Four Legged friends.

Although my main interest as a hobby is snakes, I do have a couple of four legged fiends, I mean friends, that have crept their way in.  Both of these guys I took on from previous owners who, how can I put this?  Did not really care too much about their animals, so for me these 2 have a special place in my heart and always will.  This is because I have helped get them from poor level of care and an equally poor life to one where they are able to thrive.  This time I am not apologising for the names as they were chosen by me, as I am sure you can tell as they are way cooler than my other half's choices.

Gordon:

Please bear with me on Gordon as his story is pretty long and just as sad.  Gordon was what I felt to be an impulse buy when I was 15 years old off a friend at school. "D'ya want a gecko?" "Yeah go on then" is how the conversation went.  The lad said he would drop Gordon off on Saturday at another persons house, so I went there and to my horror he had brought Gordon over in his helmet box in his moped.  Not only this but Gordon looked terrified to be placed in the middle of a room with 3 people stood around him laughing and messing around with him.  I honestly felt so sorry for him, I took him straight home in the car once I called my mum to say I had a gecko ( Mum didn't know until now, she wasn't best pleased).  Once I got him home I noticed a large swelling on his head behind his eye, I took him to the local vets where I was referred to a specialist who did a once over.  When I collected Gordon from the vets I was told a pretty horrible story, the lump itself wasn't causing him any ill health however the vet said he had obviously been neglected.  It turned out Gordon was not properly fed for so long he couldn't handle a normal diet, so I had to syringe feed him for 3 months to avoid shock to his system. He also had calcium and vitamin deficiency, as well as retained shed.  With all this being said I am glad to say he is now in fine health and is a right character.  I am so glad I took him on as I feel that I can say that I saved his life, and who knows what would of happened to him if I hadn't of said "Yeah go on then"

Clive:

Clive is my male adult Yemen chameleon.  I got him from my mum and dad as a 21st birthday present.  I was so happy when I strolled in to my room to see a chameleon there, I had always said I would want one at some point but didn't suspect a thing.  I am pretty annoyed actually at the fact somebody sold a chameleon who was so poorly looked after to people who were trying to do a nice thing for their son and had no knowledge on the subject.  It still makes me angry.  Any way clive came to me in a filthy enclosure with barely any foliage hiding areas or branches to climb on.  In addition to this he had no form of U.V lighting, even though he was supplied with a 'full set up'.  On he had retained shed all along his back, so much so that he lost sections of his dorsal spines when he was able to successfully shed.  He was also noticeably thin and weak. Now I have provided a better diet, with supplements, as well as appropriate lighting, foliage, plants and climbing areas I feel safe to say that he has doubled in brightness, as well as size and I feel that he is thriving in his new home.  I am Just glad that my Mum and Dad got me Clive, and that the thought and kind intentions were there, even if their knowledge on chameleons wasn't.  On the other had I am annoyed that somebody would sell an unwell animal without proper equipment in order to make a quick buck.  Even though he hates me with a passion and is the moodiest chameleon in the world, which is understandable given his previous circumstances, I am glad that he is going to spend the rest of his time with me.