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I'm a bit concerned about my year-old iggy, Rex. I'm not certain if he knows how to swim.

We haven't put him in water for a few months; I keep him damp with daily showers in his cage. Today, though, I wanted to help him with a slow shed. So we got out a very large Rubbermaid bin, put an inch of my-skin-temperature water in the bottom, and put Rex in slowly.

Is the following "normal"?

1) He tended to keep his head *under* that water, even though it was shallow-enough for him to stand with his head well above water.

2) Rex blew bubbles out his nose a couple of times. In fact, it seemed as though he would stick his head up, take a deep breath, then float on the surface for a moment before ducking his head in and blowing bubbles.

The short swim did help the shed considerably, but I'm wondering if his behavior is expected, or if he needs swimming lessons.

Yes, I'm paranoid. I love my egotistical iggy.

.

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Scott Robert Ladd
1.0.0 Iguana (Rex)
1.1.0 African Giant Plated Lizard (Clyde, Cassie)
1.0.1 Uro mali (Wizard, Dizzy)
0.1.0 Corn Snake (Amber)
0.1.0 Red-Eared Sliders (Emerald)
0.0.1 Musk Turtle (Sausage)
1.1.0 Parakeet (Thor, Zeus)
1.4.0 Homo sapiens (Scott, Maria, Elora, Becky, Tessa)
blog: http://chaoticcoyote.blogspot.com/

Igs can stay under water for several minutes at a time. Your ig was probably playing dead for a few minutes. Mine do it once in awhile when I'm pestering them too much while giving them a bath. I'm sure he/she can swim. Try him in the bathtub. It's a bigger area. I'm sure he'll swish around and swim just fine. Give it a try. JN

Just throw your ig in a swiming pool (in a hot summer day of course!)and you will see!lol!They swim like frogs and they use their tails as a motor!Much better than any of us!
Your ig was playing hide and seek with you thats all!

i have a few questions about the swimming pool thing.
A.what about the chlorine?my igs tend to drink their bath water right when i put them in, not to mention their sensitive eyes
b. dont you ever worry that they might climb out and see that nice looking basking spot(i.e. that 80 ft. tree in your yard?!)
c. what happens when an ig poops in your pool and then you get that water in your mouth...ewww.
those were just the questions i always wondered about when people talk about swimmin with their igs.
thanks.
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1.0.0 bearded dragon
1.1.0 green iguana
0.0.1 columbian tegu
0.1.0 knight anole(looking for male)
0.1.0 green anole
1.1.0 golden gecko
1.0.0 ball python
0.0.5 oriental firebellied toad
0.0.1 green treefrog
0.0.1 barking treefrog
0.0.1 cuban masked treefrog
0.0.1 gray treefrog
0.1.0 gulf hammock rat snake
0.1.0 eastern kingsnake
0.1.0 siberian husky

I don't swim with mine but you can solve most of the problems you mentioned by bathing them first. I'm not sure about the chlorine though but I'm assuming it's pretty safe for bit. I would probably just rinse them good afterwards. The one time mine swam was short and sweet at a "pignic" several years ago. He had no desire to stay in the pool. JN

I dont like when my iguana enters the swiming pool but he just doesnt obey me! He likes to bask near the swiming pool and when the weather gets really hot he goes inside the water without being invited.I keep an eye on him because although there are no trees around the swiming pool (the fallen leaves dirty the water) there are lots of trees a little bit further.Apparently he doesnt have problems with chlorine but i do have problems with his LARGE poop!He is almost 6 feet long and his poop is also big.He loves to swim but he doesnt like to stay longer in deep water.He can and he likes to swim under the water too.Thats the photo of the guy!