More than 2 Years!!

Ziggy was one of my very first rescues (well, number 39 of 130+). He was a beardie no one wanted because he was a grump! And for good reason-- look at how swollen his tail was! My vet amputated over an inch of it. 

After waiting for over two years, Ziggy finally (Finally!!) shed off the old skin on his tail. I have tried everything to get his shed off and so has my vet & his techs. 

Yesterday, all of the sudden, the thick shed fell off. 

I'd given up on it ever coming off, but it did-- over 2 years later. His tail is still stumpy, but at least it's clean. 

Great Progress-- a picture update

Ziggy

the first picture I saw of him: 

in February 2014

my first pic of him: 

he weighed 282 grams 

a picture of him today: 

he weighs 386 grams. 

Tiger

the first picture I saw of him:
in April 2014 

my first picture of him: 

he weighed 128 grams 

a picture of him today: 

he weighs 257 grams 

Zeus

the first picture I saw of him: 

in July 2014

my first picture of him: 

he weighed 48 grams 

pictures of him today: 

he weighs 64 grams 

Sancho

the first picture I saw of him: 

in February 2014

my first picture of him: 

he weighed 338 grams

a picture of him today: 

he weighs around 900 grams

Random Pics of my Reptiles

Sancho in his favorite place to sleep

Sven is ready for adoption!

Ziggy on a good day
 

Daisy exploring my backyard

Mr Bentley outside in his playpen

Hermy, the queen of the backyard

Daisy motoring about the backyard

Daisy checking out Hermy

The closer they got to each other, the more scared they go

Hermy & Daisy were right next to each other and scared of each other

Update on Ziggy

Ziggy got his stitches out today! His tail looks great and healed up very nicely.

His hand built up some scar tissue, but appears to be fine now. Dr Folland is happy with how he looks and doesn't expect to need to see him again. I always love getting a clean bill of health for my reptiles!

Ziggy's next goal is to shed and get off some of those old, ugly layers of shed. Dr Folland gave me some good tips on how to help him with that I'll try. I'm thinking Ziggy will be ready to rehomed in the next month or so. He *loves* to snuggle and be swaddled in his fishie blanket. He still will occasionally puff up when he sees my hand reaching for him, but he's never bit me and has never been mean.

Update on Ziggy

On Sunday, Ziggy was pretty lethargic and didn't move much. He did enjoy sitting in the sun. I gave him a couple squirts of watered down Gatorade to help hydrated him Sunday night. 

Yesterday, Ziggy was much more lively and acted more normal. He ate good and was more alert. Every night after dinner, I wrap Ziggy in his blankie and put him in my shirt. That's how he loves to spend the evening. Actually, I think he'd be happy to stay there all the time.

He's not even the ferocious beardie that his neglectful owner made him out to be. He adores being snuggled and is happy when I have him in a "kangaroo pouch" in my shirt.



Ziggy before:

Ziggy now:

Ziggy's Surgery Success

Ziggy went to the vet today and had two X-rays done. The first showed the infection in his finger had eaten away the bone down to palm. The second showed the bottom three vertebrae on his tail were also basically dissolved by the tail infection.

Dr Folland removed the finger on Ziggy's left hand and about an inch of his tail. It went great! He is all stitched up and was ready to go home right away. I fed him some worms and some greens and am keeping him warm in his tank.

Ziggy this morning before his surgery

What his tail looks like now
 

Ziggy's finger 

I brought him home and he stayed all wrapped up in his blankie

Ziggy, rescue number 39

Found this beardie online yesterday and sent my friend to buy him for $25. Look at his tail! :( No wonder he is so aggressive-- that tail is disgustingly swollen. 

He'd been kept for years (owner had NO idea how old he is) in an outdoor greenhouse and fed kale and superworms. The guy brought home a half dozen beardies to decorate his outdoor greenhouse. Within a short amount of time he had dozens of beardies running around. Totally irresponsible beardie ownership.

Thankfully, he rehomed all his beardies except this one who he said was too aggressive.

My friend picked him up and took him home. Not only was his tail super infected, one of his fingers has been infected for so long that the bones have been eaten away.

She kept trying to put him on the counter and he kept trying to climb back onto her shoulder. He did not want to be put down. She did give him some fluids and a little food. 

Aggressive? Really? Try scared, in pain, and neglected. Poor buddy. 

I attempted to remove infection from his tail, but the tissue is so diseased that the infection has replaced the healthy tissue. It will have to be amputated. His finger infection has spread so badly that at least part of his hand will have to be removed too.

He is in rough shape, but he is still spunky. It was a relief this morning when he woke up. He's so happy to be warm that he's been spending all his time on his heated cornbag and under his blanket.

I have a vet appt this morning and Ziggy will be in surgery around 11:30 am. Today starts the first day of the rest of his "happily ever after." He'll be on antibiotics for a long time, and I suspect that his infection got into his bones & blood stream. Once a beardie gets a systemic infection, it is almost impossible to get rid of all of the small pockets of pus. He will most likely be like Spike, my third rescue, and will fight infection for the rest of his life until it eventually kills him. But at least he is out of that crummy greenhouse in a place where he is loved & cared for.

It will be a month or so before he's ready to be adopted, but I am intent on finding him a home where he is adored and cherished!

This is Ziggy this morning. I was happy he was alive!