Reptile & Amphibian Forums

ok i got the tank set up for either a CWD or a IG. i found some baby igs and some baby CWD for only 20$. this will be my first lizard i want something tht wont get sick alot. wont have a bad attitude, and will want to be held alot. this is kinda embarrassing to say cuz i dont say this much but i love animals and i want a lizard th i can hold and play with and sit down and watch TV with al lthe time. i need a lizard tht gets rather big and is fun to have. im gonna be getitng 2 or 3 of whatever i get. but i really just want a lizard th doesnt mind being out of its cage doesnt get sick and wont run away from me. so basically which is more tame and ppl freindly. (i like big lizards how big do CWD get) sry to ramble on but im geting the lizard very very soon and this is drivng me nuts half the ppl say igs are best the other half say WD. so im gonan go into my room now and rip my hair out while i wait for replies

No experience with WD's, but for igs, here is my 2 cents:

1. If you want a cuddly ig, be prepared to hold and play with a baby DAILY for a good year before he begins to act truly tame. Baby iguanas think everyone is out to eat them, and they spaz out every time you reach for them for the first year or so. Alternatively, you could get a very tame adult, but that may be more expensive. Check your local herp society for possible adult adoptions.

2. You may want to reconsider the "2 or 3" lizard idea. For iguanas, you are talking about MASSIVE cage space for that many (7.5-12 feet PER IGUANA!), and if you happen to have more than one of the same sex and they hit maturity, they will likely try to kill each other (even if they got along as youngsters) and then you either have to get rid of one, or have multiple MASSIVE cages! And mixed sexes, of course, means you will have possible little igs to deal with. Smaller iguanas will likely eventually be terrorized and picked on by larger ones. All that daily taming mentioned above now must be multiplied PER IGUANA!!

Think this one out carefully. Get a copy of "Iguanas for Dummies" if you can, which is my absolute favorite iguana book, and will help you make an informed decision.

Good luck!
Wendy

i jsut bought th book a cpl days ago should be here shortly. ne1 got any input

It sounds like you like the green spiky lizard look, but there is no greater couch potato than the bearded dragon. And you can keep two females together given enough space.
(I hope I didn't just triple your 'homework' load)
Beardeds and waters are both in the same family.
There is a LOT of individual difference within lizards, which is probably why no one wants to generalize. There are always 'average' temperments, but a lot of animals fall outside of it. For example, I own the world's only angry bearded dragon. I still love him though (and we still watch tv).
I've worked with a few water dragons, and a few were a bit flightly, but none were biters. I've worked with two iguanas, one was a sweetheart and the other was a nasty tail whipper. These were sort of cursory meetings (worked at vet kennel).
My gut reaction is to tell you to go with the smaller lizard, because of the sheer expense and.. er.. pain iguanas can inflict.
WD's, being insect eaters, also might be a little more easy to feed, because they get can all their protein and a lot of their minerals from dusted bugs. Just gives you a bit of a dietary cushion and you don't have to worry SO much about getting the diet JUST right. Just my experience, there. (WD's eat greens too, right? I hate to say I currently can't remember)
(hey, I don't have much experience with these particular species, but, well, I anwered anyway. ).

Something else to notice is that a lot of us here are in our late teens, twenties, or thirties, and either have some money to spend, or are making some money but don't have many costly responsibilities yet. Also, many of us have "found" our igs or otherwise been put in a position where we didn't know what we were getting into when we adopted them.

As much as I love my ig, if it were a different world and I had my pick, I would definately have gotten a beardie. SOOOOO sweet and companionable!

One thing I would like to point out is that even though that baby ig is $20 in the pet store it is a very expensive pet. You said you didn't want a lizard that gets sick.. that's good however a healthy iguana still needs to go to the vet yearly or biyearly if they are younger. If you have a female you may have to get x-rays when she is egg bound. I haven't had my iguana for a year yet but I have spend over 600 dollars on him easily. Granted it will be alot less next year since I will not have to build a new enclosure yet.
I also enjoy having my iguana very much and he is my little baby. Good Luck in deciding.

i dont really like bearded dragons as they look liek a big toad to me. dont get mad at me for saying tht. also money is not tht big of an issue as were not very poor (not rich tho) and 600 dollers for the first year wil lbe ok

I think there's nothing cuter than a big toad. I almost bought a toad last week but I don't think I could afford to feed it (it was a BIG toad).
So you can see why I like bearded dragons.
Water dragons ARE adorable though.
Oh heck, I think everything's cute. That's probably why I got so many pets... I had to talk myself out of a sheltopusik last week too.
But to tell you the truth, my bearded dragon ended up being extremely angry and chronically ill (the opposite of what you want), so I think it all comes down to luck. Um, good luck!

