• Posted 12/19/2024.
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    I am still waiting on my developer to finish up on the Classifieds Control Panel so I can use it to encourage members into becoming paying members. Google Adsense has become a real burden on the viewing of this site, but honestly it is the ONLY source of income now that keeps it afloat. I tried offering disabling the ads being viewed by paying members, but apparently that is not enough incentive. Quite frankly, Google Adsense has dropped down to where it barely brings in enough daily to match even a single paid member per day. But it still gets the bills paid. But at what cost?

    So even without the classifieds control panel being complete, I believe I am going to have to disable those Google ads completely and likely disable some options here that have been free since going to the new platform. Like classified ad bumping, member name changes, and anything else I can use to encourage this site to be supported by the members instead of the Google Adsense ads.

    But there is risk involved. I will not pay out of pocket for very long during this last ditch experimental effort. If I find that the membership does not want to support this site with memberships, then I cannot support your being able to post your classified ads here for free. No, I am not intending to start charging for your posting ads here. I will just shut the site down and that will be it. I will be done with FaunaClassifieds. I certainly don't need this, and can live the rest of my life just fine without it. If I see that no one else really wants it to survive neither, then so be it. It goes away and you all can just go elsewhere to advertise your animals and merchandise.

    Not sure when this will take place, and I don't intend to give any further warning concerning the disabling of the Google Adsense. Just as there probably won't be any warning if I decide to close down this site. You will just come here and there will be some sort of message that the site is gone, and you have a nice day.

    I have been trying to make a go of this site for a very long time. And quite frankly, I am just tired of trying. I had hoped that enough people would be willing to help me help you all have a free outlet to offer your stuff for sale. But every year I see less and less people coming to this site, much less supporting it financially. That is fine. I tried. I retired the SerpenCo business about 14 years ago, so retiring out of this business completely is not that big if a step for me, nor will it be especially painful to do. When I was in Thailand, I did not check in here for three weeks. I didn't miss it even a little bit. So if you all want it to remain, it will be in your hands. I really don't care either way.

    =====================
    Some people have indicated that finding the method to contribute is rather difficult. And I have to admit, that it is not all that obvious. So to help, here is a thread to help as a quide. How to become a contributing member of FaunaClassifieds.

    And for the record, I will be shutting down the Google Adsense ads on January 1, 2025.
  • Responding to email notices you receive.
    **************************************************
    In short, DON'T! Email notices are to ONLY alert you of a reply to your private message or your ad on this site. Replying to the email just wastes your time as it goes NOWHERE, and probably pisses off the person you thought you replied to when they think you just ignored them. So instead of complaining to me about your messages not being replied to from this site via email, please READ that email notice that plainly states what you need to do in order to reply to who you are trying to converse with.

My First Beardie

Hello

Hello Amber!

How's it going?
I just don't get it? I have never had any problems with crickets. I breed my own & the ones from the petstores are not very good usually.
Do they get too cold or are they too crowded? Too much humidity also causes dieoffs, as well. Sorry you have not had any luck with them.
Hopefully you will have better luck with roaches. :D When are you starting with them?
Great that Toby is so active now, & out & running around.

Tracie
 
I'm hoping to start with the roaches after this week at the latest. It may have been too crowded, but I made sure there was a LOT more space to crawl on by using egg crates and what not too. There were many ventilation areas (2 huge squares cut out from the sides and screen placed over them) I got about 1K crickets at a time, and he'd normally eat a good 50 or so of them in one day, so I figured they'd be eaten before I started to have die offs.

I called the Zoo that is near here, and they are calling or emailing me back all kinds of information on other types of critters I can possibly feed that most don't think about and they are going to give me enclosure tips too. :D I can't wait, who better to ask than those who are complete experts on the beloveds. :D
 
Hello

Hello Amber!

Hey that is great that you are getting the zoo to help you out with the enclosure ideas & such. Do you have a friend in there? :D Good luck. I hope you get it all sorted out. When you think you will being the project?
I hope you have better luck with the roaches than you did with crickets. Yeah, they just don't do real well if they are crowded. Sorry.
How is Toby doing, still eating lots & running around?

Talk soon.

