A ‘bearded dragon’ lizard with its own miniature accessories collection has taken Instagram by storm – with over 2,300 followers.
One-year-old Wallace averages over 300 likes per Instagram post with pictures including the reptile pushing a tiny supermarket trolley and holding a tiny hoover.
Wallace was launched into the social media eye just four months ago by his owner, Michelle Richie, 31, who is the mastermind behind his new-found fame.
The popular lizard has his own hat collection and an expanding array of miniature items – which Michelle manipulates to create adorable photoshoots of Wallace.
As a result of his worldwide fan base, Wallace has received cards and a handmade party hat from a New York admirer for his first birthday – a far cry away from his humble beginnings at Pets at Home.
He was also named ‘Mr February’ on the Bearded Dragon Network.
Proud owner Michelle, of Blyth, Northumberland, who has been offered thousands of pounds in return for her pet, said: “Wallace is absolutely fabulous, he’s like our child.
“I set my alarm every day for 7am to lift his blanket off his tank. We would eat beans on toast for tea if it meant Wallace could have his locusts.
“I was taking lots of photos of Wallace and just wanted to share them and it’s completely snowballed. I’m now constantly looking for new miniature items.
“My husband thinks I’m nuts but recently he’s been saying that we need to find Wallace a miniature Porsche so he’s coming round to the idea.”
Michelle is amazed at the speed of Wallace’s soaring popularity and said he has much moire followers than she could ever get.
She said: “I can’t believe how quickly it’s took off. I started the page on October 1 and now he has more than 2,300 followers – more than I would ever get.
“He’s touched the lives of so many people across the world.
“I’ve been offered £5,000 by Wallace fans wanting to take him off my hands. You could offer me one million and I’d still turn it down.”
Michelle’s love for bearded dragons began with her first lizard – Biggie – who died from cancer in March at the age of three.
Despite having reservations about having a lizard in the house at first, Michelle fell completely head over heels in love with Biggie.
However, when he died, she was left with a huge hole in her heart and could only last a month of being lizard-less.
Her and husband Adam, 34, bought Wallace on National Pet Day – April 11.
Michelle, a recruitment consultant, added: “He’s definitely brought us closer together too. We went almost a month without a lizard in the house when we lost Biggie and it felt like something was missing.
“I cried for three days solid when he died which made us realise that a lizard makes our house a home.
“To be honest it was my husband who wanted to get Biggie.
“But after just three minutes of meeting him I fell completely in love and my life changed from that moment.”
Michelle now wants to make her bearded dragon the star character in children’s books and make a Wallace calendar featuring his best hats and miniatures.
She has also joined forces with four other lizard owners and has started fundraising for bearded dragons in need of medical help or re-homing.
Follow Wallace’s antics by searching 1mrsriches on Instagram and unitedcolorsofdragons to help bearded dragons in need.
