Why I started Rescuing

I've always loved animals and had many pets over the course of my life. I've also always loved helping people and animals to be better/happier/healthier. For a long time, I had on my "Bucket List" to own a pet cockatoo, but I wasn't sure that I could fully to commit to one. At the suggestion of my sweet husband about 7 years ago, I started volunteering with a local bird & parrot rescue and ended up fostering several dozen birds.

One problem-- my husband became highly allergic to the feathers. So I bowed out of it.

We had one bearded dragon (Lizzie, a boy) and a leopard gecko (Reginald) and I enjoyed them. We also were fostering a desert tortoise (Hermy) for the state of Utah. I wasn't a super big fan of snakes and most other reptiles, but that was okay.

In December of 2012, I found an ad for a free juvenile bearded dragon with an arm infection. I knew at least some info about beardies and I had a vet for my beardie so I decided to pick him up. We named him Nigel and ultimately spent over $5,000 trying to save his arm and then his life. A couple weeks later, I found a baby beardie in a sand tank at a local pet store who had an open bleeding wound on his foot where another baby had bitten it off. I could not get the poor baby out of mind.

Once I handled those two, I felt like maybe I could "advertise" a bit for taking in unwanted bearded dragons. Little did I know that I was stepping into a void in our local reptile market. Since there were few good options for reptiles, I was asked to take *EVERY* possible reptile. And I said "Yes."

I didn't start out knowing everything and learned as I went. I'd take in a sickly Savannah monitor and do a crash course on how to care for them. I learned techniques from my vet with every visit I made with yet another sickly reptile. In the beginning, I knew how to feed Lizzie (and not very well, I might add) and over time learned how to give antibiotics, tube feedings, injections, and even enemas. I still don't know everything, but I know that my vets will teach me along the way.

The first year of rescue cost me personally over $3,000. I knew I needed a way to earn money without just begging for donations all the time. At the suggestion of a friend, I sewed a pair of red felt dragon wings for $8 in March 2015. That began the amazing adventure called "Pampered Beardies" which now has sold to thousands of bearded dragons and reptiles and small animals over the world. It's been a fabulous way to fund my continuous vet bills (which cleared over $20,000 last year).

I'm currently working on a full length book on starting your own reptile rescue, but here are my beginning suggestions: Start small, use social media to ask for donations & rescues and to advertise your adoptables, be prepared to have your heart broken, and take breaks when you want to quit. When I get the book ready for publishing later this summer, I'll be sure to post all the links here.

On Vacation

I suppose looking on Craig's List while "on vacation" wasn't the best idea I had, but I'm only on vacation-- I'm not dead! ;)

While on Craig's List, I found two ads that need help. Which means I need help with the money. I still have $150 in my Rescue account but these will cost more than that. Plus then I'll need to get them set up into tanks, etc. So if you can, please help! If not, no worries!

First beardie that I will be picking up on Friday for $60 but with no supplies. Yes, that's a full grown adult dragon in a 10 gallon tank.

Then there is this ad for a Uromastyx with two bonus beardies. This one will be $150 for everything.

I always hesitate to post pics in advance because sometimes in the rescue world, people undercut you and try to rescue the critters before you can get there. I know, it's lame & frustrating.

These pick ups are already arranged, but I am just trying to gather some extra money to pay both fees and have extra for getting them into appropriate set ups.

If you can donate, please click HERE.

And I promise to stop searching on Craig's List for the remainder of my vacation time....

Lady Squinty Dink, rescue 168

The last 24 hours may set a record for intakes-- two leopard geckos, a partially paralyzed baby beardie, and tonight a Blue Tongue Skink.

Introducing Lady Squinty Dink the Dainty Skink, the Duchess of bluTonguesville!

Lady Squinty is a juvenile blue tongue skink. My first! I've always wanted to rescue one of these. I was super worried about this one though. Her eyes were sealed shut, all of her toes are missing, and the end of her tail looks like it's dead. I was most worried about her being blind.

One pic showed a large clump of dead skin and dried blood on her left eye.

The other eye didn't really even show up on the pics!

When Lady Squinty Dink arrived, the dead clump of skin seemed to be falling off. I grabbed my bottle of saline solution and squirted it all over her eyes. The one clump came off after some soaking and with a little help from a Q-tip. All of the sudden she had an eye!! Woo hoo!

Her second eye opened a little bit once I soaked it with saline and then cleaned it with a Q-tip.

Lady Squinty Dink is in a basic tank set up for now--

Tomorrow I'm taking Noel and Baby Sawyer to the vet for checkups and Dr Folland said to "Sure, bring the blue tongue along." So we'll all go. I'll have Dr Folland check out Lady Squinty Dink's eyes and tails and limbs. We'll see what he says.

For more information on blue tongue skinks, click HERE. 

Happy Earth Day!

(To share this post, click HERE)

What it's Like to Run a Rescue out of My House-- a picture tour

Tanks-- lots & lots of tanks

An empty tank in the front room

An empty tank in my bedroom

Tanks in my front entry way

Tanks in my living room

Cords! ALWAYS cords and power strips!

Shed skin

Our interesting shed collection

Random pieces of shed skin around the house

Food-

My roach colony in the guest bathroom

Greens in the fridge

Food in the tanks-- always spread all over

Supplies--

Summer sunning cages sitting in a cold garage

New tank supplies: dishes & astroturf & logs, etc

Sunbleaching pieces of tile to put in tanks

Sunbleaching astroturf & rocks outside

Medical supplies in the bathroom drawer

Critical Care in the fridge with the ketchup

Bowls & bulbs stored in drawers in the laundry room

Adjusting basking temps again & again & again--

Almost, but not quite

Way too high-- move light up a bit

Keeping track of weights --

Dead Dragons in my garage, waiting to be buried--

The latest dragon's box

My front yard herb garden which doubles as a beardie cemetery--

10 beardies and counting

Beardie supplies in the sink, waiting to washed in the dishwasher--

Trying to take advantage of sunny days by putting beardies in the window--

A "barrier" to use when I have more beardies than sunny windows

Proving Hospice Care for terminally sick beardies--

Spike is happiest when he's in the sunshine

Listening to scratching beardies who just want out of their tanks--

Toothless kept moving and made the picture blurry

Max went from totally bruminating to spending all day trying to get out

A box full of beardie blankies & corn bags in my front room-- 

POOP! Lots & lots & lots & lots & lots & lots of poop. That's what I feel like I do the most. I call myself a "Waste Management Director." :) I'll save you the pictures of this one.



Love! Lots & lots & lots & lots & lots of beardie love.

I have two beardies in my hoodie