Bearded dragon adoption

[paperplanes]

Well my bearded dragon has woken up from his winter sleep. And a lot has changed in my life these past couple months. I am finding it difficult to deal with a lot of things. And I'm finding it more difficult to make time for my dragon. The drive to get proper food for him is a long drive. I work 8 hours a day just like most people, however my job is at the south end of the city. I live north, and the reptile store is on the west. With all this travel time in rush hour traffic, it would be about 6 in the evening before I can feed him. And the cost of gas to travel this distance is also costly. Personally, I don't think it's fair to have him wait 11 hours to eat. And then have to turn his lights off a few hours later for bed. I think it's wrong. I've heard some people say oh they live in the desert they'd be lucky to find food everyday. But I don't believe in letting him starve. I usually alternate live food one day, greens the next and so on. But what troubles me is that if I have plans in the evening, I won't be able to feed him. Or, I won't be able to attend my plans. And even when I came home, or even if it was late. No one is handling him. Taking him out. He would just sit alone all day. Which I know is not a bad thing because they are solitary animals. But I still feel guilty.
I feel like I do do a good job in caring for him. I have proper lights, proper temps, a good substrate, and I bathe him regularly.
And I really do love him to death. He is very dear to me.
But I am really upset that my new schedule doesn't work with him anymore. I'm just very upset in general. I cry when I think about letting him go. But I really don't know what's best for him. Or best for me.
A lady at the local reptile society says she can take him and put him up for adoption. She works at the vet hospital. She says she screens people before she lets an animal go.
I am extremely worried about letting him go. I am worried that someone won't take care of him as well as I have in our time together. I'm worried that a new owner won't have time for him anymore and he will exchange too many hands and something bad will happen to him.

What I want to know is if anyone has had any experience with adopting bearded dragons?
Can new owners be trusted? Would something bad happen to him?
Should I try and just let go?

I feel like keeping him is wrong for him but letting him go could be wrong too. I feel like ill worry about him for the rest of my life.

 

[dylanravenj]

Is there any way you could find someone on here to take him? That way you'd know they're experienced with beardie care and could also give you updates on him

 

[paperplanes]

I don't know. I don't know how I would do that. I live in Canada. I don't want anything to happen to him en route.

 

[morphmom]

I don't know. I don't know how I would do that. I live in Canada. I don't want anything to happen to him en route.

Hello. I'm in Canada too. Ontario :wink: There are a few of us Eh' sayers around and you may find a good home within shipping distance. Animals are shipped everyday, it has become very safe especially if you ship within your own country. You can screen people too. Ask for updates, quiz them and so on. A serious person won't take offense. Many, many people here adopt. I adopted my Adult Myah at 1yr old. She's now a little past 2yrs and I still send photos from time to time. You don't have to let him go to the 1st person that comes along. I'd post an add here and just see what comes of it. Just a suggestion.

(Myah, when I first adopted her. Falling asleep in the bath :wink: )

(Myah, just before she went into brumation :mrgreen: )

 

[BruinsFab]

I don't know. I don't know how I would do that. I live in Canada. I don't want anything to happen to him en route.

Where are you in Canada? I also live in Canada! I know that I am new to these forums, but I am very experienced with animals and can assure you that your beardie will live his whole life in my care. All of my animals, 2 dogs, blue tongue skink, rat are all rescues or adopted from families that could no longer care for them.


I currently do not have a beardie, and although I would LOVE to take care of one, told myself to hold out for a rescue adoption.
I would love to talk with you more about your situation and helping you out. Let me know if you are interested?

 

[paperplanes]

I don't know. I don't know how I would do that. I live in Canada. I don't want anything to happen to him en route.

Where are you in Canada? I also live in Canada! I know that I am new to these forums, but I am very experienced with animals and can assure you that your beardie will live his whole life in my care. All of my animals, 2 dogs, blue tongue skink, rat are all rescues or adopted from families that could no longer care for them.


I currently do not have a beardie, and although I would LOVE to take care of one, told myself to hold out for a rescue adoption.
I would love to talk with you more about your situation and helping you out. Let me know if you are interested?

Knowing he can have a permanent home is very important to me.
I live in Alberta

 

[BruinsFab]

Knowing he can have a permanent home is very important to me.
I live in Alberta

Reptile express ships across Canada and I have used them before for my BTS. It seems very safe.

Also, if anyone from your area is traveling to the reptile expo in Toronto this weekend, I wouldn't mind driving a couple hours to pick him up there.


If you would rather wait for someone closer, i understand, but I am always willing to help.

