Posted by Natasha on 7/17/2012, 9:28 pm 184.59.121.94
I just got this Iguana about 2 days ago, and it is having conflicting behaviors based on all the stuff I have researched and read. On one hand, it was very tame when I got it, I held it in my hand walking around the pet store, it never tried to jump away and seemed content. It seemed content in the car ride and stayed on my hand. It allows me to hand feed it, and it eats/defecates fine. Sometimes she lets me pick her up out of the cage and does not seem stressed, but then other times she gets stressed. I put my hand in from the other side, and slowly move it to her instead of just directly from above.
She has begun to claw at the glass *a lot* and climb the towel I put infront of the back mirrored glass to the top, and trying to push and claw at the screen hood.. She has begun digging in a corner. She will then go bask for a few moments, and go right back at this behavior. The basking temp is about 95, and the cool side is around 78-79. The middle somewhere in between. The Humidity ranges from 50-65 (I put the towel in there to help that, and I spray down the terrarium multiple times a day).
This is a small baby, and is currently in a 30g Aquarium (Yes, I know its going to grow fast, and grow up to 6 feet, I am going to be starting the project of building a PVC and Plexiglass habitat).
Is she stressing because the aquarium is too small? If Iguanas are suppose to be untame when you get them, why is this one relatively tame and allow me to hold and hand feed? Is that a good sign? All in all she is very active, but today she has started to really act panicked by constantly climbing to the hood, digging, and clawing at the glass.. :(
My iguana Steve did the same thing when I first got him. He would scratch, claw, dig, and climb a lot. I finally finished building his larger habitat and the behavior stopped. He still does it from time to time but usually only when the ceiling fan is on. Your iguana may just be uncomfortable in the smaller enclosure.
I'm just wondering if you have the aquarium too hot. use a thermometer (pet kind, not human kind) to check temps. Also, you may not have a place for her to hide. Try just an old fashioned cardboard oat box with ends out. my iggy liked this until he was too big to fit inside. That's where he napped. Glad to hear you have done your research properly and are ready for a long term relationship. Also, wondering about spritzing her and bathing with just a teeny bit of water in tub or sink.
I spritz her and she doesnt seem to mind it too much, however I have tried to give her a bath in the sink with warm water and she wanted nothing to do with it and kept climbing back up my arm away from the water. Cool side of the tank stays between 77-82. Theres a lot of plants on the bottom of the terrarium for her to hide, but no box.
I am getting confused though, sometimes shes ok with me and holding her/taking her out, then sometimes she just wants to run jump and climb and I gotta keep a hold on her to calm her down.. am I going backwards or forwards with taming? Lol
Well Im glad I am on the right track Lol. I think she was being fed some processed stuff or something because she didnt poop for the first 2 days, but today she did twice. I feed her only Collards, acorn squash, mango once in a while and other foods I have read that are 'staple foods' for her.
If she is already letting me hand feed her from sitting on my hand, do you think this is a precursor to a calm type iguana? I am really hoping I dont get a wild crazy untameable beast :(
