Re: Has anyone seen this?

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Posted by PH Meliss on November 17, 2002 at 13:03:47:

In Reply to: Has anyone seen this? posted by Wyrdchild on November 16, 2002 at 20:06:02:

There are several components to your post, so several answers... ;)

I'm a great believer in letting animals tell me their names. In the case of iguanas, far too many got non-names like (and I don't mean to offend anyone here) Iggy, Ziggy and Spike. Or they simply weren't given any name, and/or were passed around from owner to owner to owner so many times that even if one of the people did give them a name, the ig didn't hear it long enough to recognize it was "his", or the owner didn't think enough of the ig to bother to pass that name along to the next person down the line. (And people wonder why I spend so much time trying to talk people out of getting iguanas... < sigh >)

I find that if you interact with them, watch them observantly, and just generally get to know them over a period of a couple of months, they will generally *tell* you their name...you will realize that when you are thinking about them or 'talking' to them in your head, you are using a name without really having consciously thought about it. These names are often their "true names" (sounds weird, but I can't think of any other way to explain the feeling of just "knowing" their name and how right it seems when it comes this way...).

I got a phone call one day from someone who wanted to get rid of their iguana - now. A friend of mine was visiting at that time, so she came with me when I went to pick this poor thing up. Three years old or so, he had been badly kept, basically ignored in an enclosure made of windows - about 3.5 ft w x 3.5 ft h x 6 INCHES deep. My friend sorta fell for him, but already having an ig (and a husband who told her no more igs) he still came home with me. When we'd talk on the phone, she'd always ask if I'd named him yet. "Not yet," I replied. Whenever she was over, she'd ask the same question, looking longingly at him.

I had him for about 3 months or so before I realized I was calling him "George" in my head. I called my friend to tell her about it. She excitedly cut into the conversation before I could get actually tell her. "I've got it!" she exclaimed, I've thought of his name!"

What was it?

George!

The more you interact with your igs (and the first month is toughest with hatchlings as they are still trying to get used to the fact that you won't be eating them...), the more you will get a feel for them...and their names... :)

That being said, when igs 1+ years of age and older come to me, I do not change their name, even if it is Iggy, Ziggy or Spike. Why? Because if you use their name enough and interact with them enough, they do come to learn you are talking to/about them. If you, the new owner, change their name from one they recognzie, to one they don't, their adjustment time will be longer and more difficult as they wonder who the heck you're talking to when you're looking at and holding them, but talking to someone else. ;)

I've had as many as 22 igs living in my house at one time, with as many as 17 sexually mature males (fortunately, I live in a big enough house to sort all these free roamers out! ;). When people not familiar with igs would come over, they would be amazed to see individual igs whip their head around when, even though my back was turned, I said their name while I was talking to the humans.

Your story reminds me of one of the igs I took in: Elvys, who was 7 years old when he came to me. He spent most of his time with me in the den, laying on a large table (on which I'd set up his basking and sleeping area) next to my favorite chair, where I spent a lot of time reading and knitting. We, er, I was watching the news one night; there was a story about a new system installed at the ball park where either the A's or Giants play (you can tell what a sports fan I am, eh? ;). The system involved these large, flat gray panels arrayed as the barrier wall behind the safety fence behind home plate. The system would display advertising on these panels which were, essentially projection screens. The point to this story (there is one, really!) is that the system's name was ELVIS. Whenever Elvys heard *his* name in the course of the news story, he'd turn towards the TV, trying to figure out who was talking to or about him.

Iguanas aren't the only reptiles that can learn their names. I got bearded dragon who had been damaged by being fed prey that was too large. Already a year or so old, he came from a pet store, with no name. While I was 'waiting' for his name to come to me, or to think of a good name for him, I used to call or refer to him as "Pogona" or "my little vitticeps". Well, I was on the phone one day while he was basking near by. I don't remember what exactly I was talking about, but I said "Pogona vitticeps...whereupon he whipped his head around and gave me that grumpy "whaddya want" look beardies are so good at. And then it hit me, good or bad, right or wrong, his name was now Pogona. ;)

So, all that being said, if your new baby is responding to Boo-Baby, go with it. ;)

--
PH Meliss
Iguanas Pet Host for PetHobbyist.com
Herps and Iguanas
Herp Societies/Rescues and Vets

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