Meet Henry the Bearded Dragon

[Catherine]

I wasn't really planning to get another beardie, but sometimes you just need to help an animal out. He came into the reptile centre as a rescue because he was not okay. Somehow he was not fed right and he ended up with paralyzed back legs. He has improved some, but it doesn't look like his legs will recover. Very likely he was not given enough calcium. We can keep his levels high now, but the bones are deformed. I like to think he will improve, but I think it will be all I can do to get him healthy.
Henry is very sweet.

I want to fatten him up a little.

He likes it.

You can see the curve in his spine. It is very bad.

I let Henry explore a little and he went right to the Christmas tree.

You can see how his back legs are limp and maybe even degenerating a little. He drags himself around. You have to love him, he never gives up.


Henry has a pretty face. I can't fix him, but I can give him a loving home and make him happy. I can probably let him crawl around like Jake. They can't go too far my sweet handicapped boys.

[Cibach]

He is really sweet. And very lucky to have come to you. I'm sure he will have the best life he can, with you.
It's sad that people take on animals without any real appreciation of their specific needs. It is always the animal that suffers, and somebody else's problem to look after them once the problems occur.
I don't know how we can stop this sort of thing happening but thank goodness for folk like you who understand the animals and will take them on.

Have a very long and happy life, Henry.

[Tobi]

Aw Catherine! This really moved me. Henry is so nice. Look at him -looking up at you.....he knows.
What matters is love -not whether legs work perfectly or not. You can give him a quality life, and bless your heart for that.
It sounds like he's just arrived in a lovely place on earth for handicapped Beardies.

Bless him. I hope he does well and gets stronger. But even if he doesn't, that's okay.

[Catherine]

Henry ate his plate of veggies this morning and that is really good for him. I have him in a small tank right now and I want to fatten him up.
I am going soak him is warm water and get him going. His arms are strong and he can drag himself, but I would like to build up his back legs. If he doesn't regain anything with his back legs I will set up a special tank for him. I want him to have an interesting space, but I have to be sure he can't fall.

Eric my other damaged beardie has twisted limbs and spine, but he is very active. He has a log he climbs that takes him 18 in from the bottom of the tank. Henry would risk a bad fall if he had a set up like that. First I want to watch Henry and see how he does things. If he fell over on his back I think he would be stuck so his bedding needs to be soft and there can't be anything that tip him. I want to give him a log, but it will need to be very flat.(more like a board)

I will give Henry the best life he can have. He is loveable and he deserves it.

[Tobi]

How is Henry doing?
I like him. He does have a certain 'presence'. I am sure he knows he is in a kind place, with you, and feels glad to have his life. Some people might have had him put down. But I always think so long as there's no pain and suffering, they deserve some love, and a chance at life.
Pity they don't do 'wheelie carts' for Bearded Dragons! LOL
But then if he had one of those he might not build up as much strength in his back legs. I hope he gets some more strength back in them...

They don't sit and feel sorry for themselves and ask "Why has the Universe done this to me?!" like many humans. They just get on with it, and extract the best out of their lives.
Bless him.

[Catherine]

Henry has the right attitude. He seems to have no feeling or movement in his body from the waist down, so he just ignores it and carries on. He has strong arms and sits up proudly. He drags himself along as if that was normal for a beardie. He chases crickets and catches them, but in a fairly small space. He is a real love and responds to my voice. I think he will even learn his name.

I have a twenty gal tank for him and I can let him out to "run" around. I just need to set the tank up so that it is interesting and challenging, but safe. If he rolls over on his back, I don't think he can get back up again. I want to observe him longer before I do too much.

I am feeding him up so he can get healthier, but I do not know if he can regain any use of his back legs. They are warm so circulation is good. There must be pressure on the nerves. If he improves over all and his bones strengthen maybe things will improve. One way or the other he can have a good life and that is what matters. He has no pain and he is not distressed about the situation.

Fingers crossed that Henry can improve a little with TLC.

[Tobi]

Well even if he doesn't, he has decent quality of life, obviously, and that is very good.

I saw a video the other day about a dog in India who had both front feet cut off by an encounter with a train. He was rescued and helped by Animal Aid Unlimited India. One leg had to be amputated and he was left with one long stump at the front. When he started to recover from surgery -was he happy?? Yes he was! They got him a prosthesis for the front leg and he was learning to use it -although clumsily. But it was obvious he was happy to be alive.
A commenter on the video said he should have been put to sleep. I didn't comment, but felt like replying to this fellow, "Would YOU like to be sentenced to death just because you'd had to have an arm amputated, and had a prosthetic hand??"

So long as an animal has some good quality of life, they should be allowed to live even if they have disabilities. That's my opinion anyway.

[Catherine]

I have been rescuing disabled reptiles for years. Jonathan was missing one front food. Princess had the feet gone front and back on one side. Cole lost both back feet and one front one. Fox had no front feet and one back one was gone.
They all had full happy lives. It was hardest for Fox, but she was a good eater and was happy to live with the others. Animals do not mind handicaps. Jake Krinkle Snake never complains.

I think humans get upset because we do not like "imperfections". If I pet gets hurt no one will buy it. That is why the pet store gave me Pigbert and Lambert. If the new owners damage a pet, they will bring it back to the store and not want to see it again. That is why I have some of the lizards that are damaged.

Jake's owner really tried and hated to give him up, but he did not have enough experience to help Jake to thrive. In the early days Jake couldn't poop without help. He still can't shed without assistance.

I watch for the damaged ones so that I can give them a chance at life.
Who knows how much Henry can recover. I am going to do my best and he will have a loving place to live no matter how things go. Damaged pets deserve love too. I think they are often closer to us as pets because they need us so much more. I love my little broken children.