Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello everyone. I am posting this for my son ie: his iguana. For the past 2 weeks or so the lizard has started new things that we don't like. 1. pooping in his enclosure
2. wanting to get out
3. not eating much ( starting to get folds on his sides even thou he dosen't look skinny)
4 getting orange coloration (only 1 years old )
I know that the orange is because it is maturing and is most likely a male. The eating and bathroom habits are very strange for this lizard. He use to eat 2 dinner size plates and always pooped outside. The wanting to get out of his enclosure is knew too. Once he is out he wants to look around and this happens only in the morning. In the afternoon he is fine staying in his home. Any suggestions. My son wants to take him to the vet next week if this continues. Readig the forum I don't think there is a problem. What do you all think.
debs
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The addiction can be dangerous. 1 Uro named Buddy aka Big Boy & 1 Ig named Tiny

I've been reading a few of your other posts, and honestly I wouldn't worry about it. I own a 15 yr old male that I've since was a hatchling. Occasionally while he was growing up, he would have periods of acting strange that would eventually go back to normal. He is toilet trained, and occasionally he would go on the bathroom floor instead of the toilet. I'm not an iguana expert or anything, since I've only had the one, but I think the juveniles simply go through juvenile "misbehavior". It could be breeding season too. My ig used to have this weird behavior of crazily running throughout the house like he was spooked or something. And with the orange coloring, that's really nothing to worry about either. My ig is almost all orange right now. I would just wait it out, and take him to the vet if he starts to seem to be losing weight. I don't know how your vet is, but just a regular yearly checkup for my babe costs over $150, so if nothing is wrong you spent a lot for nothing. I think you also posted something on him biting also? You have to keep handling him no matter what at that stage in life. Try to think of a puppy that nips. If you leave him alone, the nipping will won't stop and it'll get worse.

Hope any of this helped.
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~*Chibi*~
Sir Iggy ( 1.0.0 El Salvador Blue Iguana), Ryo-ohki, Orion, Bud, & Finnegan (3.1.0 crazy kitties), Rosebud (0.1.0 cockerspaniel), and Kayko (0.0.1 leopard gecko)

Oh and the wanting to get out thing. Iguanas are very curious animals, and they won't want to stay in their cage all the time. I had such a problem with my iguana being caged up around age 1, that we did away with the cage completely. We first let him have a whole room to roam free in, then he eventually had free range of the house at age 2. You might want to try a bigger cage maybe if you do want to keep him caged up.
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~*Chibi*~
Sir Iggy ( 1.0.0 El Salvador Blue Iguana), Ryo-ohki, Orion, Bud, & Finnegan (3.1.0 crazy kitties), Rosebud (0.1.0 cockerspaniel), and Kayko (0.0.1 leopard gecko)

Thank you for your input. I told my son not to worry about him but Tiny is his baby. As for biting thank G-d he has never done that. As for him roaming free well I have to many animals around here and I don't have a spare room. His cage is a converted closet that is 6x5x3 give or take. It is very nice and he does like it. Right now it is 5pm and he is very happy being in his home. It is only in the morning. Thanks again
debs
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The addiction can be dangerous. 1 Uro named Buddy aka Big Boy & 1 Ig named Tiny

Hey, it sounds like he is getting into his first breeding season. I know he is only 1 year old, but Hatfield''s book says that what really matters is the SVL. A male with a SVL that is 6" is able to breed sucssesfuly. So, he might be getting into his first breeding season. And the first one is always more complicated. It could last a week or 3 monthes... you never know. But hey, tell your son it is completely normal. Tell him that since your ig is a male, he is going to be like that once evey year, and you guys will have to get used to it. Males in breeding season can and will be a pain in the a.... They will bite your, make love to you, run after you, chase you, hiss at you, head bob at you... Alsothey won''t eat as much as they are used to. So, if all this happens, don''t worry, it''s just breeding season.
Good luck,
Later,
Dan