A new rescue.

[Julia]

Several months back I began volunteering at a pet store. They take in unwanted reptiles and re home them. Unfortunately they do not know how to care for them properly so that's where I come in. I help set up new tanks, keep cages clean, and educate staff and customers. Over a month ago the store received a Veiled Chameleon and a Plumed Basilisk. Both were in terrible condition. I ended up taking the chameleon home for 3 or 4 weeks...he recovered well and was re homed.

I thought the Basilisk was going to die, he looked beyond the point of saving so i did not take him home. Many weeks later he is still alive so a week ago I brought him home. His symptoms are severely underweight, closed eyes and a slightly deformed lower jaw, most likely MBD. This poor animal only opens his eyes when he is really scared (being handled) and when they are open they are full puss.

I have been force feeding chicken baby food mixed with calcium for a week. Yesterday I managed to put 2 worms in his mouth and he chewed and swallowed. For the first 4 days I rinsed his eyes a few times a day with saline but that was not working...I got my hands on Polysporin eye drops. Those seem to be helping with the puss.

No matter how much I try to help with over the counter remedies there is no denying that this animal needs to see a vet. Yesterday I spoke to the store owner about this and he agreed to pay the vet bills! So I will be making an appointment ASAP!!!

[Jace]

Something about this little one just tugs at my heartstrings. I hope that the vet will be able to help him and ease whatever pain he is in. I know that if anyone can turn him around, it's you. Please keep me updated on him.

[Kurt]

Good luck with this new project.

[lnaminneci]

Julia,

You are a true Angel! You have done Amazing things and helped sooo many animals when everyone else turned their backs and no one cared.

This Plumed Basilisk is beautiful! I hope he pulls through and gets well soon. Please let us know how the vet visit goes.

You are Inspiring!

~Lesley

[Julia]

Thanks everyone! This is why I love this forum so much....my family thinks I am crazy for "wasting time and energy on reptiles." Its nice having support!

An update on "Jr" the basilisk: He is getting stronger each day. I am still force feeding him. In addition to the baby food and butter worms I was able to place 2 crickets in his mouth yesterday. He does not actively grab crickets out of my hand, but once placed in his open mouth he chews and swallows with no problem. I plan to faze out the baby food and give him a variety of insects.

The puss in his eyes is clearing out!!!! Unfortunately what I can now see in his eyes is not good. Instead of the pupal being in the center of his eye it is far in the back corner on one, and slightly off center on the other. I think he blind.

My worst fear is that even if the infection clears and I can force feed him enough to put some weight on...that he will never be able to eat on his own. What quality of life would he have if he needs to be force fed for the rest of his life?

Yesterday was a holiday here so today I will call and set up a vet appointment.

[John911]

The pacman we picked up off cl although large and agressive, has a misaligned jaw. Probably mbd. He's about a year old and can't catch a cricket to save his life. The previous owner just fed him a pinky every other week or so, and kept him in a sand/water mixture, which someone else said could have contributed to his jaw. Hopefully he'll get better at eating on his own, but so far were in the same boat as far as having to hand feed him.

[Jace]

That is too bad, Julia. Animals can adapt remarkably well, though, so I wouldn't be surprised if Jr. has a surprise in his...plume! In the wild, he definitely would not make it being blind, but in the right home with the right person, he might be able to adjust and surprise us yet. I hope the vet will be able to help him and that he can put some weight on quickly.

[Julia]

My husband and I decided to name the basilisk Orion after the blind hunter from Greek mythology. Today Orion went to the vet. Turns out his eye infections are from an abscess in the lymph node behind his eyes. Although the polysporin we were putting in the eyes helped a great deal, it only treated the surface. While at the vet Orion decided to poop...so we had a fecal done too. Turns out he is loaded with parasites. Ring worms and something that the vet could not identify. They were so big that he showed us! They looked like fly larva, but because Orion pooped on site there was no way they were not flies. He was going to look through some books to identify it.

Long story short he is being treated with Baytril, and Panachur. He is for sure blind in his left eye, the right eye is a mystery. With this treatment Orinon will survive, but he will never be normal.

[Jace]

Orion is a great name. I must say, he has great timing for a bowel movement!! Hopefully he can be successfully treated for the parasites. So..with him being for sure 50% blind (at least), what does that mean for his future?

[Kurt]

How does he eat if he can't see?

[Julia]

For the past two weeks I have been using a syringe to tap him on the nose (gently) and he obediently opens his mouth. Once open I put the insects part way in and he bites down and eats them. This has successfully put weight on him so now the vet said to stop feeding him in this manner. Now we will start leaving bugs in his tank. He is strong enough to hunt now but the question is...can he?

[Jace]

I'll keep my fingers crossed. I think he might surprise us yet!!

[Julia]

An update: Orion has been on the Baytril for 2 weeks now, and only has one week left. His eyes are 100percent clear of puss but they do not seem to work very well. If I wave a finger close to his eye he will close it. When I took him to see the vet 2 weeks ago he would not react so this is an improvement.

He still refuses to hunt on his own. I have been working on teaching him to hand feed because I don't think his eyes will ever be good enough to hunt. Hand feeding is going well. I have him to the point now where if i touch his nose with a cricket he will open he mouth. Then I place the cricket part way in and he chomps down and eats it. Here are some pictures I took this morning! Notice the deformed pupils.

[Jace]

Well, he really looks much better. And learning to hand feed is better than nothing. Godo job Julie!!