Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Is it a good idea to hold a shedding iguana?

Rex is 9" (23cm) SVL, and he's having yet-another full body shed. My concern is that the dry scales will get pulled off prematurely if he squirms.
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Scott Robert Ladd
1.0.0 Iguana (Rex)
1.0.0 African Giant Plated Lizard (Clyde)
1.0.0 Uro mali (Wizard)
0.1.0 Corn Snake (Amber)
0.1.0 Red-Eared Sliders (Emerald)
0.0.1 Musk Turtle (Sausage)
0.1.0 Parakeet (Zeus)
1.4.0 Homo sapiens (Scott, Maria, Elora, Becky, Tessa)
blog: http://chaoticcoyote.blogspot.com/

Ideally, you shouldn't handle any shedding reptile. Shedding is a stressful time for them, and handling just makes it worse.

However, young iguanas shed almost constantly. Mt personal belief is that if I didn't handle my iggy while he was shedding, I would never handle him at all and he would be wild.

As far as rubbing shed off prematurely, I wouldn't worry about it. Reptiles naturally remove their own shed by rubbing against things. If it isn't ready to come off, it won't come off through gentle handling. The thing you have to be careful about is picking at it, because actually picking and pulling at shed that's not ready to come off can hurt them, but it doesn't sound like you're doing that.

Hope that helps!

Alika
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~Alika~
1.0.0 green iguanas
0.1.0 cockatiels
1.0.0 senegal parrots
0.1.0 blue-fronted amazons
0.0.1 red belly piranha

>>Ideally, you shouldn't handle any shedding reptile. Shedding is a stressful time for them, and handling just makes it worse.
>>
>>However, young iguanas shed almost constantly. Mt personal belief is that if I didn't handle my iggy while he was shedding, I would never handle him at all and he would be wild.

That's been my concern... every time we seem to have him tamed down, he starts a shed, I leave him be, and he goes back to being his little feisty self.

Iguanas have incredible egos, especially for herbivores. I find it one of their more endearing qualities.
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Scott Robert Ladd
1.0.0 Iguana (Rex)
1.0.0 African Giant Plated Lizard (Clyde)
1.0.0 Uro mali (Wizard)
0.1.0 Corn Snake (Amber)
0.1.0 Red-Eared Sliders (Emerald)
0.0.1 Musk Turtle (Sausage)
0.1.0 Parakeet (Zeus)
1.4.0 Homo sapiens (Scott, Maria, Elora, Becky, Tessa)
blog: http://chaoticcoyote.blogspot.com/

We have held Iggi every day of her life, for 4 years now. She has undergone many, many sheds. If the skin is loose enough to come off with swiming, then it's ready to come off. Shedding makes them itch. We like to let Iggi "surf" down our driveway, to peel off the tummy skin. Your iguana will appreciate all the holding and cuddling you can give him.
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Lamar, Debbie, Nathaniel and Iggi :>~