Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I really love him but he hates me!! I got him about a month ago. He is very healthy looking but he does have an old injury on his hand thats healing. He uses it fine though. He gets free range more so then cage time, he gets a mix of staples and extras daily. He will NOT eat in front of me no matter what it is. I have been handling him daily and every time he tries to bite me. He will keep turning to try and bite me even if I am holding still. He will constantly whip at me even if I am just trying to offer him a treat pr just put food in his/her cage. I am the care taker, feeder, etc, yet my husband ca pick him up and while he will whip at first he doesn't try to bite him! What gives!?!?!? Do they really sometimes choose a sex preference? He/she is still very young. Maybe 13-14 inches with tail

Everyone has different methods, and this is just mine. I have one about the size as yours for just a little longer time as youve had this one. Mine will come to me on her own and let me hold her with no issues at all. What I have found (she is Iguana #4 at the moment) is habitat size makes a huge difference. I noticed a huge difference with the two Ive had the longest after I moved them into a large habitat (I converted a walk in closet, its 6x8x9a i believe). When I got the new one (female #2 for this habitat) I put her in there and left her alone. To a small iguana anything larger than them is going to eat them and I didnt want to reinforce these beliefs by chasing her around the habitat and terrifying her. So fast forward a few weeks and she started seeing me as a source of food. After a lot of time and effort she started eating from my hand. Once she would eat from my hand I could position the food a little farther up my arm (making her on me to get the food). Now after even more time and work she excitedly greets me along with the other two. Now the things I think work in my favor here are the large habitat with proper lights, temps, and humidity and lots of places to hide. Plus I dont think it hurt she got to watch the other two get food from me. Just take your time and dont get discouraged.
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