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About Me Premium Member dAmn Addict Lara31/Female/United States Recent Activity Deviant for 3 Years
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Chuck's Plight

Sat Sep 12, 2009, 6:09 AM


Ok those of you that know me, know I have lot's of herptiles and all of the are beautiful and gorgeous examples of their species...that is except for one....Chuck. He is a Panther Chameleon that I acquired from a lady a few months ago. She was about to have her first baby any day and just couldn't care for him any more. She also doesn't work for a vet office that has a reptile vet, nor have the herpitle experience like I do.

At first I was kind of reluctant to take him. She found out about me through a mutual friend of ours. I only knew, through texting this friend, that he was a Panther Chameleon, about 3 yrs old and had a "skin issue". Healthy chameleons need special care to keep them happy and healthy as it is and this guy all ready had an issue. My better judgment kept telling me to say "No". But something in the back of my mind kept gnawing at me and I told her I would take him. Even after talking with the owner red flags kept going up but again something in my heart told me other wise. I am far from someone that will "impulsively" take or buy any animal. I can't even begin to tell you how many herptiles (most large species like Iguanas and larger snakes) I turn down every month. It not that I wouldn't love to help the animal and give it a good home but I just don't have the space to house herptiles that require a lot of care and space. Especially since I all ready have a large collection, I am very reluctant to take in an animal that has a health issue. My biggest concern is if they can pass what they have on to the rest of my animals. However now that my husband and I have our own house I could easily keep Chuck in a different part of the house...away from the other herptiles. So I said "yes".

We worked out a night for the owner to drop him off. He came with an enclosure that they made (out of wood and screening) that is 5ft long x 4 ft tall x 2 ft wide. More then enough space for this guy. They had it furnished with many secure branches and two tall potted plants. He also had two heat lamps and a UV along with a home-made drip container. So they had at least given him the proper environment.

After we set him up and then she opened the shoe box she had brought him in. Instantly I fell in love with this "lumpy" guy.:) Panthers are called Panthers b/c they can have a real attitude. But this guy was as sweet as a kitten. She told me she had gotten him as a baby from a breeder and she constantly held him. In doing so he got very tame and even seemed to like being handled.

I asked her what she had been feeding him these yrs she had him and all they gave him was crickets! Any herptile should get as much of a variety as possible. Panthers can and will eat meal worms, wax worms and even the occasional pinky mouse. But this guy didn't have a clue what a meal worm was. It took me about a day but he finally took his first meal worm from my hand.:) I also have to mention that one of these large "growths" on him was on his chest and it was the size of a large grape. He walked hunched over and very slowly but he ate like crazy and had normal bowel movements. Aside from how he looked he acted like a normal chameleon.

With in a week of getting him I took him to my vet for his check-up. I all ready knew he would have to have the large chest growth removed. We set up his surgery date (two weeks later). I had to work that day and I can't tell you how much of a wreck I was! It's dangerous enough for a healthy reptile to go under anesthesia but he had this really bad problem. As soon as he was done the vet came out, still in surgery scrubs, and told me everything went very well. Think back on it now still brings tears to my eyes. I went and checked on him and he was all ready up and moving around.:) He was finally able to stretch out to his full length and seemed much more alert and happy.:)

I didn't feed him that night but the following day he ate like crazy and was almost running around his enclosure. I realized then how much pain and uncomfortable his must have been with that horrid thing on his chest. I am in no means wanting anyone to be mad at his previous owners...they really didn't have the means or $$$ to care for him like I do. But it is going to be time once again for him to have another surgery to clean up his bad eye and the other larger growths. Even with all of the testing we (the vet and I) have done on these growths we still don't really know what is causing them. We are leaning towards a virus of some type tho he all ready came back negative for herpes and papilloma. I know he is living on borrowed time but if I have to give my right kidney to make the rest of his days as comfortable as possible I will!

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  • Mood: Pity
  • Drinking: H2O

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Devious Info

  • Current Residence: NJ
  • Interests: Herptiles, Fire Fighting/EMS, Nascar, Horses,Cross Stitching, RPGs, Movies, Horror
  • Favourite movie: Jaws
  • Favourite band or musician: Too many too list
  • Favourite genre of music: Rock/Metal
  • Favourite artist: They are listed in my Favs:)
  • Favourite photographer: Listed in Favs:)
  • Operating System: I have many...circulatory, respiratory...LOL :)
  • Shell of choice: Looks better on the animal
  • Wallpaper of choice: Pic of my Hognose snake
  • Skin of choice: My own..not cut, burned, or hurt in anyway
  • Favourite game: Diablo, Neverwinter Nights, and Dungeon Seige
  • Favourite gaming platform: RPG
  • Favourite cartoon character: Donald Duck (Disney) and Daffy Duck (Looney Toons)
  • Personal Quote: Listen and you may learn something
  • Tools of the Trade: BP Cuff, Stethascope, "Set of Irons" and a hose! :)

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Comments


:iconphotom17:
thank you very much for visiting, and for adding toadily spring to your favorites :)

--
"still working on catching up with 'thank you's, comments, replies, journals, deviations, etc. . . . i'll be back soon"

"i usually carry a decent camera with me to avoid being attacked by sasquatch, yeti, and cantankerous unicorns"
:iconcel3131:
So I went to that reptile expo, and came back with a normal ball python, and an albino pac man frog... and now I'm going to another one in Montreal next weekend and I don't know what else I'll be coming home with :lol: Well, other than the half dozen tarantulas I already have in mind XD

--
What's the difference between a duck? One of its legs is both the same.
:iconlilacharlequin:
hi, do you still want those baby corn snakes?

--
Sarah

"Luck is sweet. A gift, a loan. When you have made your use of it, it goes on, undiminished.

Power is finite and when one has it, it means another doesn't"

-----Charles de Lint "Forests of The Heart"


[link]
:iconfaunamelitensis:
thanks for the watch and faves :)
you're welcome too for the fav
:iconrossocorvino:
Thanks for the :+fav: :)

Good luck with your Panther, it's such a shame when people can't look after their animals (and that is by no means a gripe, sometimes it's just not possible no matter how much you love them). At least he has a good home now :)

--
If you are interested in primate photography, please visit my club: *primateclub :D

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