A very scary rescue :(

[Julia]

An update: "baby girl" (still unnamed) has made a full recovery. She only has one week left on her meds but all signs are pointing at super healthy.

Now here is my dilemma... the pet store gave her to me with the understanding that she was dying and I would take her to the vet to TRY to save her. Everyone thought she would not survive. NOW she has recovered so what is the correct etiquette...
Does she go back to the store?
Do i keep her?
Do I pay the store the asking price for her and then keep her?

I tried contacting the stores reptile expert through email to let him know that she is still alive and recovering but he did not respond. The email was sent 4 days ago.

What would you guys do in my situation?

[crhoads18]

Now here is my dilemma... the pet store gave her to me with the understanding that she was dying and I would take her to the vet to TRY to save her. Everyone thought she would not survive. NOW she has recovered so what is the correct etiquette...
Does she go back to the store?
Do i keep her?
Do I pay the store the asking price for her and then keep her?

Yes, the pet store GAVE her to you thinking that she was going to die. They gave her to you with the terms that you can try to save her and she is yours, without the belief that she would survive.

She's yours. You have nursed her through all of this, put the time into her, and I think you have paid more than a fair share of a price with all of the worry and concern that you have put into this girl. PLEASE do not send her back to the pet store. You saved her life and she needs you.

I think you are the perfect owner for her.

[Jace]

I agree with Cheryl. She was meant to be yours, and no-one else will be able to take care of her like you have. You sent an email, and frankly, if they were that concerned, they would have responded back immediately. And if the store gave her to you, regardless of whether they thought she would make it, the operative word there is "gave". She is beautiful, Julia, and she deserves to have an owner that is going to treat her special. I think she chose you for a reason!

[Julia]

Thanks for the advice Jo Anna and crhoads18. If the pet store does not contact me then I will keep her...

[Julia]

Well it has been a week since I tried to contact the store and have received no reply. I guess they dont care. Oh well...their loss, my gain! I have decided to call her Betty! My Veiled Chameleon pair: Betty and Norman!

[Jace]

Congrats!! I think she was yours right from the start and they knew that, which is why they haven't gotten back to you. Betty definitely suits her...now Norman has a girlfriend! How is the Plumed Basilisk you rescued doing?

[Julia]

UPDATE: received two replies from the pet store. Just a little back info...I emailed them with an update of the Chameleons health, and asked if they wanted her returned. I also sent a HUGE paragraph basically telling them everything they were doing wrong in caring for Chameleons. (Very politely of course.) It covered substrate, lighting, feeding, and supplementing which were all WAY off.

First reply is from the owner of the store:

Hi Julia,
Thanks so much for the update and all the research you have done! Congratulations on saving the girl. She is yours to keep! By the way, there was never a gray area as far as you keeping the Chameleon. I will pass this email onto Kreig. (Reptile expert.) He will be very interested in everything that you have discovered.
Thanks again for letting us know.
Jeannie

Then a reply from Kreig the reptile expert:

Hi Julia.
Thanks for the update on the Chameleon . I'm glad to hear she is doing much better.
I have been re-evaluating how I do my chameleons in the shop , and for our future shopas well, so I appreciate the information you sent. I have been trying to get more detailed information about the bulbs we use from my suppliers to help with better choices in their usage.This is how the hobby and husbandry on the care of reptiles advances , with people working together to figure out the best care possible for these creatures.
Again thanks.
Have a great Thanksgiving.
-Kreig


I really hope that these guys are not just doing the customer is always right thing....and that they do make improvements. I will check up on them in several months and see if anything changes.