What are the pros and cons of rehoming and rescue herps

[Cheesenugget]

Cheesenugget, what a horrible experience you had, trying to save that poor bearded dragon. I was only thinking about snakes when I responded to this thread, but all my dogs have always been rescues, nearly all from shelters, & I once took in a very sick bearded dragon (6 mos. old but totally constipated, unable to eat, starved with very skinny legs & a bloated body-) happily I got him through it all, & healthy again. He was dumped on me- I had no experience with beardies at all, just knew he needed help, & what a cutie he turned out to be. It's awfully hard to say no...

Yea that experience left me jaded, especially that girl I got the lizard from is the head reptile keeper at a local zoo. I think she knew something was wrong with her but either didn't want to or couldn't afford to take her to the vet for treatment. At the same time, I wasn't too surprised by this. Even in dog/cat rescues, I personally had seen adoptions go through that shouldn't been, ie aggressive dogs with bite history, just because the rescue want to pass the problem to the next person.

I want to highlight that reptile rescues can work for the right people. If you have experience rehabbing reptiles, or experience in knowing what to look signs of illnesses, and have the funds and access to a reptile vet, then it will work. If you barely can get by financially, or finding a vet is problematic, then don't do it.