Homes Homes Homes (or maybe just advice - you be the judge)

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Posted by Argiope on June 14, 1999 at 19:44:53:

From: buzz@counsel.com - please reply to this person ... thanks.

<<<<Is there an iguana rescue network in New York that helps place adult igs

in caring, iguana-friendly homes? I'm afraid my beloved iguana must go.

I have always loved iguanas. Three months ago I had an opportunity to
adopt my first, a small, adult iguana named Ripley. The young man who
raised him from infancy sadly said he needed to put him up for adoption
because his wife was 9 months pregnant.

I assured the man (who I only met once) that I would lavish Ripley with
love and give him a fine environment in which he would thrive. I happily

took Ripley home and set up his tank. Immediately I went online and
learned everything I could about proper care and feeding, etc. I work
at home on my computer and was able to spend many hours getting to know
Ripley, helping him adjust and feel comfortable in his new
surroundings. His tank is about 20 feet away from my computer where I
work all day. I carried him all around and introduced him to all the
rooms, plants and interesting things to see, smell and taste. He seemed
to approve of his new environment.. Slowly I began to let Ripley
free-roam the house (he had never done this before). He was curious and

friendly, excited about the world and everything in it, and very gentle
with people.

In March when I brought him home it was still chilly here in New York
and a few evenings we cuddled
together under my quilt where it's warm. I especially liked feeding him

greens and fruits by hand. (My freinds teased that I was spoiling
him.) One day I took him for a drive in my friend's car where he
seemed to enjoy basking on the sun drenched dash board and watching the

sites while I sat in the passengers seat stroking his head and keeping
an eye on him as my friend drove. In May I showed him my
newly planted organic vegetable garden and he loved to walk down the
stone path and in the dirt and taste everything. I even let him nibble
on the young zucchini plant leaves (his favorite). The beach is a short

walk away from my front door and he sat on my shoulders as we took a
stroll to the dunes (saying hello to all my neighbors on the way). He
loved the hot sand.

In short, we bonded. And I fell in love.

But last week, everything changed. While Ripley was walking freely in
my garden as my friend Karen baby-sat him nearby (I had to run in the
house for a a minute), Ripley suddenly bit my friend's wrist and drew
blood. I was deeply surprised. (My friend is very gentle with him; she
is knowledgeable about iguanas and in fact, lived with a roomate's very
large free-roaming pet iguana for a time).

Within three days after the first bite he began to attack people who
happened to be standing near his tank
talking (as he relaxed on his driftwood sticks laid across the top) .
Then he began to attack me.

His aggressive, bobbing, hissing atttack-stance behavior has grown
worse. I am mortified. As I type this, he is thrashing in his tank.
When I go over to open the screen to let him climb out (he uses the fun

system of bamboo ladders I made for him, which I put in his cage for
during the day and take out at night when I close his light and put him
to bed), he stares at me menacingly, then goes wild and repeatedly
lunges at me through the glass. He tries like mad to bite me through
the tank. I am now afraid to let him out and I can't even clean the
tank.

I am in shock and am sad beyond words. Nothing I read on the Web
explains this nightmarish Jeckyl and
Hyde behavior except the fact that I am female and he may be in his
mating period and sensing my cycle.

I realize an iguana's instincts survive any attempts at taming and
socializing. However, I need to take care of my friends and family. My

sister arrives soon for an extended visit with her newborn. I can not
chance the iguana attacking my niece.

I must find a home for him or I will have to put him out somewhere to
fend for himself. I realize that is a death sentence and it goes against

all MY instincts and moral beliefs and love of animals. (I am a
vegetarian to boot.) But if the terrible lesson here is that sometimes
the law of the jungle prevails over domesticity, then I must take the
final drastic, aggressive step to protect myself, my family and home.

That's the position I'm in now. I hope there is help and that I can
resolve this by finding somewhere Ripley can live in peace. I appreciate

any help at all you may offer.

