You know you are in S FL when...IGUANA!

missinthesouth

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I went home for lunch today (as I usually do), and on the way from the car to the apartment I was stopped by the biggest Iguana I have ever seen! This guy HAD to be at least 3 feet long!!!
He was sunning on my stoop in front of the front steps, and I had to step over him to get up to my apartment! AH! I thought he would hiss at me or be afraid of me, but he just sat there chillin.

I always see those big guys on my runs (usually they sun on the pile-ons under the bridges), but I have never seen one around the apartment complex! They aren't indigenous, but there are all kinds of species down here that people introduced as pets and are now part of the wild. We have tons of green mini-parrots too, but they don't freak me out like the iguana did!
 

ollyextra05

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Too funny! I grew up in So. FL so I know what you mean about all the "exotic" wildlife! Where I lived we had wild parrots and even had some monkeys for awhile--definitely a tropical feel!

Where in FL are you? I grew up in Vero Beach, on the East Coast.
 
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missinthesouth

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We are in Hollywood, which is about 5 miles South of Ft Lauderdale.

The first time I saw the parrots (we have only been down here for 2 years) I thought they were someone's pet that got out!
 

angelkitty

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Not up here in Indiana... Nothing like that...

I do have to say on the way to work today,, I had to stop because two cows got our of their pasture area.. So I sat there and honked my horn, and was yelling and trying to scare them.. But they just looked at me and kept chewin on the grass!!! with the occassional mooo moooo..

They are hugeee, so I didn't get out of my car.. I just sat there like a dope. Then this guy drove up, and yelled.. Hey we got COWS..


I said YES< I KNOW,, I can't get them to move!! He was just a laughing,, because I was scared they'd trample me...


He scared them with a "ogga booga kind of noise thingy" They ran... not towards there pasture, but out of my way.. Thank goodness..... I have to worry about hitting deers or deers hitting me.. Now I've gotta worry about cows... Oh my!!!
 

ollyextra05

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Originally Posted by MissintheSouth

We are in Hollywood, which is about 5 miles South of Ft Lauderdale.

The first time I saw the parrots (we have only been down here for 2 years) I thought they were someone's pet that got out!
My parents lived in Hollywood for a few years before I was born. Nice area!
 

snosrap5

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Originally Posted by angelkitty

Not up here in Indiana... Nothing like that...

I do have to say on the way to work today,, I had to stop because two cows got our of their pasture area.. So I sat there and honked my horn, and was yelling and trying to scare them.. But they just looked at me and kept chewin on the grass!!! with the occassional mooo moooo..

They are hugeee, so I didn't get out of my car.. I just sat there like a dope. Then this guy drove up, and yelled.. Hey we got COWS..


I said YES< I KNOW,, I can't get them to move!! He was just a laughing,, because I was scared they'd trample me...


He scared them with a "ogga booga kind of noise thingy" They ran... not towards there pasture, but out of my way.. Thank goodness..... I have to worry about hitting deers or deers hitting me.. Now I've gotta worry about cows... Oh my!!!
Now see that is just too funny!!!
 

snosrap5

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Originally Posted by angelkitty

It's rough being a semi city girl and living in the country... It's not my scene..
I would never have gotten out of the car either!
Those cows have big feet and I might just get stepped on.
 
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missinthesouth

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Having grown up in the country of NC, and working on horse farms my whole life, this has happened to me a bunch of times! Cows are pretty hard to scare off though, they are pretty mellow.

But, I have seen them run and they can get up and GO when they want to! Once on a trail ride, we passed a neighboring farm that had cows. They had gotten out (again) and when they saw me and my horse that ran for us!
My horse took one look at the oncoming attack cows and wigged out completely!
I think he was traumatized b/c from that day on, he was terrified of cows, poor guy!
 

lokismum

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I used to live in the country, and I remember one of the neighbouring farmers cows got out a few times, and once they ended up in my front yard! I had to call him to come and collect his cows - I wasn't going to try to herd them!
 

dixie_darlin

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The joys of florida.
I too once thought when I seen parrots and macaws flying that someone let them out

I have seen iguana's too. What freaked me out was all the tiny lizards...gecko's and skinks.. I thought they were cool after awhile. My boys will catch them and let them crawl all over them. My mom and dad have a gecko living IN their lovebirds cage... bird actually "talks" to it
Apparently the bird has a pet
 

tavia'smom

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I grew up on a cattle farm so I would have simply gotten out and found something to use as a herding stick, makes you look bigger, and just sent them in their field. Our neighbors cows used to get out all the time and they live on a very bad blind curve. But the cows are well taken care of so I don't blame them for escaping.
 

starryeyedtiger

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Awww!!! I LOVE Iguanas!!! I use to have a green Iguana named Iggy!!! He was soo cute!!
 
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missinthesouth

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I think they are so cool! My best friend has had an iguana for years and he is HUGE! I was just a little thrown to see a wild one on my stoop!


Great picture!!! My MIL doesn't have anything cool at her house, excpet for about 4-5 feral outdoor cats that are obnoxious and smelly and always pee on my car (but she had them all spayed/neutered and she takes care of them, so I can't complain).
 
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