Thanks for all the great help and advice!!

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Posted by Jesse on June 16, 1999 at 10:17:47:

In Reply to: Homes Homes Homes (or maybe just advice - you be the judge) posted by Argiope on June 14, 1999 at 19:44:53:

Argiope, thanks for telling me about this super
place and posting my letter here.

BabyHerp, Samantha, Steve and xta, I appreciate
the help and support ;-) So does Ripley, who is
much calmer today. (I suspect he's been
reading this board and knows I'm on to him.)

All I can say is, I feel sorry for female iguanas
if this is the males' idea of romance. (*grin*)

When I adopted him, I wanted a baby, not an
abusive boyfriend. In fact, if a HUMAN male
treated me this way I'd have him arrested.

For now, he is confined to his tank, which
breaks my heart because I love his
free-roaming spirit and I know he is
miserable being cooped up. (I wonder if I didn't
help create this new beast by letting him
out in the first place? His previous owner did
not mention any behavior problems at all.)

Today Ripley looks so sad and I'm
a little worried that he may have gotten
injured yesterday during tank cleaning
maneuvers, for which I wore heavy duty garden
gloves and an old leather bomber jacket. I had
to call in NATO ground troops. In the scuffle,
the shower curtain rod came crashing down, and
a new set of green towels were shredded.

I have been holding my ground. When he acts up at
me I stand on a chair and hover over his tank,
scold him in a big deep voice and bang his
climbing sticks together loudly or slam his
cage with my hand. At first this brought out
the fight in him and he got even meaner and
madder. But then so did I. I would not let him
so much as bob his head at me. If he dared to try and bite my hand through the glass
I would go ballistic.

Yesterday we did this on and off for hours. He
does learn pretty fast, even when he does not
want to learn. My message is clear: I am the
alpha iguana in this house. Not him. And after a
while he backed off and calmed down.
Last night I was able to put my hand in his tank,
stroke his head and massage his shoulders while
heclosedhis eyes and behaved like his old
sweet self.

I think he misses me.

I am experimenting with his light-hours (as
recommended on one of Melissa Kaplan's pages)
and if necessary, will find out about that female
hormone. (Or maybe some steroids for me? It's
not easy at 5'3 being the tough guy. But I took
a lot of karate classes for years and
I am not afraid to spar.)

Still... maybe next time I'll adopt a hamster?
(Nah!)

Thanks again for all the help. I'll keep you
guys posted.
;-)
Jesse

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: : Argiope, thanks for telling me about this super : place and posting my letter here. : BabyHerp, Samantha, Steve and xta, I appreciate : the help and support ;-) So does Ripley, who is : much calmer today. (I suspect he's been : reading this board and knows I'm on to him.) : All I can say is, I feel sorry for female iguanas : if this is the males' idea of romance. (*grin*) : When I adopted him, I wanted a baby, not an : abusive boyfriend. In fact, if a HUMAN male : treated me this way I'd have him arrested. : For now, he is confined to his tank, which : breaks my heart because I love his : free-roaming spirit and I know he is : miserable being cooped up. (I wonder if I didn't : help create this new beast by letting him : out in the first place? His previous owner did : not mention any behavior problems at all.) : Today Ripley looks so sad and I'm : a little worried that he may have gotten : injured yesterday during tank cleaning : maneuvers, for which I wore heavy duty garden : gloves and an old leather bomber jacket. I had : to call in NATO ground troops. In the scuffle, : the shower curtain rod came crashing down, and : a new set of green towels were shredded. : I have been holding my ground. When he acts up at : me I stand on a chair and hover over his tank, : scold him in a big deep voice and bang his : climbing sticks together loudly or slam his : cage with my hand. At first this brought out : the fight in him and he got even meaner and : madder. But then so did I. I would not let him : so much as bob his head at me. If he dared to try and bite my hand through the glass : I would go ballistic. : Yesterday we did this on and off for hours. He : does learn pretty fast, even when he does not : want to learn. My message is clear: I am the : alpha iguana in this house. Not him. And after a : while he backed off and calmed down. : Last night I was able to put my hand in his tank, : stroke his head and massage his shoulders while : heclosedhis eyes and behaved like his old : sweet self. : I think he misses me. : I am experimenting with his light-hours (as : recommended on one of Melissa Kaplan's pages) : and if necessary, will find out about that female : hormone. (Or maybe some steroids for me? It's : not easy at 5'3 being the tough guy. But I took : a lot of karate classes for years and : I am not afraid to spar.) : Still... maybe next time I'll adopt a hamster? : (Nah!) : Thanks again for all the help. I'll keep you : guys posted. : ;-) : Jesse

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