[Zoodulcis]

Yeah, that’s about right. The noise really bothers me, I don’t know how they can stand it, but they can.

[Zoodulcis]

Greetings,

I am the moderator and company zoologist and not in any way responsible for shipping. It did copy and paste your concerns into an email that I then sent directly to management. I wanted to make sure your complaint did not get overlooked.

[Zoodulcis]

She really does seem anxious! Does she ever get to do that? With supervision, of course.

[Zoodulcis]

I think that may be the most interesting beardie name on this forum yet. Do you mind sharing it’s origin?

[Zoodulcis]

Oh that’s hilarious. Many pets are terrified of a vacuum. But it seems as though some animals can get used to anything. My goats get uncomfortably (for me) close to a running chainsaw, because they now associate it with free bark and fun things to chew on!!

[Zoodulcis]

Smart approach. They are truly super-fascinating and beautiful, but also reasonably low maintenance which makes them a good fit for someone with a busy lifestyle. Where they very expensive?

[Zoodulcis]

He has such a smiley dragon face. And he verbally lets you know when he wants to go back into his enclosure! He sounds like a real pal and very entertaining. How old is he?

[Zoodulcis]

Do they react strongly to the sound of the vaccuum cleaning, or are you referring to a different kind of cleaning?

[Zoodulcis]

What got you into mantis collecting?

[Zoodulcis]

Well Howdy Larry! How old are you, if I may ask?

[Zoodulcis]

You are correct that a pixie frog seldom feels full and that this can be a concern for an owner. However, this growing youngster is going to need calcium in greater quantities than insects can provide. Age matters, and that is something that many blogs don’t address. In general, it is not good for very mature frogs of this species to overeat constantly. However, at this stage/age, this youngster should be able to tolerate a diet that might otherwise contribute to obesity in maturity. His/her diet that you feed now, may very well not be the diet you feed six months from now. For now, while this frog is still growing rapidly, do feed that well thawed, just above room temperature frozen pinky. Twice per week is not too much. Feed a few insects every day, just a few, for now. Feed a pinky every three-four days for the next several months, them back off to one fuzzy per week. In a year from now, you may end up feeding a fuzzy once every two weeks, and limiting his/her food to leaner meals such as crickets and mealworms and fewer waxworms.

The philosophy for owners of growing youngsters is to be mindful of variety, nutrition and balance, rather than worrying about amounts. At sexual maturity for this species, you may need to begin to withhold food somewhat, allowing a brief fasting period to prevent obesity.

This can be one of the most interesting, stressful and informative phases of pet ownership of reptiles and amphibians, that of care and feeding when you want to do the right thing.

I like to frame my response to these questions in terms of survival. Human children crave sweets, and that is a correct craving for survival. In the ancestral environment, calories were hard to come by, unlike modern times. Energy might mean the difference between life and death. In a similar way, young amphibians, who in their ancestral environment may have been facing an uncertain food supply, have not gained adult hunting skills, and are still trying to grow despite all of that, need far more in the way of convenient nutrition than old, fat, wise adults.

As a conscientious pet owner, keep in mind that this pet’s needs are going to change rapidly in the next 1-2 years, and you are going to need to keep up with those changes. At sexual maturity, you will be able to establish a weekly feeding routine that will vary little throughout the pet’s life span. Of course, you will need to be mindful of his/her habits. When your pet doesn’t come out of their hide for two weeks at three years old, it may be constipated, a common and potentially fatal ailment. Then, you may have to adjust diet and perform an intervention of forcing your pet to bath in mineral waters, dechlorinated of course, to stimulate the needed gut response. But for now, bear in mind that for a growing youngster, variety is the spice of life, and quantity questions can be put on hold for another day.

[Zoodulcis]

Sorry, I didn’t quite get it. You have one Number 9 mantis and two spiney flowers. Is that correct? How long have you been a mantis fancier?

[Zoodulcis]

A mature fellow. Have you had him his whole life?

[Zoodulcis]

Well it’s good that you are so accepting of each one’s differences. Appreciating them for who and what they are is half the fun of ownership, or allowing them to own us!

[Zoodulcis]

Yes, she seems healthy and well socialized. What made you decide to get a beardie? Did you need a devotional buddy while in lock down?

[Author]

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