My iguana

[Toril]

My iguana was mentioned on another thread, but I didn't realise that there was a pet thread until someone kindly directed me here. So I'll post some of the photos that I mentioned here.

He became well known on the internet in the reptile "fraternity" and I often posted photos and information about him on those. I adopted him, aged 18 months, from a reptile rescue centre. When he died, aged 8, due to bile duct cancer because his previous owners had fed him meat when he was young (they're 100% herbivores) members of the forums suggested I wrote a book about him and their care. So I did. It was a self published one and I've sold a lot of copies which means that his memory lives on and, hopefully, people won't go out and get one without knowing how to care for them properly.

I apologise for the number of photos that I'll post, but I just wanted to share his character and antics with anyone who is interested.

Meet Gromit.

 

[Toril]

He loved colours and movement, hence his watching The Tweenies or looking at pictures in a book.

 

[Toril]

He was also an enthusiastic climber ..... obviously.
However, his choice of "tree" wasn't always ideal. I soon realised that when out free roaming, the curtains had to be looped over the rail. When he sat in the lounge window, the net curtains were dealt with before he came out.

 

[Toril]

He w.as also fascinated with the computer monitor when I was working. Presumably it was the movement of the cursor or the letters appearing on screen. He probably thought he was helping, but when I was trying to do reports or letters for work, he definitely wasn't helping especially when he blocked my view of the screen or when he stood on the keyboard and random things appeared in my report.

However, because he was well known, he had 40+ online birthday greetings and so I left him alone to "read" them.

 

[Toril]

He also loved loved going out in the garden in the summer, although he had to stay in a run because the lure of the trees would have been too great especially bearing in mind his climbing of the curtains.

The last picture shows his foot on my hand so you can see the size he was ........... 4 ft 6" in length and over 3 kgs in weight.

 

[Twilight]

Thank you Toril, Gromit was a very handsome chap & I'm delighted that his life with you was filled with fun & kindness

 

[boffy]

Absolutely WOW those pictures stunning.

 

[Ballerina]

The pictures are so cute, you can see he was a real character. I am 5' exactly, so he was nearly as tall as me but sadly, I weigh considerably more LOL

Thank you for sharing his pictures. My daughter recently bought a North African lizard and he is a herbivore. Luckily, Lucie knows this and will never allow him to eat meat. What is your book called and where can it be bought?

 

[donna255]

He was a handsome boy.

 

[Toril]

Thank you everyone for looking at his photos.

Ballerina, I used to sell the book on eBay, in local pet and reptile shops and direct to people who asked me for one. At the moment, the only place you can get it from is direct from me. If you’re interested in the book, then message me and I can give you the details. But please don’t feel you have to.

 

[Totally Loopy Lou]

I have to honest, I have an intense snake phobia - to the extent that I can’t look at photo - and the fear often extends to other reptiles (and amphibians)..

I know it’s not logical or rational and am sure it comes in large part from my mum. (Although my brother and dad are/were snake mad.)

Weirdly it’s got worse since I’ve been ill.
I went to Kenya and other places when well but I know I wouldn’t be able to now.

Anyway I read about your pet and your passion for him in another thread, so I decided to be brave and have a look at him!

I wouldn’t have been able to be in the same house as him - which is purely a reflection of my fear and not your boy! - but I can see he was a lovely chap and well loved and cared for by you

 

[Toril]

I can understand your fear. Thank you for braving the photos and for your lovely comments.

There were some gas men working outside the house and Gromit was sitting on his cushion on the lounge windowsill. There was a knock on the door and when I answered it, one of the gas men was on the doorstep. He apologised for bothering me but said “is that what I think it is in your window?” I said that it depended what he thought it was and invited him in to meet Gromit. He said “oh I can’t because I don’t like reptiles.” I told him to wait in the hall and came out to the lounge door with Gromit on my shoulder, but I stood about 9 feet away from him and just continued chatting to the guy. Gradually the guy started walking towards me as he’d realised that Gromit was calm. He actually came up to him and asked if he could stroke Gromit and I nodded.

Five minutes later, he called his work mate in and so I had two men oohing and ahhino over him.

As they left the house, the first guy turned to me and said “I can’t wait to tell the wife. She’ll never believe it.”

 

[maymorganlondon]

Gromit clearly had a wonderful life with you. He's a real character, and you have obviously been a great ambassador for him, Toril.

 

[Toril]

Thank you.

 

[Toril]

At the risk of boring you all to bits, I found a few more photos.

The first shows him a couple of days after he arrived (approximately 18 months old) and the second is about 18 months later.

 

[Toril]

As mentioned before ............... they're 100% herbivores.

 

[maymorganlondon]

At the risk of boring you all to bits, I found a few more photos.

The first shows him a couple of days after he arrived (approximately 18 months old) and the second is about 18 months later.

Now THAT'S a growth spurt!

 

[Toril]

Now THAT'S a growth spurt!

He got bigger.