Question
Dj's home
hi my name is justin, i have a green iguana that i have had for almost two years. her (well we think its a her) living area i built myself it is six ft wide six foot tall and four foot deep she has two basking lamps and the temp is always right around 78 and mid 90s in the basking spot. the front is all plexi glass for viewing. the problem i am having is just recently she has been acting very aggressave to my pet cat, and i can not understand why. everytime the cat comes around her cage she will ram the glass and then start bobbing her head violentlysome sometimes open her mouth at the cat. she has never acted this way before and she is not being like this toward me. i am worried she is going to end up hurting herself or if in the even she should happin to get out somehow, hurt the cat. can you tell me what is going on and how can i stop this before something bad happins.
attached is a picture of her cage.
thank you
Justin
Answer
Iguana "Sex Toy"
Dear Justin,
Your cage looks VERY nice and suitable for your iguana, you seem to be keeping it at a good temperature as well, and assuming you have UVB lighting and are using a good diet, I do not presume that your iguana has any aggression due to poor living conditions or anything you have or haven't done for "her".
Now, going off of what you described as your iguana's behavior and also the age (you mentioned you have had her for roughly 2 years), I am going to venture to say that this sounds like a male iguana becoming sexually mature and dealing with sexual frustration. A male iguana will sense that you are also a male, so it explains why he wouldn't be behaving this way toward you, because you do not interest him. Is your cat a female? Even if it is not a female cat and even if your iguana could not smell your cat's pheromones through the glass, your iguana sees another living creature about the same size as himself and this becomes a possible mate. Male iguanas usually begin displaying their "mating rituals" at about age 2-3...and the behaviors you are describing are really characteristic of a male coming of age.
Consider this info taken from anapsid.org
Males During Breeding Season: Physical Changes - Physical signs that a male iguana is in breeding season are an increase in orange coloring in the skin, an enlargement of the waxy protrusions from the femoral pores, and the presence of sperm plugs seen either protruding from the vent or found in the enclosure or habitat area. Sperm plugs are dried packets of semen that often appear as long, translucent orange or cream colored objects protruding from the small pores along the inner thigh. Males in season may also leave fresh semen around too, which is sometimes compared in color and consistency to melted mozzarella cheese.
Males During Breeding Season: Behavioral Changes - Many owners get quite exasperated with their males during breeding season. Owners of male iguanas should be prepared for possible difficulties when their iguana matures. Since mature iguanas go into breeding season for a period of several weeks, or even months, every year, this is something owners must deal with on a yearly basis. Many male iguanas exhibit behavioral changes during breeding season that can make them very difficult to handle or interact with. Some males can even be dangerous during this time. Behavioral changes may include an increase in head bobbing and display behaviors, an increase in territory patrolling and an increase in territorial defensive behavior. Problems occur when male iguanas defend their territories, which may range from their enclosure, to one room, to an entire house, with violent attacks. These attacks may be initiated by a normally docile male against the owner he usually trusts and has bonded with. These attacks can be unpredictable and severe. Iguanas can deliver serious bites, especially when their owner is caught off-guard. It is imperative that owners of male iguanas be on the lookout for this type of territorial aggression during breeding season. Not all males exhibit this type of behavioral change. Many remain their normal, docile selves. However, the very real possibility exists for this type of behavior, so all owners of mature male iguanas should be prepared for it.
I have attached a picture of a male iguana taking his aggression out on his "sex toy". This sounds silly but it really may help your male do his business and minimize his pent-up frustration. You could place a stuffed animal about the same size as the iguana in the cage and he may use it to relieve his tension.
please spend some significant time researching iguana breeding and the best online sources are:
http://www.greenigsociety.org/breedingseason.htm
http://www.anapsid.org/iguana/breedingbasics.html
Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance to you or if any new developments happen with the iguana that lead you to believe I am not accurately assessing this situation.
Thank You!
Sara J. Gwerder
President
Raptor Rescue Iguana Sanctuary
Shreveport, LA
www.RaptorRescue.org
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