Let me begin by describing my tormentor and her environment:
I have a female Green Iguana named Berta who is 15 months old. She has always been very gentle. Her setup is an 8 foot by 8 foot by 3.5 foot mesh enclosure, utilizing capture the sun bulbs to keep temperature at 95 degrees in the basking area to 72 degrees in the cool zone of the cage (room temperature) during the day. There are hudifiers in the enclosure which keep the humidity at a daytime level of 85 percent. She is allowed to roam during the day in my studio for usually 2 to three hours from noon until three. Her diet is that as is prescribed by Kaplan (greens with proper fruits, combined with calcium and vitamin supplements) She is handled constantly and has always been fine. Her measurements as of yesterday are: (SVL : 10.5 inches )( STL: 34.5 inches) (weight: 1.5 lbs)
However, for the past three weeks (this is Feb 6, 2006) she has suddenly changed. Whenever I reach for her in her enclosure, she attempts to bite me, going so far as rushing me, mouth open, hissing like a kettle. Her appetite has decreased over the last month, but not considerably ( I have just knocked it up to winter blahs) When she is roaming, she is basically herself.... although she did enter my shower two days ago and give me a pretty angry hiss.
I am just continuing along with our routine, being patient and understanding, but is there anything else i can do? I feel like an abused husband. "Oh, I don't know how I got those puncture wounds all over my hands."
Help!
