My ig is driving me crazy!!!!!

Question
QUESTION: Ok We are almost positive that he is a male ig about 4 1/2 ft. Named Godzilla. Um Lets see he is annoying. He keep prying at his cage. We fed him he stops but then goes right back to it. I dont know why. Its really frustrating. we used to let him out and roam the house but then he started pooping on the carpet and fighting us when we try to put him back in the cage. I found out that I am expecting a baby so I cant let him out when my boyfriend is gone he is just to strong for me to handle anymore. Also at the bottom of his cage is his litter box he uses it well but when I try to put his wood cave in the cage he goes to the bathroom on it and make a huge mess. so we removed his log. Is there anyway I can keep him from going on his log? and how do I get him to change his behavior? I heard it cause he is a teenager but my patients is running out fast. I love him so much I just want him to behave like he used to. thank you


Iguana Sex Toy   ANSWER: Darlena,

I am sorry your iguana is acting up and I am also sorry to tell you that it sounds like typical male aggression, something that you may have to deal with every year come breeding season. From what it sounds like, he is going through his breeding season and has sexual energy-turned aggression. I'll discuss the situation further, but first, I do not know of any way to deter iguanas from pooing on a particular item. I think that might be an exercise in futility trying to stop him from doing that.

Anyhow, here is a useful excerpt from anapsid.org about breeding season basics:

"If you have a male, expect to start seeing some color changes. You will most likely start to see some orange or rusty red appearing.This is also the time period in which iguanas who previously lived together compatibly may start showing signs of incompatibility."

"There may or may not be behavioral changes. Other males will begin to behave differently. You will see posturing, including increased head bobbing, restlessness, lateral compression of the torso ("hatchet mode" or "hatcheting", dewlap flaring, crab-walking, and ritualized tail movements. Some iguana owners, male and female, get stalked by their iguana, who manages to move forward while crab-walking sideways in hatchet mode. Human males are often seen as competitors, while human females are seen as potential mates. How you respond will go a long way towards dictating what kind of season you will have this year, and in subsequent years."

You can read the entire article at http://www.anapsid.org/iguana/breedingbasics.html

Also, here are some excerpts about male aggression during breeding season:

"It isn't strange and sudden - it's quite predictable, accruing same time every year, once they hit sexual maturity. They should reach sexual maturity at 1.5 years of age if they have been fed and housed properly, anywhere from age 3-6 if not."

"Iguanas need space to roam - males to 'protect' their territory, females to find nesting place. Most enclosures sold or built for igs are way too small. This results in increased aggression from increasingly frustrated males (often compounded by more than 10-12 hours/day exposure to UV A or UVA/UVB, with this supplemental lighting being kept on until late at night), and may cause injury as they bash their face against the enclosure wall, rip their toes trying to claw out, and trash their tail whipping it in such confined quarters. I find that giving most males as much time as they want in front of a mirror each day, and freedom to roam around, dragging their thighs to their heart's content, results in an uninjured, well-balanced healthy male."

You can read the entire article at http://www.anapsid.org/iguana/breedingaggression.html.

In conclusion, it sounds like what you are dealing with is normal. If you want to try and aleviate his aggression, you can try upgrading him to a larger enclosure where he has a larger territory, letting him perch in front of a mirror often, and/or providing him with a "sex toy". This sounds really silly, but it is actually a common practice. I will attach a picture of an example. It is usually a plush, stuffed animal about his size or a little smaller. He will want to bite the nape of the neck of his mate, so a stuffed lizard would be best. I hope that things calm down for you soon, but just remember: this is not permanent, it just happens like a cycle every year about the same time.

Thank You and please follow up with any further questions,

Sara J Gwerder
President
Raptor Rescue Iguana Sanctuary
Shreveport, LA
www.RaptorRescue.org

Good Diet + UVB Radiation + Proper Temperatures + Set Daily Schedule = Healthy + Happy Reptile


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: ok I think I made a mistake now I am so confused. My iguana has some male features and some female I dont know now. What should I do? All the vets around here dont mess with iguanas I would like someone to tell me for sure if its male or female any ideas????

Answer
Male:
-usually has femoral plugs (holes on inside of leg that contain a white, seminal plug) Females have them too but not as pronounced
- usually taller dorsal crest
- usually develops larger jowles under jawbone almost like golfballs in some cases
- usually has a bump on the underside of the base of the tail where the hemipenes are tucked in

Female:
-usually does not have the above features


Note: It is never easy to tell, there are some iguanas I have rescued here that I do not know the sex. I think the behavior you mentioned sounds like male behavior, but stranger things have happened.