MA Press: Day of the iguana

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Posted by Desiree on September 11, 2001 at 10:36:01:

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Day of the iguana
Centerville adventurers capture roving reptile
By K.C. MYERS
STAFF WRITER
CENTERVILLE - Lost and found, but still lost: One 4-foot iguana.

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The big lizard with black rings down its long, spiny back was captured in a tree at about 2 p.m. yesterday by Centerville-Osterville-Marstons Mills Fire Inspector Glen Wilcox and Doug Lebel.

It may be a coincidence, but for several weeks posters had hung in the Centerville neighborhood advertising a lost iguana.

The posters have since been taken down, however, so Wilcox and Lebel do not know how to find the scaled creature's owner.

The iguana was discovered when Wilcox, who was driving down the street, spied the light green reptile on a driveway at 489 S. Main St.

After doing a quick double take, he stopped, got out of his car and started herding the lizard away from the street with a stick.

Lebel, a neighborhood resident, drove by and saw Wilcox with the iguana. He went home and brought back his animal-loving daughter to see the commotion. Abby Lebel, 13, was immediately smitten by the rapacious reptile.

By then the lizard had eluded Wilcox by diving down a nearby embankment. A while later, it was spotted in a tree.

Abby Lebel was all for going after the iguana.

"I know they bite, but I didn't tell (my dad) that," she said.

Pretty soon, Lebel, a 6-foot-4-inch man, was climbing the tree to retrieve the reptile. He grabbed it by the tail and it squirmed but did not bite, he said. He managed to get down from the tree and place it in a rabbit cage in his car.

The iguana, which can extend and retract a long fan of skin under its neck, is believed to be an adult male.

Abby Lebel said she saw posters describing a missing iguana around the neighborhood earlier in the summer. She does not know if the iguana has been missing all that time, or if it escaped again recently.

Then again, it might not be the same iguana.

Doug Walker, owner of Harwich Pet Supply, who used to sell iguanas, said the lizards can indeed bite - hard enough for the recipient to require stitches.

"They also have a dangerous whip of a tail," he said.

Iguanas can survive for weeks or months in the summer in this climate, but they will die if left outside much past September.

They are mostly vegetarians, though they do eat bugs and occasionally mice, he said.

"They do require sunlight," Walker said. "If you don't keep it in the sun, you have to provide synthetic light."

The iguana is now sitting in the Lebels' garage. The Lebels - Abby excluded - hope the real owners claim it soon.

Think this is your missing iguana? Call Doug Lebel at 775-4925 or 778-4700.

Day of the iguana

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: SEE LINK FOR PHOTO : Day of the iguana : Centerville adventurers capture roving reptile : By K.C. MYERS : STAFF WRITER : CENTERVILLE - Lost and found, but still lost: One 4-foot iguana. : -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : The big lizard with black rings down its long, spiny back was captured in a tree at about 2 p.m. yesterday by Centerville-Osterville-Marstons Mills Fire Inspector Glen Wilcox and Doug Lebel. : It may be a coincidence, but for several weeks posters had hung in the Centerville neighborhood advertising a lost iguana. : The posters have since been taken down, however, so Wilcox and Lebel do not know how to find the scaled creature's owner. : The iguana was discovered when Wilcox, who was driving down the street, spied the light green reptile on a driveway at 489 S. Main St. : After doing a quick double take, he stopped, got out of his car and started herding the lizard away from the street with a stick. : Lebel, a neighborhood resident, drove by and saw Wilcox with the iguana. He went home and brought back his animal-loving daughter to see the commotion. Abby Lebel, 13, was immediately smitten by the rapacious reptile. : By then the lizard had eluded Wilcox by diving down a nearby embankment. A while later, it was spotted in a tree. : Abby Lebel was all for going after the iguana. : "I know they bite, but I didn't tell (my dad) that," she said. : Pretty soon, Lebel, a 6-foot-4-inch man, was climbing the tree to retrieve the reptile. He grabbed it by the tail and it squirmed but did not bite, he said. He managed to get down from the tree and place it in a rabbit cage in his car. : The iguana, which can extend and retract a long fan of skin under its neck, is believed to be an adult male. : Abby Lebel said she saw posters describing a missing iguana around the neighborhood earlier in the summer. She does not know if the iguana has been missing all that time, or if it escaped again recently. : Then again, it might not be the same iguana. : Doug Walker, owner of Harwich Pet Supply, who used to sell iguanas, said the lizards can indeed bite - hard enough for the recipient to require stitches. : "They also have a dangerous whip of a tail," he said. : Iguanas can survive for weeks or months in the summer in this climate, but they will die if left outside much past September. : They are mostly vegetarians, though they do eat bugs and occasionally mice, he said. : "They do require sunlight," Walker said. "If you don't keep it in the sun, you have to provide synthetic light." : The iguana is now sitting in the Lebels' garage. The Lebels - Abby excluded - hope the real owners claim it soon. : Think this is your missing iguana? Call Doug Lebel at 775-4925 or 778-4700.

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