Re: Help! Iguanna in habit of biting!

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Posted by j on January 16, 2002 at 20:18:16:

In Reply to: Help! Iguanna in habit of biting! posted by Natika on January 16, 2002 at 19:00:26:

Do you know what sex your ig is? Could be this is his first breeding season and the aggression it is showing you is due to the raging hormones. Males can be aggressive during breeding season. However, both females and males will be aggressive if they are not tame and they are defending their territory(Sounds like that is what it is doing on top of the cage).
Was your ig pretty tame before this biting phase? One thing you have to do with iguanas is always stand your ground. If you back away from them everytime they show aggressive behavior, like tail whipping or head bobbing, then they will think they are more powerful than you and will never respect you. One thing you need to do is to invest in some really thick protective gloves. Like welder's gloves. And have something protecting your forearms, like layers of clothing or towels wrapped around. This way he won't puncture your skin if he bites you, and having all that protection will help boost your confidence when you go to handle him.
The way to break his habit of aggressive behavior is to tame him. Taming takes time and a lot of interaction between you and the ig. There is a lot of info on the web about this, and there is a great book called, "The Ultimate Green Iguana Manual" by James Hatfield.
You said that you keep him in his cage for weeks on end. Well, that is a bad thing. Iguanas need to be let out of their enclosure so they can explore(after you've "ig-proofed" your room) and to stretch their legs. Being caged up all the time can drive them crazy, just like it would a human.
Is he still on his cage now? Do you think you can lure him down with food? If not, then just let him stay up there and sleep there for the night. Iguanas move slower when their body temp is below normal and when they are waking up in the morning. Perhaps, with protection on hands and arms, somebody can try to get him back in his cage then.

Follow Ups:

Re: Help! Iguanna in habit of biting! Nakita 01/16/02 (3)
- Re: Help! Iguanna in habit of biting! Joanne 01/16/02 (0)
- Re: Help! Iguanna in habit of biting! j 01/16/02 (1)
  - Thanks! =) Nakita 01/16/02 (0)

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: Do you know what sex your ig is? Could be this is his first breeding season and the aggression it is showing you is due to the raging hormones. Males can be aggressive during breeding season. However, both females and males will be aggressive if they are not tame and they are defending their territory(Sounds like that is what it is doing on top of the cage). : Was your ig pretty tame before this biting phase? One thing you have to do with iguanas is always stand your ground. If you back away from them everytime they show aggressive behavior, like tail whipping or head bobbing, then they will think they are more powerful than you and will never respect you. One thing you need to do is to invest in some really thick protective gloves. Like welder's gloves. And have something protecting your forearms, like layers of clothing or towels wrapped around. This way he won't puncture your skin if he bites you, and having all that protection will help boost your confidence when you go to handle him. : The way to break his habit of aggressive behavior is to tame him. Taming takes time and a lot of interaction between you and the ig. There is a lot of info on the web about this, and there is a great book called, "The Ultimate Green Iguana Manual" by James Hatfield. : You said that you keep him in his cage for weeks on end. Well, that is a bad thing. Iguanas need to be let out of their enclosure so they can explore(after you've "ig-proofed" your room) and to stretch their legs. Being caged up all the time can drive them crazy, just like it would a human. : Is he still on his cage now? Do you think you can lure him down with food? If not, then just let him stay up there and sleep there for the night. Iguanas move slower when their body temp is below normal and when they are waking up in the morning. Perhaps, with protection on hands and arms, somebody can try to get him back in his cage then.

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