Owner Finds Pet Lizard in Gloversville 2 Months After Devastating Fire

Miracle in Gloversville?

Two months ago, a devastating fire tore through a historic abandoned building in Gloversville. Sadly, many of the exotic pets in a nearby pet store were presumed to be killed in the blaze, but that changed a month ago.

Last month, one of the exotic pets, a lizard, was seen hanging around a bakery in Gloversville, giving its owner (and the community) some hope that at least one of their beloved pets was alive.

At the time, the cafe's owners said they were unable to catch the reptile, but they hoped that people in the area, knowing it had somehow survived, might be able to return it to its heartbroken owner.

Pet Lizard Spotted a Month After Massive Fire

Back in early June, Cravings Bakery and Cafe in Gloversville excitedly posted about the sighting.

While they say they could not corral the reptile, they were also amazed that it could still be alive, and they hope someone in the area spots it.

"We just had a couple come in and say there was a huge “lizard” outside the bakery! How incredible that it was able to survive! Unfortunately we were unsuccessful at catching him right now but please keep an eye out and if you see anything please message their page to help him get him back!"

Leapin' Lizards, We Have an Update

A GNA listener in Gloversville shared the news with us this morning when she messaged us on the 1077 GNA app, writing:

Sending some good news your way from Gloversville, NY. I follow Cravings Bakery and Adirondack Exotics on FB. The pet store was a complete loss after the fire in April. In June, someone posted photos of a Tegu lizard that was spotted loose outside the bakery. It turned out to be a survivor from the fire! I just saw another post from yesterday. The owners of the pet store have caught their lizard. It is now safe and back with its people—a bright spot after so much loss that day.

We reached out to the owners of Adirondack Exotics to gather more information about the happy reunion. At the time we published this article, we hadn't heard back from them; however, a recent Facebook post shared the good news.

How the Tegu lizard lasted that long, we may never know.

However, they are considered very intelligent lizards and are known for their ability to learn, solve problems, and even recognize their owners.

With a diet that includes fruits, vegetables, eggs, insects, and small animals like rodents and reptiles, this little guy foraged in Gloversville for any nutrients to keep him alive.

Gloversville Fire Destroys Pet Store

According to reports, no one was hurt battling the fire, and fortunately, the building was unoccupied at the time. However, Adirondack Exotics, which is nearby, experienced a total loss.

Residents banded together and started a GoFundMe for Adirondack Exotics, a small exotic pet store that primarily handled reptiles, including the one that had survived.  As of this week, they raised over $9,200.