some rambling thoughts ...

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Posted by iZ's mom on April 14, 2001 at 15:49:22:

In Reply to: Young iguana always biting me! posted by Saus on April 14, 2001 at 08:35:08:

1st be sure to get him a check up like the others have said!

then ... take a look at *how* you're approaching him when he bites ... does he bite ALL the time or just sometimes??? notice any + all differences, no matter how small they may seem to be ... remember that igs rely on body language to communicate, theirs AND ours! you may be sending threatening signals that you don't realize ...

be sure that you're not "sneaking up" on him + startling him! even when i've thought iZ was looking right AT me, i've startled him cuz he was *totally* zoned out, day dreaming + i was too quiet ... start talking to your ig when you're still 1/2 a room away so he knows you're coming ...

ANY time you are standing over an ig, it's a perceived as a threat ... remember that they instinctively feel that they are going to be somebody's snack and so are understandably worried when someone much bigger than them is literally looking down at them ... if you HAVE to stand over him cuz he's on the floor, it helps alot to approach from *behind* him rather than face to face which is more threatening ... and squat down so you're lower!

it helps tremendously to be below their eye level when walking up to them! this literally puts them "on top" and a little bit more at ease ... when hangin' out in the living room, iZ will totally IGnore me when i walk under his supper shelf but if he's hangin' out on the back of the sofa, i have to tread more carefully ... igs startle VERY easily, even when they know + trust you! it's just who they are ...

also important is how your hand approaches them ... the back of my hand/fingers reaches for iZ 1st, i don't have my palm facing him like i'm gonna grab him ... as much as he knows + trusts me, he does NOT like to be touched on top of his head (or shoulders, etc) FIRST ... i reach up + pet his jowls or the underneath of his chin first, THEN reach up + give him head/shoulder rubs ...

oh let's see ~ what else has iZ taught me?????

iZ prefers to be picked up a very certain way ... i put my hand under the base of his tail/between his thighs FIRST ~ he grabs my wrist with his feet and THEN i put the other hand under his chest + pick him up ... as strong as his arms ARE, his legs are even stronger and when he feels that *they* are stable + he feels *he's* in control, then he's ok ...

notice too, what you're wearing when your ig bites ... different igs have different colors or patterns that they just HATE and that really seem to just tick them off ...

and sometimes, igs just wanna be left alone, period! now's the time to start learning what your ig's various postures + color variations mean and learn *his* language ... (iZ gets totally WHITE when stressed and i know to procede with EXTREME caution at those times ... )

hope maybe some of the rambling helped ... let us know how his check-up goes + how the 2 of you are doin'!
Bon. + iZ hummomy's a slow learner, but she TRIES hard!

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: 1st be sure to get him a check up like the others have said! : then ... take a look at *how* you're approaching him when he bites ... does he bite ALL the time or just sometimes??? notice any + all differences, no matter how small they may seem to be ... remember that igs rely on body language to communicate, theirs AND ours! you may be sending threatening signals that you don't realize ... : be sure that you're not "sneaking up" on him + startling him! even when i've thought iZ was looking right AT me, i've startled him cuz he was *totally* zoned out, day dreaming + i was too quiet ... start talking to your ig when you're still 1/2 a room away so he knows you're coming ... : ANY time you are standing over an ig, it's a perceived as a threat ... remember that they instinctively feel that they are going to be somebody's snack and so are understandably worried when someone much bigger than them is literally looking down at them ... if you HAVE to stand over him cuz he's on the floor, it helps alot to approach from *behind* him rather than face to face which is more threatening ... and squat down so you're lower! : it helps tremendously to be below their eye level when walking up to them! this literally puts them "on top" and a little bit more at ease ... when hangin' out in the living room, iZ will totally IGnore me when i walk under his supper shelf but if he's hangin' out on the back of the sofa, i have to tread more carefully ... igs startle VERY easily, even when they know + trust you! it's just who they are ... : also important is how your hand approaches them ... the back of my hand/fingers reaches for iZ 1st, i don't have my palm facing him like i'm gonna grab him ... as much as he knows + trusts me, he does NOT like to be touched on top of his head (or shoulders, etc) FIRST ... i reach up + pet his jowls or the underneath of his chin first, THEN reach up + give him head/shoulder rubs ... : oh let's see ~ what else has iZ taught me????? : iZ prefers to be picked up a very certain way ... i put my hand under the base of his tail/between his thighs FIRST ~ he grabs my wrist with his feet and THEN i put the other hand under his chest + pick him up ... as strong as his arms ARE, his legs are even stronger and when he feels that *they* are stable + he feels *he's* in control, then he's ok ... : notice too, what you're wearing when your ig bites ... different igs have different colors or patterns that they just HATE and that really seem to just tick them off ... : and sometimes, igs just wanna be left alone, period! now's the time to start learning what your ig's various postures + color variations mean and learn *his* language ... (iZ gets totally WHITE when stressed and i know to procede with EXTREME caution at those times ... ) : hope maybe some of the rambling helped ... let us know how his check-up goes + how the 2 of you are doin'! : Bon. + iZ hummomy's a slow learner, but she TRIES hard!

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