Where do you guys rescue beardies from?

[herpfreak]

I am constantly looking for ways to expand my reptile collection, and I'd love to do some rescues. I have looked on several reptile rescue sites, but most of them only have a few rescues available (which I guess is a good thing). Nothing in my area either. So I was wondering where you guys found your beardie or other reptile rescues?

 

[peera]

Gibby and Dora both fell into my lap. Friends/friends of friends who couldn't care for them anymore and when I got a look at their set-ups I couldn't leave them behind. Ms Priss I found on craigslist. I'm constantly finding dragons on there that could benefit from love and proper care, but unfortunately, I'm out of space and time.

 

[BarkAtTheMoon]

National chain pet stores are notorious for having beardies in need of rescue. Don't get me wrong, it's not that the people working there don't care. It's just that, especially in this type of economy, they tend to be overworked, underpaid, and above all, inexperienced and untrained. They're given a set of instructions and that's what they do. Be it right, or be it wrong. They just don't know any better. I recently paid $110 for a bearded dragon with a tail nip and half a back "toe" missing. There was no water source in his viv and I could just tell he was dehydrated. I did this knowing I couldn't keep him. I further spent close to a hundred dollars ordering special reptile shipping materials so I can ship him to an adoptive family. When the materials arrive, I'll also pay to ship him. I did this to save him. When a pet store doesn't know how to treat an animal, it passes on its bad information to the new owner.
Most of us avoid pet stores because we can't help but check on the herps and any bearded dragon that looks anything but happy, healthy, and well-cared for tears us apart. And proper beardie rearing isn't the cheapest of pet pursuits.
My daughter and I ran into a pet store this afternoon looking for something very specific and couldn't stop ourselves from checking out the "herp tower." There were 2 beardies. They were oh so small to me. My daughter wanted to bring them both home. But at least this chain gives their herps water bowls. I told her we couldn't. But I know I'll end up keeping an eye on them. :|

 

[herpfreak]

Most of us avoid pet stores because we can't help but check on the herps and any bearded dragon that looks anything but happy, healthy, and well-cared for tears us apart. And proper beardie rearing isn't the cheapest of pet pursuits.

Exactly! I order all of my herps, supplies, and insect-feeders online, but I can't exactly order live rats for my picky BP. Whenever I go to PetCo, I get so mad it makes me want to hit somebody. They had a Brazilian rainbow boa once (which hurts me almost as bad as seeing mistreated beardies as I have a softspot for BRBs too) and I checked on the humidity and heat (both of which are on those awful analog thermometers that were placed on the upper wall of the cage) and both were WAY too low. I try my very hardest not to cave in. Because whenever you purchase a herp from a chain pet store, they will just order more. It is sick and wrong. These people do not deserve to sell reptiles.

 

[Kagome100]

I have rescued from just ppl that lived near me.

 

[BarkAtTheMoon]

This young beardie is advertised as being at an "adolescent animal rehab center" in a town about a 30 minute drive from me. I emailed them last week asking about it, but have rec'd no answer. This may be because I explained how it shouldn't be fed on sand (you can see the crickets and the sand in the picture) and asked about lighting and temp gradients. I was very, very nice and even offered to take them some appropriate supplies as a donation. I attempted to call a couple of times but got an answering machine. I work during the day (my husband's the one lucky enough to be retired and at home during the day, he's just not into computers and the internet) so I couldn't leave a message. I checked this morning and the posting is still there. Since I have a bulk shipment of reptile shipping supplies coming in, if you are interested in him, you can get up them, pretend to have a cousin who lives in Stedman (me), I'll be glad to get him and send him to you. Just let me know.

http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=12199143

Jessie and Spot

 

[Harley's Mom]

Pretty much all of our rescues (aside from Handsome Jack and Drago) came from our local reptile shop. They take in surrendered reptiles and try to rehab them but somtimes a particular animal needs more care than they're capable of giving and when that happens they'll ask or we'll ask and if we're able, we'll offer to take them.

The two not rescued from our local reptile shop came to us because...

Handsome Jack was a feral iguana but he was injured and therefore in danger so we took him in, healed his boo boos, fattened him up and he became ours.

And Drago was a PetSupermarket beardie. Aside from the size of their tanks, I don't have much complaint over the way this particular PetSupermarket cares for their reptiles but poor Drago just kept getting bigger and bigger and no one would take him home (he was about 16" when I finally broke down and bought him) so my heart won out and I scooped him up.

 

[Ethelia]

I am fortunate/cursed to have a reptile rescue centre just up the road from me which takes in all the reptiles rescued by the RSPCA (the main animal welfare charity in the UK).
I get to see wierd and wonderful creatures brought in everyday, from armoured lizards to agama's to beardies to burmese pythons.
Its a blessing and a curse because I tend to want to rescue everything and get very upset when some dont make it.

All the best with your hunt.
Holly

 

[herpfreak]

Its a blessing and a curse because I tend to want to rescue everything and get very upset when some dont make it.

I don't know what I'd do if there were a reptile rescue near my house... :roll: Knowing me, I would adopt every reptile in the place. But that would be terribly sad.



Update: So, I found a rescue. It's not a beardie, actually, its a snake. I don't think I can take in another beardie right now; I'm really busy. But, like I've mentioned before on this forum, I have relatives in SanFran that I visit a lot. I checked out the Northern California Herpetological Society, based in Sacramento. I could easily stop in Sacramento on my way home.

Anyways, I found an adoreable rat snake named Rusty that was released by some ***** owner and found by the NCHS. He was injured and is neurologically challenged.
http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=12339134
Here he is on PetFinder. I'm still not positive that I'll be able to adopt him (got some stuff to work out first), but I'm pretty sure. He's so cute!

 

[beardie osk]

A rescue can come from any source, pet stores, etc, as mentioned beforehand, spca's in your town, just let them know that if a BD comes in, you are available to rescue, craigs list is a great place to find beardies, you may not think of craig's list as a rescue, but many pics show that some people don't know how to care for beardies, and they give them away when they become bored with them and when folks don't buy them.
Another source is Reptile Expo's, believe it or not, massive breeders that don't really care for their young (and you'll be able to pick them out) have alot of handicapped beardies...I remember one baby, she/he looked half dead in the dish, for sale at 120.00, someone was interested in it, so I spoke to the vendor, pointed out the handicaps, etc, and was able to talk them down to 30.00. I was so glad to have this little one get into a loving home (I don't know that the vendor was happy, though)............And of course, there are word of mouth rescues, as well.

So if you really search.....you'll find them.....or better yet......they'll find you.
Best wishes, <><

 

[3cherries]

you could trying posting on craigslist that you are looking to rescue beardies.. so many people look on there and you might get lucky.

 

[Freeie]

We got Zero at a local pet shop.