Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hello... i got a baby iguana (around 8 months the pet store told me) this past summer. The past 3 months he has been very very agressive.. i cant pick him up any more. he used to be very relaxed and liked to sit with me when i took him out, now i can't take him out of his cage without him biting me or trying to. If u have any suggestions or y this is happening, please leave me some advice.. I just want to fix the agression before he gets too big

Awe, he is too cute, I remember when my Lizzy was that little, I kept a journal(and still do)
It consists of:
does he eat? How many tsps?
does he drink
poops? Normal color (white and clear stuff first)
what time he wakes
what time you turn his light off for bed
and then comments ( like any medication/vitamin given that day/his behavior or progress he has made.

It took me a long time before I would even reach in the cage and just pick him up... You have to imagine being this little timy iguana, no concept on who you are or where he is... are you safe? so when the petstore told me to just reach right in and grab him.... I bought an iguana care book(and have read it about 7X lol) and it said you should just open the cage and put your hand on the edge while talking to your iguana very nice tone (I and my children would sing to our Lizzy and he still loves it at 3yrs. old) every 5 minutes or longer if he looks too frazzled (stress can harm your iguanas health) just inch your hand a little closer, while still talking and being nice toned. (they don't understand you but they follow your tone of voice) until finally you can touch him and gently rub his beard or where ever he seems to like....
Now in my home we treat our lizzy like a kid, very much attention and love. He's SPOILED! but He is the NICEST Lizzy ever!
It takes time... now I am able to rub my igs jaw with my thumb and he goes limp. I can hand feed him, even got him up to being outside on my lap for an hour before he would start to fuss and I would take him in...
Just be patient and give him love.
He could have been in breading season, however that is only for sexually mature males and he is not that old yet.
Hope this helps you.
Good Luck!
Nicole

This is actually normal..think of it, you're a tiny (relatively) lizard and this huge weird thing comes in and tries to take you out of your nice warm home... it's scary!

Go here http://www.anapsid.org/iguana/index.html and download the ICFS, it is a BIGhelp on the psychology of befriending your iguana.