Reptile & Amphibian Forums

some may remember my post about the mean iguana. i have been trying so hard to tame him but he isnt even getting a little better. in fact i tried to hold him yesterday because i had to clean out his cage and he tore me up from head to toe. im not kidding i have scratches everywhere. he just seems to get worse. i know it takes time but shouldnt he be getting a little better by now? how did you guys tame your igs? i mean this guy is just downright mean,like he wants to kill me mean.
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brandy

oh yeah. he is about 24in from head in tail. how old do you think he might be?
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brandy

How long have you had him?

We've had Xander for a year and a half, and he's just *barely* getting to where he'll sit still 80% of the time. He still doesn't like being picked up out of his cage much, but he doesn't freak out and run away anymore.

We handle Xander every day, 3-4 times a day (2 baths, once outside, and once "bonding" in the evening".

You said it yourself... it just takes time! Don't give up, though... and don't give in. You're the boss. Be gentle about it, but if you put him down every time he squirms, he'll never get better.

Alika

ive had him about 2 months mabe more. the thing is i cant not give in. i cant control him . he is small but he wiggles and digs and bites. and every time i try it gets worse. i havnt even been able to give him a bath since i got him. i have to be doing something wrong. i think i made him scared of me. because some people say to dive right in and hold him and show him whose boss and others say take it slow. and dont handle him till he lets you. i dont think he will ever just "let me" if i wait on him.so after weeks of takin it slow i tried just pickin him up. ive been tryin to do it every day and everyday he gets worse. im all torn up from his claws. i diddnt think an ig so small could do so much damage. maybe i should get some gloves. do you think that would just freak him out more?
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brandy

No, Don't use gloves.

When I say "show him who's boss" I mean don't let him get away with wriggling and tail whipping and biting and whatever else he might be doing. But definitely take things slow.

Try not to swoop in on him when you pick him up. Move slowly and talk calmly to him and try to come at him from the front so he can see you. When they can sense something coming down on them from above, but they can't actually see it, they will naturally be scared.

When Xander is particularly wiggly, I let him walk from hand to hand until he settles down. Or he'll wiggle out of one hand only to find the next ready to go. Your ig is still small enough you should be able to do this. Be calm and gentle, but don't give in.

If he's REALLY freaking out, try gently covering his eyes. The reduced stimuli will make him calm down a lot more. I've also read that if you hold them up high over your heads they tend to calm down, but this has never worked for Xander.

Your ig is about as big as my Xander. I'm finding that the bigger he gets, the more support he needs. Sometimes when he wriggles, I think it's just because he can't feel his feet on anything, so I make sure one hand is supporting his front half around his neck and front legs while the other supports his back half around the base of his tail and his hips. Supporting him in this way often calms him down, too.

Expect it to be another 6 months before you see any real changes... another year before those changes are drastic and noticeable. But it's important now, or when he gets big he can do some damage if he's not properly tamed and socialized. Just don't give up. You have to remember that he's afraid of you. So yes, show him who's boss, but at the same time respect and work around that fear so you don't make it worse.

Alika

Something that might help you with holding onto him -- take an old pair of socks, the taller the better, cut off the toe & cut a circle near the heel. Slip them over your hands & now you've got protection for your arms & wrists that keeps your hands free (so you know how hard you're holding him). Use a nice neutral color sock; I have some old tan ones that are close to skin tone. I'm guessing anything that's not red or purple or yellow will probably work.

thats a really good idea. thanks!
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brandy

i was (am) in a similar situation with my lizard. however, it is only 16 inches snout to tail.

to recap my post to your first thread: when i first got the lizard he was a total asshole...biting, tail whipping, clawing, etc. he'd even gone so far as to latch on to a finger, bite down real hard, then start flailing his body. (i guess he really wanted to drive his point home.) because of his size, he isn't capable of doing any real damage.

as i said before, i waited a few (2-3) days after i got him before i started handling him. it took him that long to start eating and pooping on a regular schedule.

i didn't start slow and build up to anything, i just stuffed my hand in his cage and snatched the lizard. i started in with the normal "lizard" routing (check for mites, check for abceses, check for crap that doesn't seem "right," rub off shed, etc.) the lizard was not a happy camper. he kept up his bad behavior for at LEAST a month before i saw ANY improvement.
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i know many people say to start off slow, build the lizard's trust, let him get used to you, etc. i hear many have pretty good results doing it like that.

i don't know you, and i'm not there to watch you work with your animal, however it sounds to me like the lizard gives you a little resistance and you back off for fear of hurting him, upsetting him, or whatever.

let me preface my next statement by saying, i'm not cruel to the animal. it's well fed, clean, proper temperatures, reasonably large enclosure (for now), etc. now, when i interact with the little green monster, there is no doubt as to who is the "alpha."

he tail whips, the hand keeps comming; he runs, the hand keeps comming; he bites, the hand keeps comming--i've even gone so far as to let him bite my thumb, then hold it in his mouth while he clamps down (years of playing nintendo as a child gave me "ninendo thumb;" it is impervious to his attacks ) it doesn't hurt the lizard, but as he's sitting there with this thing in his mouth, and doing his damnedest to show me how tough he is, then realizing, "hey man, this ain't working; that human is still going to pick me up." eventually, he stops.

when you do finally pick him up, and he starts squirming, don't let him get away. get a firm grip on him, and make it clear that he isn't getting away until YOU decide he is. don't grab his legs, arms, or his tail; but, he should still be small enough that you can easily get your hand around his body. do it, and don't let go.

to summarize: YOU are the alpha. YOU are the one who decides what that lizard will and will not do. DO NOT let the lizard tell you how it is going to be.
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i've had the lizard for almost 2 months. he doesn't bite anymore. he doesn't tail whip anymore. he now will sit still while i examine him, and rub off old shed. he runs MUCH less. he is in good health, he's just learned that it's pointless to resist. in fact, he gets put down sooner if he doesn't fight back.

current score: Glac: MANY Lizard: 0 (and ig's DO keep count.)

thanks everyone for your advice. im gonna keep working with him on a daily basis. today he let me pet him inside of his cage so i think he is getting better already.
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brandy