Princess, rescue number 81

Hooray! Another healthy & normal beardie! Princess is doing so well that I don't even consider her a rescue. She just needed a nail trim and a bath. :)

She'll be an easy one to adopt out. After the last three rescues being so expensive and sickly, it's nice to have an easy beardie to take in. 

Plans for Prissy Pants

We're still waiting for the crazy winter weather in the South to clear so that we can ship her to a fabulous chameleon rehab in Georgia.

Until then, I am still force feeding her worms a couple times a day. In the last two days, she's started trying to take the worm in her mouth instead of pretending like it didn't exist. Progress! 

And she still acts as though I will suck her soul out of her body through her nose and cowers when I get near. But she's not vibrating as much as she used to which is a good sign. 

Sunny Sancho

I came home to find Sancho sunning herself on my bed. She's so beautiful-- even if she's super-handicapped.

Update on Hermy

I pulled Hermy out of hibernation corner yesterday and soaked her for a bit before feeding her greens and letting her back in the warm sun.

Milo

Apparently Milo leads a rough life. This is how I found him the other day-- all worn out. 

Miss Prissy Pants goes to the Vet

Miss Prissy Pants got a glowing review at the vet today. She went from 108 grams last week to 116 grams today. Her tongue & mouth are pink & healthy. The vet was very pleased with her progress.

She also got the clearance to be shipped to a chameleon rescue/rehab. There they will train her to eat without being able to catch her food with her tongue. It will be the perfect permanent home for her. 

If all goes well, Miss Prissy Pants will be "home" by this weekend. 

Just Kidding -- She's actully a Girl...

We discovered today that Pascal is actually a really colorful girl and not a boy. This means I can use the name "Miss Prissy Pants" again! ;)

She loves to climb in the blinds in my sunny window and adores living in the plants instead of a tank. She's still not friendly with me, but I'm not as worried that she'll die on me. Phew! 

Update on Ryuu

Ryuu (who had the severe prolapse) got his stitches out yesterday and was upgraded out of his sick tank today!

He eats great and is more active. Every 3 days he gets another antibiotic shot (only a few left to go). In two weeks he'll get his last round of dewormer. 

Update on Mr Pascal Prissy Pants-- the once "Poor, Sad Chameleon"

Pascal is now living in my house plants with his lights hanging off bent wire coat hangers attached to my mini blinds. He hated his tank and tried to die.

He's much happier now and still doesn't like me. When I get near him, he tries to hide. 

Every day I feed him and I must down the plants (and him) several times a day. On Monday he'll go in for a recheck at the vet and we'll see how he's doing and if he's ready to go to his new home. 

Pascal, the poor sad chameleon

I took Pascal to my awesome vet yesterday and the little guy had his entire tongue removed. Thankfully it didn't cost as much as I feared and it was a fairly simple procedure.

That black "string" was his dead tongue

My favorite vet & his best tech! 

He'll now be on antibiotics for 3 weeks and force fed Critical Care for a week. He's now at my house so I can stress & worry over him!!

He was originally in a tank but gave me a scare this morning when he wouldn't move and was super dark. Now he's in my focus tree with lights focused on him. 

Now I know why I stick with desert reptiles! Chameleons are tricky! I'm going to end up with more gray hair before he goes to his permanent home!!

A Good Day for Ryuu

Ryuu got his 2nd dose of anti-pinworm meds, some Critical Care, and two fat roaches. 

Then he spent the afternoon in the direct sunshine thanks to a rare sunny winter Utah day. He's looking good and acting better. 

The deworming meds have made his belly look thinner now that his guts aren't filled with pinworms and eggs. 

He should be able to get his stitches out on Monday too. Then he will be upgraded out of his sick tank into a regular tank. 

Two more weeks of antibiotic shots and another three dose round of anti-pinworm meds and then Ryuu will be good to go. 

I spy with my little eye.... a Leprechaun!!!

He's so adorable! (but not amused). Now for sale in my ETSY shop.

Fundraising for a Poor Sad Chameleon

I am helping to rescue an adorable veiled chameleon with a dead tongue. frown emoticon I've talked to my vet and he thinks if the cham is otherwise healthy that we could amputate the dead tongue and hand feed him. So he does have a shot at still living a good life. 

He's been very active & curious in his foster home. When his foster momma got home today, he got all excited and started trying to get out to play. He's adorable! We just need to get him well.

He has a vet appt for Monday at 10:30-- soonest we could get him in for a surgery time. He will be first be assessed to see if he is healthy enough to amputate his tongue. If he is, Dr Folland will take his tongue off; if he's not, we will humanely put him down.

I'm trying to raise the money to pay for the visit/procedure (I'm thinking it will be around $200 and hopefully less than $300 total). If you'd like to contribute a few bucks via PayPal, I'd be forever grateful! We have a great foster home for this guy and a great adoptive home lined up. 

There is a link to donate via PayPal on the right side of my blog. If you'd like to help pay for this guy's vet visit/surgery, PLEASE click there! 

Thank you! 

Happy, Happy Milo

Remember this guy?

He came to me with a severe respiratory infection, mouth rot, stunted, and stained with sand. 

Look at him now!!! I'm SO proud!!!

Yes, I promise it is the SAME bearded dragon. 

Poop and Pinworm Eggs

Ryuu pooped tonight and Iwas able todo a fecal test. He has a massive infestation of pinworm eggs! 

I'll start meds tomorrow to clear up the pinworms and sanitize his tank well. He is now on the road to recovery!!! 

Most bearded dragons have some amount of pinworms and that is completely normal. My vet doesn't treat pinworms until the beardie has symptoms of an infestation: diarrhea, bloating, lack of eating, or - in the worst case- a prolapse. 

It's the same with coccidia. You only treat it if there is a problem. 

I am super relieved to know that Ryuu can be easily fixed. :) I was worried he might have a tumor or stone. 

Update on Ryuu

He's eating and more alert. I give him pain meds and some Critical Care every morning. The stitches in his vent are no longer weeping. 

He likes wax worms too. Now we just wait to see if he poops or prolapses next. Poop will get a fecal test and treatment for parasites. Another prolapse will get him an exam and another surgery. 

I am really really hoping for poop! 

Ryuu, rescue number 80

I took in Ryuu, a 5 year old beardie, today with the worst prolapse I've ever seen. It has been out for at least 24 hours and I wasn't sure if he could be saved. Drove 45 mins one way to pick him up and rush him to my vet. 

The prolapse tissue was still alive so the vet pushed it back in & put in 2 stitches on the vent to keep it in. He'll be in antibiotics for the next three weeks. 

The next step is to see if he eats & drinks on his own. Then I will do a fecal test on him to test for parasites and treat him for that. 

He was on sand so he could have an impaction which will cause him to prolapse again. If he does prolapse, then we'll do an x-ray to see what's up. 

I have him 5 mL of Pedialyte and his first antibiotic shot and put him in his sick tank. Now we just wait and see. At least he's over the worst.