Re: iguana miracle(?) story

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Posted by nathan on February 24, 1999 at 20:55:14:

In Reply to: iguana miracle(?) story posted by Rick on February 24, 1999 at 10:34:50:

Lesha and I had a similar experiance with one of our
hatchling turtles. Overnight some time it had
gotten wedged partially under the heater by the
filter current (which was minimal, but this was a sickly
tiny tiny runt of a hatchling). I never in my wildest
dreams would have imagined that one of them would get stuck,
indeed it's tank mates swam UP the current an inch or so
with no difficulty and apparently enjoyed playing
in it. Well, we saw it there, kinda floating limply,
and imediately pulled it out.
We sat it in a bin to see if it was alive, but it was
totally limp and seemed to be beginning to stiffen.
Lesha and I were both very upset, and I was going to
put the animal in the trash (no yard for graves) but
she didn't want me to, and asked me to do it after she
was gone (she was about to leave town when this happened)
She also said "well maybe it will come back to life"
so to please her I left it sitting in the bin on
my desk and went to work and class, and about 8 hours later
got home, grabbed a plastic bag and was reaching for
the turtle when it's head twitched. I nearly had a freaking
heart attack. It was like I was hit by lightning I was
so shocked. I stared in disbelief, thinking it was
just wishful thinking, then I poked it, after several
more pokes, it twitched again. WOW. well, to make
a long story short, I nursed it for several days and
it made a full recovery (back to it's regular gimpy runt
self).
Lesson: Never underestimate a reptile.

: 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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: Lesha and I had a similar experiance with one of our : hatchling turtles. Overnight some time it had : gotten wedged partially under the heater by the : filter current (which was minimal, but this was a sickly : tiny tiny runt of a hatchling). I never in my wildest : dreams would have imagined that one of them would get stuck, : indeed it's tank mates swam UP the current an inch or so : with no difficulty and apparently enjoyed playing : in it. Well, we saw it there, kinda floating limply, : and imediately pulled it out. : We sat it in a bin to see if it was alive, but it was : totally limp and seemed to be beginning to stiffen. : Lesha and I were both very upset, and I was going to : put the animal in the trash (no yard for graves) but : she didn't want me to, and asked me to do it after she : was gone (she was about to leave town when this happened) : She also said "well maybe it will come back to life" : so to please her I left it sitting in the bin on : my desk and went to work and class, and about 8 hours later : got home, grabbed a plastic bag and was reaching for : the turtle when it's head twitched. I nearly had a freaking : heart attack. It was like I was hit by lightning I was : so shocked. I stared in disbelief, thinking it was : just wishful thinking, then I poked it, after several : more pokes, it twitched again. WOW. well, to make : a long story short, I nursed it for several days and : it made a full recovery (back to it's regular gimpy runt : self). : Lesson: Never underestimate a reptile. : : 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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