Nasubi77
Sub-Adult Member
I wanted to update the original thread title to reflect the update with pics but couldn't figure out how...
Anyway, I went to pick her up last night! Now, I had seen pictures of her. Besides that, I've seen every picture to come across this board of all manners of neglect and emaciation and illness so I thought I was prepared. I could have never prepared for the impact seeing her in person had on me. I get the same effect when I see pictures of the Holocaust...it feels like a blow to the midsection and all your breath is knocked out of you. Mixed feelings of anger, sadness and helplessness well up where your breath once was. And when you're finally able to draw in air, it seems so harsh and you feel guilty for enjoying that air, enjoying that cheeseburger you had for lunch, guilty for taking part in all the necessities and desires of life while that poor little critter had next to nothing...just barely what she needed to stay alive, much less any indulgences! I suspect all rescuers feel the same. When you first lay eyes on an emaciated, skinny pile of scales it has a great emotional affect on you. No matter if you rescue one or 100, that effect never diminishes...you never get de-sensitized to the feeling of seeing a neglected animal.
I kept it together long enough to chat a few minutes with the surrendering owner, who seemed genuinely apologetic, concerned and thankful. "Is she as bad as you thought?" he asked as I gazed upon this tiny lizard, cowering in the corner of her empty glass tank on a carpet covered in poop. "She's pretty skinny," I said diplomatically, when what I was thinking was "Actually, she's a lot worse than I thought, you *****!" He drove away in his Camaro, relieved of the burden of this animal, and I sat in my car and cried.
All the way home, I stole glaces at her, crying off and on as I drove. But what's this? A very defiant beardie glare! No matter what nourishment she has been deprived of, it hasn't diminished that beardie attitude for one second! "Who are you and where are you taking me?" she seems to ask. "I know you're scared now, little darlin'," I coo'ed at her, "but I'm taking you where you'll be spoiled and happy and will never lack for anything again!"
After a long ride home (my total trip was over 130 miles!), my first order of business is to give her a soak. She tried to scramble away as I picked her up. She is surprisingly strong and active considering her physical shape! She calmed when I had her in my hands. She was alert and looked around, taking in her surroundings. I stood for a few long moments with her in my hand, amazed at her feather lightness. She clings to my fingers. Her bones may have begun to thin from MBD, but thankfully they are not misshapen in any way.
After we became acquainted, I lifted up "her" tail to see what the story really is. Lo and behold, under the wrinkly, dehydrated skin there are 2 definite bulges..seems like Margaret is a He! He looked at me as if to say, "Excuse me but I don't know you that well yet!"
On the way home, I had heard my favorite Mama's and the Papa's song, "Creeque Alley". There's a line at the end of very verse that says, "No one's getting fat except Mama Cass," and I thought Mama Cass or just Cass would be a good name for her because I wanted her to get fat! But that's when I thought he was a "her"! So now I'm back to name searching. . .
In the bath, his tail is curled up in that "What the heck is this?!" stance. But he sat still and soaked for a good 20 minutes. I dripped droplets on his nose and mouth, but he didn't lick at it or drink. He did close his eyes and stretch up as if to invite the droplets on his head. After his bath, he got wrapped in a Beardie Burrito which he also seemed to enjoy by closing his eyes and relaxing. My 7 yo daughter held him as I put down some shelf liner and put his original furniture back in his tank. Once in his viv, he perked back up and ran around, exploring. He even did some glass dancing. He seemed hungry and a couple times I saw him go into a hunting stance and attack some speck of something he spotted on his cage floor. I didn't know if he had eaten that day (or the day before that, or the day before that) but it was almost time for lights out so I resisted the temptation to toss him some phoenix worms.
Before I turned out his lights, I again found myself just staring at him. He stared right back! And just as I reached for the light switch, he squatted in that familiar pose and left me a nice present! His poop seemed normal, but a little orange. The previous owner had told me that he fed him carrots, so orange poop didn't concern me too much.
Here's a good perspective on how thin he is:
Nose Plugs!!
Thin as a waif, but suprisingly strong:
100% Beardie Attitude!
This morning I apparently woke him up too early! This is how he says "Good Morning Lovely Person Who is Going to Save My Life"
So, I left him with some FINELY chopped collard greens and yellow squash. I'll give him a bath and some phoenix worms when I get home. And we'll see where it goes from there!
I felt this was meant to be from the moment I first saw him 3 weeks ago...and here he is. I'm saving his life, but I feel like I'm the one who is blessed. . .
And just so she doesn't feel left out, here is how I found Amber this morning. Looks like she's already thinking about breakfast!
