lizbrambles

[lizbrambles]

So, I decided to rehome Liz.

Before the divorce, I had a much larger house that had safe, reptile only areas so Liz got a lot of time out of his enclosure and a lot of interaction in and out of his enclosure. My new house isn't that much smaller in terms of square footage (it's actually a little larger in that regard) but has an entirely different, open, old Victorian layout that gives me no safe area for him or for the cats to do much out of enclosure interaction with him when it's not warm enough to be outside (which is most of the year in WI).

With the snakes that's not a huge deal, they don't mind handling but they're also fine being left mostly alone in cluttered and enrichment filled enclosures. They enjoy being outside when it's warm, sure, but they're also not pressed if they spend all fall-winter-spring mostly inside their enclosures and the things they have for enrichment get changed out pretty regularly so they always have new stuff to explore and do.

Tegus are...not like that. Liz is very tame and very much wants about as much interaction as any of my cats or my dog wants, and it's difficult to provide him with that in this house, which absolutely is not fair to him.

I found someone after a few months of looking who is a P E R F E C T home for him.

They have quarantine procedures, a whole area of their house and yard dedicated to their reptiles (including three rescue tegus, so they have experience with, well, tegus), didn't get all "why do you need proof of an appropriate enclosure and vet references??" and just straight up offered them in their initial email.

So, we're meeting up later this evening and Liz will be going to a home that can better provide for what he needs.

This is not even remotely a money issue, monetarily I have no issues with keeping Liz, it's purely that:

1. Liz was an unplanned rescue from the start and I scrambled to rearrange large aspects of my life to accommodate him, including dealing with a spouse who was just resentful about the whole situation because that's--honestly what they were like with literally anything that I was excited about or that made me happy.

2. The divorce was 100% necessary and while I've tried to rearrange things once again to accommodate Liz' mental/social needs it's just not possible for me to do it in a way that I consider appropriate or adequate for him, which means I am no longer the best home for him.

His new keepers are super excited to meet him, told me all about the enrichment and out of enclosure times their current tegus get, they live in a warmer area of the country and are up in my area visiting family, sent pics of them AND their reptiles (like in the same photos, so definitely not just stolen from google), and the vet reference they sent checked out, so while it sucks that I won't have Liz anymore I'm incredibly happy that he'll be going to a home where his needs are going to be better met.

Because I know Tumblr can be the way Tumblr is please keep in mind that part of being a responsible pet owner is knowing when your home is no longer the best home for the animal in question and rehoming them to someone who can provide that home.

[lizbrambles]

The violin needs new strings, but the clarinet is fine.

I forgot that Himbo has never heard either.

I got the best horrified cat look, ears back, eyes giant and black, when I hit upper register notes on the clarient.

I'm not sure where he is right now, he ran out of the room. I know it doesn't sound bad, however, as Tucker just sort of vaguely moved an ear at me but didn't even sit up from his nap and if he thinks I particularly suck during a practice session he either barks at me, leaves the room, or does both (and he's still asleep).

[lizbrambles]

We moved!

I don't have dirt back yet (the dirt was too heavy to move), so I just have many layers of old towels to dig in but it's fine, as I like blankets.

Normally, I get whole prey or scrambled eggs with veggies and bugs for food but I got a treat today: Whole ground up chicken!

#lizard #tegu #argentine black and white tegu

[lizbrambles]

I am a King.

...the Queen behind me is Daphne.

#tegu #lizard #reptiblr #snake #argentine black and white tegu #common boa

[lizbrambles]

BLUE SPAGHETTI!

I get the leftovers that the gecko and spider don’t want!

#hornworms #tegu #reptiblr #argentine black and white tegu

[lizbrambles]

I don’t like not being allowed to tangle myself in the bushes.

Please note that my keeper was NOT pulling on my leash, he was standing still waiting for me to have my tantrum and move on with the afternoon.

#tantrum #reptiblr #tegu #do a barrel roll

[lizbrambles]

I think it’s nice outside.

My keeper says 100F, humid, and sunny is uncomfortable and awful.

No idea wtf he’s talking about, it’s great.

#reptiblr #tegu #lizard #argentine black and white tegu #reptile

[lizbrambles]

WE CAME BACK IN FROM OUTSIDE AND THIS FOOD-LOOKING GIANT RAT WAS STEALING MY BASKING SPOT!

(Liz was on leash and never got near Lilah; Lilah was promptly removed basking in the tent.)

#cat #catblr #lilah no #The tent door wasn't even open that far #she had just jumped in.

[lizbrambles]

Chickens for dinner!

The singing dog distracted me a little.

#tegu #reptiblr #video #the chicks are f/t #lizard

[lizbrambles]

A few more from my Sunday outside!

#tegu #reptiblr #reptile #lizard

[lizbrambles]

My keepers mom had never seen me eat an egg before, and I guess she found it funny!

Joke’s on her.

I got an egg.

#video #reptiblr #tegu

[lizbrambles]

My keeper started whining that he was “trying to drive” and I needed to stay in the bin but maybe I also wanted to see what was going on outside the car windows.

Did he ever think of that?!

(He also says not to worry as we were pulled over with the hazards on when he took this picture before convincing me to go back inside and just nap in the blankets for the rest of the ride.)

#tegu #reptiblr #lizard

[lizbrambles]

I GOT TO SEE MY KEEPER FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE MARCH! :)

Kind of wish he could have stayed longer, but I got to come out for awhile at least.

#stupid quarantine #tegu #reptiblr

[lizbrambles]

This weekend, my keeper learned that I will come running and jump like a dog for food.

I didn’t think it was scary, his dogs are about the same size as me and he thinks it’s cute when they come running and leap up to jump at food being held.

He looked startled though!

Bonus: Once he was less startled and tossed the dead rat for me, he said, “Good catch!” when I jumped again and caught it, just like he does for the dogs.

He’d also like to note that I am not allowed out at the same time as the dogs for their safety and mine, but I used to have a glass enclosure and saw them act like that pretty often.

#for real it scared the hell out of me #and I have no idea why Liz is a 12lb lizard so smaller than both dogs by a few pounds #but somehow a Long Chihuahua running at you and leaping is less threatening looking than a small dinosaur doing the same thing #reptiblr #tegu

[lizbrambles]

He was trying to change my water, which I’d just gotten as muddy as I like it, but he also knows my weakness is soft boiled eggs so now I have clean water again. :(

#tegu #reptiblr

[lizbrambles]

Dropped the rat...

#tegu #reptiblr #he's not as fat as he looks he's just bunched up #trying to fish his dropped rat out from between the tube and the wall

[lizbrambles]

Slow motion sniffing!

(Warning for some flickering lights; evidently mercury vapor UVB bulbs flicker when slow motion is involved!)

#video #tegu #reptiblr