Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I know this is probably a tiring question but I need some help. I have a baby rhino that was in a 50 gallan tank and was doing pretty good. After catching him he wasn’t bad to hold. Now I have him in a custom built cage that is 5 foot high 4 feet long and 3 feet wide. I have left him alone for two weeks and he seemed to be fine but now when I try to grab him he actually tries to bite and challenge me. I know this is usaul but he never did it before. What are your guys advice? I am just afaraid if I leave him alone he will turn into a crazy iguana. I had two green iguanas and they were very tame because I held them a lot. His cage is in my room so he sees me all the time. What do you think I should do?

My advice is keep holding him.... IF he struggles, don't let him go. If you do let him go when he struggles and try to bite you, you will teach him that biting and struggling means I get to go free. Keep the session short at first and gradually start by holding him longer and longer outside the cage. I know someone who tamed an aggressive iguana in several days. Now, he's eating and growing and shedding like crazy. They can pick up on your fear, so act like your not afraid...like King Richard I. They are kindda like dogs, which can pick up on your energy...fear or whatever.

@Paradon@ do you have a rhino iguana?
they are nothing like green iguanas! and taming a green iguana like you said someone did in a few days IS JUST A STUPID THING TO DO ! thats not a tame iguana! thats a scared [bleep]less iguana.. its called "to break them down".. people did that to wild horses in the past..

NEVER FORCE IT!!!
DO NOT HANDLE IT WITH FORCE!!! you will just piss it off..

LESS IS MORE!

just let it be and he will come around.. rhinos calm down with age.
just do not freak it out!
you can start petting it while its eating so that he cant bite you.. they are also at their happy-mood after they have had something to eat.. it can take up to 2years to tame them..

I agree. Do nothing! I never held my iguanas except to clean there cage or take them inside and outside, beyond that I never tried to touch or hold them. All my iguanas are tame and I can do whatever I want to them. Cyclura have no natural enemies as an adult. So, once they are big enough they won't be afraid of you anymore. After years of feeding they will also learn you are the person with food. Once again, just let him be!

I would have to agree also leaving them alone is best and you will have the quickest results. I find that cyclura are way more intelligent than most most lizard species and possibly the most intelligent. If you do something to them they don't like the negative affects can set you back and do more harm then good. They have a good memory. Just being around them, cage cleaning, feeding ect is enough for them to eventually realize you are not a threat. I have had my Lewisi baby for 2 months now and he is already very comfortable around me. I often hand feed him or spend time sitting next to the cage or playing around with the substrate and he just watches me. He will get curious and come by and check me out and see what I'm doing. This was not the case when he first arrived. I too got impatient and grabbed him and my progress went out the window and it took me almost a month to gain his trust again. Try not to stare directly at them too much, this also makes them feel targeted when they are young. I often just sit by the cage with the door open for a half hour or hour a day, he will get curious in time and come to you. After all you are his only friend. Once he figures out you are not a threat everything comes easy.

Good luck

Awesome, thanks I will do that.