I realized I never made an intro!

[melbel1023]

I never made an intro on the old page either! lol
My name is Melissa, but my mermaid name is Morgandy (it means "little one by the shore" in celtic).
I go to the Savannah College of Art and Design for film/tv production with a minor in animation - my favorite being Beauty and the Beast.
My boyfriend and I (2 1/2 years together now) are both photography geeks, we met through working at a camera store.
Together, we own two mix breed dogs, a calico cat, one Argentine tegu lizard, and one Ornate Uromastyx lizard
(see http://mernetwork.com/index/showthread.php?74-Post-Pictures-of-Your-Pets/page2 to see images of my pets).
I love mermaids! When I was little, I hated my name and I tried to get people to call me Ariel instead lol.
I made my latex tail following the tutorial made by Mermaid Raven, while also making my own discoveries while making it. I made a pdf tutorial (the link is in my "signature") of the techniques used to make my tail.
Now, I'm experimenting with silicon caulking, in order to make a longer-lasting cheap mermaid tail. Once I'm done with water testing, I will reveal my experiments results!
Here's some pix of my latex tail:
(click on the images to view them on photobucket.com)
http://i1137.photobucket.com/albums/n502/MermaidMorgandy/th_P5280049.jpg (http://s1137.photobucket.com/albums/n502/MermaidMorgandy/?action=view&current=P5280049.jpg)
http://i1137.photobucket.com/albums/n502/MermaidMorgandy/th_P5280045.jpg (http://s1137.photobucket.com/albums/n502/MermaidMorgandy/?action=view&current=P5280045.jpg)
http://i1137.photobucket.com/albums/n502/MermaidMorgandy/th_P5280104.jpg (http://s1137.photobucket.com/albums/n502/MermaidMorgandy/?action=view&current=P5280104.jpg)
http://i1137.photobucket.com/albums/n502/MermaidMorgandy/th_P5280103.jpg (http://s1137.photobucket.com/albums/n502/MermaidMorgandy/?action=view&current=P5280103.jpg)
http://i1137.photobucket.com/albums/n502/MermaidMorgandy/th_P5280105.jpg (http://s1137.photobucket.com/albums/n502/MermaidMorgandy/?action=view&current=P5280105.jpg)
http://i1137.photobucket.com/albums/n502/MermaidMorgandy/Pirates%20of%20the%20Caribbean%20Premier/th_IMG_4459.jpg (http://s1137.photobucket.com/albums/n502/MermaidMorgandy/Pirates%20of%20the%20Caribbean%20Premier/?action=view&current=IMG_4459.jpg)

[Spindrift]

Well hello there.

[Ayla of Duluth]

you own a tegu lizard? those things have bad tempers, where did you get it? would a pet store sell something with such a bad attitude? [i only heard about them on animal planet, they're apparently very bitey.]

[melbel1023]

There are many misconceptions about Tegu lizards.
First of all, there are two types: Argentine and Columbian.
The Argentine tegu comes in various colors, but all of them are ultimately the same in attitude. They have a very loveable disposition to their owners, if handled properly starting at a young age. Argentines are often compared to having a dog-like friendliness about them (I think mine is more cat-like, only wanting attention when he's ready for it lol). This link is for a video that proves their docile attributes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBICGcshTV0
If you noticed, the owner showed all of them the food first, then let them to the rest (Their diet consists of raw meats, various insects - varies on their size/stage of growth, and pre-killed or frozen rodents). They are highly intelligent creatures, they learn very quickly and they learn how to manipulate their surroundings and owners!
The downside of ownership of any Tegu are their nails (always sharp, even if you regularly clip them), their size/weight (they can grow anywhere from 4-6ft and up to 50 lbs), and their horrifically smelling waste! Its due to their raw meat diet.
The Columbia breed are the Tegus known for an attitude. I do not own one, and cannot speak on their behalf - but I am on another forum just for Tegu/Reptile owners, and a few people there own Columbians.

The only time an Argentine tends to bite anyone is due to hunger or mistaking a finger for food (my Desmond only nipped me once when he was a baby, and it was because my fingers smelled like his food), or if they are scared/being protective.
Not a lot of pet stores sell Tegus due to their usual prices being around $100-$200 depending on their age and types (The Black and Whites are usually the cheapest, but there are also Red, Blue, and crossbreed colors of Tegus). And due to their high prices, a Tegu might not get sold right away, meaning the pet store would have to provide space for them as they grow. They are typically sold by their breeders.

I've had Desmond since he was a hatchling (It'll be 2 yrs at the end of September). He has only proven to me that he is always thinking of new ways to make every environment and thing in it work in his advantages. He loves to hide in new objects, his favorite "toy" is a black trashcan (He loved it so much we put it in his tank, and he sleeps in it). He's very smart, and once he discovers something (like a new way to escape his tank, lol), he will never forget it, and only work harder at getting to utilize it.
He did start out in a clear aquarium tank as a baby, but now he is just under 4ft long - we built him a 6ft long tank last summer.

I love watching the Animal Planet, but they often times provide incorrect information - I think of it like "social media trying to scare the public" kind of wrong info. Tegus are given a bad rep because they are often lumped in with Monitor Lizards (which all carry some hidden bad attitude, from what I understand). I know the channel had a show about "Killer Pets" or something, and one guy was eaten by his lizard collection - Tegus were reported to be in the mix, as well as various Monitors. They never said what kind of Tegus, though. If it happened to be Argentine, they may have only attacked after the deed was done - like a shark smelling blood in the water.
They are, after all, only animals. And every animal, domestic or otherwise, still has those dangerous instincts in them. I always respect my animals for those hidden instincts, Desmond most of all. I think its because of that that he is so docile and, I believe, content with his captive life.

This was Desmond the day I bought him from his breeder:
http://i1137.photobucket.com/albums/n502/MermaidMorgandy/th_upload092709018.jpg (http://s1137.photobucket.com/albums/n502/MermaidMorgandy/?action=view&current=upload092709018.jpg)
This is his tank we made last year:
http://i1137.photobucket.com/albums/n502/MermaidMorgandy/th_desmondsnewtank025.jpg (http://s1137.photobucket.com/albums/n502/MermaidMorgandy/?action=view&current=desmondsnewtank025.jpg)

*pushes up nerd glasses*