Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Everytime I go to pick my rhino on me, he releases his bowls on me. I realize this is a defense method and all, but its still not very charming. Is there anyway to train him not to do this? he is still young, about less then a year or right at a year. any help is appreciated
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"The difference between 'involvement' and 'commitment' is like an egg-and-ham breakfast: the chicken was 'involved' - the pig was 'committed'."

0.0.1 Rhino Iguana
1.1 Black Pinesnake
1.1 Hypo Brooksi Kingsnakes
1.0 Albino Argentina Horned "Pacman" Frog

he is scared, that simple. As he gets older he wont be. Wait about another year or so. They are all different, some confident and some it takes longer. Try approaching him in different ways and speeds maybe you will find one that is not so scary. Also, it has been said that if you put him down after he goes he will keep doing it cuz it works. Put paper towels under his tail when you pick him up. Thats what I used to do.

jf

It just seems everytime I pick him up he craps, no matter how gentle i pick him up or not. I understand he is scared, but its also annoying to have an animal always crap on you lol. He didn't always do it, it just recently started not too long ago, about 2 months. No matter how many times I pick him up in day, he craps every time???
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"The difference between 'involvement' and 'commitment' is like an egg-and-ham breakfast: the chicken was 'involved' - the pig was 'committed'."

0.0.1 Rhino Iguana
1.1 Black Pinesnake
1.1 Hypo Brooksi Kingsnakes
1.0 Albino Argentina Horned "Pacman" Frog

yup. another thing I remembered I used to do-pick mine up and hold him over the sink or garbage can. You can feel him tense up when he is going to blow, pull your one hand away let him empty himself in the garbage and continue holding. It will pass. no pun intended

>>yup. another thing I remembered I used to do-pick mine up and hold him over the sink or garbage can. You can feel him tense up when he is going to blow, pull your one hand away let him empty himself in the garbage and continue holding. It will pass. no pun intended

Mine would wait until you were looking right at him and propel the feces with force at me. He has given up the practice at about 3 years of age.
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Cindy
PHFaust

Email Cindy

Land of the Outcasts!

Hi,
my name is Rick and live in Alabama. I own 3 Lewisi hybrids.
Try putting him in a tub with a drain or a cat litter box as soon as you take him out of his cage. Mine will crap right away in the box then he's done. It might teach him to crap, but he is going to anyway and it kind of trains them to crap in the box.

It works for me anyway.

Rick

ditto to Rick's msg. Mine is about 98% free roaming, and he just goes whenever he's put in the tub.

Others are right when they point out how very young he is... under one year if you are able to handle him count your blessings.

It likley will wait to be removed from its cage to crap outside of its home. mine will climb down a six foot stick to the concrete floor and go then climb right back to its basking spot and its only one year old. Do this when it craps on you, pull him up to your face and while looking into his eyes, let him hear you grip at him and then set him down where you want him to do it, believe it or not, it will understand after a few times and start going where you set it down and tell him to go, I am well aware that it wont undrestand what you are saying like a dog would, but he will understand that your instructing him and eventually will comply.

"Do this when it craps on you, pull him up to your face and while looking into his eyes,"

so he thinks you are going to eat him, re-enforcing that he thinks you are a predator

"let him hear you grip at him and then set him down where you want him to do it, believe it or not, it will understand after a few times and start going where you set it down and tell him to go, I am well aware that it wont undrestand what you are saying like a dog would, but he will understand that your instructing him and eventually will comply."

Or scare him even more. nice.

jf

They will usually if given the run of a room or house [which I don't condone or suggest people do but it's commonly done] will defecate in the same area. Simply put newspaper down wherever it chooses and it's potty trained. I do not now and never have let them go in a room or house. In fact the best way to "tame" a Cyclura is to do nothing at all. Let the lizard be a lizard and good things will happen over time. I never try to make mine do anything and I have a whole lot of happy lizards that like people. In fact a few of mine are so happy I usually will let them out once or twice a week to browse and explore for the day. At dusk they're back ready to go home and go to sleep. None ever go to far from their enclosure perhaps 80-100' at most. I'm not suggesting that any of you should do that because if they wanted to escape you would never catch them....It is nice while working outside having a curious lg Cyclura interact with you and other folks. Most visiting herpers when they first see this are amazed but I've done it for years and never had one even try to run away....
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Tom Crutchfield
www.tomcrutchfield.com

It s true Tom, I used to put mine on a leash and let it roam in the yard or an hour or so, after watching its routine for a year or two I took note that it always comes back inside and climbs up a tree limb back into its cage, so now after 20 months I dont use the leash at all and I dont worry much, besides the buzzards fly over often enough that the iguana stays under the saviola bushes and only basks near the front door which is open while its outside. and to JF, I did not say yell in your iguanas face while squeazing the its eyes out, but eye contact does help and implies communication, plus they handle it pretty well.just dont show him your teeth while teaching. JB

I know what you said. After I replied to your post I actually thought you may be kidding and I fell for it.

One good whap with a rolled up newspaper works pretty well. Or sometimes I take him back to where he went on the floor and rub his face in it, so that he learns to feel shame. But moderation is key.

Are you guys kidding? If not I'm very confused not to mention gullible....
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Tom Crutchfield
www.tomcrutchfield.com

speaking for myself, I was just kidding. The only time he comes into contact with a newspaper is if I leave it lying around and he poops on it.