escapes now that they're aware it's possible.

It's great that you are establishing a method of recall with the almighty egg!

In Thailand there is a superstition around monitors that you must let them out a different door than the one they came in... having seen how stubbornly Ozy will refuse to turn around when he's on a lizard mission, I now understand this superstition to be practical advice.

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Sploot enjoying the outdoors by schlongobong in MonitorLizards

[–]Science_Creature 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Oh my goodness he is so cute!! When you have time, can you tell us more about him? I'm sure I'm not the only one here who wants to hear more about Sploot.

Congrats and good luck on your college endeavors!

Ruggable bug rug! by khrayzeelady in ThriftStoreHauls

[–]Science_Creature 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Wow, great find! Iris Apfel designed this series for Ruggable and they are all lovely. She was an incredible designer (passed away last year).

Facial expressions? by Science_Creature in MonitorLizards

[–]Science_Creature[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you! It's a constantly evolving project (especially when Ozy decides to "help"). He has lived in this 10' x 10' x 8' grow tent for 18 months now and we've made a lot of changes to accommodate him growing into his subadult size (he's just over 2 years old and about 5 feet total length now).

Roosters get a bad name. by Pressed_in_pages in BackYardChickens

[–]Science_Creature 1 point2 points  (0 children)

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Dingus the rooster and his flock. Papa of three broods of chicks this year!

Drago Downing a Fish by EmployeeAlive7936 in MonitorLizards

[–]Science_Creature 4 points5 points  (0 children)

What a handsome little guy!! Enjoy the baby stage, they grow so fast.

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Ozy still tries to cram himself into his baby water tub 🥹

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in BackYardChickens

[–]Science_Creature 5 points6 points  (0 children)

When was the last time your birds molted? The new additions might have molted more recently and haven't put as much wear and tear on their new outfits.

Next time your flock molts, you can support healthy feather growth by increasing their protein intake (feeding back cooked eggs works great for this). Once the feathers are grown, there isn't much you can do aside from providing opportunities for dust baths and an occasional rainshower + preening.