Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello everyone,
Joey is my 4 to 5 year old iguana who has all the proper UVB, heat, food etc. For the last 10 months he has had his own room with lots of space. He was always easy to hold and carry and never once bit me except by accident a few times. For the last 4 months or so, Joey has become a completely different iguana. He was in breeding season, so I just assumed that he would eventually return back to himself--he hasn't yet. He has been in season before and never was this aggressive. Here are the things that he does:
1. He absolutely refuses to go into the bathtub at all (he used to be tub trained to go potty), now he just goes wild...flaying arms, legs, tail and then jumps out.
2. He greets me with his mouth wide open threatening to bite if I come closer when I arrive with his food.
3. If you touch him (he used to love to be petted under the chin and along his back), he kicks his front leg back in a rapid repeating motion to try and scratch you (has anyone's iguana done this before?).
4. Even when he comes out of his room (he continually scratches at the door to come out), he still remains aggressive and will even chase down my 26 pound cat...trying to bite him. They used to get along and now my cat is understandably scared of him.
5. We used to love letting him climb up our legs, up to our heads, have him lick at our arms and ears...*grins*. Yesterday he was climbing up my back, walked down my shoulder, licked my arm twice and then bit me. He's making me nervous to hold or touch him anymore.
Is it possible that he is still in breeding season? We haven't seen seminal plugs in about a month and he is eating well. Has anyone else had such a behaviour change with their iguanas? That kicking the front leg back in anger is really strange...I've never heard or seen of it before.
Any ideas???
Thanks,
Kayla & Joey

When Forest is in a "mood" & we approach him, he does that too. As if to say "GO AWAY!"

I call it his flea flicking mode.

I don't really know how long breeding season lasts cause I THOUGHT Forest was almost out of it & then our neighbors started in with fireworks on New Years Eve & it drives Forest crazy so...even if he were beginning to mellow out, he's back to being cranky. And his bed is right in front of the main window in the living room (free roamer) so he hears them all. Getting ready to shoot my neighbor! LOL

But yes, Forest does the swatting, flea flicking thing when he wants to be left alone. You're not alone!!!!!!!!!

Good luck.