For the Love of Anastasia

Well I don't always blog about my band and weight and hunger so today I'm writing about my two year old iguana Anastasia aka Binky.

Two years ago my husband and I rescued our little girl Anastasia from an owner that had about 20 baby iguanas in a ten gallon fish tank. A little about iguanas. Iguanas are creatures of habit, can not be housed together for long after birth because the bigger ones will show aggression and the smaller ones will end up dieing. The bigger babies will eat first, bask in the light first and the others will suffer. The are strictly vegetarians only eating collard greens, mustard, kale, and the list goes on for an eternity.

Anastasia was the smallest igauna in the tank and I told my husband to get her. They are very fast when they are little like that so it was hard to catch her. At that time we didnt know she was a she because you cant tell their sex until they are about two years old.

Iguanas need a lot of calcium in order to function, proper light and heat because they can not regualate their own temperatures. Yes I am giving you lessons in iguana care. Ya never know you might love one too. Anastasia soon developed calcium deficiency and she was paralyzed and could not move. She couldnt eat because her bottom jaw got so big that she could not chew her food. We took her to a reptile vet and they started her on calcium supplements. Metabolic bone disease is one disease iguanas get that takes a very long time to cure. Every day for seven months I syringe fed her Gerber baby food because I could not let her die.

It was a fight day after day and her growth was stunted drastically. I still would leave her food when I left for work just in case she would try to eat, but she didn't. After seven months of not even eating breakfast to feed her, I was so ready to just give up (but I would never do that). Iguanas can live up to 20 years and all I could think of that I would spend the next 20 years syringe feeding this baby, that she wouldnt grow, and it would be like taking care of a disabled child.

One day I cut some watermelon up into small pieces and placed it by her and walked away. When I looked back it was gone. I couldn't believe it. My baby ate. You have to understand it wasn't just feeding her but they have to be bathed every single day also because they don't drink water. She finally started dragging herself across the cage to get her food but I still fed her inbetween just in case.

She finally started eating like crazy and growing like crazy. People think I am crazy for loving my iguana but you know what? I do love Anastasia. Now she has a bundle of eggs to be delivered any day. No there wont be babies because they are not fetilized but all I can say is this. I did what I had to for my baby girl. We spent hundreds of dollars on her at her vet (which is what good pet owners do with their animals) to make sure she got better. So when folks think on here things that I say are rude. No I'm not rude. I am a loving and caring individual who spends my life rescuing abuse animals, advocating for voices that can't be heard.

Anastasia is a princess and she will be loved and cared for until its her time to go. Right now she isn't eating because it's what they do before they lay eggs but everyday just like before I syringe feed her Gerber baby food, give her calcium from the vets and bathe her til she lays her eggs. Then she lays on my shoulder while I rub her head and she goes to sleep. All for the love of Anastasia.