You don't have to be hysterical

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Posted by M.Eguro on October 16, 1999 at 22:51:11:

In Reply to: Not as big of a commitment???? Why because they are cheap ....... posted by HD on October 16, 1999 at 06:38:49:

Oh GEEEZ, now I know why people get so mad and offended at some NIAD people. I am quite aware of how much effort it takes to care
for _Iguana iguana_, the Common Green Iguana! You need not lecture me on it.
I have had reptiles for over 16 years, have singlehandedly raised hundreds and hundreds of
U.S. and Canadian dollars to help save iguanas in need, and have travelled to study and photograph iguanas in the wild.
I have also helped many people to travel with their iguanas overseas and help them fill out
the extensive and often aggrevating CITES paperwork necessary so that they did not have to give up their iguana pets when
they moved to foreign countries.

I have a feature article coming out on _Cyclura_ in Japan's premier reptile magazine called SCALE this winter
if you are interested, as clearly you do not realize the many differences between _Iguana iguana_ and _Cyclura_.
Clearly you have never owned adult Cyclura nor ever studied them in the wild.

What I am referring to is, _Cyclura_ require MUCH more commitment than the green iguana (Iguana iguana). There
really is no comparision. You can have several green iguanas living in one tree
as is often the case in populated areas the wild, because they are ARBOREAL. Cyclura, particularly the larger species, are NOT this way, they are
terrestrial i.e. they spend most of their time on the ground and not in trees. Some species can get to be over 30 lbs and more than 29"svl, which is WAY bigger than any green iguana
would ever get. They simply *cannot* physically climb trees when lizards get this big. This and also some other factors
means they need a GREAT deal more space than a green iguana. Do you know fully grown male cyclura
of certain species will have territories as large as 10 sq miles in the wild??? You would *never*
see such behavior with any green iguana.

Also, cyclura have evolved and are built to live *many* times longer than a green iguana. Some experts believe they can live potentially up to 80 years. Please see my article URL at the end of this post, as there are numerous references listed
at the end of that URL which can back up everything I am saying. Because of this,
when you acquire Cyclura you are making a LIFE TIME COMMITMENT, you will have this animal for the rest of your life, like getting married.
This is NOT such the case with a green iguana.
Cyclura lay very few eggs and have evolved
to deal with an island ecosystem where they live long lives as one of the largest native land animal.
Green iguanas on the other hand did NOT evolve in such a system, they instead lay a large number of eggs and live much shorter lives
due do the high number of predators on a non island type ecosystem. This is why introduction of predators to the Cyclura island ecosystem has
had devastating effects on their numbers and driven a few species to extinction already and many more are close to extinction.
For more information on this subject please refer to "Iguanas Of the World" by Burghardt and Rand, Noyes Publishing.

I understand your concern, but if you really want to "educate" people I think it is a real turn off and bordering on hysterical
to write such a reaction to my first post. You will never get a positive reaction from someone who is trying to learn about igs if you react
in the way you do. I am a very knowledgable reptile person and there was nothing in my
post that should warrant such a lecture from you. And I don't think Ed deserves such a lecture in that tone either. He is asking for our help, and that is what
we should give, not a lecture. Go back and read my post. I never said green iguanas do not require a strong commitment. I only
discouraged Ed from thinking about any cyclura because the commitment, time, money, space, etc, that the endangered members
of this genus require makes owning a green iguana look like a short walk in the park.

Cyclura caresheet

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: Oh GEEEZ, now I know why people get so mad and offended at some NIAD people. I am quite aware of how much effort it takes to care : for _Iguana iguana_, the Common Green Iguana! You need not lecture me on it. : I have had reptiles for over 16 years, have singlehandedly raised hundreds and hundreds of : U.S. and Canadian dollars to help save iguanas in need, and have travelled to study and photograph iguanas in the wild. : I have also helped many people to travel with their iguanas overseas and help them fill out : the extensive and often aggrevating CITES paperwork necessary so that they did not have to give up their iguana pets when : they moved to foreign countries. : I have a feature article coming out on _Cyclura_ in Japan's premier reptile magazine called SCALE this winter : if you are interested, as clearly you do not realize the many differences between _Iguana iguana_ and _Cyclura_. : Clearly you have never owned adult Cyclura nor ever studied them in the wild. : What I am referring to is, _Cyclura_ require MUCH more commitment than the green iguana (Iguana iguana). There : really is no comparision. You can have several green iguanas living in one tree : as is often the case in populated areas the wild, because they are ARBOREAL. Cyclura, particularly the larger species, are NOT this way, they are : terrestrial i.e. they spend most of their time on the ground and not in trees. Some species can get to be over 30 lbs and more than 29"svl, which is WAY bigger than any green iguana : would ever get. They simply *cannot* physically climb trees when lizards get this big. This and also some other factors : means they need a GREAT deal more space than a green iguana. Do you know fully grown male cyclura : of certain species will have territories as large as 10 sq miles in the wild??? You would *never* : see such behavior with any green iguana. : Also, cyclura have evolved and are built to live *many* times longer than a green iguana. Some experts believe they can live potentially up to 80 years. Please see my article URL at the end of this post, as there are numerous references listed : at the end of that URL which can back up everything I am saying. Because of this, : when you acquire Cyclura you are making a LIFE TIME COMMITMENT, you will have this animal for the rest of your life, like getting married. : This is NOT such the case with a green iguana. : Cyclura lay very few eggs and have evolved : to deal with an island ecosystem where they live long lives as one of the largest native land animal. : Green iguanas on the other hand did NOT evolve in such a system, they instead lay a large number of eggs and live much shorter lives : due do the high number of predators on a non island type ecosystem. This is why introduction of predators to the Cyclura island ecosystem has : had devastating effects on their numbers and driven a few species to extinction already and many more are close to extinction. : For more information on this subject please refer to "Iguanas Of the World" by Burghardt and Rand, Noyes Publishing. : I understand your concern, but if you really want to "educate" people I think it is a real turn off and bordering on hysterical : to write such a reaction to my first post. You will never get a positive reaction from someone who is trying to learn about igs if you react : in the way you do. I am a very knowledgable reptile person and there was nothing in my : post that should warrant such a lecture from you. And I don't think Ed deserves such a lecture in that tone either. He is asking for our help, and that is what : we should give, not a lecture. Go back and read my post. I never said green iguanas do not require a strong commitment. I only : discouraged Ed from thinking about any cyclura because the commitment, time, money, space, etc, that the endangered members : of this genus require makes owning a green iguana look like a short walk in the park. :

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