(BTW, Amber and the new guy are about the same age...he's about a year and a half, she's a year and 9 months)
Anyway, I went to pick her up last night! Now, I had seen pictures of her. Besides that, I've seen every picture to come across this board of all manners of neglect and emaciation and illness so I thought I was prepared. I could have never prepared for the impact seeing her in person had on me. I get the same effect when I see pictures of the Holocaust...it feels like a blow to the midsection and all your breath is knocked out of you. Mixed feelings of anger, sadness and helplessness well up where your breath once was. And when you're finally able to draw in air, it seems so harsh and you feel guilty for enjoying that air, enjoying that cheeseburger you had for lunch, guilty for taking part in all the necessities and desires of life while that poor little critter had next to nothing...just barely what she needed to stay alive, much less any indulgences! I suspect all rescuers feel the same. When you first lay eyes on an emaciated, skinny pile of scales it has a great emotional affect on you. No matter if you rescue one or 100, that effect never diminishes...you never get de-sensitized to the feeling of seeing a neglected animal.
I kept it together long enough to chat a few minutes with the surrendering owner, who seemed genuinely apologetic, concerned and thankful. "Is she as bad as you thought?" he asked as I gazed upon this tiny lizard, cowering in the corner of her empty glass tank on a carpet covered in poop. "She's pretty skinny," I said diplomatically, when what I was thinking was "Actually, she's a lot worse than I thought, you *****!" He drove away in his Camaro, relieved of the burden of this animal, and I sat in my car and cried.
All the way home, I stole glaces at her, crying off and on as I drove. But what's this? A very defiant beardie glare! No matter what nourishment she has been deprived of, it hasn't diminished that beardie attitude for one second! "Who are you and where are you taking me?" she seems to ask. "I know you're scared now, little darlin'," I coo'ed at her, "but I'm taking you where you'll be spoiled and happy and will never lack for anything again!"
After a long ride home (my total trip was over 130 miles!), my first order of business is to give her a soak. She tried to scramble away as I picked her up. She is surprisingly strong and active considering her physical shape! She calmed when I had her in my hands. She was alert and looked around, taking in her surroundings. I stood for a few long moments with her in my hand, amazed at her feather lightness. She clings to my fingers. Her bones may have begun to thin from MBD, but thankfully they are not misshapen in any way.
After we became acquainted, I lifted up "her" tail to see what the story really is. Lo and behold, under the wrinkly, dehydrated skin there are 2 definite bulges..seems like Margaret is a He! He looked at me as if to say, "Excuse me but I don't know you that well yet!"
On the way home, I had heard my favorite Mama's and the Papa's song, "Creeque Alley". There's a line at the end of very verse that says, "No one's getting fat except Mama Cass," and I thought Mama Cass or just Cass would be a good name for her because I wanted her to get fat! But that's when I thought he was a "her"! So now I'm back to name searching. . .
In the bath, his tail is curled up in that "What the heck is this?!" stance. But he sat still and soaked for a good 20 minutes. I dripped droplets on his nose and mouth, but he didn't lick at it or drink. He did close his eyes and stretch up as if to invite the droplets on his head. After his bath, he got wrapped in a Beardie Burrito which he also seemed to enjoy by closing his eyes and relaxing. My 7 yo daughter held him as I put down some shelf liner and put his original furniture back in his tank. Once in his viv, he perked back up and ran around, exploring. He even did some glass dancing. He seemed hungry and a couple times I saw him go into a hunting stance and attack some speck of something he spotted on his cage floor. I didn't know if he had eaten that day (or the day before that, or the day before that) but it was almost time for lights out so I resisted the temptation to toss him some phoenix worms.
Before I turned out his lights, I again found myself just staring at him. He stared right back! And just as I reached for the light switch, he squatted in that familiar pose and left me a nice present! His poop seemed normal, but a little orange. The previous owner had told me that he fed him carrots, so orange poop didn't concern me too much.
Here's a good perspective on how thin he is:
Nose Plugs!!
Thin as a waif, but suprisingly strong:
100% Beardie Attitude!
This morning I apparently woke him up too early! This is how he says "Good Morning Lovely Person Who is Going to Save My Life"
So, I left him with some FINELY chopped collard greens and yellow squash. I'll give him a bath and some phoenix worms when I get home. And we'll see where it goes from there!
I felt this was meant to be from the moment I first saw him 3 weeks ago...and here he is. I'm saving his life, but I feel like I'm the one who is blessed. . .
And just so she doesn't feel left out, here is how I found Amber this morning. Looks like she's already thinking about breakfast!
(BTW, Amber and the new guy are about the same age...he's about a year and a half, she's a year and 9 months)
