Tired of cats and dogs? Want something different?

[left-of-center2012]

"If you’re sick and tired of cats and dogs hoarding all the Instagram love,
MacGyver the Lizard is about to become your new best friend.
Trust us, he’s more cuddly than he looks.

Meet MacGyver – a 4-year-old Argentine red tegu lizard from California who may be the most popular lizard on Earth.
The adorable reptile has over 156k followers on Instagram, 44k followers on Youtube, and he even has a LinkedIn page!

Every day, thousands of people look at pics and videos of MacGyver eating, going for walks, and, most importantly, cuddling. MacGyver really loves to cuddle."

[whathehell]

1. Um.. Maybe not that different.

[Solly Mack]

2. Lizards are cool.

MacGyver is adorable.

[Hoyt]

3. I bet that would scare off an intruder if he performs guard-lizard duties.

[left-of-center2012]

4. I wonder if he has a little red sports car?

(I know, I know. He's not a gekko)

[red dog 1]

5. K&R

I never before heard of a lizard that liked to cuddle.

(I love that photo of MacGyver & the dog)

[Kaleva]

6. Lizard looks like it would like a cigarette in the 2nd pic.

[csziggy]

7. Great - popularize another exotic species that people will tire of and release

To damage habitats they should not be in.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tegu Lizards Are Taking Over the Everglades
Tuesday, November 1, 2016 at 8 a.m.
By Jessica Lipscomb

Irwin has spent the past four years relentlessly hunting tegus, a black-and-white lizard native to Central and South America. By his tally, 1,600 have made the mistake of wandering into one of his traps to eat the chicken eggs he leaves as bait.

It's backbreaking work dodging venomous snakes, poisonous plants, and the cruel Florida sun during the hottest months of the year. But Irwin loves it. There's satisfaction in making a small dent in a huge problem threatening an environment he's treasured his whole life, plus it beats the alternative.

"If not, I'd have to get a real job," says Irwin, a former IT worker.

He isn't the only one trying to catch South Florida's tegus. As concerns rise that the hearty reptiles are primed to wreck our delicate ecosystem, a small army of researchers, trappers, and park rangers is on the hunt. Because tegus devour eggs, biologists fear the lizards could destroy generations of rare native species such as the American crocodile and the roseate spoonbill.

More: http://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/tegu-lizards-are-taking-over-the-everglades-8890823
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

While some owners are certainly responsible, far too many people acquire exotic animals and when they tire of their special needs or when the animals get larger than expected they often release them rather than dispose of them responsibly. People as a whole are not responsible with species that have been domesticated for thousands of years - stray dogs and cats are far too common. Neither should be allowed to roam free, but we still see them overwhelm local systems. Why add to that problem?!

Rather than spend tons of money on exotics, why don't animal lovers adopt their pets from local shelters?

[Skittles]

8. THAT LIZARD THINKS HE IS ALL THAT

I WILL TEACH HIM THE ERROR OF HIS WAYS

[BlancheSplanchnik]

10. How can you kick his ass?

He has NO BUTTCHEEKS!!!!!

[Skittles]

12. HE IS ORANGE

I WILL FIND A WAY; yes INDEED

[BlancheSplanchnik]

13. Maybe he needs a can of green paint?

Poor elephants, oranges and turtles....their good names have been unfairly besmirched!!!!

Eddie Munster isn't having a very good time of it either.

Those lousy pukes deserve an asskicking with steel toed cleats! FIND ME SOME STEEL TOED CLEATS!!!!!!!

[NJCher]

9. Spike the Insect

I read on Buzzflash about an insect named Spike who is dearly beloved by his human. Spike is apparently quite artistic, and his human sells his art and devotes part of the profits to charity. Spike manipulates his brush with his pincers.


Cher

[BlancheSplanchnik]

11. That's too cute!

😆❤️