Reptile Room

[Esther19]

Well, that's a disappointment. It would have been so much easier if he had cooperated. It sounds like everyone has great ideas for Plans B. Keep up the good fight, dear!

 

[RandyMarsh]

I would flat out go to the director of that sciences division of the college and complain. Explain your experience in Bearded dragons and explain that those animals are very sick and need medical attention immediately or they may very well die in the conditions they are in now.

I can't express how impressed I am with the letter you sent to them, I can say that I would never have been as kind to them over the situation at hand.

If it helps your position, take the pictures you took of the sick beardies with you to visit that director, then bring your dragon with you, or bring pictures of your dragon and show him what a healthy dragon looks like. Express that you WILL contact ASPCA authorities and the college's Board of Directors if something is not done.

*high fives*

 

[elmore91011]

Glad you went in there! Don't let them get away with that! Keep the updates coming it's always great to hear that someones got the balls to stand up for these animals!!!

 

[Evergreen]

Thanks everyone, I typed multiple letters but clearly didn't have the balls to send the ones that truly pointed out how terrible they were being treated. I am curious about his position and what he does so I ended up with this and mentioned the beardie in the worst shape briefly. If this friendly curious student approach doesn't work and if I don't see changed in the dragon then I will contact the department.

I wouldn’t mind helping out with the lab animals either so feel free to send me an email if you have any “openings”. I was curious though, are these reptiles yours and you brought them to the University when you started working or have you just added more throughout the years? I often watch craigslist for good deals on aquariums or rescues but can’t say I’ve ever seen an alligator, scorpion or praying mantis on there!

Do you breed any of them? I could be wrong since I just asked her in passing but I thought my professor said you do/would like to breed boas. Bearded Dragons are my species of choice if you will and I was curious if the two you had were rescues? All your animals looked like they were in great shape and healthy but the one beardie looked like he/she could have mouth rot and debris irritating his eyes? I’m certainly no vet and I don’t know if he’s already being treated but I thought I’d give you a heads up just in case.

I think it’s great that you have all these animals available to for students to watch and learn more about. Sorry for all the questions but I’d like to find a similar position out of college which is why I’m interested in what you do and how you got started.

Thanks again,
Andi

My "deadline" for this is the end of next week, by that time I expect to see an improvement in her condition. If I don't set a specific date then I know I'll just try to make excuses for him like "He's doing research into how to best help her" or "well he's probably taken her to the vet already but the medication just hasn't taken affect yet". Yeah right

 

[elmore91011]

I hope it works! I hope they do do something! Thats just crap they think they can do that to these poor little guys!!!

 

[Evergreen]

It really is. It's nothing less then animal abuse and even worse it's not hidden in someones back yard. Anyone who has class in that room, works there or even walks to look like I did can see it clearly and the fact that no one's stopped it is just a tribute to how easy it is to say its "not your job" and forget about it.

It reminds me of that old psychology example where the more people at the scene of an accident the less likely it is that someone will call for help because everyone assumes someone else is already doing it. The Bystander Effect I think it's called.

 

[RandyMarsh]

RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE!!!!

 

[dragonlover3]

Here's a rant you can print and send to him!

To whom ever is in charge of "taking care" of those poor abused, neglected, sick little helpless beardies!
I'm sure the head of the Bio Department and the Director of the College would be interested in the photos
and poor condition of the Bearded Dragons in your "care".

Are you seriously supposed to be experienced in caring for Bearded Dragons? OK then....

Experienced as you are, having already done the research on Bearded Dragons, you already know they are not
sand dwelling desert lizards and they shouldn't be housed in it! Why are those beardies in that nasty sand?

Experienced as you are you CAN'T POSSIBLY MISS that mouth condition. You must know that could be a serious bacterial infection called mouth rot!
Experienced as you are you CAN'T POSSIBLY MISS the severe swelling of that poor beardies eyes. They are, at the least severely irritated and most likely infected from being in that sand!
Experienced as you are you CAN'T POSSIBLY MISS the plugged nares!
Experienced as you are YOU CAN'T POSSIBLY MISS the curled under nails that need attention before they puncture the underside of the digits!
Experienced as you are you CAN'T POSSIBLY MISS the malnutrition, ribs showing emaciation, dehydration, and signs of Metabolic Bone Disease!

