Saturday, January 6, 2018

Iguanas Don't Grow on Trees, You Know. They Fall Out of Them, Though.


This is a minor public service announcement.  Reportedly, iguanas climb trees, for some reason.  I don't know if they're looking for food, or what.  But up the trees they go.

The other thing about iguanas is that they are not tolerant of cold.  It hypnotizes them, or makes them temporarily sleep or hibernate, or something.

The seemingly bizarre result of these two things about iguanas is that on cold mornings, they can sometimes be found on the ground beneath trees, having fallen out of the trees, and appearing to be dead.  And sometimes, they are dead.  They could have died in their sleeps, or they could have died from impact, when they fell.  But sometimes, they're not dead.  They just haven't reawakened, because it didn't warm up enough yet.

So if you're out walking, or driving, and you see an iguana, lying still and very possibly on its back, don't bother it.  Maybe move it off the road, if it's on the road.  It might awaken, when the temperature goes up.  If it doesn't awaken, because it really is dead, some other animal will take care of the remains.

2 comments:

  1. Line a cardboard box in aluminum foil, place the iguana inside, and leave the box in direct sun. Presto, they warm up and run off.

    ReplyDelete

  2. Fred,
    I just read about the southern iguanas, yesterday. I read that a man tossed a slew of them into his truck, thinking they were dead. They awakened on the ride, and began climbing all over him. They were very much alive. Not sure about the man.
    Judith Marks-White
    Westport, CT

    ReplyDelete