I am babysitting two bearded dragons. They belong to the daughter of a client of mine. It was a last-minute decision on their part because they were going out of town and I was already at their house. The daughter is about 16 years old and she really loves these guys. She has a juvenile one, and a larger mature one.
So I'm getting them all set up when I get home and I notice they don't have any UV lights. The only lighting they have is a red heat light for each of their tanks. I mention it to the daughter via text but don't want to push it or be too "know-it-all" because she barely knows me. She says she'll get one when they get back. How the big one got so big (she had it since it was tiny) without proper lighting is beyond me. Anyway. So today is a beautiful sunny day out so I decide I'll take them out and let them bask for a bit.
They both perk up right away when we get outside. It's adorable, the little one was trying to eat all the little grass and flowers and they looked so happy. Now, I'm only one person and I really should have known better, I'm not sure what I was thinking and I'll never forgive myself, but I have the little on in my hand and it crawls out of my hand and before I can even react, the larger one sees it and attacks it. One very harsh chomp right on the little one's head. I'm able to get the larger one off pretty much immediately but the damage is done. The little one lost an eye for sure and is not moving.
I try to call the daughter and my client and neither answer. I drive to the nearest herp vet and she takes it back to the vet to just look over real quick. Just for this little thing to be seen is almost $100 and then to do an X-ray too would be about $300. And just to euthanize would be $100, and they wouldn't do it anyway unless they spoke with the owner first. So I'm at a loss. I have this little guy in my lap. Little bit of blood is coming out of it's mouth. Not a lot, not even enough to form a drop. It seems dead but every few minutes will take a deep breath. Initially, it's mouth would gape open too when it would take a breath but I haven't seen it do it since right after the incident.
I've already contacted my client, told her what happened, but still haven't heard back. Her daughter is going to be distraught. I am surprised the little guy is even still alive. I almost put it in the fridge earlier but then saw it take another breath and even had it's head up a little bit which was very shocking. I went ahead and put it back in it's enclosure and put the light on to keep it warm. I've been checking on it at least every hour and this last time I went it I saw it had actually moved very slightly. Like turned it's body a little bit.
Is there a chance it could actually make it? What would you do in my situation? I'm devastated. I know the owner will be too. It breaks my heart, it was so happy and spunky to be out in the sunlight, I can't believe this is even happening. I don't want it to suffer, I can't afford vet care, I can't get ahold of the owners, and certainly can't foot the vet bill but don't want them to flip out and tell me I have to because it's all my fault. I'm so so so stupid to even have let the big one near the little one, I knew better, I feel like such an ***** and just sick to my stomach about this. I wouldn't hurt a fly and now I've got this dying beardie and a soon-to-be heartbroken teenager who is going to hate me and I'm hoping I didn't just ruin her vacation.. maybe I should have waited to tell her mom? I can't believe this is happening. Please help.
So I'm getting them all set up when I get home and I notice they don't have any UV lights. The only lighting they have is a red heat light for each of their tanks. I mention it to the daughter via text but don't want to push it or be too "know-it-all" because she barely knows me. She says she'll get one when they get back. How the big one got so big (she had it since it was tiny) without proper lighting is beyond me. Anyway. So today is a beautiful sunny day out so I decide I'll take them out and let them bask for a bit.
They both perk up right away when we get outside. It's adorable, the little one was trying to eat all the little grass and flowers and they looked so happy. Now, I'm only one person and I really should have known better, I'm not sure what I was thinking and I'll never forgive myself, but I have the little on in my hand and it crawls out of my hand and before I can even react, the larger one sees it and attacks it. One very harsh chomp right on the little one's head. I'm able to get the larger one off pretty much immediately but the damage is done. The little one lost an eye for sure and is not moving.
I try to call the daughter and my client and neither answer. I drive to the nearest herp vet and she takes it back to the vet to just look over real quick. Just for this little thing to be seen is almost $100 and then to do an X-ray too would be about $300. And just to euthanize would be $100, and they wouldn't do it anyway unless they spoke with the owner first. So I'm at a loss. I have this little guy in my lap. Little bit of blood is coming out of it's mouth. Not a lot, not even enough to form a drop. It seems dead but every few minutes will take a deep breath. Initially, it's mouth would gape open too when it would take a breath but I haven't seen it do it since right after the incident.
I've already contacted my client, told her what happened, but still haven't heard back. Her daughter is going to be distraught. I am surprised the little guy is even still alive. I almost put it in the fridge earlier but then saw it take another breath and even had it's head up a little bit which was very shocking. I went ahead and put it back in it's enclosure and put the light on to keep it warm. I've been checking on it at least every hour and this last time I went it I saw it had actually moved very slightly. Like turned it's body a little bit.
Is there a chance it could actually make it? What would you do in my situation? I'm devastated. I know the owner will be too. It breaks my heart, it was so happy and spunky to be out in the sunlight, I can't believe this is even happening. I don't want it to suffer, I can't afford vet care, I can't get ahold of the owners, and certainly can't foot the vet bill but don't want them to flip out and tell me I have to because it's all my fault. I'm so so so stupid to even have let the big one near the little one, I knew better, I feel like such an ***** and just sick to my stomach about this. I wouldn't hurt a fly and now I've got this dying beardie and a soon-to-be heartbroken teenager who is going to hate me and I'm hoping I didn't just ruin her vacation.. maybe I should have waited to tell her mom? I can't believe this is happening. Please help.
