Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i appologise for the long drawn question but please read all if your experienced keeper...ok before i start i know you guys on here will be sick off answering the same questions but im affraid im gonna ask them.i have signed up just for this question..im sure the iguana specialist on here have answered them before but please help..i own 3 snakes 2 leopard geckos and few other small lizrds...my friend was visiting someone and noticed they had a big iguana in a small tank..he came told me..etc etc..i felt terrible and said i would take it..he said it was about 2 1/2 ft..i knew they could be aggressive etc but thought ok ill home it temperarally in my big viv i had for my large rat snake that passed away.. 5ft long 4ft high 3 ft wide..so basiccly i had never seen this creature but as it was so confined i felt i should do my bit for it.and i thought 2 ft its a youngster..well 2 days ago he brought it down...and by god i nearly soiled my underwear..its 4 1/2 ft the brightest green ive ever seen and its jowel(or watever its called is gigantic..it has ever spike on its back and there an inch long...ive read on websites today they only grow to 0.6 of an inch but these are bigger.i swear.its the most handsome thing i have ever seen..im not an iguana lover..i feel there too common and very large so why add to the probs. so best left to the experts..but i got this thing now..dunno why it looks so healthy if it was in such a small viv.i think i might have been set up..but i actuall have got attached to him in space of 36 hours or so.plus they wont take him back...my probs are..he is head bobbing and hitting the light(ok ive put mesh round now but is this normal for iggy.its like hes trying to head a ball as apposed to actual bobbing.hes trying to get out the tank forcing head against glass...when i opened box to try getting him in viv he attacked..i was prepared as ive seen marks from iggy bites..he bit hard on the gloves and towel round my hand..then he goes in viv..and just starts strolling around like he owns the place...you got to love this guys confidence..im hoping its just the stress that made him bite..but i opened cage today to put uv light in and he shot straight up and out the bloody thing..i had to force him back in..and he bit again..so i opened viv about 4 times to mist as no air purifier just yet..anyway i open cage...he looks at me..then he rears up points his side at me..but he didnt hiss or tail whip...looked like he was gonna but never...the three or four times ive opened viv the guy has looked startled and turned his side etc..no hissing though but looks like hes gonna bite????.he actually came up to me sorta..so i thought ok..i put on glove etc..and stroked his head..he just closed his eyes and let me stroke him..i stroked his head side and back...so anyway the old owners said they handled him once a week...they said he only bit once by accident when hand feeding...so im asking does this seem normal behaviour????when should i try stroking him without glov e?????or shouldnt i????if he was only held once a week, will he have tendences to just bite out the blue????should i keep opening cage and stroking him????i honestly am very confused...i have never had a reptile that seems to want to be stroked..or if not stroked be so curious..he watches everything i do like hes intelligent...if i go to front off glass he comes right up like hes looking at me etc...i usaully give my reptiles minimal handling..i have had an anaconda etc..so im sure you see where im coming from...if this guy does want strokes etc i wish i got one of these creatures before...anyway please help in these questions..as i seen the damage he done to my towel and glove and really dont want to take a nasty bite...also can iggys take a finger off????? or is this just myth...im real sorry to ask like this usaully i do reasearch before obtaining a reptile but not this time..the website on here are confusing me..some say hold them etc..others say dont...some say males can turn out of the blue and just bite.one page said he can be sitting quite comfy then just strike for no reason??is this true??.as i said the 2 times hes bitten he hasnt hissed so i had no warning.he just acted like he did when i stroked him..so i dunno if hes gonna bite or let mer stroke him..but he wants something as hes right up at me..i got to mist in 2 seconds or hes at top of cage..i know he needs time to settle like all pet mammals lizards etc,but if so why approach me..all my reptiles hiss then back off..i have a ten year old daughter who has only held my small snakes...so im a little worried about her also..although she wont get near it..but we all know accidents happen..thats why i got rid of anaconda when she was born...nothing i have can harm her...untill this ..4 1/2 ft not 2/ft creature arrived.. my email is bigbaddad1uk2001@yahoo.co.uk if any you experts have info you email begginers instead of typing, as you probably get tired off it...or if you could email me a small email with advice..appologise for long question this thing has just bemused me

