RRUS at New England Reptile Expo

The New England Reptile Expo in Manchester, NH was beyond nice enough to allow Reptile Rescuers of the United States to have a booth at their event free of charge so myself and two other rescuers spent most of today representing our organization to the hundreds, if not thousands, of people that came through the doors between 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM.

We had a binder of animals for adoption as well as those in recovery, a board showing common illnesses that reptiles suffer from improper care, a quarter drop game, t-shirts for sale, and of course we all shared information and stories with those who stopped by our booth to chat. In those conversations we encountered a lot of people who have taken in reptiles in need, found some who may want to volunteer with us, and even started the foundation of a network with another rescue which could greatly help both organizations. All in all a very successful event for us in my opinion.

RRUS will also have a booth at the Massachusetts Reptile Expo in Braintree, MA on October 27th and we hope to improve our presence with a few additions to our booth.

On a more personal note, saw about twenty animals I wanted to take home but restricted myself to one. He's settling in so no pictures until next week once he gets a chance to relax.

New Rescues X Two

I meant to post this earlier but who knew how fleeting my free time would be juggling a full-time job, a zoo, a boyfriend, a social life, and online classes. Trying to work on my time management skills. Need to, actually.

Last Sunday, I drove about 45 minutes to pick up two dragons from someone who was going to college and could no longer continue to care for them. I met up with his father who was kind enough to meet me halfway between our respective homes and along with the dragons donated their tanks, lighting, and accessories. We managed to smuggle it all into my little Beetle and off I went back home with two new bearded dragons in tow.

Once I got home, I finally got a good luck at the pair and was taken aback. I was told they were healthy (the people did care for them greatly) but there were obvious signs these guys hadn't been receiving proper care. The girl, now named Daisy (seriously, who names a female dragon Godzilla...), was the worst of the pair. Despite being seven years old she's about the size of my eight month old Fuego, her hips and spine are visible, and her jaw is obviously deformed from MBD. Despite this, she is by far the most absolute doll of a dragon I have ever encountered and I can't wait until she fattens up and gets into a better state.

The male, now Pacino, has a much better body condition but he's still short for being six years old and his head seems massive and disproportionate to the rest of his frame. This poor guy is a bundle of stress and tends to panic whenever I have to handle him regardless of how brief. Luckily for me, he doesn't show aggression so giving him time to settle in and calm down a bit and keeping interaction as short as possible for the time being.

Bowel talk here so feel free to stop reading if you get squeamish. So far, only Daisy has pooped and that was only one small, not well formed fecal that she did inside of her tank on Monday which had pieces of undigested beardie bites which were fed by the previous owners. Despite baths every other day, I haven't gotten anything else out of them despite trying belly massages so if there's nothing tomorrow will mix in some olive oil and see if that does the trick. I know, owning reptiles is very glamorous and you can't wait to follow suit. 

Just a Little Rant...

As a rescuer for the reptile rescue, and a volunteer at an animal shelter, I have heard every excuse under the sun for people surrendering their animals. Sometimes, the people have valid reasons and I will never fault a person who is forced to give up an animal for reasons beyond their control and my heart breaks for the pain they must be suffering.

But, I am beyond tired of all the Craig's List ads I have been seeing where people "don't have time for their -fill in reptile here-" so they are rehoming it for usually an insane fee. 

Most reptiles don't require a lot of handling; it's one of the benefits of owning them. How do people not find 20-30 minutes each day, or even every other day, to take a snake out and let it curl around their bodies or explore a safe space?

I work full-time, am taking classes towards my MBA, volunteer at the animal rescue, see my friends & family on a somewhat regular basis, and I still magically find the time to make sure all of my animals are fed, all their cages kept clean, give them some outside-of-tank-time, and even managed to squeeze in additional moments with Katara who currently needs to be syringe fed and given almost daily soaks.

It's not easy. I miss some sleep here and there. I might have to skip out on a night out from time to time. These are my animals. I took them in and I can bother to take the time out of my schedule to meet their limited requirements.

Please, if you are thinking of getting a pet take the time to research what they need and ensure you can fit them into your lifestyle so someone like me doesn't have to take over your responsibility.

One Less Dragon

Jabba went to his new home yesterday. Actually, I delivered him there as he was adopted by my good friend Kim who I've known since college. She saw a picture I posted on Twitter and fell in love so Jabba is now living close to the city with a hedgehog and a ball python as siblings. I also get the added benefit of being able to visit him which makes me, and my boyfriend, very, very happy indeed.

While I am now down a dragon, the work has not diminished much other than having to make one less salad in the morning (today he missed mustard greens, turnip greens, strawberries, and cilantro), minus one struggling beardie during bath time, and a half an hour where I don't need to lock my cats in the basement so a dragon can safely explore the kitchen and living room. Still, miss the chubby guy but I know he's with some great people being adored upon and I now can plan for rescues in the future.

In other reptile new, despite only accumulating about four hours of sleep last night, I managed to go shopping this morning for dragon salad ingredients, made said salads, bathed Fuego and Katara (separately), and took my rescue leopard gecko out for a bit of exploring while I cleaned his tank and gifted him with a new hide thanks to the accessories I got from Katie. Before I go to sleep, which may happen at any moment as my eyelids continue to grow heavier with every key stroke, I still need to feed Memphis and mist down his cage. Tomorrow, he'll have his cage cleaned thoroughly and I'll continue working on his socialization. Maybe, just maybe, I can get him to stay still for more than thirty seconds so I can take some photographs not utilizing my cellphone.

This week, intend to write entries on Katara's continued battle with parasites, the process of trying to find a new home for Vader, and my plans for making Memphis' adult tank.

