Zilla's story

Zilla has quite a story to tell. He was a street iguana. He was probably a pet at one time, but he outgrew his welcome and was released into a canal area. Aside from the fact that this is illegal, ex-pets usually get into trouble when released.

It seems that Zilla was mauled by a street dog looking for a meal, which is what usually happens to these iguanas. Zilla got away somehow, but the bites were very serious. His hand was useless after that and he couldn't climb up the trees to escape harm. He also had a very serious infection in his shoulder that got into his bloodstream and he was very ill.

When a friend of mine found him and caught him, he weighed 2 pounds, was full of worms and was a very sick iguana indeed.

He was brought to me and I began fixing him up at once.

Zilla is now a healthy iguana, has finally healed and is very happy living here with me and the other iguanas.

He still can't use the hand, nerves and tendons were ripped apart, but he can walk around the house and I do help him to climb up on the dresser where he likes to sleep with Pugsley.

He will let me pet him, but he does not want to be picked up and cuddled.

Whether this is because he was wild when he was bitten, or the fact that I had to keep opening and draining the wounds, treating them with antibiotic ointment...which I'm sure was painful to him...I don't know.

But he does come over and beg with Pugsley when I'm eating something they want a piece of, so he can't be afraid of me.

I'm sure that it will work itself out in time.