My Nellie

I only had her for maybe two years but I would pass by her tank daily and greet her each morning, taking her blanket off and wishing her a good morning. Nellie came to me as Nigel but when I learned she was not a he I changed her name. Nellie was a German Giant and I loved cuddling with her. I'd talk to her, my 'Nellie-Belle' and snuggle with her, falling asleep with her cradled in the crook of my arm. She was very patient with me, sometimes giving me the hairy eyeball as if to say, "Hey, It's MY turn to complain". She loved her bath once she'd settled in and that was where she produced great poop (jeesh, what a mommy I am, proud of my baby's poop!). She was previously owned by some college students, so I really don't know how old she was but this past week I noticed her beard had turned constantly black and the tip of her tail seemed darker. I knew about a herpetologist about 30 miles away and was planning to take her in but he only has hours Tuesdays and Sundays and this was Wednesday. Last night Nellie and I cuddled and she couldn't settle down. She kept getting fidgety, then finally went to sleep. After a while I put her back in her tank on her warming pad. As usual this morning I checked on her and as usual overnight she had moved off her pad to huddle near her branch. But she was unresponsive to my greeting. She had died. I called family members to announce my loss and her passing. The typical response was, "Well, you didn't know how old she was," which I didn't, but I'll always remain convinced that she had an upper respiratory infection that I didn't fully detect till this week or last. She ate and pooped as usual - well, it's winter so all my beardies have slowed down - she was alert and did not seem to be in respiratory distress. The last two days I noticed I could see her chest rise and fall as she breathed. That and the constant dark beard caused me to call the vet. We buried her just now in the back yard. There's a gentle fluffy snow falling - the first in this fluky New England winter - and, silly me, I worry that my Nellie will be cold.