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| Name: |
Michaelangelo
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Age: |
Six years old
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| Gender: |
Male
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Kind: |
Brazilian Green Iguana
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| Home: |
Bayonne, New Jersey, USA
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Michaelangelo,
Mikey for short, is a very special iguana to everyone in
our household. He was found five years ago, abandoned in a basement in
Jersey City. He had been all alone for two weeks without a heat rock,
food, or light. His previous owners had actually sprayed the house for
fleas without covering his tank! When my mother and I found him he was a
shriveled grey skeleton, barely alive and we took him home. He was less
than a year old and about 15" long. Slowly I nursed him back to
health and bought him a 4'x 3'x 2' tank! About two months later Mikey
was healthy and green and strong again.
We took him to the vet and told us that Michael's species of iguana is
very rare in the United States and that Mikey had been illegally
smuggled into the country when he was very young. Sadly he told us
that Mikey was stunted at 2' 10'' and would never reach his full size.
He had not received vitamins early on in his life that were crucial to
his well being. As a result, he has no strength in his fingers or hands
though his hind legs are rather strong. He will never regain use in his
hands and fingers because the muscles are too weak. Mikey has managed to
overcome all of his fears and handicaps and enjoys crawling up and down
the ramps of his tank, as well as hiding in the plants and is the
greenest iguana our vet has ever seen!! His other pastimes include
sleeping, playing in my hair, and laying on top of our German Shepherd /
Labrador mix, Zalea. In addition to Mikey we have six neurologically
handicapped cats, a special needs blind dog, Zalea, and a few goldfish
and tetras. They all get along very well, and the dogs can't get enough
of my special Michaelangleo!! His favorite food, by the way, is banana!
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