NIAD Page

Follow Ups:

Re: Homes Homes Homes (or maybe just advice - you be the judge) Debbie 6/16/99 (0)
things are looking up I'd say xta 6/16/99 (0)
Thanks for all the great help and advice!! Jesse 6/16/99 (0)
Re: Homes Homes Homes (or maybe just advice - you be the judge) Samantha 6/15/99 (0)
Re: Homes Homes Homes (or maybe just advice - you be the judge) Steve - Mississippi 6/15/99 (0)
Aggression xta 6/14/99 (0)
Re: Rescues & ideas BabyHerp 6/14/99 (1)
- Re: Rescues...here's the right link BabyHerp 6/14/99 (0)

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Comments:
: From: buzz@counsel.com - please reply to this person ... thanks. : <<<<<snip : Is there an iguana rescue network in New York that helps place adult igs : in caring, iguana-friendly homes? I'm afraid my beloved iguana must go. : I have always loved iguanas. Three months ago I had an opportunity to : adopt my first, a small, adult iguana named Ripley. The young man who : raised him from infancy sadly said he needed to put him up for adoption : because his wife was 9 months pregnant. : I assured the man (who I only met once) that I would lavish Ripley with : love and give him a fine environment in which he would thrive. I happily : took Ripley home and set up his tank. Immediately I went online and : learned everything I could about proper care and feeding, etc. I work : at home on my computer and was able to spend many hours getting to know : Ripley, helping him adjust and feel comfortable in his new : surroundings. His tank is about 20 feet away from my computer where I : work all day. I carried him all around and introduced him to all the : rooms, plants and interesting things to see, smell and taste. He seemed : to approve of his new environment.. Slowly I began to let Ripley : free-roam the house (he had never done this before). He was curious and : friendly, excited about the world and everything in it, and very gentle : with people. : In March when I brought him home it was still chilly here in New York : and a few evenings we cuddled : together under my quilt where it's warm. I especially liked feeding him : greens and fruits by hand. (My freinds teased that I was spoiling : him.) One day I took him for a drive in my friend's car where he : seemed to enjoy basking on the sun drenched dash board and watching the : sites while I sat in the passengers seat stroking his head and keeping : an eye on him as my friend drove. In May I showed him my : newly planted organic vegetable garden and he loved to walk down the : stone path and in the dirt and taste everything. I even let him nibble : on the young zucchini plant leaves (his favorite). The beach is a short : walk away from my front door and he sat on my shoulders as we took a : stroll to the dunes (saying hello to all my neighbors on the way). He : loved the hot sand. : In short, we bonded. And I fell in love. : But last week, everything changed. While Ripley was walking freely in : my garden as my friend Karen baby-sat him nearby (I had to run in the : house for a a minute), Ripley suddenly bit my friend's wrist and drew : blood. I was deeply surprised. (My friend is very gentle with him; she : is knowledgeable about iguanas and in fact, lived with a roomate's very : large free-roaming pet iguana for a time). : Within three days after the first bite he began to attack people who : happened to be standing near his tank : talking (as he relaxed on his driftwood sticks laid across the top) . : Then he began to attack me. : His aggressive, bobbing, hissing atttack-stance behavior has grown : worse. I am mortified. As I type this, he is thrashing in his tank. : When I go over to open the screen to let him climb out (he uses the fun : system of bamboo ladders I made for him, which I put in his cage for : during the day and take out at night when I close his light and put him : to bed), he stares at me menacingly, then goes wild and repeatedly : lunges at me through the glass. He tries like mad to bite me through : the tank. I am now afraid to let him out and I can't even clean the : tank. : I am in shock and am sad beyond words. Nothing I read on the Web : explains this nightmarish Jeckyl and : Hyde behavior except the fact that I am female and he may be in his : mating period and sensing my cycle. : I realize an iguana's instincts survive any attempts at taming and : socializing. However, I need to take care of my friends and family. My : sister arrives soon for an extended visit with her newborn. I can not : chance the iguana attacking my niece. : I must find a home for him or I will have to put him out somewhere to : fend for himself. I realize that is a death sentence and it goes against : all MY instincts and moral beliefs and love of animals. (I am a : vegetarian to boot.) But if the terrible lesson here is that sometimes : the law of the jungle prevails over domesticity, then I must take the : final drastic, aggressive step to protect myself, my family and home. : That's the position I'm in now. I hope there is help and that I can : resolve this by finding somewhere Ripley can live in peace. I appreciate : any help at all you may offer.

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