RIP Carlos the bearded Dragon

[Wykyd]

I rescued Carlos just over a year ago from a person that had no idea how to care for a bearded dragon, nor seemed to want to effort any sort of care in general. His main source of heat was a heat rock and his light source was one of those combo bulbs. He was fed crickets once a week at best, some times he would go a month or more without food. To the best of my knowledge, Carlos was ~9-11 years old when I acquired him.

The day after I brought him home I got his tank setup. Right off the bat you could tell that he was nearly 100% blind. He was completely blind in his right eye, and could only see things on his left side. Crickets were far too fast for him due to this handicap. His aim was terrible and he could never catch a single one, most likely why they had basically stopped trying to feed him. I immediately put him on 5 superworms 3 times a week to put some meat back on his bones. He looked like a skeleton with skin. Daily he got kale and chard, sometimes some fruity treats. He LOVED kale, the bowl was always empty at the end of the day. Once a week he got to go swimming with my other bearded dragon Josie. They seemed to get along very well even for their short 20 min a week that they spent together.

Over the next few months Carlos started looking a lot better. Around 4 months after I got him he had his first shed. Before the shed he was dark and grimy looking... but after... wow, he was beautiful. He was a bright yellow with orange and pink throughout, what a handsome lizard. He was very energetic when being fed. After he put some decent weight on, I dropped the superworms back to 4 twice a week... which I'm sure he didn't like much because he LOVED his superworms. He would come running from across the tank at the glimpse of the worms.

Over the past few months, I started noticing his appetite decreasing, his movement becoming less and less. He wasn't finishing all his greens, wouldn't eat any fruit and I had to basically dangle the worm in front of his left eye to get his attention. Eventually he became 100% blind. He dug in under his perch and did not move for weeks. I would get him out to bath, to try and feed him with no success. I feared the worst, yet hoped for the best.

Unfortunately today when I came home from work he had passed away. I got him out of his tank and he didn't flinch. I could not see him breathing at all. I flipped him on his back and watched closely, yet nothing. He was such a fighter and came back from death when I got him, but either his age or his disability took its toll. I truly loved the little guy, he will be missed.

Rest in peace Carlos, a fighter you were. ~2003-8/25/2016

[SnoopySnake]

So sorry for your loss So good that you could give him a good home for the last of his time though!

[Minkness]

Oh man.....this kinda choked me up a bit....on his behalf, thank you ;-;

[Tsubaki]

Sorry for your loss, good that he at-least got to enjoy the good life for a while!

[Wykyd]

It's always difficult to lose a critter, especially when you care for them the way I do. My goal with any of my pets is to give them the best life I possibly can. I know that Carlos died a happy lizard... not cold, alone and ignored like he could have if I didn't rescue him. Ultimately I was honored to give 'Los a good home and a good life.

[SWDK]

Sorry about Carlos! It's tough, but at least you made his last leg of life the best he's ever had. You did all you could and I know Carlos was thankful for that.

[macandchz]

so very sorry about carlos. just try to think that you gave his last months a caring place and love.

[Albert Clark]

Very sorry for the loss Wykd! We really have little to no control over morbidity and mortality as it relates to reptiles. What we can do is follow the knowledge that we have, the husbandry that is called for, and hope for the best. You did the best you could and that's all anyone can do.