Skye's Surgery

Skye had surgery today to remove her undeveloped eggs (technically called "ovum") and to remove her ovaries and oviduct. This same surgery happened to Fat Lucy last July but I had foot surgery that day and couldn't watch. Today I got to watch. 

Skye did NOT like being weighed. Or poked. Or moved. ;) She just wanted to stay all wrapped up in her blankie. 

It took awhile to get her to go to sleep. 

After about 15 minutes, she appeared to be out. 

The actual surgery took 20 minutes. And, no, I won't post close up pics. 

I cannot believe how many egg sacks she had in her. No wonder she was huge. Each ovary had a cluster of 20+ ovum attached. Normally the ovum would form and then drop down into the oviduct. For some unknown reason, Skye's body collected the ovum around her ovaries. They would have stayed stuck there until they started to decompose. The rotting ovum eventually would create a toxic infection that would kill her off. 

Often, the only way to tell a female beardie is plugging up with undeveloped eggs is that they stop eating. Fatty Lucy went to the vet for a respiratory infection and that's when Dr Folland discovered the lumps in her belly and did an X-ray. Fatty Lucy had as many ovum but some of hers had started to rot. 

Here's Skye's "eggs." They are all perfectly healthy. I can see why she weighed 600 grams before surgery! 

I asked my vet a TON of questions about eggs, etc. as he operated. I will, in the next day or two, write a blog post on bearded dragon eggs. 

Skye's previous owner was so upset to learn Skye had eggs and needed them out. I told her there was no way she could have known. I didn't know about it before I rescued Fatty Lucy and took her to the vet-- and I didn't even take her because she was fat! She went for a check up because of an upper respiratory infection! Without that reason to be seen, I never would have known. 

But I will say this-- Dr Folland says the biggest symptom of becoming egg bound like this is not eating. Skye was also really fat and bloated. 

More egg info soon! Promise!

Skye is home now. I can tell her belly hurts. She's on a good pain medicine and will be for the next 10 days. I think she will feel so much better without all that in her! 

She's in a soft sick tank so she won't hurt her belly. 

I expect her to be up and moving around in the next few days. 

My Favorite Facebook Pages

There's a couple groups that I love to follow on Facebook and I thought I'd share them with you.

My favorite "Vet Surgery" page is "The Reptile Doctor." He's an exotics vet in Australia and he posts pictures of his cases complete with surgeries and descriptions. If you don't like surgery pics, don't like his page. :)

The Reptile Doctor 


My favorite "Dream Pet" page is "The Reptile Page" which features cool & unusual reptiles. I love to see the different morphs and breeds there are.

The Reptile Report


My friend Kacy runs the "Land Turtle and Tortoise Rescue" page and has taken in a couple of my tortoises and turtles to rehome. She posts good information on turtles & tortoises too.

Land Turtle & Tortoise Rescue


My friends Ginger & Rodney adopted Newt from me last year and run an amazing Chameleon rescue. Plus they post lots of pics of Cutie-pie Newt.

House of Chameleons 


The USARK page is great for keeping its readers updated on changing US laws that affect your ability to own reptiles & exotics. Plus they post cool pics & articles.

USARK

Bird Sitting

Two or three times a year, my family babysits our friends' cockatiel, Tickle. 

Tickle *adores* my youngest and insists on being with him ALL the time. Sometimes he'll tolerate me, but not if he has a choice. 

I love birds and sometimes think we should add one to our zoo. Then we babysit Tickle and I'm reminded how needy birds are. That's when I change my mind and am grateful for all my cold-blooded critters. 

24 switches

This morning I counted how many switches I turn on in the morning (or at night): 

24

I've tried to set up as many as I can with a power strip so it's a simple "on/off" option, but with so many lights and heat pads it's not always possible. 

It's therapeutic for me to wake everyone up and put everyone to bed.

Remembering Simba

Simba's owner had me cremate him and paid me back for it. His little box of ashes came back today. 

Brought a few tears to my eyes. 

I Won an Award!

Woo hoo! 

Mother Hen in the Sun

My friend Joe says I'm like a mother hen watching over all her chicks when I'm outside with all the tortoises. 

This is me-- 

OK, where is everyone? 

(Pointing as I check) 

Tuga

Lil Foot

Otis

Georgie

Derp

Pudge 

Pan 

Baby Foot 

Who am I missing? 

Heidi? Where's Heidi? 

OK. There she is. Heidi.

(Counting in my head) .... That's 8. We have everyone.   

Repeat this every 5 minutes and that's what it's like having all the tortoises outside. Fun & relaxing for them, not so much for me. 

