Meeting Flame-O

Little Squirt wants a lizard for Christmas. Not just wants. He covets, he longs for, he's begged for a lizard! The lizard is actually a downgrade, as his original want was for a pet dinosaur. After we explained to him that dinosaurs are obsolete, much like the VCR, and they don’t sell them at Petco, Little Squirt decided he’d settle for a lizard. He’d seen one he liked when we were in Cabo San Lucas in October. This little stalker had perched on a wall in the restaurant we frequented on the beach, and watched my son for the entire meal. He was there again later that week, and Little Squirt thought it’d be fun to have a pet lizard just like the Mexican one that would run all over the walls of our house and scare his friends. I informed him about the reality of pet lizards living in terrariums. He was disappointed, but still persisted.

We did a little research. I polled pet shop employees and friends, and Little Squirt read a book from the library about lizards. We decided on a Bearded Dragon. Little Squirt confirmed his decision by asking Santa, both in person and by letter. He told me, today (and I quote), “I won’t have delight on Christmas morning if Santa doesn’t bring me a Bearded Dragon.” So how could we say no?

With Little Squirt in school today, Super Hubs and I set up a terrarium, then made a visit to Petsmart. There were four baby Bearded Dragons available. Three were hanging out together on a rock and being all cliquey. I really hate cliques. The fourth little guy was the tiniest, sitting by his lonesome self in the corner. He was the newest. He’d just flown in from FL by Fed-Ex a few hours before, and was trying to warm up. I’ve always had a heart for the underdog. We took him home and called him Flame-O, the name Little Squirt has chosen for his new pet-to-be.

While Super Hubs added a big rock and cactus to the terrarium, I bonded with Flame-O. He closed his eyes and melted into the palm of my hand. I couldn’t see him breathing, and thought he was dead. “Oh, dang the luck, I've killed Little Squirt’s $60 Christmas dragon, ten minutes after leaving the store!" I thought. I’m grateful that Flame-O opened his eyes just then, or I would have had a breakdown. Apparently he was just taking a little nap.

I think Flame-O is acclimating well to his new living quarters, considering his traumatic cross-country trip last night by air. He’s living covertly in Butterfly’s bedroom until Christmas. Currently, he’s sunbathing on his rock underneath the UV light by the heating pad. It’s 80 degrees in his pimped-out crib, and I’m feeling kind of jealous. Did I mention he has his own pool? If it weren’t for his diet of live crickets, I’d consider moving in with him.

Super Hubs and I have always let our kids get pets of their choosing. I am a firm believer in letting children wonder and learn about responsibility and the beauty of creation by taking care of a living creature. Pets are part of the making of a happy childhood, in my opinion. They do come with a cost of time and mess, but happy memories are priceless. Le’ts hope Flame-O makes years of memories with my boy.