Dog Community

The Lizard gang, big and small

Posted : 12/12/2006 6:16:07 AM

Finally got pictures of the iguana, but got a few tail whips durring the process. They're not that great, hard to get a good angle in the tank, and holding him and taking pictures at the same time is a nightmare.

Draco, my green anole, has been very lonely for the past 2 weeks. His girlfriend that i bought him with got sick and died, I still have no idea why. I waited a while, just to make sure Draco didn't become sick also. But he didn't, and hes fine. Not sick, just maybe a little depressed lol. Well i went and got him 2 new girlfriends last night, and they really like eachother. I had to pick them out carfully since Draco is reaching, "that age" and is very territorial, hes pretty tame and even tried to bite me a couple times.

The 2 new girls (no names yet)

Draco, chilln on his plant. (hes brown because he was just under the heat lamp, usualy hes green.)

Basking...

You can really see here how big Draco is compared to the new little babys, I used to think HE was small, until I got them.

The still Nameless Iguana.

(The side of the tank is very dirty, hes shedding his skin, so he's been rubbing himself on the walls trying to peel it off.)

Hmm, not much to say about him. Hes VERY moody, does NOT like me, likes to bite and tail whip me. Loves collard greens and carrots (big surprise). Hes grown a little over an inch since I got him (about 1.5-2 months ago)

tashakota

Posted : 12/12/2006 9:17:56 AM

You should try to handle the iguana as much as possible, forever. I had the unfortunate experience of having to retrieve an iguana that had bitten his child owner pretty badly (saw the bandaged hand) and bring it to the shelter to be pts. They can become nightmares when much bigger and are not properly socialized. And they can do a lot of damage, so take the small bites now, while they aren't as dangerous, to get him used to the idea that he won't get hurt by you.

And they are all very lovely. I have a ball python that I've had for 12 years now.

astaracheetah

Posted : 12/12/2006 9:26:26 AM

Awwww you have anoles! Those are my favorite! >^_^<

Spazzy

Posted : 12/12/2006 3:14:40 PM

ORIGINAL: tashakota

You should try to handle the iguana as much as possible, forever. I had the unfortunate experience of having to retrieve an iguana that had bitten his child owner pretty badly (saw the bandaged hand) and bring it to the shelter to be pts. They can become nightmares when much bigger and are not properly socialized. And they can do a lot of damage, so take the small bites now, while they aren't as dangerous, to get him used to the idea that he won't get hurt by you.

And they are all very lovely. I have a ball python that I've had for 12 years now.

Yeah, I heard they can be pretty nasty, espescialy males. Its hard to tell now cause he's still young, but i think hes a male.
I try to handle him a little every day, not a lot, so he doesnt get too stressed. But hes gotten a lot better than he was when i first got him. If everything is really quiet and calm, I can hand feed him & he'll eat it outside of his cage, which before he wouldnt do because he was way to freaked out.
He freaks out most when im actuly getting him out of the tank, to him i'm just a big monster reaching down to eat him. Once he gets out he calms down a bit.

HKdog

Posted : 12/12/2006 3:24:32 PM

Nice looking iguana, my brother has had the same one since he was about 14...he's 29 now.
We have a gecko I named Steve that somehow found his way into our flat, can't catch the little sh!t to save my life but there are NO bugs in my house! Even those un-godly HUGE asian cockroaches!!! We usually see Steve above the stove or by the light in the kitchen at night.

the_gopher

Posted : 12/12/2006 3:29:32 PM

I second the handling of your iguana as much as possible. My high school had a few iguanas on campus (it was a high school to learn animal care) and one took a nasty bite out of my classmate. That iguana came to us as a rescue, which in the school setting I thought was not a smart choice. He was never handled by the previous owner. She ended up being bit on the neck and required stitches.

k.m.a

Posted : 12/12/2006 6:50:36 PM

I have a iguana, shes lovely. Nice big ol' scaly dog. When you come into the cage to give her food she closes her eyes and lifts her head, ready to be stroked. Shes 4 feet with her tail. We might be selling her because she was my mums boyfriends' reptile, and we all don't have the interest to give her the proper attention she needs.

Kara

Posted : 12/12/2006 7:59:15 PM

I'm not much one for reptiles, but I love your Lizards/Iguana. They look ...interesting...in a good way [

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greg petry

Posted : 12/12/2006 9:27:14 PM

OOOOOOOOO. Wow I love reptiles, I didnt see this until now, but I have a Bearded Dragon, a Uromastyx, two Russian tortoises, Three Red Eared Sliders, One River Cooter, One Red Bellied Cooter, One Pink bellied Side neck, and a Chinese box Turtle

Mandy Thompson

Posted : 12/12/2006 9:36:30 PM

very kewl lizards
i also have to say ditto on handling your iguana as much as you can
even just sitting with them and watching tv or putting them in the bath to soak makes them more handleable
also if you smell of dog or cat a young iguana will be scared of you, i guess they do not like the smell
so wash ur hands before you handle your iguana
i have always wanted an iguana but only have room for smaller tanks for my leopard geckos,cresteds,beardie and my mali uromastyx

Cherise Caver

Posted : 12/12/2006 10:38:39 PM

You should try to handle the iguana as much as possible, forever.

That is the best thing you can do to ensure your herp is socialized and used to your touch. I love reptiles (reptile biology is my major) and have owned many over the years, and have learned that atleast a half hour a day of playtime (handling) with them is a must.

Spazzy

Posted : 12/13/2006 6:18:44 AM

ORIGINAL: cuckoo 4 cocoa pups

You should try to handle the iguana as much as possible, forever.

That is the best thing you can do to ensure your herp is socialized and used to your touch. I love reptiles (reptile biology is my major) and have owned many over the years, and have learned that atleast a half hour a day of playtime (handling) with them is a must.

Hes getting a little better with the handling. After a while I can have a loose grip on him not like before when he'd be sturggling to get away, and he wouldnt go anywhere (With doors closed, just incase, lol) Even though his nails are small they're still sharp, he got me a few times on the hand with those things, everytime i pick him up, afterwords i have scratches all over my hands from those nails. But i think they're to small to clip, and fileing them would just scare him, but I guess i gotta start sometime lol.

chewbecca

Posted : 12/13/2006 7:56:21 AM

OOOOOH, pretty lizards!

I've been told (by my reptile obsessed fiancee) that iguanas aren't the best beginning reptile and can be very vicious towards humans. And like someone else said, especially males. And especially males to female humans. They're very territorial (I think that's what he told me).

We have leopard geckos, mud turtles and will be getting some ackie monitors and Hermann tortoises this spring.

My fiancee is considering breeding his geckos, which I'm not sure that I'm totally for that idea. He wants to do it because he loves them, wants to do it for the betterment of the species, and leopard geckos are generally a GREAT beginner reptile because they're relatively easy to care for. But, I told him that unless he has homes for ALL possible baby geckos, I don't think it's a wise idea. I think I have him convinced that he needs to give a crap whose home his baby geckos land in and that it SHOULD matter.