Petlife logo

Adam and the Ice Storm

How Does a Gecko Survive the Cold?

By Heather CumboPublished 2 years ago 4 min read
Like
Adam and the Ice Storm
Photo by Andrey Tikhonovskiy on Unsplash

I named the gecko Adam because he was my first gecko, so why not name him after the first man? He and I lived in our own little house in Southern Ohio. I know some people don't believe you can have an emotional connection with a gecko, but Adam and I had a bond. We traveled together from Iowa to Ohio. He was my one and only pet at the time, and I did whatever I could to make him comfortable and happy.

He was a good gecko. He never lost his tail. That was the proof I had that he was exceptionally chill. I've seen people stupidly pick him up by his tail and children poke at him, but he never got nervous enough to drop his tail. Not only that, but I could have sworn that he genuinely liked me. He sat on my shoulder as we read books or watched TV together.

One day, my dad and younger sister came to visit. My sister wanted to see the gecko, so we went to the bedroom where his terrarium sat. She played with Adam while I lay across the bed on my stomach, my arms crossed under my chin. My dad stood as he continued to talk with me. My sister put Adam on the bed and he crawled over to me and put his two front feet on my arm. I rubbed his head with my finger. He seemed to smile.

"Wow, animals can really tell that you love them," Dad said. "I would think a creature with such small brains wouldn't be able to know who was who."

Yes, Adam and I were pretty happy together. He got nice and fat on the crickets I fed him. I never thought I could love an animal that didn't have fur, but I truly had affection for my gecko.

Then, one winter, we had an ice storm. I'm talking a major ice storm. Electricity was out in the houses in our area. The roads were dangerous. It was extremely cold. I was worried about Adam. His heat lamp and heat pad were off, and I didn't know how I could keep him from freezing to death.

My mom and dad hazarded the storm to come get me. They didn't want me to be alone. We were going out to Grandma's house so that she wouldn't be by herself, either.

"I can't leave Adam," I said. We put him in his carrying case and wrapped it up in a couple blankets.

The journey to Grandma's house was slow and scary. The only thing I could think about was Adam. I was sure he was going to die.

We made it out to Grandma's house. She came out of the bedroom wrapped head to toe in blankets.

"We are in dire straits," she said.

I anxiously checked on Adam. Was he moving? It didn't look like it. He blinked. Okay, he was still alive, but he may have been going into shock from the cold.

My aunt and uncle came in. They were checking on Grandma, too. They noticed me on the couch, holding a wrapped-up case.

"You better hope they get the electricity back on soon," my uncle said grimly. As they left, they reassured us that the storm was over and things should be looking up.

Even though it was still early in the evening, it was dark outside. Mom, Dad, Grandma and I ended up falling asleep. In the middle of the night, the lights came back. The furnace kicked on. I had fallen asleep while still holding on to Adam's case. I quickly set it beside the register so he could warm up and - I prayed - revive himself.

The morning was still cold, but we had made it through the night. Grandma was the first one to stir and she went into the kitchen to make coffee and set things out for breakfast. She was happy and busy as if the night before had never happened. One couldn't tell that just hours before, we were in "dire straits."

I immediately checked on Adam. He put his front legs up on the wall of the case, looked at me, and (I swear) smiled. He had survived the ice storm.

There are a lot of details I don't remember about that ice storm. My parents don't recall it at all, though they remember a worse one that happened a couple years before this particular one. However, the fight for Adam's life sticks in my memory for one reason. It was one situation that I felt completely helpless. There was nothing much I could do for the little guy. He had made it through, surviving purely on his own stamina. He was a hearty lizard, and I admire him for that.

exotic pets
Like

About the Creator

Heather Cumbo

I once tried to major in Theatre, but ended up going back to my first love, which is Creative Writing. I am a huge bookworm and film buff. I also like theatre (the costume department), classic rock and folk music, and trying new things.

Reader insights

Be the first to share your insights about this piece.

How does it work?

Add your insights

Comments

There are no comments for this story

Be the first to respond and start the conversation.

Sign in to comment

    Find us on social media

    Miscellaneous links

    • Explore
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Support

    © 2024 Creatd, Inc. All Rights Reserved.