A Different Kind of Pet

Nathan filled up Jared’s cage with mounds of lettuce leaves. He watched as his pet chewed his breakfast, slowly, carefully. No rush. Jared wasn’t going anywhere. His life revolved around sleeping and eating. From time to time, he would open his eyes and give Nathan a friendly (or so Nathan interpreted it) smile of recognition and thanks. But most of the time he would just lie in his tank and quietly contemplate his existence.

Judah was an iguana. Nathan’s father bought it for him for his 8^th birthday. An unusual pet for sure but the only kind his siblings had never possessed. They’d gone through the parakeets, goldfish, turtles and guinea pigs. They’d even tried a dog--a cute little furry one at that. But when no one agreed to wake up at 5 o’clock AM to walk her, she was given away to a more responsible family. A cute tabby cat still roamed freely throughout the house, spending most of her day sleeping on one of the family’s comfy living room couches. But Nathan needed something different. Something that would make him stand apart from the others. A pet that really knew him, that depended on him and welcomed him whenever he came into the room.

It wasn’t easy being the fourth of 5 children. His two older brothers spent most of their time playing basketball. The ubiquitous ball went with them wherever they went and hardly left the palms of their hands. They would twirl it around on one finger, bounce it behind their backs like the pros and toss it above every door frame to an imaginary basket hanging there. They didn’t have much time to spend with him. Sure, he admired their skills. They were both highly regarded players for the school basketball league, proud wearers of their team’s colored sleeveless sports shirts imprinted with their names in bold letters on the back. Nathan appreciated the times they took him to the courts and taught him how to dribble the ball, shoot a foul and fake a pass. But this didn’t happen very often.

Nathan’s older sister was in a world of her own. She was always locked in her room studying or doing homework, school books flung haphazardly across her bed and on the floor. She had little time for him. He didn’t really need her attention anyway.

His younger sister was the one closest to him. She was sweet but quiet. Oftentimes they played box games together—Monopoly, Connect4, Sorry. But mostly she hung out with his mom in the kitchen watching her cook. 

Yes, Nathan needed something of his own. So when the owner of the pet shop offered him what looked like a cute little green lizard with beautiful bright eyes, he knew this was just the animal for him. His father helped him choose a special tank large enough for a reptile to scamper around in and enjoy. It came with the very best UVB sun-simulating light that would provide a constant temperature of 88 F to 95 F, the warmth required for a maintaining a healthy, satisfied reptile. Food didn’t seem to be a big deal. Most iguanas are herbivorous and eat plants; specifically, they are folivores, dining only on leaves. In the wild, iguanas feed almost entirely on the leaves of trees and vines, plus some fruits and flowers. In a domestic setting—in a cage—it lives on exactly the same diet. All animals need water to survive and iguanas are no exception. They obtain most of their water intake through the plants they consume. But, some enjoy drinking out of water bowls, or lapping water off the leaves they are given. Nathan always kept Jared’s water dish full so he would stay hydrated. He loved wiping down his skin so it always glowed with a bright green sheen.

Nathan took full responsibility for his pet and proved to be a wonderful care taker. He cleaned the cage meticulously once a week and kept it filled with healthy green leaves (not the soggy leftovers from his salads). Romaine lettuce was his favorite. He checked the water supply each day. Nathan read lots of books about iguanas and was surprised to learn that they had the ability to recognize their owners. He was certain that Jared was always happy to see him and that he was greeting him with a welcoming smile. Iguanas also have great memories and can be affectionate. Although iguanas don't really like to be touched, they do tolerate it. Nathan took Jared out of his cage each morning and played with him. Jared never put up a fuss when he was petted and he came when called. Nathan’s pet had turned out to be a wonderful companion and roommate.

The months flew by and turned into years. Soon Nathan turned 9 and then 10. Jared continued to grow as well. His terrariums were exchanged for larger ones every few months to accommodate his size and personality and he had an increasingly difficult time trying to climb out of his enclosure. Most of the time he spent laying quietly on his stomach. He was close to six feet long now, mostly tail, and there were no more houses to buy for him. He had outgrown them all. He seemed content enough but despite all the affection he provided, Nathan couldn’t help but feel that his good friend was lonely. He was a fully grown iguana now, an adult. He needed to be outdoors, lulling on his back along the wet grass and roaming the floors of the forest in search of his special plants and fruits. But mostly, he needed companionship, a partner.

Nathan had grown into a confident and socially active youth and he knew the time had come to let Jared go. He couldn’t hold his best friend back from the life he should be living. Nathan knew that he would miss his childhood friend dearly but there was no choice. Iguanas lived from 15 to 20 years and Nathan would never be able to accommodate Jared for so long.

Besides the emotional difficulty in parting from his dear friend, Nathan realized that it would not be easy to physically unburden him. Iguanas are fun pets when they are small but when they are grown up they are not the first choice for pet seekers. After much research, Nathan came across a local herpetologist (a zoologist who studies reptiles and amphibians such as frogs and turtles) who had found housing for many large reptiles and was excited to obtain another iguana who could be paired the one already living with him.

Nathan and his father loaded Judah into their car for the short ride to the herpetologist’s home. He greeted them at the door enthusiastically with a solid hand shake. Nathan walked Jared into the house and stood back silently watching as his friend slipped slowly into the room where other reptiles could be heard moving around. Before disappearing totally, Nathan’s childhood playmate turned his head and looked straight at Nathan one last time, his face aglow with happiness and gratitude. Holding his head straight, he sent his boyhood companion a warm farewell smile.

Tears streamed down Nathan’s face as he stood overwhelmed with feelings of love and nostalgia. He blew his friend one last kiss. Then he turned around and together with his father walked out to his car.