Hello everyone,
I'd like you to meet Todd, a beardie that came to me on May 7, 2015. My uncle had a client who no longer wanted to keep the bearded dragon she had originally gotten for her 8 year old child. I agreed to take him in, expecting the lizard to be mildly out of shape. I was shocked to see how emaciated he actually was, though I have dealt with cases like this before with other exotics. Bones were visible throughout his body, he smelled really bad too. The lighting in his tank was poor with little heat and was immediately changed. Judging by his size -forum measurement chart- (and christmas decor in the tank, assuming he might have been a gift) Todd should have been around 6 months. However the owner later stated the dragon to be about 3 years old. His real age is rather a mystery now.
And so the beardies path to recovery began. On the day of his arrival, Todd weighed 91 grams and measured 13.8 inches. His previous diet consisted mainly of crickets, which he could barely catch because he was so weak. I began force feeding him a blend of veggies with the occasional papaya to get the intestines flowing again. Turned out he was also very dehydrated and quickly perked up with the new diet. Soon after he began to eat on his own. We weren't out of the woods yet, with the possibility of MBD, it was an added concern.
Days soon turned into weeks and Todd was rapidly getting better. The beardie greatly enjoys his meals and likes watching them being prepped. A calcium and vitamin supplement is also added on the days he is supposed to get them. His stinky odd smell also went away with just a few water baths. Todd also began to shed his skin in late June.
Below is a record of his weight and measurement.
____________________
5/07/15 : 91g
5/11/15 : 107g - 13.8in
5/21/15 : 131g
6/08/15 : 158g - 16in
7/10/15 : 244g
8/09/15 : 326g - 16.5in
___________________
Here are two before and after pictures of Todd's progress:
Before
After
Before
After
Todd is a super sweet and tolerant beardie, considering what he's been through. He has never bitten me or anyone else, and the few times that he did puff up from being startled, a nice petting on his back will soothe him right back down.
I hope Todd will soon find the home he greatly deserves. If you are interested in Todd, please don't hesitate to message me! There is an adoption fee of $140. He will come with his 40 gallon tank w/ screen lid, heat lamp, UVB lamp, decor like basking rocks, and a water bowl.
Thank you for your time.
Stephanie
Todd on August 9th, 2015
I'd like you to meet Todd, a beardie that came to me on May 7, 2015. My uncle had a client who no longer wanted to keep the bearded dragon she had originally gotten for her 8 year old child. I agreed to take him in, expecting the lizard to be mildly out of shape. I was shocked to see how emaciated he actually was, though I have dealt with cases like this before with other exotics. Bones were visible throughout his body, he smelled really bad too. The lighting in his tank was poor with little heat and was immediately changed. Judging by his size -forum measurement chart- (and christmas decor in the tank, assuming he might have been a gift) Todd should have been around 6 months. However the owner later stated the dragon to be about 3 years old. His real age is rather a mystery now.
And so the beardies path to recovery began. On the day of his arrival, Todd weighed 91 grams and measured 13.8 inches. His previous diet consisted mainly of crickets, which he could barely catch because he was so weak. I began force feeding him a blend of veggies with the occasional papaya to get the intestines flowing again. Turned out he was also very dehydrated and quickly perked up with the new diet. Soon after he began to eat on his own. We weren't out of the woods yet, with the possibility of MBD, it was an added concern.
Days soon turned into weeks and Todd was rapidly getting better. The beardie greatly enjoys his meals and likes watching them being prepped. A calcium and vitamin supplement is also added on the days he is supposed to get them. His stinky odd smell also went away with just a few water baths. Todd also began to shed his skin in late June.
Below is a record of his weight and measurement.
____________________
5/07/15 : 91g
5/11/15 : 107g - 13.8in
5/21/15 : 131g
6/08/15 : 158g - 16in
7/10/15 : 244g
8/09/15 : 326g - 16.5in
___________________
Here are two before and after pictures of Todd's progress:
Before
After
Before
After
Todd is a super sweet and tolerant beardie, considering what he's been through. He has never bitten me or anyone else, and the few times that he did puff up from being startled, a nice petting on his back will soothe him right back down.
I hope Todd will soon find the home he greatly deserves. If you are interested in Todd, please don't hesitate to message me! There is an adoption fee of $140. He will come with his 40 gallon tank w/ screen lid, heat lamp, UVB lamp, decor like basking rocks, and a water bowl.
Thank you for your time.
Stephanie
Todd on August 9th, 2015