Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have had buddy for 4 years. I have also owned green iguanas. I have noticed the difference people have talked about in potty training both types of iquanas. The green iguana's would get into a habit in a certain place, or time etc. With my rhino, he might just go whenever he had the urge. Well, I have figured him out. The only place he has never once had an accident is on this perch my wife made for him out of an entertainment stand. We noticed he just comes down from it when he has to go. So I have been taking him off every day about the same time and placing him in his old cage. He does his business and I take him back. I have been doing this every day for 2 weeks. He has not once had an accident yet. He is now a free roamer as of november last year. He spends his days and nights up on this perch, only coming down every once in a while and then climbing back up. I turn his light out when we go to bed and on when we get up

Couple of things about that... first off, cool that that works for you. Two, do you work from home? I have the same "agreement" with my Cyclura, except he like to go about three times. So it goes like this. Turn on light and take him to the tub (where he goes like clockwork: he hits the porcelain and he dumps), leave for work. Get home, clean up poop in the hallway (we have hardwood floors) then when I hear him jump off his cage again (ALWAYS 5 minutes into dinner) take him again. He actually waits for me the third time, but if I take more than a 2 or 3 minutes, he figures he waited long enough, and goes right there. Good thing: his diet is now heavily weighted on the ZooMed pellets, so the fecal is harder, bad thing: he likes a lot of water (be cause he prefers the pellets dry) so it always comes with a nice squirt of urine.

I don't work from home. He will hold it for up to 2 days . I guess he does not want a mess where he lives. When your cyclura's lease is up you must re-do that agreement with him. Let him know what is expected of him and that others are following the potty rules. This should help!

I have noticed since I took him out of his cage and he spends his days sitting under a lightbulb he is developing shedding problems. He has never had them before. I think that lightbulb must dry him out. Can anyone recommend a remedy for this?

Its not the light bulb. Shedding is linked to the humidity, and he is under the light all day because he cant get warm enough to leave it. Roaming, unless in Florida, is almost always leads to premature death by slowly dehydrating and kidney failure. Just now checked Grand Cayman, the humidity is 73%. is it even close to that in your house. Consider that over a length of time not just today. Most houses are too dry and the ambient temp too low. Thats the down side to roaming.

wow, I will do what it takes. I will buy a humidifier and keep him in a bedroom with a little higher heat. Thank you for your help