New "Bearded Dragon" Rescue Day... and the husband :O

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ynevar

Juvie Member
So... A week ago I answered a craigslist ad. It was a post about a bearded dragon and tarantula that needed a new home. I wasn't going to pay anything for another dragon but sent an email. I explained that I understand they are looking to recoup some of their costs, but if they couldn't find someone to take their beardie I would be interested. I didn't think my husband would mind so much. Well when the woman emailed me and said she'd give them to me free, he was a little perturbed. ANOTHER mouth to feed... And if we wanted to go on vacation the dragon would be too much (three as opposed to two????? I thought???) Okay... So my neighbor was interested. She was out at a BBQ and did NOT want the tarantula. I said I would get the Beardie and find a home for tarantula or take it to the pet store for her. First of all I can't believe they were housed in the same tank... with a divider, they need completely different type habitats...

Well we pick it up. Low and behold. It's not a bearded dragon. It's a Chinese Water Dragon!!!!!

It was on bark... loaded with dead crickets, pinhead crickets--I think they were breeding in the tank as it was just teeming with crickets. I swear I wish I took pictures, I just had to get him OUT of there as quick as possible. He was so lethargic. Well. My husband picked him up and that was it. They chose each other. My husband was like, "We should keep him."

I told my neighbor about it being a water dragon, that he will be anywhere from 24" to 36" and needs a very large enclosure. That he likely needs a vet visit if the fecals don't provide info, heck he probably needs one anyway. She was like OMG.. I think it all sounded overwhelming to her. I explained what needed to be done to his tank and what I was doing and she was like wow... I said we want to keep him and she was like OKAY!!!! hehehe...

He is BROWN not green. Although he has turned more green since we first got him. I ran out and got a UVB light for him as he did not have one and he is a few months old. I am sure he needs to have fecals done, I bet he has parasites. His first poo tomorrow I will do a fecal on him. He did do a tiny pooh in his bath.

So much it took 3 hours to get everything squared away. My dragons are nuts and jealous. I have their views blocked off but they KNOW something is going on. My husband was talking to Gimpy and said, "Remember how you felt so icky when Mommy first brought you home and she took care of you? Well that's what we need to do for this guy." It is so damn cute!

So the dragon and the tarantula were being housed in the same 40 gallon breeder with a divider. I took the tarantula to the pet store and he was happy to take it. Tarantula scared the HECK OUT OF ME.... Yes I am a chicken. I bought the UVB light.

Got home, took the bark out... NASTY... NASTY... All the while we had him in a sterlite container with the UVB over him and a basking light pointed his way. He went from brown to some green. He has a bit of retained shed on his head and under his eye. Once we got all the nasty bark out (I put it in a garbage bag and then in the freezer to kill anything in there then it will go into the trash), my husband rinsed out the tank outside and then brought it in and I used the professional cleaner on it. Dragon still lethargic. Once we got the tank sterilized and dried out we gave him a warm bath. Suddenly there is LIFE! He perked up, got more green and held his head high. My husband dried him off. There were brown goo all over his tail and we put him back in the bath and washed it off again gently. Then he did not want my husband to put him down into his clean tank. He climbed back up my husband's arm. By this time... the husband is really taken with the little guy.

After his bath, we got him in the tank and I got some greens and squash for him. He didn't really look interested in them. I did get some dubia nymphs for him and he voraciously ate them. I was afraid to give him too many, so I gave him 7 that weren't to big. I will see how he does and give him some more tomorrow. He didn't seem to even want to eat the crickets in his bark. I think I'll order some Phoenix worms for my dragons and for him to share.

Before bath:

Untitled by ynevar, on Flickr

Bath Time:

Untitled by ynevar, on Flickr

This is from his tail after the bath... we put him back in and got more grime off him. I will rebathe him tomorrow. I didn't want to stress him out too much with a vigorous scrubbing.

Untitled by ynevar, on Flickr

After bath, he is green!!! WOW!

stanley by ynevar, on Flickr

Hubby loves this lil one already! Who ever would have thought. Hehehe... cute!!!!!!

stanley2 by ynevar, on Flickr

Thanks for listening to my new dragon story... I will share this in the water dragon discussion forum too... but wow... My dragons are wondering what's going on!
 

Irwinshealth

Sub-Adult Member
Such a great story! I really like that your husband fell for him. Maybe there is hope for my husband :D It is amazing how the CWD turned so much greener knowing someone was caring and life was going to be better. Does he have a name? actually it looks like a female maybe I should be saying does she have a name? I look forward to hearing more. I have to say the trantula would have had to be rehomed from me as well :lol: Your beardies will probably be a bit jealous. I know mine are of ours. lol
 

ynevar

Juvie Member
Original Poster
Ummm we called "him" Stanley! hehehe....

I am very concerned, Stanley has NOT gone pooh today. I have given two baths and no pooh. I am afraid the tiny dubias we gave him (her?) were too much? He had 7 yesterday and about 10 today. No pooh yet.

Oh worrrieeeeddddddd!!!!!!

Isn't it really amazing how much greener it turned? I mean when we first got him, he was BROWN as the bark we got him on and COLD.

Poor baby!
 

Irwinshealth

Sub-Adult Member
With the conditions he was in I wouldn't worry too much yet. He may have such a empty belly it is taking awhile to process. I also noticed our Wizzard (CWD) doesn't seem to go near as much as my beardies did when they were little.
 

ynevar

Juvie Member
Original Poster
Getting the tarantula out was the WORST part of the whole adventure... *shivers*

Okay I am just going to hope for pooh so I can do fecal.

Whenever Stanley makes noise, my baby Gimpy goes nuts... like I CAN HEAR YOU!!!!! They will get used to the noise eventually I think.

I think it's cute as well. I am surprised my husband fell for him...
 
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What is a quick way to warm up a cold beardie? His heating element went out overnight and now he's very cold.
Pearl Girl wrote on moorelori1966's profile.
i feel so sad reading your about me 😢
Clapton is acclimating okay I think. He's quick as lightning so I'm not sure how much I should bring him out of his house yet. He's not at all interested in his salad though. I wonder if I should change what I'm giving him. Least he's eating his crickets.

Things to do:
Buy calcium powder
Material to raise surface for basking spot
Scenery decals for back of tank
Taking my beardie for a walk

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