P, my dearest friend

I did not expect this. I thought he was better. Just an obstruction. But we went for a check up today. It was cancer. I chose to say goodbye, I did not want him to suffer.
I was so hopeful that I would have more time to spend with him. We had so many things to do. Thanks for all your advice on my previous posts. Thanks for caring.
P. My best friend.

 

[AHBD]

Aw, I'm so sorry. Even though he lived so long , [ 15 years ] it's a very sad day for you. He had a great home with you to live that long and it will no doubt be a difficult time to get through. Sending my sincere condolences.

 

[xp29]

I did not expect this. I thought he was better. Just an obstruction. But we went for a check up today. It was cancer. I chose to say goodbye, I did not want him to suffer.
I was so hopeful that I would have more time to spend with him. We had so many things to do. Thanks for all your advice on my previous posts. Thanks for caring.
P. My best friend.

Omg I'm so sorry to hear this. I alway feel like my guys are friends as well, they are damn sure more than pets. Rest in piece buddy

 

[ownedbyP]

Thanks so much guys. I was 9-10 when i got him. He was there through all my troubled teen years and then some. This is a tough time.

 

[xp29]

Thanks so much guys. I was 9-10 when i got him. He was there through all my troubled teen years and then some. This is a tough time.

I've lost 3 since January, I know exactly how your feeling, truely and sincerely my heart goes out to ya. Hopefully when your ready you'll give another beardie a good life as well. I never look at them as replacements but rather as extentions to my family.

 

[ownedbyP]

I've lost 3 since January, I know exactly how your feeling, truely and sincerely my heart goes out to ya. Hopefully when your ready you'll give another beardie a good life as well. I never look at them as replacements but rather as extentions to my family.

God i can't even imagine. It's something i'm considering but I just feel guilty. Doing all the things with a new one that I didn't get to do with him. It feels so wrong.

 

[xp29]

God i can't even imagine. It's something i'm considering but I just feel guilty. Doing all the things with a new one that I didn't get to do with him. It feels so wrong.

I understand, that's why I say when your ready. Myself I'm slightly obsessive and if I don't find something else to focus on I make myself crazy and even sick, so bringing a new beardie in is like therapy for me.

 

[ownedbyP]

I understand, that's why I say when your ready. Myself I'm slightly obsessive and if I don't find something else to focus on I make myself crazy and even sick, so bringing a new beardie in is like therapy for me.

Yeah i feel you. P was a big part of my day to day. Idk how to function from here..

 

[xp29]

Yeah i feel you. P was a big part of my day to day. Idk how to function from here..

I will say, it gets easier, but it takes time.
There is a whole lot of folk here that genuinely care about beardies and their keepers, post about him any time you want, or if you just need to talk, someone will always be glad to listen

 

[Chris.]

My condolences for your loss. Living that long you can be sure that you have given him the best life he could possibly have.

There is no reason to feel guilty about adopting another beardie. You are someone who will love them and take good care of them so it's more like giving an other animal a chance for a good and happy life.
It may sound harsh but every dragon someone like you will take in is in a way safed from other people that don't know or don't (really) care about them.

 

[ChileanTaco]

Also my condolences! So many years you spent together

It may sound harsh but every dragon someone like you will take in is in a way safed from other people that don't know or don't (really) care about them.

I agree so much!
Regarding getting a new pet, I also see it as no simple "replacement", a "I buy me something new", to adopt another one. My in-laws have many pets and are fostering (no bearded dragons so far, but cats (including very small kittens that need to be raised by hand), dogs, the random farm animal such as goats their former owner didn't want anymore, and are also certified to legally take in animals in need from the wild and I remember them having deer, hedgehogs and such), and it sometimes happened that when one of their pets died, a foster pet came in just a few days later because now, as sad as the reason was, a spot was free. I keep it very much with the poem I once read on a German website about the "last will of a pet": to give this very good place to another animal in honor of the one who is not longer here with us.

I translate it here for you (keeping it a bit shorter):

"I'm old and don't have many days left.
When humans die, they make a will to give all their belongings to those people they love.
If I could write, I would make such a will, too.

