Help with rescue

[ELCorrigan]

https://imgur.com/a/YkAq9bx

Hi. My family had decided to get a bearded dragon for my daughter next month but a family member called to say that a local pet shop had been shut down and there was a few that needed rescuing. When I went there was a couple adults that were clearly needing advanced care, there was a baby that was alert though he looked pretty bad. I took the baby but he has been fed only a couple crickets day, had no UVB light, and within a dirty cage like the water bowl was green with algae.

We called around and found a vet that sees reptiles but they won't be back from holiday for a few days. All I know to do is to give them daily soaks, warm them up, and offer more food. Is there any other advice? He is lethargic and not eating well. He ate two only 2 small mealworms. So far he has not been willing to touch salad, or dubia roaches, or crickets. Also, he is shedding.

Let me know if anybody has any immediate advice.

*Update 12/29
Thanks a million everyone!! He is doing soooo great. Eating a ton. It took several days but now seems to have good energy. Running about hunting things and also will take food straight from my kids. The new fixture and bulb comes tomorrow. My vet friend got back from holiday and said he looks pretty good for where he came from. She doesn't think he needs to see a reptile specialist. No parasites thank goodness. The kids named him Twinkle but I call him my little fire heart since he seems determined to survive.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

That is terrific little Twinkie is doing much better now! I agree, if he is improving that much
then you can hold off on taking him into the vet for awhile until necessary. It sounds like
he is definitely a fighter! Keep us posted on him.

Tracie

 

[KarrieRee]

*Update 12/29
Thanks a million everyone!! He is doing soooo great. Eating a ton. It took several days but now seems to have good energy. Running about hunting things and also will take food straight from my kids. The new fixture and bulb comes tomorrow. My vet friend got back from holiday and said he looks pretty good for where he came from. She doesn't think he needs to see a reptile specialist. No parasites thank goodness. The kids named him Twinkle but I call him my little fire heart since he seems determined to survive.

Sounds good - please let me know when you have the UVB I will help you get it placed for the tank - your screen is going to determine placement and distance

 

[AHBD]

Twinkie Fire Heart looks great and it sounds like he's doing well ! A real bonus that he's not afraid or skittish. He looks to be a leatherback too.

 

[xp29]

Twinkie Fire Heart looks great and it sounds like he's doing well ! A real bonus that he's not afraid or skittish. He looks to be a leatherback too.

I was gonna say that also, but from the nails i can see i think he is a hypo also

 

[xp29]

Can you post pics of his feet? (no I'm not some creepy internet weirdo with a foot fetish lol), if his nails are ALL clear your beardie is a hypo

 

[xp29]

He is a cutie regardless!

 

[Dinky26]

Good job on saving him!
He’s gorgeous!!

 

[ELCorrigan]

Sounds good - please let me know when you have the UVB I will help you get it placed for the tank - your screen is going to determine placement and distance

I would be grateful for help on the lights. I bought the one you suggested and it arrived today. I took a pic of the top screen too.

 

[ELCorrigan]

Twinkie Fire Heart looks great and it sounds like he's doing well ! A real bonus that he's not afraid or skittish. He looks to be a leatherback too.

Oh rats! We were wanting an extra spiky one, I just thought he would like grow more spikes or something. I just googled it and that means he won't have back spikes right? I did notice the ones from the local breeder looked different but I thought it was the age or something. Oh well, it's better to rescue.

 

[KarrieRee]

I would be grateful for help on the lights. I bought the one you suggested and it arrived today. I took a pic of the top screen too.

Great fixture --- you can place on top of the screen w/a piece of basking decor directly under the UVB 8-10 inches --- watch the behavior -- leather backs are neat ---

 

[xp29]

If you want a really spikey beardie, the Dunners are the way to go. But even then it's different on a dragon to dragon basis. I have two Dunners, Sinatra doesn't look all that different from a normal, Sweet Pea looks like she is having a perpetually bad hair day. Also the Dunners have noticeably bigger feet.

 

[AHBD]

Oh rats! We were wanting an extra spiky one, I just thought he would like grow more spikes or something. I just googled it and that means he won't have back spikes right? I did notice the ones from the local breeder looked different but I thought it was the age or something. Oh well, it's better to rescue.

They definitely will be smoother but yeah, enjoy your little critter no matter what the color + morph.

 

[Dinky26]

I was initially looking for a rescue beardie. It worked out that I got aquatinted with a girl who works at Exotic Pets. All the ones that were out front on display were just the regular gray ones that had little coloring to them. Due to this fact, we almost got one from a breeder off Morph Market to get one with more coloring.
Then this girl tells me that they have more colored ones in back!
Mango as we have named him is quite similar to Twinkle.
We don’t have near the population here in the Midwest as you do on the west coast. So rescuing is not near such a need YET…
I just have to say GOOD FOR YOU FOR RESCUING!!

 

[Dinky26]

Here’s a picture to compare
Mango is getting quite the personally already!
Yesterday was 2 weeks that we’ve had him.
Took 2 weeks for his tail to shed completely FYI.