Andyurgay
Hatchling Dragon
- Messages
- 82
- Location
- Austin, TX
Situation is, I work at a pet store. This afternoon, I came in and the Terminex guy and my store manager were laying glue traps for the 30 wild rats that they have been unable to get a handle on. Glue traps were their last attempt because being a pet store, we sometimes have pets get loose (hamsters, lizards, ect.) well, they put two in our small pet departments back room. Bad news for any lizards we lose because they all live under the fish tank system back there cause that's where its quiet and all the escaped crickets go.
Anyway, I had no idea they were laying glue traps. I walked back there about an hour later and see a large lizard shoot from under the sink aiming for the fridge (another dark quiet spot). But I watched the fridge to see him go under it and I didn't see him so I pulled the trash can away from the wall and what do I see? This big, 9 inch long skink trapped in glue. My heart dropped and I grabbed what I could, some aquarium water conditioner, hoping it would help unstick the glue. I tried gently lifting his tail out but I was scared I'd snap some bones cause he was in there good.
I rushed to where two of my managers were standing and I told them what happened. One (always an inconsiderate, unknowledgeable and insufferable person) just said "what can you do?", the other looked upset but basically said the same thing, take him to the in store vet but they probably can't help. So I rushed him to the vet and explained. They quickly set to work with mineral oil and qtips. A few hours later they called me over and handed me a box containing a stressed and exhausted but alive and glue free skink!
So I marched him past my disapproving manager and set him up in our hospital room. He colored up nicely, ate a few crickets and basked all night. Now is the hard part. I have no idea if this is a wild, native skink (we have tons in central Texas) or if this is the "assorted" skink my old coworker lost in the back room around 6 months ago. Depending on what he is, he will be let go outside or adopted out. Knowing Skinks, they are hardy, he had lots of loose crickets to eat and tons of clean water under the tank systems for that time. They also grow quickly and change color as they grow. So this very well could be our long lost Skink. And since he was listed as "assorted", I have no name to look up. I've tried searching google for native species and also by his description. No luck. I've posted on a few other forums but haven't gotten any replies.
so I'm hoping that maybe some beardie lovers might possibly be able to ID this little fellow so I can either rub my managers nose in it, or deal with the consequences of using store funds to vet a wild lizard. I'm at a loss. Thankfully I'm leaving this job soon so it will either be a good farewell or my revenge for being such an awful place to work haha
(I also effectively rendered the other trap useless without making it look like it was messed with. A mix of water, aquarium conditioner, chinchilla dust and wood shavings made it look natural, since the back room is messy, but also, not sticky we don't have rats in that back room, but escaped pets and I don't want to pull a hamster or another lizard off that thing)
