Midnight Is Healing - Rescued Betta

[GoldenRoses]

I actually have to use tweezers to hand feed Micah flakes. Pellets have too small of a surface area for him to pinpoint, so he just ends up pushing them around with his nose. He can sometimes find food that's resting on the bottom, especially if he can smell it, like bloodworms and the snails' food.

It's nice having a betta that can peacefully live with others. I had a mexican dwarf orange crayfish with him for some time, and I would often find them both resting in the same plant together!

 

[Freedom]

Hand feeding a betta  -- now THAT is dedication!

 

[GoldenRoses]

It sure is, but I wouldn't trade him for the world. Caring for rescues is defiantly one of the most rewarding experiences I've had. It's an amazing feeling knowing that you've made a difference in their life. Micah was priced at $20 (which I was later able to bring down to $8 due to his "low quality"), even though he was blind, colorless, and tattered. I'm highly doubtful someone would have decided to spend that much on a nearly dead fish, when there's new, healthy bettas coming into the shop constantly, priced much lower.

Sure, it takes a lot of dedication to care for an animal that is handicapped (he needs to have a very simple tank layout so he can feel his way around, no places where he can get himself stuck, etc), but that only makes it more enjoyable for me. I also spend my time rehabilitating abused dogs, and nursing sick pets back to health. Recently, I was asked to aid an elderly woman in cleaning her goldfish tank, (which I later found out hadn't received a water change since December!) As she was unable to do so herself. I have yet to see the fish personally, but instincts tell me the goldfish will be in a tank entirely too small, lacking the proper filtration. Hopefully I can educate the woman enough to convince her to make a change in the goldfish's environment. We'll see how that goes!

Midnight was very lucky to have ended up with such a kind and loving owner. I'm sure he will recover quickly, and develop into a magnificent betta.

 

[Malex530]

Oh how I love rescue stories.
I brought one of my own,
Well my cousin works kn my aunts restraint and we are all very close to each other. I went to my cousins house because her mom made dinner for the family. My cousin gets home with a vase full of water... and 2 common goldfish. Turns out they had a party and they were leftover party favors, they had been there a week, and the cooks had been feeding them tortillas. Long story short, one died and one now lives happily in a 20 gallon tank with 1 other comet. Water changes every week. And wow can they grow! We are planning a 55 gallon by summer for them both.

 and that my friends is how I got into goldfish keeping. ( I have had aquariums for as long as I can remember though)

 

[Freedom]

Well done, Malex530!  Goldfish as PARTY FAVORS?!!!  Goodness!
 
 

 I'm sure he will recover quickly, and develop into a magnificent betta.

 
Goldenroses, not sure if you realize, this entire thread was started several months ago, in Aug 2014.  Here he is last month, Jan 2015:

 
My bichon, Tasha, is a puppy mill rescue.  Born and raised in a cage in Missouri, she was used as a piece of inventory to produce puppies for pet shops.  Tasha was almost 5 years old when she was rescued from that life.  The rescue I am with will only place a mill rescue in a home which already has socialized dog(s) living there.  Studies have shown mill rescues will observe and emulate behavior.  The first 3 weeks here, Tasha remained under a bed.  Each night after I was in bed, she would rush out to the kitchen, pee, poop, gobble up some food, lap up some water, and race back under the bed.  The rescue provides us with lots of support and information as to how to work with a mill rescue.
 
Today, 4 years + later, Tasha is a wonderful girl who enjoys life!  I still get teary eyed when I watch her racing around in an open field, big grin on her face, playing with her 'siblings' and other dogs who are there.  Rehabilitation is a life long project, and Tasha will always be a mill rescue.  She will never trust humans, the way pet dogs do.  Rather, she will learn to trust individuals, based on repeated positive interactions.  This has been a lot of work, but the results are just amazing!
 
Tasha was part of a 2 year study of mill rescues, run by Dr. Frank McMillan, at Best Friends in Utah.  Most other rescues do not require the dog to live with other dogs.  And of course, no mill is the same.  Sadly, Dr. McMillan reported that many of the dogs placed as the only dog in the home, were still sitting in a corner staring at the wall, 2 years after rescue.  He presented his study results to Congress, part of the continuing effort to stop our Dept. of Agriculture from permitting and licensing mills.
 
Today Tasha is definitely a Mummy's girl, she keeps watch on my constantly.  She is still nervous going through doorways.  She has made such great progress, I am so proud of her!

 

[LyraGuppi]

  I hate mills so much...good job on rescuing her though.
 
And Midnight, WOAH! He turned out gorgeous!

 

[GoldenRoses]

I did not see that! Thank you for the update picture! He's quite a stunner.

I'm so happy to hear of Tasha's incredible story as well. We're saving the world, one animal at a time.