Times Leader | News | Rescuing reptiles

"Terry Knorrston has a passion for animals. Not just cute and cuddly puppies and kittens. She likes animals most people would find repulsive – like iguanas and alligators.."

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Great article Des. Best of luck to her, to bad there arnt more people out there like that.

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MARSHA

:D I'm smiling because I have no idea whats going on!

The only thing that concerns me about the article is she stated that if she does not get homes for these animals they will all have to be euthanized or if she does not get her seperate building. I guess I am a little offended by that. It also states she realizes she can no longer care for the 14 iguanas any more. Why did she take them in then? I have 14 iguanas in my care at the moment with absolutely no more coming in, no matter what the reasons until some find homes. I think she had great intentions, and I deeply respect that, on the other hand when you have to many and you cannot afford them nor care for them I feel you are actually doing a great injustice to the animal and the community you serve, especially if you are a non profit. I have seen to much of that in the rescue business, whether it be reptiles or other animals.
At what point in time did she finally realize that a single wide mobile home is a little cramped for them all, common sense would tell you that before you took them in. I am not meaning to offend anyone, I just feel that situation is a little touchy.

Nicole I had the same thoughts. While her intentions may be good she has several problems. She has seriously over extended herself. And it sounds like she is begging someone to give her a facility,...not likely to happen.

Not to mention that her advise to house a female with a male for companionship and to calm it down are seriously out in left field!
And since when do iguanas generate lots of dust? News to ME!

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

I am not sure why she says they create a lot of dust, I do not have that problem. She may be using reptibark or something which is really dusty, if thats the case then no wonder she cannot afford them, lol. That stuff is not cheap! Not to mention my personal opinion of it is that it is junk! As far as housing them together, (adults) for companionship,Jury is still out on that one! I know there are people who house iguanas together and it works for them, then there are those that it absolutely does not work for! I personally do not feel that any of the iguanas I have require companionship, however they may disagree with me during certain times of the the year, LOL. I have a herd of babies in I call the Green meanies that are housed together in the same enclosure at the moment, but then I know that in the wild they feel safer in numbers. I do plan to make a huge enclosure for them by closing my porch in and turning it into a large tropical greenhouse/aviery type enclosure. However they will all have their own basking and uvb spots with their own food bowls, own space. I am also prepared to section it off if they start having issues with getting along. This will be the first time I have ever housed iguanas together , but it might work out since they were raised together, but then again maybe not! Who knows!

As far as her thinking someone is going to donate a shop to her because she is a non profit, good luck with that, lol. My personal feelings on whether or not you can take in another animal are as follows:

can I afford another one (food,medical,medicine)
do I have time for PROPER care (basic needs and Socialization)
Do I have room
If not do I have a temporary enclosure until The proper gets built (usually 6 weeks)

If the answer is no, then there is my answer for that particular animal. There are TONS who do not agree with that but I feel that if I ended up like her that I would be no better than the other guy who I took Oscar and the others from No thank you

It is possible what she did say was taken out of context. She may have said any animals she does not take in could be put down. Because in the beggining of the article it states she can't take in anymore and is turning them down.

Yes it stated that she turned down a five foot iguana in the beginning but also in quote her words are "if I cant expand into a building or something they're all going to have to be put down! " pretty self explanatory to me.

Another issue I have is, is that now she has too many, and is pretty much begging ( you know the whole if I dont get a building they all have to be put down) for someone else to donate another facility to her. Was she counting on this when she took them in? If so thats crazy! Also I do not find that using the whole help me or they have to be put to sleep very appealing, let alone very professional. As a non profit you are supposed to remain professional, and have some intelligence on what it is you are rescuing. How are iguanas dusty? That only tells me there is not proper humidity with them.
The whole article is absurd! She sounds like an excellent candidate for James Hatfields book on iguanas!

Again I am not meaning to offend anyone It is just my personal opinion and thats all!

Nicole I agree with you. I hear a lot of people who, without any idea what they are getting into, decide that they want to become a rescue operation. The same subject has come up on this forum in the past. While the intention may be good the logistics aren't even considered. They have no concept of the time and financial commitment that are required.
Its very easy to get in way over your head very quickly!

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

It is absolutely very easy to get in way over your head! I just am not taking any more period! About the only thing that I could take in would be a hermit crab at the moment, and not one of the big ones either, lol. People have no concept of the Time and Money that it takes. I feel that in the case of reptile rescue that you have to be prepared to keep the ones you take for possibly the rest of their lives! As we all know how easy it is to find proper homes for the iguanas, NOT! I can tell you that what I have is a minimum 8 hours a day of work, sometimes more. The finances are a whole different subject, all I have to say about that is phewwwwww.............

On a brighter note, not everyone has the time or finances to take in a herd, but there are the few that take in 1 or 2 and do miraculous things which I feel is just as wonderful as if you took in a herd I guess my moral to that story was you dont have to take them all and have inadequate care, take one or two and provide excellent care and you are doing just as much of a service as the ones who have a ton! rescue is rescue as long as its done right, whether it be 1 or 30.

But the problem is, if the word gets out that you are rescuing, you can find yourself deluged with unwanted animals. If you aren't strong enough to say "no I can't take anymore" then you get overwhelmed. I had a friend that did a small rescue, mostly snakes. There were many times she would get up in the morning and find a box on her front porch where people had come during the night and just dropped off the animal without even speaking to her!

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!