Jabba Available for Adoption

The bittersweet moment has arrived as Jabba got the all healthy assessment at the vet yesterday so he is now available for adoption. In only a week, I have fallen hard for this not so little guy and know that giving him up will be heart breaking. Hoping, just as my boyfriend is, that someone one of us knows will adopt him so we can get updates and maybe a visit here and there.

For those who might be interested, or want to pass the information along, here are Jabba's stats -

• Approximately one year old
• Weighs 550 grams (could lose some weight) and measure about 16 inches
• Currently eating live feeders twice a day (dubia roaches & super worms) and a salad (have tried mustard greens, collard greens, cilantro, and zucchini)
• Tolerates baths but doesn't enjoy them
• Adoption Fee is $50 

Despite his chubby appearance, he loves darting across my apartment floors and has quite an adventurous spirit.  He will submit to some cuddling but being not an adult yet he prefers to stay on the move as if by resting he'll miss something. He doesn't get stressed easily and seems un-phased by my cats and showed no signs of distress the entire time we waited at the vet to be seen despite lots of noises, people, and animals. I believe he'll do best with someone who has the time and ability to let him roam out of his cage for 30+ minutes everyday as he truly does enjoy moving around and exploring.

If you have any questions on Jabba, or on the adoption process, please email me at laurenobrien@reptilerescue.us

Many thanks.

Jabba the Rescued Dragon

I came across Jabba through a Craig's List post advertising a bearded dragon and cage for free. I reached out to the person and discovered that Jabba (formerly Drake) had been a gift from his girlfriend and since the relationship ended and he never much wanted a reptile anyway he decided it best to re-home him. He agreed to surrender him to the rescue and I picked him up Wednesday evening. Despite the slightly bumpy ride, Jabba remained fairly calm and didn't appear too stressed from his relocation as evidenced in this picture to the left that I took right when we got back to my place.

Jabba had been living in a tank about 1/2 the size needed on sand (considered a not great substrate as it can cause impaction and equates to living in a litterbox) being fed dehydrated veggies, pellets, and canned crickets. He was also lacking the proper type of UVB bulb and had no basking bulb to speak of so am actually surprised/happy with the decent condition he's in (except for the pudge factor). My dragons live like royalty though so he is now being fed live feeders (primarily roaches) twice a day, getting a fresh made salad every morning, and has been upgraded to a MUCH larger tank thanks to my amazing friend Katie (which, P.S., if you are looking for an amazing face painter/make-up artist, see her work here). Today, just waiting on his new UVB bulb to be delivered and he'll be all set until he goes to his forever home.

Already realize that parting with this guy is going to be difficult. He's adorable, personable, and honestly pretty hysterical as he enjoys jetting around my apartment despite his very large size. I need to keep in mind that if I want to continue rescue work that I can't keep every animal I take in as I will quickly run out of space, time, and resources. My boyfriend has already fallen for this dragon though so maybe, just maybe, he won't be too far away from me once he's found his permanent home.

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.

The Run Around

This evening, I was supposed to be picking up five pictus (also known as panther) geckos from a woman whose ex-boyfriend had purchased the animals and left them behind. We had agreed on a time and she sent her address and phone number over and told me to let her know if for any reason I wasn't going to be able to get there when I promised. I assured her everything would be fine and that I'd see her at the decided time to pick up the geckos.

Once all of this was solidified, went about researching their care and preparing to separate them into smaller groups as five was too many for the one tank and I could almost guarantee there was at least one male in the bunch and having a bunch of bouncy baby pictus geckos wasn't my ideal foster situation. I even made arrangements with another rescue member for her to take in a pair as she was looking for gecko(s) to foster/adopt and it would take some of the strain off myself.

While nervous for my first rescues to be a species I didn't have experience with I learned they were similar to leopard geckos in care and had minimal requirements. I actually was getting excited about experiencing a new animal (as if I haven't had enough "firsts" lately) until I got an email from the woman saying someone else showed up and since she wasn't home her daughter gave them the geckos. She apologized, and I responded calmly, but now my nerves are on overdrive that some "stranger" took in these geckos when the woman herself couldn't identify them. I can only hope that the person has done/will do proper research and raise these guys well.

The sad truth of rescue is that there will always more more that need help so just need to believe that the universe didn't think these were the ones that need my assistance most urgently and that another animal will cross my path at some point that I can truly help.

Until that point, plan to get some supplies cheap to build an enclosure appropriate for leopard geckos or panther geckos just in case.

Craig's List Fury

I have a very bad habit of browsing the "Pet" section of Craig's List because, well, I'm a masochist and I enjoy seeing all these poor animals that need homes that I don't have the space to rescue. While partaking in this activity last night I ran across a posting for a 4 foot long corn snake with "everything needed" included. This "everything" included a 10 gallon tank and lights that the snake doesn't need at all and ones that probably disrupt proper sleep patterns. 

I emailed the poster and fairly nicely told them that a 20 gallon tank is the bare minimum for an adult corn snake and that I hope they told the new owner to upgrade the enclosure as keeping a snake that large in that small of a tank is bordering on cruelty. To say they didn't take my advice well is putting it lightly.

His response included threatening physical harm if I ever showed up at his house (let me mention that I never said anything remotely close to going to meet him) and accusing me of having no life/being a loser. While I'm certainly not the coolest kid on the block it only takes 2 minutes for me to shoot over an email so not sure why that qualifies me as not having a life. Anyway.

I did send another email back, well worded and very polite, telling him that threats are not appropriate and that animal cruelty is not something to take lightly. I am awaiting a curse filled response but also tried to talk him down on price as this poor girl deserves a proper enclosure and not a tiny tank with nothing to climb on and improper lighting.

I am such a bleeding heart for these creatures.