for louie, re: mating season

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Posted by iZ's mom on June 15, 2001 at 19:52:27:

since i've been absent a few days ~ thought i'd restart the thread up here so it doesn't get missed ...

1st let me 'disclaim' this by saying that every ig + every humon is different and what works for me + iZ may not for you � ok, that said, here's my 2 cents �

last summer was THE WORST as far as iZ + his hormones go ~ but i also found out (20-20 hindsight) that he was in the midst of forming a LARGE stone in his bladder and that definitely had to have a major effect on his mood + behavior � i'd consider a check-up with louie's ig-vet just to rule out any physical causes (other than hormones) �

i think it's important to stay in routine as much as possible ~ meaning if louie had "X" amount of roaming time before, he should at least have some now � my reasoning is that 1) igs hate change and so the change of not being able to roam is possibly adding to the stress of being hormonal and 2) by maybe he'll work out some of that 'aggression' by getting more physical activity/exercise �

iZ usually lets me know that he feels very ANTI-social and that he doesn't not really want to be around me at all � (the strange exception is *usually* bathtime, when we are in the bathroom, he tends to be calm, the second we walk out the door, he wants to � well, you know �) � ANYWAY � i try extremely hard to correctly interpret what he's telling me and when he wants to be left alone, i do it! he usually eats supper in the livingroom, but when he's hormonal, he prefers to eat in his room �

while at his worst last summer, i had to re-think how to let iZ roam while keeping *me* safe from his advances � i'd let him roam from his room across the hall to MY room while *I* was in another part of the house � that worked pretty good except for when he decided it was funny to poop on my pillow 3 days in a row � but hey, if the only bad thing that happens during mating season is a little stray poop, what the heck!

maybe it'd be possible to ig-proof the bathroom + shut him in there for some exercise???
watch out for mirrors tho!!! for some igs, it's a good way to let them work out some aggressive feelings by posturing at themselves ~ iZ is NOT one of those igs �

when iZ is hormonal, his eyes just look glazed over ~ like there's not really anybody home in there � he is NOT *himself* by any means! i don't go barefoot around him, i try to have long pants on and i carry a bath towel over my shoulder whenever he's out + about ~ either to throw over him or to use as a 'shield' �

probably the hardest thing is to NOT REACT to his threats/posturing, but to stand firm and stare him down � every time you jump back, you reinforce his behavior � that's where the towel comes in ~ "bob + hiss at ME + you get the towel over your head + sent back to your room mister!" ~ very calmly (when possible!) and matter-of-factly ~ you bob, i take you to your room + shut the door � after a while when the threats continue to get "the wrong" reaction from me AND his hormone levels normalize, life goes on + we snuggle once again �

ok ~ i think i'm rambled out �
good luck! stay safe! hope he snaps out of it soon!!!

Bon.

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: since i've been absent a few days ~ thought i'd restart the thread up here so it doesn't get missed ... : 1st let me 'disclaim' this by saying that every ig + every humon is different and what works for me + iZ may not for you � ok, that said, here's my 2 cents � : last summer was THE WORST as far as iZ + his hormones go ~ but i also found out (20-20 hindsight) that he was in the midst of forming a LARGE stone in his bladder and that definitely had to have a major effect on his mood + behavior � i'd consider a check-up with louie's ig-vet just to rule out any physical causes (other than hormones) � : i think it's important to stay in routine as much as possible ~ meaning if louie had "X" amount of roaming time before, he should at least have some now � my reasoning is that 1) igs hate change and so the change of not being able to roam is possibly adding to the stress of being hormonal and 2) by maybe he'll work out some of that 'aggression' by getting more physical activity/exercise � : iZ usually lets me know that he feels very ANTI-social and that he doesn't not really want to be around me at all � (the strange exception is *usually* bathtime, when we are in the bathroom, he tends to be calm, the second we walk out the door, he wants to � well, you know �) � ANYWAY � i try extremely hard to correctly interpret what he's telling me and when he wants to be left alone, i do it! he usually eats supper in the livingroom, but when he's hormonal, he prefers to eat in his room � : while at his worst last summer, i had to re-think how to let iZ roam while keeping *me* safe from his advances � i'd let him roam from his room across the hall to MY room while *I* was in another part of the house � that worked pretty good except for when he decided it was funny to poop on my pillow 3 days in a row � but hey, if the only bad thing that happens during mating season is a little stray poop, what the heck! : maybe it'd be possible to ig-proof the bathroom + shut him in there for some exercise??? : watch out for mirrors tho!!! for some igs, it's a good way to let them work out some aggressive feelings by posturing at themselves ~ iZ is NOT one of those igs � : when iZ is hormonal, his eyes just look glazed over ~ like there's not really anybody home in there � he is NOT *himself* by any means! i don't go barefoot around him, i try to have long pants on and i carry a bath towel over my shoulder whenever he's out + about ~ either to throw over him or to use as a 'shield' � : probably the hardest thing is to NOT REACT to his threats/posturing, but to stand firm and stare him down � every time you jump back, you reinforce his behavior � that's where the towel comes in ~ "bob + hiss at ME + you get the towel over your head + sent back to your room mister!" ~ very calmly (when possible!) and matter-of-factly ~ you bob, i take you to your room + shut the door � after a while when the threats continue to get "the wrong" reaction from me AND his hormone levels normalize, life goes on + we snuggle once again � : ok ~ i think i'm rambled out � : good luck! stay safe! hope he snaps out of it soon!!! : Bon.

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