I would give my good home to a poor soul, a pet in need. My dish, my bed, my toys, your caring hand and voice.
My dear human: Once I die, please don't say "never ever a pet, it's so hard to let them go".
Moreover, I beg you, please give this home to another pet.
I would be proud if you could say that after having lived with me, there should always be a pet in your life.
So please, go out, and find a pet in need to give him my place with you."

(original one, written for a dog: Testament eines Hundes - Tierheim Kandelhof)

 

[ownedbyP]

Also my condolences! So many years you spent together


I agree so much!
Regarding getting a new pet, I also see it as no simple "replacement", a "I buy me something new", to adopt another one. My in-laws have many pets and are fostering (no bearded dragons so far, but cats (including very small kittens that need to be raised by hand), dogs, the random farm animal such as goats their former owner didn't want anymore, and are also certified to legally take in animals in need from the wild and I remember them having deer, hedgehogs and such), and it sometimes happened that when one of their pets died, a foster pet came in just a few days later because now, as sad as the reason was, a spot was free. I keep it very much with the poem I once read on a German website about the "last will of a pet": to give this very good place to another animal in honor of the one who is not longer here with us.

I translate it here for you (keeping it a bit shorter):

"I'm old and don't have many days left.
When humans die, they make a will to give all their belongings to those people they love.
If I could write, I would make such a will, too.

I would give my good home to a poor soul, a pet in need. My dish, my bed, my toys, your caring hand and voice.
My dear human: Once I die, please don't say "never ever a pet, it's so hard to let them go".
Moreover, I beg you, please give this home to another pet.
I would be proud if you could say that after having lived with me, there should always be a pet in your life.
So please, go out, and find a pet in need to give him my place with you."

(original one, written for a dog: Testament eines Hundes - Tierheim Kandelhof)

my reservation and regret is more so the way i didnt pay him specific attention until he got sick a month ago. i then realized how much i wanted to do and how much was possible to do. i didnt think P was gonna benefit from being handled much since i didn't get him used to being held well when i was a child, so he was rarely ever outside his cage. i thought we were gonna get that time now but i lost him instead. it makes me feel so guilty that im gonna get a new one and do all the improvements and the attention with them that P never got to have. i was planning to have him outside more with me and i was looking for cage upgrades and custom builds and outdoor areas. things he now never get to have. i just dont feel deserving. im sorry that its so dark. i am just very sad and full of regret.

 

[Hazel_Basil10]

I am so sorry for your loss it's hard when you lose a pet that is very loved.

 

[xp29]

my reservation and regret is more so the way i didnt pay him specific attention until he got sick a month ago. i then realized how much i wanted to do and how much was possible to do. i didnt think P was gonna benefit from being handled much since i didn't get him used to being held well when i was a child, so he was rarely ever outside his cage. i thought we were gonna get that time now but i lost him instead. it makes me feel so guilty that im gonna get a new one and do all the improvements and the attention with them that P never got to have. i was planning to have him outside more with me and i was looking for cage upgrades and custom builds and outdoor areas. things he now never get to have. i just dont feel deserving. im sorry that its so dark. i am just very sad and full of regret.

The truth is, even though it's cliché we usually really don't realize how important something/someone is to until we don't have them any more. Don't beat yourself up, now you do understand and will do things differently going forward. I made so many stupid mistakes with my first beardie, it's a wonder she ever survived. But my beardies that came later lived better lives because of it. It'll be the same for you I'm betting.

 

[ownedbyP]

The truth is, even though it's cliché we usually really don't realize how important something/someone is to until we don't have them any more. Don't beat yourself up, now you do understand and will do things differently going forward. I made so many stupid mistakes with my first beardie, it's a wonder she ever survived. But my beardies that came later lived better lives because of it. It'll be the same for you I'm betting.

thank you so much for this comment. you are right about that, as much as it sucks. i will consider giving another little dragon a home. my mom, bless her, has already made an appointment with a breeder to go see some babies. i told her we are only going looking...