A sharing by Ling Sing Lin
The Lizard that wanted to be my Pet
This is a true story. It happened to me recently.
Being an animal lover, I avoid killing other creatures like insects (with the exception of mosquitoes, flies and cockroaches), and lizards. Lizards serve a function in our ecosystem, eating insects. However, I find that they also go for our food. Is it because there aren’t enough insects for them in Singapore, with regular foggings?
Somehow, one baby house lizard in my apartment realised that I don’t chase them or scream in their presence. He would literally throw himself from wherever he was, and land next to my foot, making me jump! When I opened the fridge door one day, he jumped into my fridge and made me jump again. I had to use a paper towel to retrieve him or he would have frozen to death.
He tried the same manoevre on a second occasion, and this time I was prepared. I scooped him up with a paper towel and threw him down the rubbish chute. That is the end of him, I thought. He won’t be able to climb up 3 floors to my apartment. He can’t recognize my apartment, surely?
I told this story to my grandchildren (over social media) and my youngest granddaughter, who obviously has a softer heart than me, chided me for not fulfilling the lizard’s wish to be my pet.
Two weeks later, I discovered to my horror that the lizard had found his way back to my home. This time he was in my bedroom. He was of a darker hue but was still recognizable, as he had no fear of me, unlike other lizards. He looked at me sorrowfully (my imagination), probably trying to communicate that I had been very unkind to him.
A few days later, I found him dead on the floor in my bedroom. The past 2 weeks or so had been very traumatic for him.
Sorry, Lizzy, I have never wanted a pet lizard.
Pet Lizards
We read of people who keep pet lizards, but these are usually green iguanas, chameleons, bearded dragons, Caiman lizards, Chinese water dragons, etc. Lizards are pretty low down on the list of preferred pets.
Have you heard of anyone keeping a house lizard as a pet?
lingsinglin
Dr Ling Sing Lin is a medical doctor by training. She worked in MOH HQ for many years, in policy making and administrative positions, until her retirement.
