10/10/2025
Juniper Update (Buckle up, this is a long one)
*For anyone new here: I took on a black and white tegu (large lizard) that was abandoned and seems to have been out on its own in my neighborhood in the Sierra Nevada foothills for quite sometime. Someone found him living under their firewood pile back in July and called me.
I have been taking care of him since then, have spent close to 1k on building him a beautiful custom enclosure, have spent close to 3k total on care for him including vet bills, gas to go to the vector counties away, health related equipment, supplements, and specilized food trying to get him back to health, and have invested SO much time I have lost count.
Up until a month ago he was eating pretty good and drinking pretty good. When he came to me he had several scabbed wounds (two somewhat large ones under his jaw), had what sounded like a mild RI, evidence of MBD, evidence of broken tail, layers of stuck shed, and was extremely emaciated and dehydrated.
The vet said he is likely stunted and is incredibly malnourished, but had a solid chance of survival and looked generally better off than he had expected. The vet wanted to hold off on the antibiotics for the assumed RI until he gained more weight, and his kidneys had a chance to recover from the severe dehydration.
**Most recent update for those who have been following:
We started the antibiotics up mid August and he suddenly got really bad. Mouth breathing, clicking noises in his throat, he stopped eating solids, started spitting water up from his glottis, has had change in his stool consistancy (did find pin worm eggs, will be adressing that on Monday 10/13 during a recheck), and he is far less active than prior. I've been keeping him warm to keep him from brumating as directed to do from the vet, and I don't think he is trying to brumate.
At this point he has stopped eating anything but liquids (Mostly ReptiBoost and Critical Care Carnivore), is not wanting to drink much water, is losing the weight he managed to put on, and overall just seems to be going downhill.
Vet work that I have had done includes:
-Blood work which showed elevated uric acid (we assumed from dehydration)
-IV fluids
-Two vitamin B injections
-Checked mouth for teeth issues (none)
-F***l test (came back negative for anything) I since this have found pinworm eggs using a UV light I had when I was checking stool for blood.
-Xrays that indicated possible pneumonia and backed up stool
-I've been giving him injection antibiotics the last two months
-An as-needed stool softener
-A twice a day nebulizer antibiotic for the last month in addition to the injection
-Once a day nebulized mucus medication
At home treatments I've been doing as supplemental care:
-Warm soaks
-Electrolyte soaks
-Letting him bask in the sun when warm enough to do so
-Betadine soaks when he gets too aggressive with trying to get stuck shed off
-Offering water twice a day in addition to his water bowl in his enclosure
-Keeping his temps and humidity consistent and warm
-Belly massages to help with backed up stool.
The vet said the next thing to try is a feeding tube, which I am concerned about trying because I worry he won't wake up from the anesthesia. But at this point am feeling like I have to at least try. They would also check his throat for any internal issues, as the xray didn't show any blockages but it almost seems like he is struggling to swallow. In addition to this, I would like to get him tested for cryptosporidium, adenavirus, and many other things, which is another big expense as they require overnight shipping for PCR DNA tests. I also am going to have to bring him back to have the feeding tube removed which I assume will be in the same pricing ball park.
I took him on with the understanding that he was in not great shape but that the outlook was promising. At this point I've spent a lot more than I anticipated, but I did know that it was a risk.
If anyone feels compelled to help this sweet guy, I would be so eternally grateful! I don't know that he is going to make it if we don't do this, and I have no idea if he would make it through this either. But I feel like I have to try something.
And please be kind, I have literally been pouring my heart and soul into helping this guy, I have done everything I am able to thus far within my power. It is so frustrating and unfair that people get these kinds of animals that are incredibly hardy, decide they don't want them, they get to big, or don't want to care for them and just abandon them. Almost always there is someone else that ends up taking them on. And generally those people care too much, get too emotionally and financially invested, and often times have to make hard decisions in the end. I don't usually take on rescues but this guy was special.
Thank you again to everyone who made it this far and/or donates to this sweet guys care!
Hoping to try to raise 500, but anything extra would be a huge blessing right now.
Im not a fan of using GoFundMe, but can if that would be easier for some folks.
Venmo:
https://venmo.com/code?user_id=2954971112800256279&created=1760038546
CashApp: https://cash.app/$ashgelhaus
Zelle: ashgelhaus@gmail.com
Attached is the estimate for the feeding tube port procedure, and the disease testing form I feel may be helpful.
