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Why do people get animals they don't understand?! So, Ive been seeking a viable male of appropriate age, weight, size, and health for my Shin. I came across an ad on CL (naturally) that SEEMED to be what I was after... When I met with the individual to examine the beardie, (they brought the entire set up to me....), the poor creature was sitting in sand that had not been cleaned in so long that it had solidified in the bottom of the aquarium, had NO UVA/UVB light, had been under a porcelain heat lamp, with NO hide, in an aquarium that was WAY too small for him, with a BONE dry small water bowl (to small for him to climb or soak in, No climbing aparatus, and had romain lettuce and banannas in his food bowl that had CLEARLY been there for several days (banannas were black and rotting with fruit flies and letuce was dried to the feed bowl).
The poor beastie itself has what looks like burn damage on several areas of his scales, his claws had been trimmed too short (well into the quick) on one side ( the other side hasn't been trimmed in a LONG time as they were needle sharp) and he looked extremely dehydrated. I could not, in any sense of good concience, leave the poor thing to go back to those conditions. I pd for him, and brought him straight to my vet for an emergency visit.
I was right, dehydrated, scale burns (she said they aren't too bad... Should shed out in the next couple of sheds with proper care and hydration) a bit of cooked on shed and the over cut nails, luckily, an otherwise clean bill of health. She said it would be alright to socialize him with full observation into my Viv.
I spent the entire day yesterday at home to keep careful watch on the three of them and their interactions together. He has intergrated well, so far. In just 24 hrs. With propper diet correction, humidity levels, timed heat cycles, AND UVA/UVB lighting/socialisation.... Seems to be a whole new lizard. He's more alert and active, surprised me by joining the others and coming to the viv doors to greet me with Shin and Iggy, each taking their morning trest of two or three superworms from my hand (after watching Shin and Iggy closely, the new fellah did the same... A bit more agressively, but still a HUGE improvement) shows signs of a coming shed, and the burns seem to be less pronounced as well. He even allowed me to handle him and clip his nails without agression... (when i got him he was NOT a happy lizard.... Agressive, angry, defensive, frightened, uncomfortable, snappy and difficult to handle).
All in all... I think, after some rehab time... He may well wind up being just what I was hoping for. Lucky for both of us. Any ideas on a good name for my new heart pirate? Garrrg!!
The poor beastie itself has what looks like burn damage on several areas of his scales, his claws had been trimmed too short (well into the quick) on one side ( the other side hasn't been trimmed in a LONG time as they were needle sharp) and he looked extremely dehydrated. I could not, in any sense of good concience, leave the poor thing to go back to those conditions. I pd for him, and brought him straight to my vet for an emergency visit.
I was right, dehydrated, scale burns (she said they aren't too bad... Should shed out in the next couple of sheds with proper care and hydration) a bit of cooked on shed and the over cut nails, luckily, an otherwise clean bill of health. She said it would be alright to socialize him with full observation into my Viv.
I spent the entire day yesterday at home to keep careful watch on the three of them and their interactions together. He has intergrated well, so far. In just 24 hrs. With propper diet correction, humidity levels, timed heat cycles, AND UVA/UVB lighting/socialisation.... Seems to be a whole new lizard. He's more alert and active, surprised me by joining the others and coming to the viv doors to greet me with Shin and Iggy, each taking their morning trest of two or three superworms from my hand (after watching Shin and Iggy closely, the new fellah did the same... A bit more agressively, but still a HUGE improvement) shows signs of a coming shed, and the burns seem to be less pronounced as well. He even allowed me to handle him and clip his nails without agression... (when i got him he was NOT a happy lizard.... Agressive, angry, defensive, frightened, uncomfortable, snappy and difficult to handle).
All in all... I think, after some rehab time... He may well wind up being just what I was hoping for. Lucky for both of us. Any ideas on a good name for my new heart pirate? Garrrg!!
I'll take him out and quarantine him for a couple of weeks...or at least till the fecals come through.... The vet said that having Blackbeard in with iggy wouldn't pose an issue if there were no signs of aggression within 24 hrs since iggy is a sub adult.
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