 

[paperplanes]

I dont know anyone who will be going there

 

[Momomo]

hmm I just read your post for the second time and realized that I am in almost the same situation as you with my beardie, but I don't feel any guilt. I leave my house around 7:30 am in the morning, at that time my beardie wakes up and I pet him a little and give him a big bowl of salad (he used to eat worms in the morning too, but doesn't anymore). I come back home around 6pm everyday (same as you) and I take him out, handle him, talk to him and let him run around. Then I feed him at around 6:30 and at 8:30 his lights go out. Most of the time, if I am home, I will take him out just before his bed time and cuddle him until he falls asleep on me (which usually only takes a couple of minutes lol). The thought of giving my beardie up just because he is home alone all day never crossed my mind :roll: He seems like a very happy fella. Oh and I do go out sometimes in the evenings, in that case I just come home, quickly feed him and leave. But if your beardie is an adult, I think you can skip a feeding one day (if you absolutely have to) as long as he has veggies to munch on. So I honestly don't quite understand your tremendous sense of guilt and wanting to give him up....

 

[BruinsFab]

I dont know anyone who will be going there

Yeah, I can try and see if anyone is making the trip on these forums and if not, we could use reptile express. But like the poster above said, maybe you want to reconsider the idea of giving him up. Let me know what you think, and if you are certain, I will put some feelers up on the forum for this weekend.

 

[bunnyrut]

you can order food online so you don't have to make such frequent trips to the store.

I order 1,000 superworms at a time, and they last for a really long time. I am also breeding them, which is fairly easy and requires less maintenance than most feeders.

butterworms can be kept in the fridge. you can even put hornworms in the fridge for a few days to slow down the growth rate.

when i am going to be gone all day i fill their dishes with leafy greens and add the feeders in the dish. most of the worms stay in the dish since it has food for them too, and when they start poking out Tasty Treat will run over and gobble them up - along with the greens.
I've stopped using crickets since they are loud and smell. I've spent more time cleaning out the cricket cage than my beardies cages.

If i have to give them baths right before bed i do. otherwise they get them on my days off, or right before i go to work. i wake them up early or keep them up a little later as needed.

it is a bit of work, but you can make it happen. but if you really feel that giving yours up would be better, make sure you ask potential adopters LOTS and LOTS of questions to make sure they understand how to care for beardies. and remember, just because they already have one doesn't mean they KNOW the proper care.

 

[paperplanes]

I feel guilty because I feel like I'm turning my back on him. I'd feel guilty if I was the cause of a bad thing happening to him.

He is an adult. But he is rather small for his age. Pretty small for his age actually.

I feed him silk worms. They are expensive. Each trip every other day is about 15 bucks.

Buying them in bulk I have considered. But silk worms dont have a good mortality rate.

I feel like if there's someone else who can be there more for him that me, he deserves that.

 

[Momomo]

Well I guess if you feel he'd be better off with someone else than you should start looking for someone who will adopt him and care for him. Basically my point was that he probably doesn't need someone to be there all day every day to feed and entertain him..As long as he is loved and properly cared for. I know they love company just like most animals do, but I am sure a lot of people leave their animals alone daily to go to work. But if this is about something more than just spending time with him, i.e. if you feel you don't have time/finances to actually CARE for him, than yeah, adoption would be best. Good luck with finding an adoptive parent! I live in Canada too, Ontario, but I am the only beardie owner I know and I can't afford another dragon

 

[lillylizard]

I live in canada too Ontario! lol. i would so take him but i am moving to Winnipeg in the next few months and i think it would be too much stress on him to be shipped them packed up into a car for hours. also i will already be moving 2 dragons. i understand what you are going threw. after my move i have a friend bringing me her dragon because she has a job and going to university and she doesn't have time for him. i hope you find someone for him.

 

[bunnyrut]

I feel guilty because I feel like I'm turning my back on him. I'd feel guilty if I was the cause of a bad thing happening to him.

He is an adult. But he is rather small for his age. Pretty small for his age actually.

I feed him silk worms. They are expensive. Each trip every other day is about 15 bucks.

Buying them in bulk I have considered. But silk worms dont have a good mortality rate.

I feel like if there's someone else who can be there more for him that me, he deserves that.

Silkworms are not the easiest feeders to raise.
I usually feed them as treats just because of the price.

Responsability of caring for a pet is knowing when you can no longer do it.
I know some people think you have to keep it no matter what, but if keeping the animal means they will not be healthy then I believe the owner is responsible to find a home for them where they will be healthy.

I would switch feeders to see if the costs help any.
In the meantime, research homes. Use websites to look for people looking to adopt, and don't be afraid to tell people no.