23/01/2025
CRYSTAL 🔮 ♡ Rescue Story ♡
April 2024- I reached out to a family who were trying to rehome a female dragon, was brought for their son and he has "lost interest " so they wanted to find someone to look after her. I sent a msg and told them that if they had no luck finding a home then they were welcome to surrender the dragon to us.
The family were desperate for some reason and told me to go get her. So in the car I got with my daughter and went to get her, they wasn't exactly local but I didn't mind the drive if it meant this dragon was safe.
When I arrived at the house I was given crystal on the doorstep in a tiny sandwich box!! I instantly felt sick 😫...They had given me some calcium stuff (can't remember what it was) but it wasn't suitable for dragons. She had only been given mealworms and brocoli 🫣😒
I was fuming and upset all rolled into one... I drove home, we had changed her into a more suitable reptile rub.
The family had msgd me when I got home and explained about her enclosure.
Crystal (we named her) was kept in a tank, a Fish tank, approximately 3ft with aquarium lights and a red light
Please Note-
♡Dragons need a MINIMUM vivarium of 4ftx2ftx2ft...yes even a baby!
♡RED BULBS shouldn't even be sold for reptiles they are not suitable
♡They NEED at least a basking bulb 💡- Exo terra intense 100w bulb highly recommended 👌
♡They need an Acardia T5 UVB!!!!
Crystal was approximately 6mths old when I collected her... she had MBD (Metabolic Bone Disease) which she's going to have for the rest of her life...She was very weak, she couldn't move, walk, couldn't close her mouth fully, her tongue was sticking out abit. She couldn't eat bugs..she had no energy. I really thought she wasn't going to make it at one point. She was dehydrated, and as flat as anything...couldn't lift herself up at all.
All this was the result of not having the right set up! The UVB is very important, without it , the dragon will get MBD.
Now 9mths later, she's improved massively.... she can close her mouth now, after alot of help she can eat her bugs (not mealworms!) She loves Dubia roaches and morio worms, she loves her greens too 😍
She can hold herself up abit, she's definitely got more energy, she can walk, I mean she can RUN! She's doing amazing and it's took time and money to get her here but she's most definitely worth it.
She loves to be out the viv and loves a cuddle from her humans. She is loving life. (And no she's not available for rehoming, she's staying here forever)
Beardies (Reptiles in general) are not a fad, craze, a toy!!!! Everyone wanting one should read up alot on the species and make sure they can cater for there needs, having the correct set up! It's not worth getting it wrong... it can be fatal for the dragon.
Photo below...Jan 2025... As you can probably see she has a LONG way to go with weight gain, stunted growth... it's a long road ahead....but she's amazed me x
