Update on Oscar

It's been 6 months since he came here from the pet store, his skin dyed neon green from sand. He went through a rough patch for about 3 and a half months when we had to force feed him baby food. He did get skinny, some of his toes had fallen off, he was in poor shape originally.

But he grew about an inch, he's eating very well now (right out of a dish, without trouble). We just re-did his tank from top to bottom after I scoured the net for info and thought about Oscar's behavior and preferences.

So, his tank has a dirt/mulch/moss mix substrate that holds the right amount of heat and a good amount of moisture. He's got his giant (for him) water dish, driftwood, a half log, and his brandy new 3D foam background from T-Rex.

He was sooooo happy with his very early Christmas present. This morning, he climbed right up and flopped under the light. (Currently looking for a 20L lid without the hinges, but then his tank should be perfect.)

The whole tank this morning


The warm side


And a close up of the not-so-grumpy Oscar


He's fitting in quite well, he seems to enjoy his new spot in the living room (which is surprisingly the quietest spot in the house), he gets 5 windows of sunlight shining in everyday. He's offered different types of roaches, worms, etc. He's far less shy then he used to be. He almost never hides until it's bed time.

We're really happy he's put on some weight, is eating well, and seems calm, but still active. It's a wonderful feeling to give a neglected reptile a happy life. :-D

Aw, look how cute he is! I'm so happy that you gave him a good home. Is he a plated?

He was sold as an Armadillo lizard, but as far as I can tell he's a Forest Armadillo lizard (Cordylus tropidosternum). It gets really confusing with them. There's also the Jones Armadillo lizard which is what I thought he was at first, but he's a little smaller. About 6/7 inches. (He doesn't exactly like the tape measure, so I can't get an exact).

Yeah, he's been quite a handful. There's rather scattered info on them. And most care sheets contradict each other, so most of his care has been touch and go. Which was how we found out that the more places to hide, the happier he is. And ironically, he hides far less as his tank fills with hiding spots. He basks much more since he got the background 2 days ago. He's also in the furthest corner of the living room, which has one entrance he can see clearly. Nothing could sneak up on him, which is why he was moved there from a different room. (Plus, it has the best natural lighting.)

He has some very friendly moments though. He leans into your fingers when you pet him (arches his back just like a cat), and even rubs his head a little at times when you rub by his ears. He doesn't like being picked up much, but he gets some petting every day. He used to open up his mouth then you touched his nose or rubbed the top of his head, but as he's settled down he's stopped doing it (thankfully after we didn't need to force feed him). At first he couldn't bite at all, but about 2 months back he got a whole lot more power behind those jaws. Had to wait about 45 seconds for him to let go, luckily it didn't bleed cause he mostly got the nail. (Note: He really, really loves his water dish, and it's unwise to try to remove him from it) That's when I knew he must have gotten a lot better, cause at first, he couldn't even kill a roach or phoenix worm, his jaws were that weak.

I really admire you for taking in a rescue like this. It's easier with beardies because their care information is so well publicized, but it must be really difficult to rescue and rehabilitate a lesser known species. I'm glad to hear Oscar is improving. You should feel really proud of yourself for rescuing him and figuring out how to make him happy!