Went in the petstore yesterday to get some crickets for our 3 adults, even though they have all varieties of worms on hand too and the petstore owner said she had been waiting for us to come in. Had something she wanted to show us. I thought she just had a question but boy, was I ever wrong. Followed her to the reptile room and she went over to the tank where a baby beardie was. She took him out and showed us that he only had one eye. Looks like it never developed and he also has a small lump on top of his head that looks like a birth defect. Anyway, she said he was eating good and very active. She handed him to me and he stretched out across my hand. He looked so content. My hubby held him too. I told her that if she thought she couldn't sell him or thought he wasn't doing well, to let me know and I'd help out. (I was still trying not to get attached.) Next thing I know, she brings over a small box and said, "you can have him for what I paid for him at the reptile show $20.00" and my hubby handed him to her and said "put him in the box." I was speechless and not sure that I wanted/needed to start from square one again with a baby, especially one with only one eye. But, we took him. Already had a spare 10 gallon tank, extra UVB hood and good bulb, extra small clamp light, some shelf liner on hand etc etc. The only thing we didn't have was tiny crickets so we picked up a few of them. We brought him home and got him all set up.
He actually didn't seem to suffer any relocation stress which was quite a surprise but he's having some difficulty catching the teeny tiny crickets and gets frustrated. They are so fast and with him only being able to see on one side, it makes it very difficult for him to catch them himself. I handfed a few and he ate them but since some of the crickets are so tiny, it's hard for me to pick them up in my fingers without squishing them. They have to be alive enough to wiggle & get his attention. I have the day off tomorrow so I'm going to try putting a few in the frig for a few minutes to see if that makes it easier for him. Since he's so thin, I did feed some vegetable/chicken babyfood with a plastic medicine dropper and he very willingly licked it off his nose once yesterday and once tonight. He also drank a little warm water and a little diluted 100% juice tonight. Even soaked him in a little warm water last night and he didn't seem to mind. So, I guess considering all the changes, he's doing quite well. He even likes to lay on our necks. So, everyone wish us luck helping this little guy/girl. Without further adieu, here's Widget:
This is the eye that never developed.
I haven't measured him yet, but I think he's about 5 inches long, most of it being tail. I can see some reddish tones already and he also has a little red coloring around his ears. What do you think of our new baby?
He actually didn't seem to suffer any relocation stress which was quite a surprise but he's having some difficulty catching the teeny tiny crickets and gets frustrated. They are so fast and with him only being able to see on one side, it makes it very difficult for him to catch them himself. I handfed a few and he ate them but since some of the crickets are so tiny, it's hard for me to pick them up in my fingers without squishing them. They have to be alive enough to wiggle & get his attention. I have the day off tomorrow so I'm going to try putting a few in the frig for a few minutes to see if that makes it easier for him. Since he's so thin, I did feed some vegetable/chicken babyfood with a plastic medicine dropper and he very willingly licked it off his nose once yesterday and once tonight. He also drank a little warm water and a little diluted 100% juice tonight. Even soaked him in a little warm water last night and he didn't seem to mind. So, I guess considering all the changes, he's doing quite well. He even likes to lay on our necks. So, everyone wish us luck helping this little guy/girl. Without further adieu, here's Widget:
This is the eye that never developed.
I haven't measured him yet, but I think he's about 5 inches long, most of it being tail. I can see some reddish tones already and he also has a little red coloring around his ears. What do you think of our new baby?