May 27, 2010

White Dog has warned Quinn over and over to avoid our moody little Lizard Thug, Milo, who packs a powerful wallop with her tail when she is upset. Steve and I have tried to monitor their interaction simply because Quinn's background is a mystery to us and we feared he might be tempted to treat her as a hunting trophy. Well, it turns out that all of us, White Dog, Steve and myself should have more trust in both our three-legged reptile and our furry gentle mammal.

Both have been remotely curious about the other for weeks now and have observed each other, at a distance, in many situations. Milo watches from her cat perch as Quinn naps in the closet. Quinn is fascinated when Milo goes for a swim in the bathtub. They have each noted the food and movements of the other.

Today, White Dog, The Other White Dog, and I were at the computer (which is the room Milo "lives" in) when she decided to come down for a stroll. White Dog immediately left the room as is usual for her. Quinn, who was lying in the doorway of his chosen "sleeping closet" looked up and did not react. I tensed to rush in should I need to.

Milo, moving in her curious up and down as she goes forward gait, walked over until she was face-to-face with Quinn. He looked up at her with interest but did not move. She touched her nose against his and they both sniffed. I held my breath and half stood up. Quinn sniffed Milo's head and then lay back down, the entire time perfectly comfortable and relaxed. The excitable Iguana did not even head bob (an aggressive move) nor did she close her eyes and stop breathing (a defensive move). Instead Milo moved a little closer so she was brushing his fur; and stood there for nearly a minute. Then she slowly turned and headed for the bathroom to swim.