1st, you get a big gold star for rescuing the ig ....

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Posted by iZ's mom on October 11, 1998 at 20:33:19:

In Reply to: MEAN IGUANA I SAVED FROM BEING DUMPED OUTSIDE...HELP!! posted by Emma on October 11, 1998 at 19:41:48:

NOT an easy to answer question tho!!!! do you have any experience with igs????? (or are we starting at the very beginning? *grin*)well, either way, i'd recommend the following site for excellent info on everything about igs .... from food and housing to "taming" .... it should be required reading for all ig-owners ....
~~~~~
http://www.sonic.net/~melissk/ig_care.html
~~~
as far as "taming" goes .... you need to understand that an ig will never be truly tame the way a dog or cat is .... but they CAN learn to trust (and IMO:) LIKE us humans ... it will take ALOT of PATIENCE and time and persistance on your part .... (the above site covers this really well .....)
1st, make sure your new ig's diet is a healthy one .... just like people, igs get grouchy when they don't feel good! make sure it's enclosure is WARM enough and BIG enough .... igs do NOT like CHANGE, so it's going to be stressed about the move and change of humans for awhile on top of an already "bad" attitude ..... be patient, move slowly, talk gently, and wear long sleeves in the beginning .... be very careful you don't accidently "sneak up" on him!!! .... igs feel safer if they are higher up than you .... if your ig is on the floor and you try to catch him, you're going to scare him into thinking he's going to be a meal because you're looming over him ..... (after living with iZ for almost 2 years, i made this mistake a couple weeks ago and got a chunk taken out of my hand .... but it was MY FAULT for scaring the crap out of him ... I KNOW better .... point is, taken out of context, you could get the impression that iZ is mean ..... ) the proper housing and diet can make a HUGE difference in ANY animal's disposition .... i rescued iZ from a well-meaning, but totally ignorant person when he was 2 1/2 feet long .... she had him in a 40 gal. aquarium with nothing to climb on, nowhere to hide, no heat, NO WATER and a diet that consisted solely of canned green beans and red bell peppers .... she thought iZ was pretty mean too .... the first night he was at his new home , he slept in his water pan like he was afraid it would disappear if he didn't .....
sorry .... i'm rambling again .... but i hope you understand what point i was trying to make ..... right now the ig is stessed and scared ..... read Melissa's site!!!!! (i can't emphasize that enough ... i think she is at LEAST PART iguana!!! she is great) and come back and ask us any questions that the site didn't cover .....
oh! i just thought of something else .... is your ig a MALE????? he could be going thru mating season hormone surges .....
welcome to the wonderful world of igs!!!! i fell totally in love with iZ the instant i had him home .... life will no longer be dull!!!!! *grin*
come back and let us know how you're doing!!!!!

happy igging!!!
:P + :)
iZ + mom

ps. iZ is now FOUR + 1/2 feet long and SIX pounds!!!! i am worse bragging about HIM than i EVER was about my son!!!!!

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: NOT an easy to answer question tho!!!! do you have any experience with igs????? (or are we starting at the very beginning? *grin*)well, either way, i'd recommend the following site for excellent info on everything about igs .... from food and housing to "taming" .... it should be required reading for all ig-owners .... : ~~~~~ : http://www.sonic.net/~melissk/ig_care.html : ~~~ : as far as "taming" goes .... you need to understand that an ig will never be truly tame the way a dog or cat is .... but they CAN learn to trust (and IMO:) LIKE us humans ... it will take ALOT of PATIENCE and time and persistance on your part .... (the above site covers this really well .....) : 1st, make sure your new ig's diet is a healthy one .... just like people, igs get grouchy when they don't feel good! make sure it's enclosure is WARM enough and BIG enough .... igs do NOT like CHANGE, so it's going to be stressed about the move and change of humans for awhile on top of an already "bad" attitude ..... be patient, move slowly, talk gently, and wear long sleeves in the beginning .... be very careful you don't accidently "sneak up" on him!!! .... igs feel safer if they are higher up than you .... if your ig is on the floor and you try to catch him, you're going to scare him into thinking he's going to be a meal because you're looming over him ..... (after living with iZ for almost 2 years, i made this mistake a couple weeks ago and got a chunk taken out of my hand .... but it was MY FAULT for scaring the crap out of him ... I KNOW better .... point is, taken out of context, you could get the impression that iZ is mean ..... ) the proper housing and diet can make a HUGE difference in ANY animal's disposition .... i rescued iZ from a well-meaning, but totally ignorant person when he was 2 1/2 feet long .... she had him in a 40 gal. aquarium with nothing to climb on, nowhere to hide, no heat, NO WATER and a diet that consisted solely of canned green beans and red bell peppers .... she thought iZ was pretty mean too .... the first night he was at his new home , he slept in his water pan like he was afraid it would disappear if he didn't ..... : sorry .... i'm rambling again .... but i hope you understand what point i was trying to make ..... right now the ig is stessed and scared ..... read Melissa's site!!!!! (i can't emphasize that enough ... i think she is at LEAST PART iguana!!! she is great) and come back and ask us any questions that the site didn't cover ..... : oh! i just thought of something else .... is your ig a MALE????? he could be going thru mating season hormone surges ..... : welcome to the wonderful world of igs!!!! i fell totally in love with iZ the instant i had him home .... life will no longer be dull!!!!! *grin* : come back and let us know how you're doing!!!!! : happy igging!!! : :P + :) : iZ + mom : ps. iZ is now FOUR + 1/2 feet long and SIX pounds!!!! i am worse bragging about HIM than i EVER was about my son!!!!! :

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