Call from the Vet & First Rescue Retrieval

Got a call from the vet shortly after work that they had received the results of Katara's fecal exam and she had two types of parasites - pin worms and coccidia. Both are fairly common in bearded dragons but of course they require different types of medicine for treatment so I got to make an unplanned trip to the vet to pick up the vials (goodbye $33) and learn that I have seven days of fighting with my girl to get her to take said medication and follow it up with another fecal exam in a month to ensure it worked. Owning these guys is a labor of love for sure.

After that excursion, I raced 40 minutes North to pick up my first reptile rescue. Google Maps got me there with next to no incidents and I met the guy surrundering, transferred Blink (now named Vader courtesy of my boyfriend) to a travel container, and blasted the heat in my car for the whole ride home so he could be comfortable. Once home, I moved him to his new temporary home (a 20 gallon long tank equipped with a log hide, a "moist" hide made out of a tupperware container half filled with dampened peat moss, and another hide made with the bases of plant holders) during which he tried to bite me so he'll need some work on socialization before adoption but it shouldn't take long to turn him around. I was happy to discover he's a lot chubbier than the picture I had so his weight is appropriate and he's in the process of shed which means he just needs some time to settle in, get used to handling, and he'll be good to go. Pictures will be forthcoming but didn't want to add any additional stressors after taking him from his home, a car ride, and a new home in an unfamiliar place.

Now in prep mode for the rescue dragon I am picking up tomorrow. Thankfully I have some amazing friends and am getting a 40 gallon breeder tank & accessories for free on Thursday so rescue boy can be upgraded from his too small tank to an appropriate environment by Friday. Hoping his fecal results come back negative so he can be in a forever home sooner than later.

Busy Weekend and an even Busier Week Ahead

This weekend, reptile wise, consisted of getting Katara acquainted with her new harness, bringing her to two separate Petcos for their Reptile Rally only to find out neither were participating (she still got a lot of attention and behaved perfectly), and set up Fuego's adult tank after going to Ikea and two different Home Depots for supplies. I was worried he would react badly to the move, as he can be a little emotional, but he seemed ecstatic with all the extra space and wasted no time head bobbing at his plant background, exploring every decoration with some licks, and tried out all the different perches available. Glad I made the switch now instead of waiting.

Truthfully, the change though planned for a bit happened this weekend specifically as I am getting my first rescue tomorrow, a leopard gecko, and I needed Fuego's baby cage to house the new little guy affectionately named Vader by my boyfriend. The gecko is a bit thin but otherwise appears in decent health so plan to get a fecal done if anything appears abnormal, fatten him up, judge his attitude (seems like a sweetheart), and get him adopted. For those considering getting a reptile, leopard geckos are great "beginner" pets not requiring much space and easy feeding and heating needs. Happy to provide any information for anyone considering adoption.

Also stumbled across a free bearded dragon on Craig's List and am picking him up Wednesday to temporarily foster until I can get him to another rescuer in my group. He's a big boy being housed in a slightly too small tank with incorrect substrate and not proper lighting. Luckily he seems healthy regardless and he should find a home soon as he's young, chubby, and according to his current owner very friendly. To repeat from above, bearded dragons aren't exactly "beginner" reptiles but aren't too difficult to keep as long as you do some research. Prefer to get him in a permanent home sooner than later so please contact me at fireflymusings@gmail.com if you have an interest in adopting or doing foster work.

Of course, plan to document and take pictures of both rescues to illustrate their progress and hopefully be able to post about their fantastic new homes when the days arrive.