What kind of sick son of a bitch are you to continue to ignore, abuse and neglect those poor beardies who are so obviously very sick? You have the audacity to think you know anything at all about these poor helpless creatures under your supervision and care. They both need to see a vet immediately and to be rescued from you and your neglect!
Amanda


{I'm sorry if I have offended anyone!}

 

[Esther19]

Hear, hear! You have not offended me in the least.

 

[RandyMarsh]

Here's a rant you can print and send to him!

To whom ever is in charge of "taking care" of those poor abused, neglected, sick little helpless beardies!
I'm sure the head of the Bio Department and the Director of the College would be interested in the photos
and poor condition of the Bearded Dragons in your "care".

Are you seriously supposed to be experienced in caring for Bearded Dragons? OK then....

Experienced as you are, having already done the research on Bearded Dragons, you already know they are not
sand dwelling desert lizards and they shouldn't be housed in it! Why are those beardies in that nasty sand?

Experienced as you are you CAN'T POSSIBLY MISS that mouth condition. You must know that could be a serious bacterial infection called mouth rot!
Experienced as you are you CAN'T POSSIBLY MISS the severe swelling of that poor beardies eyes. They are, at the least severely irritated and most likely infected from being in that sand!
Experienced as you are you CAN'T POSSIBLY MISS the plugged nares!
Experienced as you are YOU CAN'T POSSIBLY MISS the curled under nails that need attention before they puncture the underside of the digits!
Experienced as you are you CAN'T POSSIBLY MISS the malnutrition, ribs showing emaciation, dehydration, and signs of Metabolic Bone Disease!

What kind of sick son of a ***** are you to continue to ignore, abuse and neglect those poor beardies who are so obviously very sick? You have the audacity to think you know anything at all about these poor helpless creatures under your supervision and care. They both need to see a vet immediately and to be rescued from you and your neglect!
Amanda


{I'm sorry if I have offended anyone!}

Awesome! I bet Evergreen is too nice for this type of thing though lol

 

[dragonlover3]

He could send it to him anonymously! It might wake the SOB up!
Amanda

 

[szubelak]

While we all concur with Amanda - I think the guy might just get defensive with an approach like that - and maybe even further neglect them in "protest." (People can be jerks sometimes ya know)

I also wanted to mention - your university probably has an "Ombudsman" which if I recall correctly is also a resource for "complaints" They might be another avenue to take if it comes to that.

Keep us posted for sure!!!
Lesley

 

[RandyMarsh]

Prolly a good thing Evergreen hasn't said which university it is lol

 

[medlong]

I am in No Way an expert or vet, but not lacking observation skills either,
IMHO, I would say the first one looks very skinny and that his back legs to me look bony, not deformed. He appears to be standing on them somewhat. The second one definitely needs his nails clipped. That's great that your willing to step in and give them help. Let us know what happens.

Mary Ellen

 

[saleen89559]

Let me say i am in no way perfect or a beardie expert either, but I feel i am experienced enough to give people advice.

I recently gave a presentation to the herpetology club at University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point about care of bearded dragons. I am happy to say that the club has gone ahead and used my husbandry advice and enclosure advice to turn their once horrible conditions into ideal conditions for their pair of bearded dragons.

Before the presentation, their dragons had been living on rice sized gravel, no UVB, a night time red heat lamp, and were being fed iceberg lettuce and crickets only ever. Their pair of dragons, male and a female, both proven to only be 3 years of age each, were being housed together. Both dragons were in such poor health that they looked like they were 13 years old, not 3. A side note, they were in such poor health, they never even tried to mate.

They took the advice to start a dubia roach colony as a replacement alternative to low life span crickets. Gave them the opportunity to study the roaches as well as run the colony. Also their pair of dragons made the hour drive to Appleton to visit a experienced herp vet and to receive the care they needed. They now have a model of what all experienced beardie keepers use here in order to house and maintain their beardies.

Keep on them!