iguana miracle(?) story

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Posted by Rick on February 24, 1999 at 10:34:50:

We have two large common green iguanas. Have been in the family for 12 years
They are free-roaming in our reptile room, an addition built on many years
ago to our house, here in the south west US.

We have had a warm spell and with the nighttime temps not getting much below 65F
I would guess, the daytime temps around 75 - 79F, I decided that these guys
would benefit from some much needed direct sunlight. We have a large metal dog
kennel that I have secured under a large tree(leafless now) and some branches inside
as well as a large water tray. They had been out there for azround 4 - 5 days/nights
when Monday night's overnight temp unexpectedly dropped into the mid-30's.

Well, needless to say, the green guys paid the price - dearly. It was about 7:30am, tuesday
when I at work already, got a call from the wife, announcing that "I had killed the iguanas".
I was devastated. she proceeded to tell me that on her route out back to check on the other
animals we have out back(horses, etc..) she noticed the iguanas laying on the floor of the
cage. Went over to them, opened the cage door and proceeded to lift out first "Bernie", the male
She said his body was limp, one eye barely open, no breathing, and aparently had just expired.

The female, on the other hand, was, by her description, dead much longer.
She was bloated, her eyes closed tight and actually protruding outward.

To repeat, I was devastated. I had no idea it was going to drop in temp as it did and had only the
best intentions for our green friends. The whole rest of the day I beat myself up over my stupidity
and oversighted neglect.

the wife said she would leave them for me to "tend to". I told her that I intended to inter them
over by the wood pile upon arriving home that afternoon.

Well, after running a couple of errands enroute home, I pulled in the backyard, unloaded some hay & pellets
and proceeded to the wood pile to begin clearing a spot, checking the hardness of the ground
with a shovel. Then I proceeded towards the house, and as I passed by the cage under the tree, glanced
towards my friends.

THEY BOTH RAISED THEIR HEADS, TURNED TOWARDS ME AND BLINKED THEIR EYES!!!!!

THEY WERE ALIVE!!! A MIRACLE???!!!

I bolted to the cage, staring in disbelief as their heads and eyes tracked me and I opened the cage and
touched each of them. They both looked as healthy as could be, quite full of life! What had happened?

I raced to the house, as my wife had just arrived home from work, and laughing heartly announced that
they were alive!! Both of them!! She said, with disbelief and wide-eyed denial: "No way" I saw them both
quite dead! I dragged her outside where she, too, stared at the bobbing heads and blinking eyes as I did.

How could this be, and recalled that as I walked towards the house a minute before, that my thoughts
were saying if just one of them was still alive, my grevious error would be a little easier to live with.
But both lived. How?

We scooped them both up and brought them inside, placed them on the hot rock, positioned a heatlamp and got
some food, which they began to eat.

Way back when we first got them, we had been told, or at least lead to believe that these creatures were, upon
occasion, able to survive certain "low, overnight temperatures". But this was too much.

Anyway, to wrap up, I share this with you in the hopes that perhaps one of you may shed some light on our personal
miracle, maybe an explanation, maybe just a similar experience. Whatever.

I anxiously await any and all replies.

Rick
GLB

Follow Ups:

Re: iguana miracle(?) story cirsisue 2/27/99 (0)
Re: iguana miracle(?) story nathan 2/24/99 (0)
magic! iZ's mom 2/24/99 (0)
Re: iguana miracle(?) story meagan 2/24/99 (0)
Re: iguana miracle(?) story Lorry 2/24/99 (0)
Re: iguana miracle(?) story barbs 2/24/99 (0)

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: We have two large common green iguanas. Have been in the family for 12 years : They are free-roaming in our reptile room, an addition built on many years : ago to our house, here in the south west US. : We have had a warm spell and with the nighttime temps not getting much below 65F : I would guess, the daytime temps around 75 - 79F, I decided that these guys : would benefit from some much needed direct sunlight. We have a large metal dog : kennel that I have secured under a large tree(leafless now) and some branches inside : as well as a large water tray. They had been out there for azround 4 - 5 days/nights : when Monday night's overnight temp unexpectedly dropped into the mid-30's. : Well, needless to say, the green guys paid the price - dearly. It was about 7:30am, tuesday : when I at work already, got a call from the wife, announcing that "I had killed the iguanas". : I was devastated. she proceeded to tell me that on her route out back to check on the other : animals we have out back(horses, etc..) she noticed the iguanas laying on the floor of the : cage. Went over to them, opened the cage door and proceeded to lift out first "Bernie", the male : She said his body was limp, one eye barely open, no breathing, and aparently had just expired. : The female, on the other hand, was, by her description, dead much longer. : She was bloated, her eyes closed tight and actually protruding outward. : To repeat, I was devastated. I had no idea it was going to drop in temp as it did and had only the : best intentions for our green friends. The whole rest of the day I beat myself up over my stupidity : and oversighted neglect. : the wife said she would leave them for me to "tend to". I told her that I intended to inter them : over by the wood pile upon arriving home that afternoon. : Well, after running a couple of errands enroute home, I pulled in the backyard, unloaded some hay & pellets : and proceeded to the wood pile to begin clearing a spot, checking the hardness of the ground : with a shovel. Then I proceeded towards the house, and as I passed by the cage under the tree, glanced : towards my friends. : THEY BOTH RAISED THEIR HEADS, TURNED TOWARDS ME AND BLINKED THEIR EYES!!!!! : THEY WERE ALIVE!!! A MIRACLE???!!! : I bolted to the cage, staring in disbelief as their heads and eyes tracked me and I opened the cage and : touched each of them. They both looked as healthy as could be, quite full of life! What had happened? : I raced to the house, as my wife had just arrived home from work, and laughing heartly announced that : they were alive!! Both of them!! She said, with disbelief and wide-eyed denial: "No way" I saw them both : quite dead! I dragged her outside where she, too, stared at the bobbing heads and blinking eyes as I did. : How could this be, and recalled that as I walked towards the house a minute before, that my thoughts : were saying if just one of them was still alive, my grevious error would be a little easier to live with. : But both lived. How? : We scooped them both up and brought them inside, placed them on the hot rock, positioned a heatlamp and got : some food, which they began to eat. : Way back when we first got them, we had been told, or at least lead to believe that these creatures were, upon : occasion, able to survive certain "low, overnight temperatures". But this was too much. : Anyway, to wrap up, I share this with you in the hopes that perhaps one of you may shed some light on our personal : miracle, maybe an explanation, maybe just a similar experience. Whatever. : I anxiously await any and all replies. : Rick : GLB

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