Reptile & Amphibian Forums

About 2 years ago I gave an iguana to a friend as I could not provide for him good enbough. A couple weeks ago he gave it back cause he said he could not handel it as it was verry agressive. How do I calm this guy down. I have been holding him and he seems to slightly warm up to you after a while but I cant even be gental when I pick him up and I am afraid that just picking him up is going to stress him to much. He is about 3 feet long and except for a slight mite problem we are working on he is in great health. When ever I open the cage hi come at me slashing with his claws and tail mouth wide opend trying to bite anything he can therefor I need to wrestle with him a bit just got get him out. He has been living 2 year on comercial food suplimented by greens and fruit once a week and that is the same diet I kept him on as he seems verry healthy. His cage right now is about 4 feet tall 2 feet wide and 3 feet deep. His cage I am building curntly is 6 feet tall 5 fee wide and 3 feet deep. Any ideas on how I can calm him down a bit? I dont car if He is 100% tame or not I just dont want to loose a finger every time I reach for him. Oh and if it makes a diference his cage is located in our bedroom were noone is around him most of the day. thanks in advance for the help.

Pick up melissa kaplan's book...good ideas on taming iguanas in there...

But from my limited experiance I can recommend:

-put the enclosure somewhere where the family is more active...kitchen, living room...he'll get used to the presence of humans then...make sure he has a hide box though.

-definetly get him into a bigger cage...that needs to happen first.

-Once you get the iguana if you hold him high in the air...it calms them right down. Try it and see if it helps to settle him once you get him out of the cage.

-Don't give up on the poor guy...some iguanas that are mean will scratch and bite and whip...but the cuts and bites will only last a few days...the iguana's life and companionship will last for much longer if you just keep trying.

-start slow with him, don't make quick movements...you'll know what he likes and doesn't like...talking in a calm voice sometimes works even if he can't understand you.

That's about all I've got...but read up on that book...it should help

GOOD LUCK
-----
Chris Vanderwees
REPTILE SALES AND INFORMATION
E-mail Me
1.2.0 Bearded Dragons
1.1.0 Crested Geckos
1.2.0 Veiled Chameleons
3.4.0 Corn Snakes
1.0.0 Tokay Geckos
1.2.0 California Kingsnakes
1.3.0 South Florida Kingsnakes
1.1.0 Albino Sonoran Gopher Snakes
1.4.0 Leopard Geckos
0.1.0 Green Iguanas

Sounds good thanks but one question. Why a bigger cage fast? He has plenty of room to climb and stretch and everything in the cage he is in

Well, you said the one he is currently in is only 2 feet wide...for a 3 foot iguana that's cramped...plus it doesn't give him any room to really get away from the heat or stretch out...just my opinion...the one you are building sounds perfect...just I'd try to build it as soon as possible.

Also, i didn't catch it the first time but...(don't know if you care what I think but) I really don't like that commercial diet stuff...I'd switch him to pure greens and squash and natural foods...the commerical stuff can't be good. I dunno, what my beef is whit that stuff...maybe because it looks unappetizing?
-----
Chris Vanderwees
REPTILE SALES AND INFORMATION
E-mail Me
1.2.0 Bearded Dragons
1.1.0 Crested Geckos
1.2.0 Veiled Chameleons
3.4.0 Corn Snakes
1.0.0 Tokay Geckos
1.2.0 California Kingsnakes
1.3.0 South Florida Kingsnakes
1.1.0 Albino Sonoran Gopher Snakes
1.4.0 Leopard Geckos
0.1.0 Green Iguanas

You can also use a towel when getting the iguana out. If you lightly lay a towel over them (I know it will try to whip or bite the towel) but it takes attention away from your hand. It also helps to control the claws and tail once you have it picked up. Then you can start doing away with the towel while holding and later even when picking up.

But yes if you care for animals at all they are worth the bites, scratches and welts from the tail whipping etc.!!

Stephanie

I dont mind the bites and scratches and welts it just bugs me that he may hurt himself lashing out like that. I have moved the cage into the living room like suggested. I will also start giving more greens and less comercial food but just a note this bugs me a little as he has lived away from me for 2 years on this diet and looks verry good. I am going to try to get him to the vet tomorow for a few things that happend to him while he was outside my care. Unfortunatly he lost one long toe in the rear and it looks as though another will have to be amputated. It has also come to my atention that I was not correct when noting the size if the cage and Iguana. For you convinience I have posted a picture below. Maybe its jsut me but that cage looks great for him for now. Please take a look at the picture and let me know what you think. Thanks for all the help.