Tracie
 
He's doing great despite there was apparently another earthquake Monday morning. I was too sleep-mussed to realize that it wasn't something else...haha.

I'm hoping I have better luck too.

No, no friend at the Zoo. They had contact numbers and emails on their website for people to get ahold of them, so I took advantage of it. Found out that they do have bearded dragons there too, just not on display. :D
 
Hello

Hello Amber!

You all had another earthquake monday? Wow you did not feel it? LOL
Well, that is still cool that they have contact numbers on their site. At least they are willing to help out. How many dragons do they have there at the zoo, or do know?
I hope you hear back from them soon, too. :D


Tracie
 
I think they have a pair or two, from the way she was talking. But am unsure.

No, I felt it, I was just to sleep mussed to care. haha....it only registered as a 2.7 I think, so it wasn't big or anything.

Toby was all climbing around his tank today. Wanting out and what not. So I took him out and placed him on my lap for awhile before I had to go to work. He wasn't too happy about going back into his tank. That gives me two pluses for not having a job come the 15th. I get to stay home and work on Harmony's potty training a bit more (almost there, almost there hee hee) and Toby will get a LOT of attention throughout as well. Plus, it'll give me time to keep up with his food and making sure they are breeding properly and etc. I can also hand draw his blueprints for his cage. I'm still going simple with it, but, I MIGHT do a screen mesh top and have the lights wired to the screen from the inside, because it would cut down on the cost for wood, and I wouldn't need air vents on the sides. I mean, his tank stays properly warmed as is....so why enclose it anymore?
 
Hello

Hello Amber!

Great that Toby has been active & wanting out so much. Yeah, they don't want to go back in their tanks when they get used to getting out alot. It is pretty funny.
I agree, why enclose his tank more if it is staying the proper temps there is no need to.
Oh that is good, you can work on potty training him then. It is not hard, but it just takes a bit of time. It is fun to do also. Good luck! He will get very spoiled in the process, too. Plus he will get all sorts of attention too so he will love that.
At least it was not a big earthquake & that it didn't wake you up anyway.

Tracie
 
I'm just trying to find ways to keep costs down without having to buy a complete glass/acrylic aquarium....I want something that is made for him, not fish...and since Tim won't let me do the collapsible mesh ones, then I don't have many options really.
 
Hello

Hello Amber!

I don't blame you I don't always like a total glass or acrylic tank. I like something to look more natural also. The fish aquariums are not really designed for dragons most of the time, because they are too narrow.
Good luck, I hope you figure things out soon! :D

Tracie
 
Well, I came to a compromise with Tim about Toby. We will wait until the last possible minute to either get him, or make him, a new home. He will be a year old by the end of June or middle of August, he's still somewhat small, so, unless he hits this HUGE growth spurt between now and then, I think this tank he's in now can hold him comfortably until next year around tax time. After that, he will get a bigger, better home. If he does happen to start getting too big, then we will go ahead and do it then, but, until then, he fits pretty well in this one, and it saves us money we don't have right now.
 
Hello

Hello Amber!

Toby will be so so spoiled even more! That is good you got to a good compromise about the tank! :D How long is he now? Do you know how much he weighs? He probably wont start filling out until the second year most likely. The first year is normally spent lengthening instead.
That is fine to wait until he is absolutely full grown, no problem. He is comfortable in his tank now so no worries!

I am so happy he is doing so well. Don't forget to renew your Reptisun 10 flourescent tube bulb though as the 6 month time frame is almost up. :D

Talk soon.
Tracie
 
I weigh and measure him on the 13th...I try to keep it as close to a month between each time just so I have a better understanding of how he's growing instead of confusing myself with extra dates in between, but the last time I measured him, which was April 12, he was 18 inches long (including his tail) and he weighed 9.5 oz. (269.3 grams)

It's VERY nice out today, I may take him out for a bit. Tomorrow it's supposed to be stormy again. It's been an unusually cold summer so far. We are normally looking at 80+ degrees by this time, and we've been down in the low 70's high 60's. *sigh* guess I can't complain too much though, I'm not a "hot weather" person...haha
 
Ohh oops...I just realized it's the 12th, and the 13th is tomorrow. Went ahead and weighed him, and no change since last month. Like I said though, this month we've had very weird weather and I think it has effected his eating habits a bit too much. HOpefully they pick up even more and he gains and grows quicker.
 