You really don't sound like you've done enough research about either animal to be getting it "Really soon".

I was looking into WDs a while back (about a year ago)and decided against getting one. But I'll tell you what I remember (It's not much but It may help). First off, You're talking a cage size about 4-5 feet tall, 3-4 deep and 4-5 long for a GOOD house. They like water and humidity (again, I don't remember much so if any of this is wrong, correct me). They are insect eatters but should be fed some pinkie mice (baby mice) when older. They NEED UVB and proper temps. The DO tail Whip, bite, scratch, etc when younger and not tamed.... Pretty much the same as Igs in temperment when young.

Now as for Igs, Best bet would be to go through adopting one. Better for the animal and it MIGHT already be tamed a little. They NEED a cage 6 feet tall, 6 wide, and 3 deep for a MINIMUM. Some people give their Igs entire Rooms out of their houses. These guys get BIG, topping 6 feet long and 20 lbs at times. When a Male Hits breeding season, YOU WILL GET HURT! They get NASTY! They aren't lap lizards. You're more likely to get bit or whipped then kissed and huged by these guys. Some tame down wonderfully and other never tame at all. They are VERY strong with Long claws, hard tails, and Powerful Jaws and they certainly will let you know it when they're pissed. They don't cuddle and purr for you. They don't come running, tail wagging when You call their names. They have VERY specific Needs that, if not met, can and will cost them their lives in a VERY painful manner.

I agree with the others that said, If you must have a lizard, get a Beardie. I have two. They are WONDERFUL, adorable, calm, couch potatoe lizards. No, they don't come runing when You call them and some don't like sitting in your lap but that doesn't stop them from being very good beginner lizards. The DO NEED uvb as well as a balanced diet of Greens and bugs. They also need a proper sized cage. They are more expensive then WDs or Igs but I feel that they make better beginner pets.

As other have said, not EVERY ANIMAL falls into these disriptions, all have individual personalities but these are the majority for the temperments. I BEG You, PLEASE, do a LOT more research BEFORE you buy ANY reptile. They all have very specific needs that HAVE to be met for proper health. Think CAREFULLY about the life time commitment You're getting yourself into. Igs can live 15-20 years, beardies can live about 15 and I'm not sure about WDs. But all these animals live a LONG time. Are you gonna be able to keep this animal properly for it's entire life?? Think about it long and hard and THEN decide.
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2 Iguanas, 2 Beardies, 1 Leo, 1 African Fat Tail, 1 Columbian Rainbow Boa, 1 Fla Garter Snake, 1 Banded California King Snake, 1 Corn Snake, 3 Fire Belly Toads, 1 Eastern Painted Turtle, 1 African Sideneck, 2 Horses, 4 cats, 1 dog, and I'm still not done.....

Bearded dragons fit your description of what you want your lizard to be like. Iguana's can be tamed but it is hard work, and some don't tame at all. Also if your iguana doesn't want to be touched it will let you know by slapping you right in the mouth with it's tail, extremely accurate too. I would start with something smaller and naturaly more tame, or you might be wrestling with a 5 foot iguana in no time.

ok i reasearch on lizards almost 5 hours a day i got off school early b4 my friends. its al li got to do. and its not true tht iguannas are tth bad if u handle them enough there wil lbe fine. also i really do not like berdies tht much they look like a big fat toad to me. i like lizard lizards. like green and ones tht get big. i want big lizards tht wont fight me to get outa there cage to watch some TV. if theres another green lizard tht like to watch tv and stuff plz tell me

After reading this post, you are making it very clear that you are not ready to care for an iguana... You have no idea what you are getting yourself into. "Handling an iguana enough" is no guarantee that you won't end up in the hospital needing stitches several years down the road because its breeding season and your iguana (if it lives that long) doesn't want to "watch TV or stuff" or want you anywhere near him... My ultra tame male iguana turned into the beast from hell at about 2.5 years old (last October). He finally calmed down to manageable levels about four months later, but he is still very territorial when it comes to his enclosure, and although he is tame, he can still be quite dangerous (and so far he's only about 4' and 6 lbs - with a lot more growing to go). It's the luck of the draw as far as what you get... Some can be very docile, some aren't. They have very specific requirements that are needed for their survival, and need to be cared for EVERY DAY. If you are still in school, how can you possibly know if you will be in a position to take care of such a creature when you finish? You aren't going to live in your parents house forever, and when you leave, chances are you won't even be able to afford a place big enough for both you and your iguana not to mention utility bills that come with proper lighting and heating requirements...

