Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello,

I was wondering if any of you had any advise for this....

my friend has an iguana (2 feet max), and it runs free through-out
the house, the problem is: it went into a hole in the wall. It's been
in there for about 2 weeks. They've left the water dish and food near
the entrance of the hole, but they don't think it's been eating.
They said he came out once but as soon as it saw their roommate, it
ran back into the hole. The reason why i think it likes it so
much in there is because the hole is right beside the radiator, so
the wall is nice and worm.
THe bigger problem is that they are moving in about 4 days. They love
this little guy and don't want to leave him behind to die, any
advise on how to get him out.
The walls are plaster, so who knows where the studs are (we thought
of taring down the wall if it was drywall)

any advise is greatly appreciated.
Chargo

the only thing i can think of is turn the radiator of so it wont be warm there and put a heat rock or heat pad something right next to the hole so that he will come to that for heat.

After that, you've got to tear the wall down because the iguana will be paralyzed from being cold. But this evening, try this: turn off all the lights in the room, and set up a nice basking spot outside the hole with food, a blanket, and a nice warm iguana light above the whole thing. Maybe it will attract him more than just food alone.

Also, you know he's attracted to the radiator, so if you tear down the wall behind and around the radiator, and then wait for him to come back for heat, you'll have an easier time...

Good luck, and let us know how it goes.

Also, for food, I would try really smelly tasty stuff-bananas, strawberries, etc as "bait" hopefully they will attract his attention.
Sarah

If you end up having to tear out the wall (and I would for any animal), you might try contacting a chimney cleaning firm or other company that uses fiber optics for inspections. The fiber optic can be put up the hole, the ig located, and wall opened near the ig to minimize wall damage.

Good luck,
Elaine

the same exact thing happened to my ig and just days before i was to move as well, just left the food trail n the bowl of food a little distance from the hole..he eventually came out the day before i moved....think he knew what was going on though...just be patient ...he'll come out...