A Hemet, California, couple got more than they paid for when they ordered a bicycle online from Walmart.com. Inside the package was an extra surprise: a bearded dragon lizard.
According to Riverside County Department of Animal Services (RCDAS), Al Brummett discovered the living, breathing bonus item while removing the bike from the box so he could assemble the bike and give it to his granddaughter as a gift.
Brummett was luckily alone when he found the critter. He told RCDAS, “[My wife] was not around when I opened the box. If she would have been present, she would have screamed crazily.”
The situation went down a little like this: Brummett opened the flaps of the package, he pulled out the frame and some additional parts of the bike, and, after moving things around so that he would have room to put the project together, he saw a pair of eyes staring back at him.
“At first I freaked out because he was so big,” Brummett said. “There he was, and he had this look, such as ‘what the heck just happened?’ and I’m thinking, ‘Yeah, me too.’ ”
Using a five-gallon painter’s bucket, Brummett secured the lizard and immediately called the Riverside County Department of Animal Services. According to RCDAS’ statement, the bike was made in China. It is unknown how long the lizard had resided in the packing box before he was freed by Brummett.
Officer Carra Mathewson picked up Brummett’s call, and said what she heard next is a story she will not soon forget, calling it “a wacky tale for sure.”
When Officer Harvey Beck of the RCDAS arrived on the scene, his extensive knowledge of exotic creatures helped him recognize the lizard as a species from Australia. The officer also fed the critter some canned peaches since it was unlikely the animal had any food for a while.
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Luckily, it is legal to keep the lizard as a pet because the Brummetts have falling in love with the surprise shipment. According to CBSLA, the couple has since adopted the lizard and have named him Falkor. After a long, mysterious journey, it appears Falkor the lizard’s never-ending story has reached a happy ending.
