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There he was ON TOP on his basking lights. I was very careful
to make sure this could not happen but he managed to do it.
I am not sure how he got up there. He did not burn himself
from what I could tell.

Also, he seems to think that since he has a new enclosure
that he is this big bad lizard. For the first time, he
hissed at me and postured as I was trying to fish him out from
lights several feet above my head. Had to use a damn ladder!

I chased him around for a few minutes and then he just stopped
and let me pick him up without hissing, tail whippling or
opening his mouth. I just can't figure him out!

I almost feel like he has forgotten the last 5 months of
taming.

Linda

What a brat!! Glad to hear he's ok, I can't imagine chasing an ig around from on top of a ladder tho!

My guy does the same thing, and it's usually when he is doing something that I have told him not to do before.... almost like he "knows" that I am upset.

About climbing in the lights.... what kind of set-up do you have? Mine used to try and to into his lights (I have light boxes on the top of his enclosure with mesh between them and him)until I tried this:

Since he has light boxes on top and the lights are protected, during the day after breakfast and he has done his "business" I take him out and place him on top of the light boxes. His enclosure is in front of a window and below one of the vents for the heat pump. Anyways, her get's belly heat plus warm air blowing on him from above, plus a window view.
Ever since I started this, no more climbing in the lights. He now knows that after breakfast and "business" to climb down to the cage floor and scratch to be let out and put on top.

I don't know if that will work for you or what set up you have, but it solved my problem. I think he just wanted to be higher and now he has the best perch in the house!

This is Messenger sleeping n top of his light boxes. If an Iguana could snore... I think he would!

Both my iggys love to lay on top of the lights. I could never figure out why, but what you said about wanting belly heat makes sense. I built wood and screen platforms on top of the lights so they could lay up there. They never come in contact with the bulbs though. They spend a lot of time up there.

I have a high platform for my ig at the top of his cage so he can bask in his UVB and eat (also where I keep his food plate). His basking lights are clipped on the bottom of this high platform so it makes it impossible for him to access them. This technique also creates a nice warm eating/basking perch.

One concern I had was whether it is strange for him to have the basking lights under his highest perch? Meaning, it might not seem natural to him. He seems to love it and is able to regulate his body temps quite well in his habitat. His basking spot (under the platform) gets to be around 100-105 and the coldest part of the cage is at a nice cool 74. Although, it seems hard to keep the humidity up at his hottest point. Whenever I spray the area down it dries up in about 10 minutes. Im sure it feels good for him though, its like hes in a sauna.

How much does everyones' juvenile iguanas eat? I get a little concerned sometimes when my Miles will go a day without eating and then we he goes to eat, he takes a couple small bites and runs back down to his basking spot. About weekly, he will have a huge feast and eat all of his food which is usually composed of 2 Huge Collard leaves, 2 Big Mustard Green leaves, 2 slivers of bell pepper, finely graded Butternut Squash, and strawberries and rasberries. All greens, veggies, and fruits are finely chopped and misted twice a day.

Any one know how I can get my little buddy to eat a lot all the time? An "addictive" agent possibly that will make him love his food Thats why I have been using every kind of fruit imaginable to see if he will like his salad more.

One thing I found when I kept Iggies.. was Kiwi Fruit... Not alot of it but just a treat... My guys always loved the stuff... I had one named Critter that used to try and eat them whole from my fingers. A couple other things, if you can get ahold of it.. Prickly Pear fruit... Starfruit... Another, kind of expensive thing though it works well.. Asian Pears. We had one Iguana come through, Praeda... who it took us 5 weeks to get her to eat anything solid.. (We were syringe feeding her.. She was very ill MBD, advanced Respiratory disease and failing kidney's from constant dehydration. ) The first thing solid we found that she'd eat were Asian Pears... We'd dust the heck out of grated servings of the things for her to eat.. and slowly maneuvered greens in... It took us nearly 6 months of constant vet trips.. but she's still alive and going in a very good home with about 6 other adult female iguana's.
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Lucien

1.1 Columbian Redtail Boa (BCI)(Sutekh and Isis)
2.2 Leopard geckos (2 Blizzards (Caine and Goliath), 1 het Blizzard (Lilith) and 1 Tangerine Albino (Tequila Sunrise ...Tiki for short))
0.1 Savannah Monitor (Kiros)
13 rats
1 Gerbil
2 Dogs (Loki and Storm)
2 cats (Sahara and Hercules)