Rescue?

[Hazel_Basil10]

My friend had a baby beardie and it didn't look good so I am deciding whether or not to rescue this baby. I haven't gotten pictures yet but she said that she will send them to me of the little one. She said that her dad couldn't take care of it anymore because it was too hard. But I'm worried if I ended up picking up the bearded dragon that I would make enough time for Hazel and I would also need to set up and I need to figure out where it's tanks that is gonna be far away from Hazel in case it has something that is contagious. Should I rescue this little one and take risk? I really want to take it but I am not sure if I could make some time for Hazel so that way she doesn't feel left out.

 

[CooperDragon]

I would certainly consider it, but not unless you have the available time, space, and resources to do so. A lot of folks are able to care for multiple dragons and it works out well. If you can provide them each with their own space, their own enclosures, and have other resources available such as good vet care if needed, then go for it.

 

[Hazel_Basil10]

Okay. I will have to figure it out first before I take it in. I will have updates about it.

 

[CooperDragon]

Good luck! I hope you're able to find a way to help out =)

 

[Hazel_Basil10]

Thank you!

 

[Hazel_Basil10]

Update:
I am gonna get him today. He looks helpless though.I have a T5 "24 UVB light and hood and basking light. I am gonna give him small crickets and some other small insects that he can eat. He is in a 45 gallon tank which is gonna be temporary. I have a vet appointment for my beardie Hazel which I asked if I could take this one in. It is scheduled in two days and he is almost the same as Hazel. I am glad that I can help out with other beardies and I hope that he can live through this.

 

[Hazel_Basil10]

Also, here is a pic of him:
He's so helpless
But he's also beautiful

 

[CooperDragon]

Poor little guy. I'm glad you are able to help him out. It looks like he may have some bone development issues, especially around his arms and hands. I wonder if that will give him mobility issues. Possibly just the way they look due to them shedding though. I'm sure he'll love the T5. I think in his case, black solider fly larvae would be a good option since they are small and soft but also relatively high in calcium. I'd also try some hydrating veges like squash and maybe some calcium rich greens like collards or turnip greens and see how that goes over. If he isn't eating on his own, you may need to mix that into a slurry and offer it in baby food consistency.

 

[Hazel_Basil10]

I've noticed that in his hands and arms. I will plan on first seeing if he can eat on his own and then I will offer him some slurry. I will try Black Soldier fly Larvae and see how that goes. I've decided to name him Warrior because he is gonna fight for life. I really hope that I can give him the chance and I hope things aren't super serious at the vet. In the picture he does look sort of hydrated from the looks of his skin. I will offer him as much as I can. I've also put the the tank in my living room where he stays a safe distance from my Hazel in case he has something contagious

 

[Hazel_Basil10]

I got him about an hour ago and he is 6 months old and he's pretty small for his age. Smaller than Hazel. I just tried to give him some Fly Larvae but he can't really eat well so I made him a slurry and ate that. He seems interested in the squash though! He looks at it and strikes at it so thats a good sign. His front legs are deformed so I'll see what I can do with his legs. They might be still a little deformed when they're fixed.

 

[CooperDragon]

It's good that he went after the slurry. That means he has some fight in him, and under your care he will probably have a very good chance at bouncing back and having a happy life. They can recover from some really rough situations. The advantage of the slurry is that you can adjust what's in it to give him a balanced diet. You can also adjust the hydration level a bit that way. I'd keep up with that for a while until he settles in, then give the worms another try. His legs may never be quite right, but you have probably stopped the deterioration and he will adjust as needed. This is also a good time to start a weight log for him so you can track his progress. Using Excel or Google Sheets (or similar) works well so you can create a graph and show a trendline which makes it easier to see how he's going over an extended period of time. Please keep me posted on his progress and let me know if you have questions or want to bounce ideas.

 

[Hazel_Basil10]

Okay Thank you! I have a weigh-er so I am gonna weigh him later on to see how his weight is doing. He is currently just basking on his little log. He does struggle to get around from his front legs but it seems he uses his back legs to push himself.

Edit: I decided to weigh him now and he is only 55 grams. What should he be at right now? I get that he is that weight because of how small he is. Again, he is 6 months old and very tiny to be one. Looks like a little big 3 month old.

 

[hdochow]

considering he is a rescue, i think it would be a good idea to forget about the "should be" charts. it isn't an even comparison. sir henry weighted 11 grams at 6 months when we rescued him. the better comparison is weight/length over time when compared to himself. i made a spreadsheet, like cooperdragon suggested, for henry and use it to track if there is a weight loss that would signal something could be wrong. and it also gives you a track of progress.

 

[Hazel_Basil10]

Alright thank you!

 

[CooperDragon]

I agree, it's more about how is weight is trending rather than how much the actual weight is at a given time. The chart will help you determine if he is gaining weight, is stable, or losing weight at a glance. Once you get his diet and lighting back on track, I think you'll see some good results =)