When the snow in our fenced garden area melts and it warms up over 70, the smaller torts will go in there making it way easier to find them. 

An Agonizing Choice

I was asked to rescue a severely neglected beardie this week. He had been starved and ignored for over two months. The oddest part was when I was asked to pick him up from a vet's office. 

Side note-- I, of course, always recommend my vet's clinic, Parrish Creek Vets. My second favorite vet office is Wasatch Exotics. 

That is the vet where I went to pick up this sick beardie yesterday. 

Oh, he was in such bad shape. And blind. He had little chance of survival. 

I opted to leave him. I agreed with the vets that euthanasia was the best & kindest option. I did not have the heart to take him home and prolong his suffering so he would die on me in two days. 

He was in a warm and safe place so I chose to leave him. The owner, who I was told had willfully ignored the beardie, needed to be responsible for its death and the vet fees. He needed to own (and pay for) his mistakes and not pawn it off on me or anyone else. 

I trust the vets at Wasatch Exotics and felt comfortable with their care of this beardie at the end of his life. That's how I could walk away. 

But it was still agonizing. 

Utter Relaxation

One last pic of a basking Remy who is remarkably relaxed --

SUN! And a Terrible Case of Spring Fever

It was over 50 today and I couldn't resist basking with my torts. Everyone went outside for almost 2 hours. Spring cannot get here soon enough!

Lil Foot 

Tuga & Otis 

Heidi

Derp

Georgie & Pudge

Pan

Apparently I missed getting a pic of Baby Foot (what we're calling the little Lil Foot). 

Dragon came outside too. 

Remy discovered he adores basking! He stretched out like he was dead! 

Pudge & Tuga discovered that the south facing wall is very warm. 

Pan was still unsure of all this freedom! And it didn't help that Otis tried to mate him. :/ 

Really, I must be a reptile at heart because I LOVE basking. I understand why some cultures worshipped the sun! ;) Winter is super hard on me and I struggle with no sunshine. 

We have a half acre fenced back yard that will allow the tortoises to spend the summer outside. The beardies will get their summer cages and spend time in the sun. Max & Ziggy live in their Guinea pig cages in the summer from 8 am to 7 pm. That's when they are happiest. 

I know there will still be snow and cold days ahead, but Spring is on its way and I am thrilled!! 

Skye's Tag-Along Visit

Skye is one of my newer beardies and, quite possibly, is the fattest beardie I have ever seen. When I felt her belly, it appeared that she had eggs inside, but I wasn't sure. Since I was going to the vet anyways, I figured she could go along.

Dr Folland couldn't tell exactly either and so he did a quick ultrasound on her. Yep. Eggs-- technically, they are ovum because they are undeveloped eggs. And they are "stuck" way up high in her belly. 

Skye will go in on Monday to have the eggs surgically removed and to be spayed. Since we know she produces ovum and we know she doesn't lay them, the chances are high she will do this again and again. 

Fat Lucy had the same surgery in July. Dr Folland removed over 30 egg follicles from her belly, some of which were infected. 

See? They never fully developed and could never pass out of her body. 

Miss Skye will feel MUCH better and be less fatty once those ovum are gone. It will be a fairly quick recovery too. 

Smaug and Pudge's Vet Visit

Smaug's toe looks okay. No more treatment and no more antibiotics. We'll just watch it to make sure it goes down okay.

After he got checked, I let him run around the exam room. He'd run around, climb on my shoe, and then proceed to climb up me until I picked him up and put him on my shoulder. He'd stay on my shoulder for a minute and then attempt to launch himself off onto the floor. I'd panic, make a mad dash for him and grab him out of the air, and then put him back on the floor. A few minutes later, he'd climb back up my skirt. 

Pudge was much calmer-- until the doctor started scraping at her feet. Then she proceeded to pee all over him and bite him. 

Her feet are improving overall. I just need to keep soaking her and coating her feet with cream. 

Neither one of them needs to go back unless there is a problem. Woo hoo! 

Vet Triage

I have a vet follow up appointment at 9 am for Smaug and his swollen toe and Pudge and her feet. Right now it feels like I have more sick animals than healthy ones and I'm trying to decide who else to take in. 

Tuga has a cough/hack. 

Otis is still noisy breathing. 

Derp is still blowing snot bubbles. 

Skye is huge-- does she have eggs? 

Stormy has the same infected toe Smaug has. 

Lucy the snake hasn't pooped for 4+ months. 

Belle the dog can't chew her heart worm pill and needs the shot instead. 

Hermy is just a mess. 