Hello

Hello Amber!

Great he is 18 inches & 269 grams. He might be longer by now though. Not bad! I hope Toby's eating improves. So did he enjoy being outside? At least he got some sun time! :D
I think that he will begin filling out at 1 year or afterwards, so he will really get a nice round beardie belly.
The weather does affect them greatly so now that it is summer he should really improve. Does he still want out of his tank alot to play?
He is doing great now!

Tracie
 
The weather hasn't warmed up like it is supposed to. The storms are worse than they have been years prior around this year......usually we don't get our really bad storms this late in the year, with the exception of one or two. They usually hit around the beginning of spring and fall. We are back down into the 60's again, so he can't go outside over the weekend either.

No, he's still only 18 inches. I measured him yesterday. And still only weighs 269 grams.

It's all because of the weird weather I guess. He refuses to even touch his food at the moment, it seems I can only entice him when there are worms, and once they are gone, he stops eating. I guess I can stock up on a whole bunch of worms, and hatch them, breed them, and feed him those for now until roach population gets up there, but I feel it isn't enough. Granted worms are good for him, but still, to only have it along with veggies as the diet. I don't know. I guess anything to get him to eat though right?
 
Hello

Hello Amber,

Well, too bad about the weather. It has been a strange year for weather with all of the late fronts.
Alot of people use superworms as staples once they get a bit older. They are easy & good sources of protein to fat ratio with a bit of chitin to help flush out the fat a little bit.
They can easily be maintained on supers & veggies & greens. The supers are very good in helping early adults such as Toby to fill out. I would not allow more than 6 or so per day, or not to exceed 35 or so per week. That really is plenty for his size. You can either feed him daily of 5-6 or just do a few bug feedings per week. Whichever is easiest or that he prefers.
At least he is eating something. When are you starting your roach colony?


Tracie
 
I'm not sure when I'm starting. It all depends on when or if this mother's day gift goes through or not. I got $200 of computer stuff, but the site I got it from, wants verification that you are a student, which was no problem, I supplied it. But it should have been processed by now already. It takes 7 days, and if they don't process it, your order is canceled and you either a) re-do your order or b) forget it....I'm taking the latter and using the money for Toby's new home and also for his bug fest colony start up. I do have to wait however until we have the termite guy come in. I've been killing those things left and right for a week now. I also want to bug bomb the place for spiders and what not first. But can't do it until it is warm enough for him to go outside too.
 
Hello

Hello Amber!

How's it going? :D
How is Toby doing today?
Oh yeah you definitely gotta get him out of there when you do a bug bomb, & at least for several hours to half a day. They are pretty strong.
The roach colony wont take all that long though, but I am sure that you will do excellent on it. Most people have good success rates with the hatchlings & all.

Tracie
 
He's eying up his veggies with a bit of disdain right now. haha

Tomorrow, he's going to feast. I'm making a stop to the bait shop to get a small amount of crix, then I'm preparing him fresh carrots, veggies, and fruits. I've got guests coming over to eat, so he's going to be spoiled eating outside his cage with everybody. The crix, of course, will be his appetizer until everybody is here. :D

Well, school is over, least until Summer classes start, and today, is my last day at work. *sigh* So not fun. The money I earn from this candle party on the 23rd is going to be added to the money I got from my school books and used to build Toby his new home. :D I found a small way around it. I think......I might just order one of the ones I fell in love with online instead....:D
 
Hello

Hello Amber!

Oh the last day of school, huh? Summerschool usually isn't too bad though, the classes are smaller anyway.
That would be helpful to use money from your old school books to go towards the tank. Sometimes you can get quite a bit back for your books, but they never pay you back the amount that you originally paid, even if the book is in perfect condition.
So Toby is going to get really spoiled with everyone being over. He will probably get a few tidbit while he is out of his tank then, running around. He will love all of the extra attention anyway. Good you still have some crickets though.


Tracie
 
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