I changed-out my fire-bellied toads that I got a couple days ago for Reggie II. Nobody told me how much a fire-bellied toad STINKS! After a few days of owning them they were not eating at all and were starting to seem lethargic. I was really worried I was not doing something right with them. We were purifying their water and feeding them their crickets, but they would not touch them. I took them back  and swapped them out for a bearded dragon. I’ve named him Reginald Zeke the II (Reggie and Zeke were the toad’s names). The only bad part is that I have live mealworms that I feed him and I keep them stored under my bed. My mom is not too happy about that.

Reggie II seems very curious. He’s been checking out his new home and he watches us and what we are doing. He has already clung to my hand so I think we are bonding. He sucked down some mealworms real fast, too.

Reggie the bearded dragon.
Photo by Kari Kirkham

According to the Bearded Dragon Guide (http://www.beardeddragonguide.com), “bearded dragon lizards are native to Australia. They live in rocky and arid regions of the country and are adept climbers. Dragons have large triangular heads and flat bodies with pointed ridges along the sides. They are omnivorous, eating both insects and plants.
Bearded dragons make a great pet lizard. They don’t get too large, eat a wide variety of foods, are active during the day, and are gentle animals. Bearded dragons are captive bred, have limited care requirements, readily available, and inexpensive. A  bearded dragon can be a great addition to your family.” Adult bearded dragons can get to be about 12 inches long but are still very easy to take care of.

As for the Reggie and Zeke the fire-bellied toads, the shop guy told me today that they were doing fine. He added them back to their original habitat and they started eating and jumping around again. I must not have a knack for taking care of amphibians. Reggie II seems happy, though.

BTW — a special thanks to Lani Aker who just sent money to order a JoeSentMe! tee-shirt and donate the proceeds, too. THANKS! We’re getting closer and closer to that $4,000 goal!

Reggie checking out his new pad.
Photo by Kari Kirkham