>>ok i reasearch on lizards almost 5 hours a day i got off school early b4 my friends. its al li got to do. and its not true tht iguannas are tth bad if u handle them enough there wil lbe fine. also i really do not like berdies tht much they look like a big fat toad to me. i like lizard lizards. like green and ones tht get big. i want big lizards tht wont fight me to get outa there cage to watch some TV. if theres another green lizard tht like to watch tv and stuff plz tell me

All the other ones I can think of are basilisks, anoles, flying dragons, and green tree monitors, and you'd be a lot happier with the WD. Plenty of people have these and are happy with them, but most reptiles don't 'just sit there' unless they're very scared. They like to go explore and see if they can find any tinfoil to eat and things like that. That doesn't mean you can't have fun interacting with them, it just means you should keep an eye on them. But as far as getting the animal out of its cage, smaller is better. A tame water dragon really isn't that far fetched, especially if you start out with a semi-tame one.

In all honestly, having and caring for an iguana involves nearly as much responsibility as raising a child does.

- You *MUST* be patient at ALL times. That means not getting angry or upset when the iguana does what -IT- wants to do, and not what -YOU- want it to do. That means if you want him or her to sit in your lap while you watch T.V., and the iguana decides it doesn't want to and tail-whips the heck out of you or bites you, you *cannot* get mad at him.

- My iguana has a huge appetite which means trips to the grocery store AT LEAST once a week, along with about half an hour of preparation for his food every day. He must always be fed in the morning, and that is regardless of whether I'm tired or trying to sleep in. I'm on my summer vacation, and I wake up at 7 A.M. every morning. If I don't, my ig will wreak havok in his room to let me know how angry (and hungry) he is.

- Like babies, they poop usually whenever and wherever when nature calls. Babies can wear diapers for this purpose; iggy's can't. Most can be potty trained after a while, but be prepared, and definitely not be squeamish, because an adult iguana can make a BIG mess, that includes on the carpet, on and in your belongings, etc. And even better, if they're unhappy with you, they will take their poop and use it as "paint", wiping it on everything within their reach.

- Lastly, if you decide mid-way while owning your iguana that it is too much responsibility for you to handle, you cannot just "get rid of him" when you feel like it. Zoos will refuse to take them in, pet stores might, but your iguana might suffer in their care, and most adoption places are overburdened as it is.

Not trying to scare you--iguanas are great if they can be tamed, but even if they are, they are still capable of changing in the blink of an eye. They usually are not "lap pets" but pets who you have to respect, including their inherent nature and boundaries. If you want subservient and/or tolerant companionship, your best bet is a cat or dog, or at the least, another type of reptile. Believe me, I wanted an iguana too, because I thought they were cuddly and uber-cool. But about 3 trips to the hospital Emergency Room in less than two months, I can attest that you have to accept them for the most part as they are and have TONS of patience.

I commend you for attempting to learn about iguanas before you get one, and the best of luck to you, but please learn about BOTH the good and bad aspects of iguanas before getting one.

-Gwin, the rescued orange angry iggy
And his mommy, the reptile-loving girly w/ stitches in her arm

I agree with everything everyone has said here. Whatever websits you have been reading are dead wrong. I have two juvie green iguanas less than a pound each. As a 19 year old college student balancing time for andy and vern and massage therapy classes is hard. Andy has sent me to the Emergency Room 5 times. 3 times resulting in stitches. The other 2 were taped up and I HAVE SCARS from this!!! And he is only 10 months old. HE IS OUT OF HIS CAGE ATLEAST 3 HOURS A DAY so ts not that he isnt handled and worked with. He is just very stubborn and probably will never be tame enough to be a cuddle bunny. My vet has told me that he has never seen a juvie ig this agressive. He has even brought up putting him to sleep when he is older if he dosent calm down. I WILL NOT put Andy down. That is not an option!! Get Iguanas for Dummies and LISTEN to the people on this site. Igs are EXPENSIVE I have had my igs for about 11 months now and Have spent WELL over $1,000 on equipment and food. Not to mention MY emergency room bills.

