Reptile & Amphibian Forums

...unfortunately, I don't think he really does have much of a chance.

Tonight, I went to grab a coffee, and for whatever reason I decided to go in to the "petshop" at the corner. I had seen this poor pitiful creature in the past, but did my best to avoid the overwhelming urge to go and rescue him, thus making room for his replacement to fill the empty pet shop cage.
Tonight, I was just sickened by what I saw. I actually thought he was already dead in his cage. I have NEVER seen a cham in such horrific condition. His casque and eyes are so sunken, and he is SO thin!!!
Not to mention that hole in his chin. It goes right to the bone. It doesn't seem to be open any longer, and there is no drainage from it.
The "reptile girl" (that's what they call her) from the store says that Chancey (my daughter named him that...Chance-y...get it??) doesn't eat on his own, and that she hand feeds him meal worms. He won't eat crickets she says. I know for a fact that they do not gut load their feeders. Crickets get the potato that comes in their shipping crate, and that's it.

Anyway...when I saw him tonight, I asked the reptile girl if she would let me bring him home and give him a chance..."because we both know he's going to die if I don't". She asked me if I had housing for him, and I told her I did. She knows I had a cham, and my skink was a rescue from the same shop.
She said "he's yours", and lifted him out of his cage, and gave him to me in a huge box. He couldn't or wouldn't even stand up...and was sliding around in the box so I went to the donut shop next door and asked them for a Timbit box to put him in, and away we went...home.
When we got home, I gave him some really diluted repti-aide, which once he got a taste of it, he seemed to be interested in eating it. His mouth is really shaped funny...his top lip is kind of curled up, but the bottom jaw doesn't seem to protrude any further than what I would expect.
Afterward, I took him upstairs, wrapped in a cloth, and held a really lightly running shower over him. He didn't like it very much, that's for sure. I was worried about stressing him too much so I didn't keep him up there for very long.
Right now, he's in a 50 gallon aquarium, just to keep the heat and humidity up, and so that he's not way up high with no strength...I'm worried about him falling, and being too cold.
When I left for work tonight, he was actually part way up a stick in the tank, with nice cushy pothos under him in case he topples off.
If he gets a little stronger, and starts to look a little better, I'll move him in to Zoe's cage.
But, honestly, I'm not going to get my hopes up. He looks to me like he's too far gone. And that hole....God!! He's so frail right now though that I don't think he could tolerate antibiotic treatment.

Keep your fingers crossed for Chancey.

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Kim

I feel just AWFUL!!
I knew he looked bad...but oh my God...looking at the pictures my heart is breaking.
I'm wondering now if I should have just left him at the pet shop, and let "nature" take it's course.
I don't want to just keep him alive...not if there is not going to be any quality of life for him.

Oh brother.... I hope I didn't make things worse for him.
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Kim

To me, you did the right thing as his last mile is taking care by someone who really cares about him and not dying because of the neglect from the reptile girl.

Thank you very much for your kind words!
It means a lot to me to see that someone else understands why I brought him home!!
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Kim

I'm taking Chancey to the vet this morning to have him put to sleep.
I honestly don't feel like I'm doing him any favours by keeping him alive, and euthanasia is probably a blessing for him.
This morning when I got home, and went to feed him...when I opened his mouth all I could smell is decay. The smell is SO strong, that it made me gag...and that's unusual for me.
I got a good look at the inside of his lower jaw, and that hole goes right through, and the tissue in his mouth that should be pink...is black.
I really believe he has too many obstacles to try and overcome to be able to be healthy, and I wouldn't be one bit surprised if he isn't in renal failure with how emaciated he is.

I am content knowing that he had his last night with people who cared whether he was comfortable or not, and he had a good meal to fill his empty belly.
I do believe this is the right thing to do.
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Kim

Thanks for letting us share in that burden with you.

Like the fellow reader stated, it's better that he spent his last days under someone who cared for his well-being - than in a cold store. (I don't know if it matters to anyone, but I feel pretty strongly about letting animals suffer while alone).

As terrible as it may sound for "Chancy"...take some more detailed pictures of his open mouth, and use it to file a complaint against the pet store. Hopefully it will stop this from happening again in the future.

Thanks for being there for him!!
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In Christ: Raymond

Take him to the vet. Discuss this with him/her. Whatever you decide, whether to put him down or to continue the rescue attempt, will be much better than the alternative- to leave him to rot in that pet shop.
Know that you did the right thing by at least attempting a rescue, and offering the kindness of a quick end to his suffering rather than prolong his agony.
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Victor Gomez
gomezvi.tripod.com/sdchamkeepers/
gomezvi@yahoo.com

Hi, Kim you have made me cry - really. Tears are dripping on my keyboard as I write this - you are an amazing woman! With everything you just went thru with Zoe then to attempt a rescue of an animal as severe as this and then to have the strength to put him down. As has already been said at least his final hours was with someone who cares - really cares.

