In Memoriam

My little Bearded Dragon, Miller died today. She was getting old, nearly ten. Beardies live an average of 10-12 years. Though she was slowing down some in recent weeks, she still was eating and even ate some green beans and blueberries last night. I covered her up around 9 pm and she was being her usual stinker self and scratching around before settling down for the night. Then this morning she was limp and lifeless. I picked her up and she was floppy, when usually she would scratch at me trying to get a grip because she always felt like she was going to fall if she didn't have her feet securely on something. But today, she just hung there in my hand.

I put her down, poked and prodded hoping to stir some signs of life, but there were none. She was even a pretty gold and yellow color like when she is feeling especially chipper. It's a good thing that my son, Jason was here because I started bawling my head off. Some would think that is a big goofy since it's only a lizard, but she was my little friend.

She loved to watch television, especially the talk news shows like Chris Matthews. The minute she heard my husband come in the door she would go to the side of the tank that faced the tv screen and get ready for him to turn it on. She also loved to watch basketball and other fast-moving sports. She loved Whitney's flute playing, and bobbed her head in happiness to the tunes. She loved to sit by the screen door and look outside. But when I took her outside she liked to sit more on my chest because she feared birds. Her favorite things to eat were green beans and each week I would buy a handful of fresh beans at the grocery store. Well, Jon had to do that while I was laid up. Jon was feeding her blueberries each day, and she loved those, too. And another favorite was eating dried meal worms right out of the jar. I will post some pictures of those after my other son Jeff loads them into my computer for me.

I won't be getting another Beardie. Another one won't replace Miller anyway. I'm glad that Jeff brought her home to us back in 2002. Her original owner didn't want her anymore and gave her away to Jeff. Jeff brought her home to me and I can't say that it was love at first sight. I was a bit nervous to even go near a reptile. But eventually, Miller and I became great friends and she trusted me the most of anyone. I will really miss that little creature.