I have no idea how to tell or find out =( np

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Posted by Nakita on January 16, 2002 at 19:54:11:

In Reply to: could it be breeding season? n/p posted by badgrrl on January 16, 2002 at 19:36:21:

: : My iguanna has gotten into the HORRIBLE habbit of biting!
: : He's licked and opened his mouth as if to bite but NEVER latched on like this before! First time he bit me good was last Friday. He got my finger, thrashed his head around, spun around a bit, then walked off to a distand corner, facing away from me, still latched on so hard! It was so painful! I never thought that a herbivore could have such sharp teeth! It felt like tiny needles being pressed into my skin with such a strong jaw! He was at an angle in his cage where I had to lean into his lil door, while I was bent and twisted just to ease the pain in my finger. Finnaly, after what seemed like hours, he let go. He made me bleed just a little but I can still see the marks even to this day. Now today while I was cleaning his cage I had him perched on his ledge, eating some greens so he wouldn't jump out or climb on my head. when I grabbed another napkin he latched onto it! I let him have it hoping it would keep him occupied, but he decided to run away with his 'prize' and lept from his cage. My dog had a whining fit so the iguanna decided to leave the napkin and climb to the top of his cage. I let him do this and finished up cleaning his cage. When I was done I reached up to grab him and WHAM! He whipped around and bite me AGAIN! REALLY HARD! I was so shocked yet, even so it hurt a LOT worse than last time, I remained calm, thinking if he felt good about himself he'd let go. He wouldn't. He remained high on his perch and didn't ease up his grip in the slightest. I grew a little scared and wondered if a distraction would do. I tried a napkin and he just ignored it. Then I got my watch and dangled it to the side of him and he lept forward to it, releasing his grip. Right away I jumped back and the lil green rat had in mind to JUMP at me and bite me again!! I ran to the other side of the room though and he decided it wasn't worth it. I tended to my wounds and found out it *was* much worse than last time. Every tooth punchered and I bleed a fair bit. I washed it and even had to put a band-aid on it to slow down the bleeding! He's still perched proudly on top of his cage. Headbobbing ever so often. I'm scared to put him back in. Most times I near him now he opens his mouth out wide and starts heading towards me, snapping at me whenever he thinks he can latch on. He's only about a year and 1/2 old!!! Is there some way to break his habbit? Or at least lessen the times he feels like biting? Or do all iguannas do this?? or just the males??? I really don't like the way he's perched on his cage, looking so proud and king-like. He's even smacked away the cats and DOG! They're all scared of him! Perhaps this over-confidence has started it??? Maybe you think he'd just be mad about being in his cage so often? My mom tells me to keep him in there. He's in his cage for weeks on end. Perhaps he's just really mad about that?? I don't know what to do!
: : Please help!!!
: : Thanks!

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: : : My iguanna has gotten into the HORRIBLE habbit of biting! : : : He's licked and opened his mouth as if to bite but NEVER latched on like this before! First time he bit me good was last Friday. He got my finger, thrashed his head around, spun around a bit, then walked off to a distand corner, facing away from me, still latched on so hard! It was so painful! I never thought that a herbivore could have such sharp teeth! It felt like tiny needles being pressed into my skin with such a strong jaw! He was at an angle in his cage where I had to lean into his lil door, while I was bent and twisted just to ease the pain in my finger. Finnaly, after what seemed like hours, he let go. He made me bleed just a little but I can still see the marks even to this day. Now today while I was cleaning his cage I had him perched on his ledge, eating some greens so he wouldn't jump out or climb on my head. when I grabbed another napkin he latched onto it! I let him have it hoping it would keep him occupied, but he decided to run away with his 'prize' and lept from his cage. My dog had a whining fit so the iguanna decided to leave the napkin and climb to the top of his cage. I let him do this and finished up cleaning his cage. When I was done I reached up to grab him and WHAM! He whipped around and bite me AGAIN! REALLY HARD! I was so shocked yet, even so it hurt a LOT worse than last time, I remained calm, thinking if he felt good about himself he'd let go. He wouldn't. He remained high on his perch and didn't ease up his grip in the slightest. I grew a little scared and wondered if a distraction would do. I tried a napkin and he just ignored it. Then I got my watch and dangled it to the side of him and he lept forward to it, releasing his grip. Right away I jumped back and the lil green rat had in mind to JUMP at me and bite me again!! I ran to the other side of the room though and he decided it wasn't worth it. I tended to my wounds and found out it *was* much worse than last time. Every tooth punchered and I bleed a fair bit. I washed it and even had to put a band-aid on it to slow down the bleeding! He's still perched proudly on top of his cage. Headbobbing ever so often. I'm scared to put him back in. Most times I near him now he opens his mouth out wide and starts heading towards me, snapping at me whenever he thinks he can latch on. He's only about a year and 1/2 old!!! Is there some way to break his habbit? Or at least lessen the times he feels like biting? Or do all iguannas do this?? or just the males??? I really don't like the way he's perched on his cage, looking so proud and king-like. He's even smacked away the cats and DOG! They're all scared of him! Perhaps this over-confidence has started it??? Maybe you think he'd just be mad about being in his cage so often? My mom tells me to keep him in there. He's in his cage for weeks on end. Perhaps he's just really mad about that?? I don't know what to do! : : : Please help!!! : : : Thanks!

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