The 11 year old boy that I look after has had a bad run with pets. First he got a Marble Gecko around the 17th of Jan within a few months the poor guy had died. Now the only reason we can come up with was one day the air con was left on his room at 9 degrees so the poor little guy froze to death or he was older then we thought (they only live about 18 months) and died from old age. We did everything else by the book so have no clue as to what happened and the vet could not even tell us but did think that it might have been old age (however not sure if he said this more for T’s benefit or not)

 

So about a month later we get him a baby bearded dragon. He calls him Rex and all is well, then we notice that Rex is not looking very good, he has stopped eating and never really grew. There are a few reasons that could be behind this, one he has a genetic issue or two he is not getting enough UV light. So a trip to the vet, a new lighting set up, changes in diet and a week later we find him dead in his water bowl. My theory is that he got in there and could not get out and drowned. Then his parents decided not to tell him so we have a good month of saying he is at the vets blah blah blah. So finally over the weekend we say that Rex passed away. He took it really well as he has had about 3 weeks to prepare for this fact.

 

So we start looking for another pet. He decides he wants another Bearded Dragon so we go to look at them at my pet shop. They have some babies in but they also have an 18 month old female who as a young hatchling had her foot bitten off by her father. Now the pet shop has had issues selling her. No one who breeds wants her as they worry that the pet shop might be lying to them and it’s a genetic deformity and no one who is pet shopping wants her as she is deformed. Now she is bigger she is no longer the cute little lizard and kids who are buying pet want a baby. So for almost a year she has been in the pet store. She is really tame as they handle her each day to clean her cage and loves having her head scratched. ( I have had cuddles with her a few times but have resisted from buying her)

 

Anyway, I take the little boy in and he looks at all the Lizards and we say that we will go home and discuss with his parents over what he can get. He gets home and spends about 25 mins convincing his parents to let him buy “Stumpy” the older female. He said, and I quote “Dad she really needs a good home, and no one is going to buy her so can I take her on? I promise I will look after her and if I need to make changes to her cage AV can help me as she has a bunch of reject budgies…” Hey they are not rejects they are flight impaired there is a difference!

 

Anyway I am just really proud that he overlooked a cute little baby lizard to give this girl a home. The other good thing is that an older lizard is a lot easier to care for then a baby, you have less issues with compactions, eating the wrong things and lighting. E.g. a few days without UV light will not hurt a grown lizard a few days without UV light can kill a baby lizard.

 

I am just so proud of him.

what a wonderful story, thank you so much for sharing that it made my evening.

Brilliant Need photos to help the story along

Edited September 25, 200816 yr by KAZ

Aww that's a really good decision on his behalf, you've done well to teach him!

 

 

I have a soft spot for gimps also

Id probably have taken her also- he will do well, older already tame and exactly how she is going to be- no surprises!

Ive almost talked myself into getting another dragon I just dont really have room to set up another cage in our loungeroom (and like I dont have enough critters in my house to look after already lol) Might just stick with the snakes they need alot less looking after than the dragons

(Are they getting enough calcium?)

Kaz - should be able to take a picture of him tonight with Stumpy as we are going for a cuddle session as he can't take her home till they move into the new house and get the new enclosure with is around the 18th of Oct.

 

libby - I know I am shocking when it comes to the whole "injured puppy" thing I want to take them home and look after them. I have tried hard over the past few months not to buy her as I don't really have the time and the space at the moment for her, when I knew that T was going to get another one I was prepared to talk him into her but I did not need to do that so was really happy that he is turning to be a "animal carer" not just an "animal owner"

 

the pie - I love the fact that we know the size she will be and her temperment. I have been trying to work out where I could put an enclosure for her in my house without moving her into the living room (which would annoy my sister) but between the young Budgies I am taming, My two Budgies who are tame and Elmo my King Parrot and the dogs she would not get enough cuddles in my house which is sad. I would LOVE LOVE LOVE a snake but my mother and sister are deadly scared of them (my mother spent 2 hours "killing" a black plastic pipe once) so no snake for AV

Does he have an enclosure AV?

He has one but it is to small and his dad wants on of the ones that as all the lights and temp gage in it already so Jock is hunting around for one for me.

I have that four foot wooden one here AV that I need to get rid of. It needs the flouro attachment repaired but I can get Leigh to do that for him It doesn't have a thermo but we kept beardies comfortably in it at a nice temp with a 20watt globe

Hi just wanted to check, it has the fluro light, the heat lamp and does it have space for the UV light?

I've never had a straight flouro in it. It has a 2ft flouro fitting used for a UV tube and a normal light globe fitting used for a 20 watt light globe for warmth. A seperate flouro light really isn't necessary from what I understand (it's serves no purpose other than extra light), the flouro light is on it's own plug so we used to have a timer set up seperately for each and it would have the UV tube on for the appropriate number of hours and the rest of the time the 20 watt globe provided sufficient light anyway. Because it is white melamine 20 watts lights it up fine

okay cool will set up doing a swap then, sorry did not know that you could get a fluro UV tube

If you want to look it up the tube is called a 'Sylvania Reptistar' terrarium lamp, it does UV-A and UV-B according to the little thing on the tube itself. I haven't tried this tube for over a year but it was working the last time I used it so we'll see how we go after Leigh looks at the box. I think he'll be down next weekend so I'll get him to repair it then

No hurry he can't get the lizard untill the 18th of Oct.

 

Also have to grab the dimentions off you so that I can get a stand made for it.

I believe it will fit on to a standard 4 ft fish tank stand but I'll double check the depth for you.