The "neglected animal at the pet store" syndrome is often a hard one to walk away from and in some cases we just need to do it but in others we simply can't. I would not have been able to either - even if his end was just to have a dignified death.

Many folks on these forums slam animal rights advocates and the last thing I want to do, especially under this subject, is to get some banter going, but folks need to realize that the stories they hear, the extremes that are done is NOT what TRUE advocacy is all about. It is to lessen the suffering of animals. Period. The ones we rarely hear about are the ones doing the most good, not necessarily the ones that make headlines. There truly needs to be a huge network of folks taking a stand against the pet store neglect and abuse - not only sharing our stories here. There needs to be a concerted effort that does not wax and wane but is a constant din in the ears of the storeowners and managers. I have fought and won against City Hall (literally); illegal procurement, production and sale of rare plants and have seen the impact that some of us (in the industry) have made in the effort to reduce/eliminate the growing, sale, transporting and use of some invasive (plant) species. My point is that if approached in the right way changes CAN happen. But the one thing I have learned from being involved in all of these is that education and endurance are key to making change happen.

I, for one, hope that you pursue something with this store if you have the ways, means and strength to do it - we surely know you have the heart. And if I can support you in anyway you know that I will.

lele
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0.1 veiled - Luna
0.2 house geckos - Gaia & Tia (MIA
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Líta

But now I am.
I think you are doing/have done the right thing Kim. I remember when you were worried about keeping Zoe alive, and I told you that he would tell you when his time came, and he did. I just don't see a spark in little chancey through the pictures. I think he died a long time ago... That being said, I am glad that he has someone like you to help him. It is a brave thing that you did taking him home, and enduring this to help him out.
If you decide to fight against the pet shop (and after the skink and chancey incidents, i hope you do) I will help you in anyway that I can. Even if you just need someone to be there with you, I can go with you. There are some mildly neglectful stores that do things because they just don't know better, and then there are other stores that just plain don't give a sh!t about their animals. A little child could look at Chancey and know that he isn't well, and needs a better home. The fact that they let him live that way and slowly took him to his death is not something they should be allowed to continue doing.
Almost makes me wish I was more of a "rebel" type, and could just go burn that place down. not that that would make things better, but it sure would feel d@amned good!!
Take care Kim! You really are great!!!
~Lindsay

Right after being very sad at the story and sight of this poor animal, I became infuriated.

HOW DIFFICULT is it for "reptile girl" to find a computer and research for all of ten minutes to find out how to take care of a Veiled? It amazes me. Some vitamin dust, a UV bulb and a damn spray bottle could have sustained this animal in that store just fine. It's mind boggling. If this were a dog or cat, or even a rabbit, people would be rushing to press charges against this pathetic excuse for a pet store. But since it's a "filthy reptile" most people look the other way. It makes me sick.

This can't be legal. It's animal cruelty, period. I'm not sure what can be done, but you should try to see that this never happens again in this store.

I commend you for doing what you did. I know this must have been very difficult for you.

What troopers, both you and the animals you have rescued, or tried to.

When people say reptiles are "dirty" or when they don't respect them the same as a bunny or a cat, I have to turn away from them or leave the place where the other person is, otherwise someone would end up hurt!

This is a very serious animal cruelty situation. This is not even close to times when I complain to stores about them keeping a cham in a glass tank, the poor guy was actually decomposing in his skin. I am near tears like the rest of you guys.

If it comes down to it, get a petition going in your area and with the reptile community around you. You can also post one online that we can print off, sign, scan and re-send if they will allow that in a petition.

Where do you live? I noticed you said "timbit box" suggesting you live in Canada, because as far as I know there aren't many Tim Hortons in the US.

My thoughts go out to you and to Chancy, whether or not he has been put down yet.

Everyone please reply on wether or not it's possbile to do an online petitoin, and whether or not you would sign it.

That animal is in really bad shape. Your decision to put him down is probably the best thing you can do for the animal.
dennis

i salute you.

it's pet store employees like that girl that make all of us look incompetant
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1.1.1 Bearded Dragons
0.1.0 Ball Python
1.0.0 Honduran Milksnake
2.0.0 Cockatiels "Afro" and "Sunshine"
1.0.0 Bourkes Parakeet "Kerpal"
1.0.0 Mississippi Map Turtle "Atlas"
0.1.1 Painted Turtles "Artist"=the female
0.1.0 Leopard Gecko "Claire"
1.1.0 Veiled Chameleons
Misc. Amphibians
Misc. Fish
Several Russian Dwarf Hamsters

Email

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Kim