First off welcome to the wonderful world of igs and I am glad you decided to take the green beastie in . The enclosure you have doesnt sound to be big enough. I would build something bigger and taller soon He is bobbing and biting because he is scared from being in a new home What are you feeding him? I recommend that you take him to an herp vet and have him screened for parasites and diseases that way hes not sick and that adding to his temper Do you have UVB on him? What are his cage temps? Also, You attempting to pick him up from the top of the cage intimidates him and is making him think you are a bird or something attacking him from above. So maybe tru to scoop him from the bottom? Good idea on the gloves... long sleeves might also be a good idea for a while until he is used to you.
Good Luck. We dont mind answering honest questions from someone that is curious and willing to learn about their new pet or buddy "Iguanas for dummies" by melissa kalpan or "ultimate green iguana guide" (Correct me if im wrong on the title of this book) by james hetfield are two wonderful books and they both come highly recommended on this site

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

e-mailed you.

The iguana is testing you. trying to establish dominance. dont let him dominate you, like is last owners obvisely did. Also, give it a month befor you handle him. Its a slow process, but will pay off in time. leave him alone for about 3 weeks, then start strokeing, and petting and talking to him. then eventualy you will be able to pick him up after he starts to trust you.

Good Luck

thanks for a quick response...yes ive got uvb.. feeding him spring lettuce,banana,greens basicly..i got a book from pet store.it says feed dog cat food, ham etc?????ive got a vitamin supplement..hes in a room so he dont see us very often..ill leave him for a while..its just the misting is a prob..he trys to get out...ok is there anyway to dominate him..without hurting him etc????that should be fun...

I added a link to the bottom of this post for the proper food to feed your iggy and how often for certain foods. Not all foods are listed in there though. You don't want to feed your green iguana any dog or cat food at all. No animal protien. Only greens like collard greens, mustard greens, etc.. Squash is good. No iceberg lettuce.I thas no nutritional value at all. It might be dificult because he keeps trying to get out, but you have to mist his food throughout the day to keep it from drying out. The "Green Iguana Society" has a lot of really good quick information that could help and it's a reliable source. Good luck with your new iggy and I hope he comes around. There are a lot of people in this forum who have a lot of experience and would help you a lot.

Check out this site for food.
http://www.greenigsociety.org/foodchart.htm

DONT give your iggy animal protine. look at the sites i e-mailed you, and listen to the above post.

good luck

I have a testosterone crazed male (who is generally very sweet except for breeding season) about the size of yours, so I have a few pointers which you may find useful. First, if you are not getting other signs from him regarding his current state of mind, watch his eyes very carefully. If you see his pupils constrict to small points, that's a good sign to be very careful, he is agitated and thinking bad thoughts... After my iguana's first season, I learned to read him very well by watching his eyes... Also, keep an eye on his tail. If he is flicking it back and forth like a cat, that is a warning sign as well. As far as exerting your dominance over him, I would take that recommendation with a grain of salt. Some adult males just aren't going to be impressed at all by that, especially in season. I know my iguana gets insane during his season, and when he wants to be dominant, that's it, period. He's king iguana (unless you would like to engage in a battle to the death). This is going to vary from iguana to iguana, but your best bet is going to be giving him something to dominate and transfer that aggression to, like a toy (or anything else that won't bleed). Anyway, I doubt this is what you are dealing with now. The iguana is new to your home and will take some time to adjust to his new surroundings (I moved a month ago and my ig still isn't comfortable in the new place) and to you. As far as your kid goes, your best bet is to keep them apart. Iguanas are wild animals, and no matter how tame it may be, I wouldn't trust a full sized adult around a very young child.

somehow I missed replying to your iggys picture when I read this the first time. Great job with him he is spectacular.

Thanks! He certainly can be a handful at times!