How to account for iguana's strength?

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Posted by Diana on August 12, 2001 at 13:12:12:

Two days ago, some cousins of mine who I rarely see, dropped in at our house on while on their vacation. I don't talk to these cousins very often, nor do I know much about them. However, when they dropped in, I was in the middle of making a few more iguana pillows and they asked me what I was sewing. I told them about my two iguanas and they excitedly told me that they have two iguanas also.

Then the story came out: They don't want their iguanas any more. They explained how they have been gradually forgotten about, and are now living in a back room of the house. They admitted that they sometimes forget to feed them, and that when they do, it's ice berg lettuce, carrots, brocolli, and a bit of fruit when they have it on hand. They also said they feed crickets periodically.

They do have a uv light, but I doubt it's been replaced at regular intervals like is required. They said they do take them out of the cage one in a great while, and that they have thought about letting the iguanas go free in the Redwood Forest a number of times because they recognize that they aren't giving them a good life.

I was flabbergasted to learn that they've had one of these iguanas since 1985! And the other one was acquired in the early nineties! My question for you guys is, how can iguanas hang on this long with such poor treatment? Poor diet, bark substrate, crickets, non-adequate uv exposure, no roaming room, hot rocks--pretty much every thing that could be wrong with this picture *is* wrong.

I just cannot imagine how tenacious the spirit of the older iguana must be to hang on for 16 years in this kind of living environment!

Gratefully, I think I successfully talked them into finding a rescue organization and giving their iguanas up to someone who would see to it that their last years alive could be happy ones.

I'm looking for some credible sources on good organizations in the Palto Alto, California area. I've visited rescue organization sites on the Net, and have seen some listed near where my cousins live, but I'm here to ask you all for some personal recommendations.

Do any of you live near this area? And if you do, do you personally know of a good place they could call who would take in their igs?

I really want to see these iguanas adopted out to families who want them and who are prepared to take great care of them for the rest of their lives. He said they're tame, nice, and that when they do hold them they seem to like it. Poor babies, forgotten in the back room and fed haphazardly when the people remember they exist. Please steer me to a good, reputable place to have my cousins call. I want a swift resolution to this case. I hate to think of any caged animal suffering. There are days when I think I just cannot hear of ONE more story involving animal neglect or abuse. My heart breaks a bit more with each story.

Thanks much,
Diana

Follow Ups:

Re: How to account for iguana's strength? cwatbay 08/12/01 (2)
- Re: Well I'll be a..... BabyHerp 08/13/01 (1)
  - .....monkey's aunt! Ally's Mom 08/13/01 (0)
Re: How to account for iguana's strength? Samcin 08/12/01 (1)
- Re: How to account for iguana's strength? jess 08/12/01 (0)

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: Two days ago, some cousins of mine who I rarely see, dropped in at our house on while on their vacation. I don't talk to these cousins very often, nor do I know much about them. However, when they dropped in, I was in the middle of making a few more iguana pillows and they asked me what I was sewing. I told them about my two iguanas and they excitedly told me that they have two iguanas also. : Then the story came out: They don't want their iguanas any more. They explained how they have been gradually forgotten about, and are now living in a back room of the house. They admitted that they sometimes forget to feed them, and that when they do, it's ice berg lettuce, carrots, brocolli, and a bit of fruit when they have it on hand. They also said they feed crickets periodically. : They do have a uv light, but I doubt it's been replaced at regular intervals like is required. They said they do take them out of the cage one in a great while, and that they have thought about letting the iguanas go free in the Redwood Forest a number of times because they recognize that they aren't giving them a good life. : I was flabbergasted to learn that they've had one of these iguanas since 1985! And the other one was acquired in the early nineties! My question for you guys is, how can iguanas hang on this long with such poor treatment? Poor diet, bark substrate, crickets, non-adequate uv exposure, no roaming room, hot rocks--pretty much every thing that could be wrong with this picture *is* wrong. : I just cannot imagine how tenacious the spirit of the older iguana must be to hang on for 16 years in this kind of living environment! : Gratefully, I think I successfully talked them into finding a rescue organization and giving their iguanas up to someone who would see to it that their last years alive could be happy ones. : I'm looking for some credible sources on good organizations in the Palto Alto, California area. I've visited rescue organization sites on the Net, and have seen some listed near where my cousins live, but I'm here to ask you all for some personal recommendations. : Do any of you live near this area? And if you do, do you personally know of a good place they could call who would take in their igs? : I really want to see these iguanas adopted out to families who want them and who are prepared to take great care of them for the rest of their lives. He said they're tame, nice, and that when they do hold them they seem to like it. Poor babies, forgotten in the back room and fed haphazardly when the people remember they exist. Please steer me to a good, reputable place to have my cousins call. I want a swift resolution to this case. I hate to think of any caged animal suffering. There are days when I think I just cannot hear of ONE more story involving animal neglect or abuse. My heart breaks a bit more with each story. : Thanks much, : Diana

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