FaustEngelmar
Member
Not too long ago, my brother came home with 2 bearded dragons, they were his class pets and we were asked to look over them over winter break. We did so and thought nothing of it, although we did name the girl Anja since the class only referred to her as the Girl Bearded Dragon and the boy was named Beast Lee. Then we took them again during Spring break (it was then that I fell in love with the creatures and got my own, Faust Engelmar). Shortly after, we were asked to watch over the two beardies during summer break. We of course said yes.
When we got the bearded dragons, I felt like crying. That was not how we gave them back after spring break. They had had no source of heat for who knows how long, they had never had a UV light, and they had not eaten in days maybe even a week or more (forget about vegetable, they had never eaten that). Beast Lee was freezing cold, it felt like I was holding an ice pack, and I could feel his ribs. He had been so big and fat when we last saw them, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. And Anja was in even worse shape. She had a terrible case of mouth rot. It was so bad, she could barely open her mouth to eat. She was even skinnier than Beast Lee. As a perspective: Beast Lee was 311 grams. Anja was 189 grams. I was afraid she wouldn't make it through the night. She also had an impaction and she couldn't move her back legs, I thought for sure that her back legs were paralyzed.
But she made it, and now she happily chases her food and eats greens (just like Beast Lee who we renamed to Goethe to fit in with the German name theme) and she has steadily gained weight. While her mouth rot is still there, it has improved drastically thanks to the cream from the vet, and major adjustments to her habitat. And while she is still in loose substrate, we are in the process of fitting her viv with tile (we used the reptile carpet for a bit but her nails would get stuck.) Goethe is now 510 grams (he's huge again!) and Anja's weight fluctuates in the low 300 range, but that's an improvement given her initial weight.
And now pictures.
Anja when we first got them a month ago:
Anja now:
Anja before:
Anja now (She's a bit sleepy in this picture, I woke her up lol and loose substrate is going to be removed asap, no worries. She's still got a ways to go, but she has made so much improvement. She's gotten stronger, her mouth and eyes are clearing up and she can even move her back legs now!):
Goethe (no before pictures, he was just a bit skinny, but now he's gorgeous and his colours are starting to show up, he was so dark and stressed before):
The teacher who asked us to look over them finally gave them to us, and while they were in terrible condition, it was by no means intentional. Unfortunately the school didn't provide funding for the two Beardies and no one really knew what was required in order to keep them healthy, so they suffered. But now they are in good hands. They have their proper diet, calcium and vitamins included, and they have the proper lighting. They're getting their new tile soon hopefully, but thankfully they continue to get better.
When we got the bearded dragons, I felt like crying. That was not how we gave them back after spring break. They had had no source of heat for who knows how long, they had never had a UV light, and they had not eaten in days maybe even a week or more (forget about vegetable, they had never eaten that). Beast Lee was freezing cold, it felt like I was holding an ice pack, and I could feel his ribs. He had been so big and fat when we last saw them, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. And Anja was in even worse shape. She had a terrible case of mouth rot. It was so bad, she could barely open her mouth to eat. She was even skinnier than Beast Lee. As a perspective: Beast Lee was 311 grams. Anja was 189 grams. I was afraid she wouldn't make it through the night. She also had an impaction and she couldn't move her back legs, I thought for sure that her back legs were paralyzed.
But she made it, and now she happily chases her food and eats greens (just like Beast Lee who we renamed to Goethe to fit in with the German name theme) and she has steadily gained weight. While her mouth rot is still there, it has improved drastically thanks to the cream from the vet, and major adjustments to her habitat. And while she is still in loose substrate, we are in the process of fitting her viv with tile (we used the reptile carpet for a bit but her nails would get stuck.) Goethe is now 510 grams (he's huge again!) and Anja's weight fluctuates in the low 300 range, but that's an improvement given her initial weight.
And now pictures.
Anja when we first got them a month ago:
Anja now:
Anja before:
Anja now (She's a bit sleepy in this picture, I woke her up lol and loose substrate is going to be removed asap, no worries. She's still got a ways to go, but she has made so much improvement. She's gotten stronger, her mouth and eyes are clearing up and she can even move her back legs now!):
Goethe (no before pictures, he was just a bit skinny, but now he's gorgeous and his colours are starting to show up, he was so dark and stressed before):
The teacher who asked us to look over them finally gave them to us, and while they were in terrible condition, it was by no means intentional. Unfortunately the school didn't provide funding for the two Beardies and no one really knew what was required in order to keep them healthy, so they suffered. But now they are in good hands. They have their proper diet, calcium and vitamins included, and they have the proper lighting. They're getting their new tile soon hopefully, but thankfully they continue to get better.
Pretty beardies.