I don't even know where to start-- especially since I haven't paid off this past month's vet bills on my credit card. Plus, I have a dentist appointment at 10 to get two cavities filled. :( 

Tally ho!! (That's my catch phrase for this day is crummy but I'm off to tackle it anyways. ;). ) 

Colorful Tortoises??

I hate that this post is even required, but I must say this-- 

If you want a colorful tortoise, then BUY one. Do not paint a Baby tortoise's shell with craft paint or let your kids paint the shell with fingernail polish. 

It is extremely toxic and will make the tortoise sickly and/or die. 

See poor Derp's shell? After a half dozen scrubbings, she's still got toxic fingernail polish stuck to her shell. :( 

Derp, Pancake, and Tiny Tim all came to me with painted shells. :( Please don't.

Remy's Boot

Remy is shedding and it looks like he's wearing a boot or long sock. :) 

Sunshine Party

I'm Yesterday was a sunny afternoon so I opened my door and let my torts bask.

I even pulled my old girl Hermy (desert tortoise) to get some sun. She was NOT amused. 

It was rather fun and chaotic as tortoises went everywhere. 

Lil Foot the Bigger-- 

Pan & Heidi found the soft bed and heat light--

Lil Foot the Younger finds a soft boot-- 

Pudge, the only turtle, found the other boot-- 

And because they wouldn't stay in the sun, I put food down. That kept them there -- until they started pooping. Poop, pee, food, and sunshine. It was a Tortoise Party! 

Doggie Transport for Torts

I got to be part of the most amazing group today as I sent 2 tortoises and 1 turtle to Idaho. An incredible rescue transport group had two abandoned dogs in a 15+ leg plus drive from Wyoming to the Seattle area. I met up with them in Ogden, Utah and they took my critters with them and dropped them off to their new rescue in Nampa, Idaho. 

All 3 were in their own boxes for the ride. They were transferred to at least 4 other cars before they made it to their new home. 

This is one of their riding buddies. He is the sweetest dog. Someone found him tied to a fence in the middle of empty farmland. :( 

I got the tortoises/turtle boxes all set up in the first van-- 

They left Ogden at 11 am today and made it to Nampa at 3:30. The Land Turtle & Tortoise rescue has already found a permanent home for Pancake and will find forever homes for the other two. 

You would not believe the coordination and planning behind this. It is, by far, the most organized group I've ever met. They arrange rescue transports all over the United States. When I get to my laptop, I'll add links to their Facebook group and to the other turtle & tortoise rescue. 

Last night, I took Stinky Winky the red ear slider to his new home. Now I am down by 2 turtles and 2 tortoises. :) 

Mice and Beardies do NOT mix!!!

Let me be blunt-- 

Pinkie mice are TOO high in protein for any age bearded dragon. I know of several local pet stores that recommend you weekly feed beardies a pinkie. Of course they do! At $1.49 or more each, they'd *love* to sell you pinkies (especially when they buy them for less than 50 cents a piece). 

My reptile vet says "NO!!! It will fatten their liver and shorten their life."

This is such a controversial topic on Facebook. I discourage feeding pinkies ever. The rare exception would be a female who has been bred who just laid a clutch of eggs. 

Beardies under a year need 75% protein and 25% greens. Over a year, they need 25% protein and 75% greens. Adults are largely vegetarians and only need insect protein twice a week or less. 

Today on Facebook I saw a picture collage of a small mouse who is "friends" with the bearded dragon who refused to eat it. 

UGH!!! 

Haven't you seen how rodents eat off the skin of snakes they were left alone with? I will not post any pics here because they are horrifying. Rodents EAT anything-- including beardie fingers, toes, & tails. Don't. No mice. Not as food, not as pets for beardies. No. Never. 

For a great & comprehensive feeding guide, click the "Bearded Dragon Diet" tab above. 

Stormy & Skye

Stormy-- 

Skye-- 

Pan, rescue 126

Ah, it's raining tortoises!! 

This is Pan, an almost 3 year old female sulcata tortoise. 

She's not very happy to be moved here and was feeling very shy. Her owners were unable to continue carrying for her. She's almost the same size as Heidi & Derp 

Here's Pan with Heidi. Heidi is at the top of the picture. 

I tried letting Pan wander around but she's not used to being a free roamer. When I saw how stressed she is, I put her in a tank. I'm sure she'll learn quickly. 

Stormy & Skye, 124 & 125

These two were surrendered to me by their very tearful owner. I can't really call them rescues because they are in excellent health. They'll be here with me for awhile. :) 

Stormy-- (was Shorty) 

Skye-- 

I'll take close up pics tomorrow. In still letting them get settled in and adjusted to their new set ups.