Typically, when you’re shoveling snow, you don’t expect to uncover anything beyond, well, more snow.
But recently, a Providence, Rhode Island, resident was out shoveling nearly 20 inches of snow from his driveway when he dug up something he never expected — a huge black and white reptile.
New England Wildlife Center
The animal was a tegu, a large lizard native to Central and South America. In Rhode Island, it’s legal to have a tegu as a pet, though animal experts strongly advise keeping them inside, as the cold-blooded animals can’t survive harsh winters.
Luckily for this tegu, the resident knew just what to do.
New England Wildlife Center
“Thankfully, [it] takes more than a couple feet of snow and a rogue reptile to rattle this resident,” New England Wildlife Center wrote in a Facebook post. “He kindly brought the lizard inside right away and wrapped [her] in a t shirt to help conserve heat.”
The homeowner contacted experts at ET Reptiles, who sent a pair of team members to the scene.
New England Wildlife Center
Rescuers brought the tegu to veterinarians at New England Wildlife Center. The vets examined the lizard and found that she was extremely weak and underweight.
“[She] had suffered frostbite to [her] tongue and showed signs of significant muscle weakness after prolonged exposure to the cold,” New England Wildlife Center wrote.
Staff members quickly got to work providing lifesaving care. They operated on the tegu to resolve tissue damage and monitored her to ensure her vitals stabilized.
“[She] is now resting comfortably and finally warm, which makes all the difference!” New England Wildlife Center wrote.
Rescuers still aren’t sure where the tegu came from or how she escaped, and they encourage anyone with information to contact New England Wildlife Center or ET Reptiles with updates.
Regardless of whether team members uncover more of the story, they’re dedicated to helping the tegu, whom they’ve named Frankie, fully recover and find a suitable home.
“Recovery will take time, patience and a lot of support, but Frankie is showing us just how strong she can be!” ET Reptiles wrote in a Facebook post. “Thank you to everyone who has checked in, shared her story and continues to advocate for reptiles who depend entirely on humans to survive.”