Oh BTW if you want pictures of some of the minor bites my mom and I have gotten let me know. I will be GLAD to show them.

id like to see the pictures, if you can post them here or email them

Sarah

Research is fine, but it in no way compares to hands on experience with the real thing. They think, they move, they communicate, and they are not going to be nice and predictable like the books say. Iguanas are still wild animals, and act accordingly. If you want a sweety couch potato that'll hang out with you all the time, get a beanie-baby lizard

What do you consider "that bad" ?. Is my bite that bad? I am sure my Kaaz could do a lot worse, but I don't hold it against him. He is only doing what he is designed to do, being a top male and guarding his space. Igs can be pretty horrible come hormones and breeding season. You can't predict that when you get a baby, so may very well raise a monster. It's not a guarantee that you'll have a nice iguana if you "handle them enough" - Kaaz was raised with loads of attention until he matured, and then his owners gave him to a rescue due to "extreme aggression".

Whatever you get, please make sure you are commited to the animal even with the worst behaviors. I still love Kaaz, even though he can be quite aggressive at times. He is a challenging animal to live with. Sometimes he is sweet, and that more than makes up for everything...

wow you sure he's not part bulldog?

I'm 14 and I have bearded dragons, crested geckos, a skink, and my iguana. I didn't plan on getting my iguana. He's one of those, "Oh poor baby, in a 5 gallon tank with 100 other iguanas and being fed cucumbers..." rescues. I haven't had Irish too long, only a few months, but from what I've read, they get nasty. I end up sleeping at 1-2 am everyday, because I have to handle my bearded dragons, iguana, crested geckos, and rats to keep them calm and tame. If you want something to watch TV with, I suggest a rat or a dog. Most lizards dont like sitting in your lap for hours while you watch TV or do homework. Sounds to me that you want a big tame impressive lizard to show off to your friends. If you really have to get a big tame lizard, get an argentine black and white tegu. I've heard stories that you can teach them to come to you and they get dog tame. My stunted little iguana bites, tail whips, and scratches me. I don't want to think about what I'm going to do when he hits 4-6 feet and 15-20 pounds. Just rethink this big lizard thing.

KG i agree, i dont go to bed for another hour, hour and a half after i retreat to my room for the night because the ferrets need individual playtime (they get playtime at day, too)and the hurt turtle needs checking up on. i need to finish cleaning two 10gs and need to add 10gallons back to the goldfisht ank. i spent maybe an hour handling Zephyr yesterday and hes 3' 7" and left my arms scratched up, but he also ate..im so stoked, its the first time in 2.5 months he ate on his own. i put a large amount of collard greens in and turned around, and then saw him shaking his head with the greens hanging out of his mouth *does the dance for joy* and i spend another 2 hours a day feeding/cleaning/playing etc with the other animals, too...i wont have the dilemma of Zephyr when I go to college, in about 4/5 years, 'cuz i already prety much have to live at home. who else can take care of all the animals? thankfully the college i want isnt too far, but yanno
im also lucky to have very supportive parents who let me borrow money when im broke for food and vet bills and new stuff like that, and also always ask "how is XX animal doing today/ better?"

Sarah...

You think igs are bad, wait until you deal with a similarly sized lizard with teeth designed for eating meat .
Tegus can be very tame, but then again, they can be very not tame. They're probably no more likely to sit still than an ig is.

Yeah, didn't think about that. Blue tegus are pretty calm aren't they...? To Xardion, you should get a nice little leopard gecko...When they bite, feels like nothing, unless it's an angry male, but that only draws a little blood.

ACK! I can't believe you said beardies look like big fat toads. beardies are absolutely the most adorable lizard alive (besides iguanas of course lol). you OBVIOUSLY have never seen my beardie because he's a knockout...lol

amy

I would recommend not getting an iguana or multiple lizards. For starters iguana's are very expenive. This year alone I have dropped about $1,000 on him for vet bills and lights. Mind you he is 7 years old (I spend on average per year at the minimum $500). He is at the vet right now getting surgery on his face (due to severe breeding season behavior) and the estimate for the surgery is now $400 plus.
They require a lot of time and attention too for many years to come. I find that it has been hard keeping mine healthy. I have to make sure he is eating and drinking enough, etc.
Also, getting multiple iguana's (espically for a beginner) is really not a good idea. I won't go over them again because I can see others have.

BITE PICS POSTED IN THE PICTURE GALLERY

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Heather, Vern, Andy, Router, April And OODLES of fish