Hello all!
I have a beardie I have had for almost 12 years now! he has been with me since i was 11, he inspired me to start rescuing beardies, and have rescued and rehomed 14 since! he started my passion and he means the world to me! the past year he has started to really slow down, I know 12 is pretty old for a beardie, and its just kind of the natural order of things. the past month he barely opens his eyes, and moves a few inches maybe once every 3 days . i soak him every few days to keep him hydrated, as he doesn't really move enough to drink anymore, i have tried and tried and tried and have not been able to get him to eat really anything for the past month, I've been supplementing with critical care to keep enough food in him to keep him going at least. now his cage and lighting temps are locked down perfectly as they've always been. hooked to a thermostat, with plenty of UVB. here is the question i have been having trouble coming to terms with. should i keep assist feeding? with rescues i assist feed, because i hope and know they can get better, but with him, hes 12 years old, and i think at this point im keeping him barely going for my sake, because it to hard to think about the inevitable. his age is really getting him, hes always been a healthy prime example of a healthy beardie, he would do educational shows, and he's just been the best all around lizard i could have ever asked for, but i know he has no chance of going back to that, because he is not sick, and this is natural , and i know if i wasn't assist feeding, he wouldn't be here. so my thing thats been all over my mind, should i keep assist feeding and hope he just keeps on barely holding on, or should i just let nature take it place.
Thank you in advance for your replies!
I have a beardie I have had for almost 12 years now! he has been with me since i was 11, he inspired me to start rescuing beardies, and have rescued and rehomed 14 since! he started my passion and he means the world to me! the past year he has started to really slow down, I know 12 is pretty old for a beardie, and its just kind of the natural order of things. the past month he barely opens his eyes, and moves a few inches maybe once every 3 days . i soak him every few days to keep him hydrated, as he doesn't really move enough to drink anymore, i have tried and tried and tried and have not been able to get him to eat really anything for the past month, I've been supplementing with critical care to keep enough food in him to keep him going at least. now his cage and lighting temps are locked down perfectly as they've always been. hooked to a thermostat, with plenty of UVB. here is the question i have been having trouble coming to terms with. should i keep assist feeding? with rescues i assist feed, because i hope and know they can get better, but with him, hes 12 years old, and i think at this point im keeping him barely going for my sake, because it to hard to think about the inevitable. his age is really getting him, hes always been a healthy prime example of a healthy beardie, he would do educational shows, and he's just been the best all around lizard i could have ever asked for, but i know he has no chance of going back to that, because he is not sick, and this is natural , and i know if i wasn't assist feeding, he wouldn't be here. so my thing thats been all over my mind, should i keep assist feeding and hope he just keeps on barely holding on, or should i just let nature take it place.
Thank you in advance for your replies!