Found an injured Fence Lizard (Blue Belly Lizard)

[tanja]

Hello guys,

I have a question for you guys. I really can't effort to spent any money right now for a vet for and animal that is not even mines. But maybe you are able to assist me in this.

3 days ago I nearly stepped on a californian fence lizzard on the way downstairs... I was shocked, because the lizzard did not run away, like they normally use to do! So I looked at the lizzard and was startled... The poor guys got attacked by something. His right eye was hurt and his left eye looks normal, but is closed all time! I took him in my care and he likes to crawl on my arm and just sit on the shoulder...

Yesterday I bought some crickets, but I am not sure if he can actually eat them. I am actually not even sure, if he eats anything at all! He doesn't move very much, only when I take him out and drop a saline solution on his eyes, then he moves and holds on my arm, were he loves to sit. Probably because it's warm there. Seems like he could become a tame pet! But I am wondering how I could help this little guy! For now I take his tank outside each day when the sun is shining. The tank is small so I can't get a heating bulb, it would be too large for the tank... Just want this guy to get healthy again!

I hope you can help me somehow!

Here some photos (I called him Lizzy for now)









best,

Tanja

[stace]

One of the forum members knows about lizards. vacanteyes, are you around?

[GoldieNYC]

Meanwhile, how is Gustav?

[starlingqueen]

I have a bearded dragon but know little about other lizards. If he has his good eye closed then he won't see the crickets. Try holding the crickets so they touch his mouth, he may eat them then. One thing to be careful of is leaving the crickets in the tank with him. When lizards sleep they don't move or react to anything. Crickets can eat their eyelids and other parts of them. So remove the crickets at night. I feed my dragon on locusts.
The other thing you could try to make him feel better is worming. If you can get him to take some worm medicine that is. Also try dripping water onto his lips from a syringe just in case he is dehydrated. He should lick the drips off. If you have any guardian angel put some in the water or you could put a little warm water and guardian angel in a shallow dish and give him a little bath, you may find he will drink.

Let us know how he's doing and well done you for taking him in.

[tanja]

Mar 28, 2014 17:14:45 GMT starlingqueen said:

I have a bearded dragon but know little about other lizards. If he has his good eye closed then he won't see the crickets. Try holding the crickets so they touch his mouth, he may eat them then. One thing to be careful of is leaving the crickets in the tank with him. When lizards sleep they don't move or react to anything. Crickets can eat their eyelids and other parts of them. So remove the crickets at night. I feed my dragon on locusts.
The other thing you could try to make him feel better is worming. If you can get him to take some worm medicine that is. Also try dripping water onto his lips from a syringe just in case he is dehydrated. He should lick the drips off. If you have any guardian angel put some in the water or you could put a little warm water and guardian angel in a shallow dish and give him a little bath, you may find he will drink.

Let us know how he's doing and well done you for taking him in.

Well I tried that method already, I also tried to give him a "bloody" cricket on a stick, but he doesn't take it. Maybe it's too cold for him, I need to wait until the UVB bulb arrives, then I don't need to get the tank outside everyday... Yesterday I got some water in him, but not with the method to drip a drop of water on his lips, because he doesn't care it seems. But after holding him and massaging his throat. he started licking and I dropped more water on his tongue, so he needed to swallow it! That worked. But great idea with the guardian angel! I still have it for Gustav who starts repeating "I love you" right now, but not as clear as it could be. Needs a little bit more practice, but I am sure he will be a talker

Right now Lizzy is soaking in a little warm bath with guardian angel inside, I drop everyday a drop of saline water on each eye. His normal eye which is closed still looks bigger now, as if it would heal underneath. The injured eye got crusty but looks def. better than when I found him... poor lizzy

Yes I couldn't get over it to let him be and probably die because he can't see a thing, like I nearly stepped on him when going downstairs... Anything would have had an easy game with him in that state! So I want to take care of him and hopefully get his eyesight back on the normal eye. Which seems to be just closed.

[starlingqueen]

Sounds like you are doing a great job Tanja. The UVB light won't give him much warmth. You need to get a basking lamp or a 100 watt normal bulb, not one of those curly long life ones, they don't give off much heat. Have you got a lamp with a round type bulb? Can you position it over him somehow?

[tanja]

Mar 28, 2014 19:42:07 GMT starlingqueen said:

Sounds like you are doing a great job Tanja. The UVB light won't give him much warmth. You need to get a basking lamp or a 100 watt normal bulb, not one of those curly long life ones, they don't give off much heat. Have you got a lamp with a round type bulb? Can you position it over him somehow?

arghs... I read that they need UVB, but I sadly don't have a basking lamp or bulb. We have lamps in the bedroom but I can't take those for the lizard... Hmmm seems like I need a basking bulb as well. Even though I think the bulb holder that I get has the possibility to screw two different bulbs underneath each other, if I read the description correctly. So I all I really need would be a basking lamp, or actually a basking rock. Which I don't know if it really is good...

[starlingqueen]

You need both UVB and a basking bulb. A basking rock is not a good idea. The lizard will sit on it until it burns itself the same as with heat pads. The basking lamp is safer as they can't touch the heat source.

[tanja]

Well I canceled the Amazon payment and went to Petco today, to get a basking bulb for Lizzy and a lamp for it. Now the only thing I will need at some point is a bigger tank so I can also add a UVB bulb as well... Or I just buy one and change it all the time... Do you know how long and how much UVB a lizard needs? I mean basking is something they need for sure, as long as they want the heat, otherwise they will probably leave the basking spot!

oh btw. here a few new photos of Lizzy

[vacanteyes]

I completely missed this, I was tagged early on in the comments but haven't logged in in a while, sorry. How did you get on with the little guy?