Brave Little Eyecon
by Greta J.
Brave Little Eyecon
I loved that story of the Hawaii gecko's. Thank goodness it happened to reptile lovers; such an uplifting story. Apart from being concerned about reptiles being dumped anywhere when people have no need for them anymore...there is something else that concerns me - the lack of actual reptile vets.
I have had the unfortunate experience of finding out the hard way when it comes to taking a sick reptile to just an ordinary vet. Four years ago I found a bearded dragon down the paddock which had a nasty infected eye, obviously a bird had-had a go at him, and his eye was in a really bad way, so I knew it would be a vet job for this little guy. I took him to the Currumbin vet animal hospital.
When I arrived, they could see how bad his eye was - full of puss and no sight left whatsoever. They took him out the back for the vet to access. When they bought him back I was told that he'd have to be put down right there and then and that he was suffering badly. So I said, "no its only his eye, the rest of him is fine, he's eating and has lots of energy", but they insisted on giving him the final jab.
So I said, "no, I'll take him somewhere else", and walked out with him, nearly crying, worrying that I maybe would get this treatment no matter where I tried to take him. It wasn't something I could fix myself. One of the young assistants ran out after me to the car, and said, "I know of a good reptile vet he's about an hours drive from here." She even offered to phone him for me and make the appointment the very next morning. I was over the moon.
The next morning I made him as comfy as I could and we set off. When we got there I was told "yes" he could keep him in for at least three weeks, and that the eye would have to be scraped out and then packed in with gauze, but... he could never be returned back to the wild blind in one eye. It cost me $450 but it was worth very cent. I was happy to work longer just to get him right. It was great the day I went back to pick him up. Poor little chap was quite traumatized by the anesthetic, being out of his environment and being handled by people.
When I finally picked him up he pooed all over me – boy, it was everywhere, but it was great. I was excited about keeping him but he had other ideas. I had decided to name him Eyecon. To me he was an icon - that name just seemed to fit everything he was about. For just under a month I nursed him back to health, bathing his eye everyday. I sat outside with him on my lap and shoulder everyday for his sun intake. I made him a little harness out of an old pantyhose because he just wanted to be outside the whole time. It was a funny sight.
I didn't know if I should try to keep him, knowing that he wasn't happy in captivity, or if I should let him go again, down the paddock (after all he was a local lad). So I looked up to the sky that day and said 'you decide.' The next day the decision was made for me. He broke the harness. I just stood still looking at him. He ran a few steps then turned and looked back at me, it was kind of like he almost smiled to say 'I'll be okay'.
I just quietly said, "take care Eyecon, I love you!". I was very sad that day but I felt it was right. I didn’t see him for at least six weeks and I really missed him. I wondered if I had done the right thing by just letting him go.
One day, as I came up the driveway in the car, I saw a diamond shaped head sticking up out of the grass on the left side of the paddock. I stopped the car and immediately ran over... guess who? He looked in fab condition and his eye was completely healed. I was so pleased to see him looking like that. Eyecon continued to visit regularly until he moved territory. I would take him up to the house for cuddles and meal worms and then take him back down the paddock again. I hope he's still larkin around somewhere, as he's still in my thoughts lots (love you eyecon).
There's a lack of reptile vets here on the Gold Coast, where I live, and they're selling reptiles everywhere. Very few vets want to know about reptiles, as they're different, yet there is a need for them. There is only one I know of locally, so where do people take them when need one?
Greta J.
Greta J. currently keeps Cunningham Skinks (Abbott & Bubba Girl). Greta works with local pet shops and others to find housing for refugee reptiles and educate people on reptile care.
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