My+iguana+is+still+mean+how+do+i+fix+ths+situation

Question
Hello+ive+had+quazzi+moto+for+4+months.+He+is+still+very+skiddish+and+runs+away+from+me+when+i+try+to+pick+him+up+in+the+mornings+and+afternoons.+Is+there+a+way+for+me+to+break+him+in+quickly+as+fae+as+handling.+He+also+does+alot+of+tail+whipping+still+

Answer
Dear Aaron,

This is a very common relationship between an iguana and his or her owner. I have an iguana named Trogdor and I have held her everyday and given her kisses everyday since I got her over a year ago and she still runs to avoid me and shuts her eyes on me when I get her in a submissive position. I do firmly believe that this behavior stems from the fact that iguanas act very strongly on instinct...

Iguanas are designed to be very defensive creatures to ensure survival in their natural habitats. Their anatomies are very specifically designed to appear dangerous and threatening with their long tails used for whipping, tall dorsal spikes to appear sharp, long dewlaps to appear thicker, long claws and sharp teeth, and the parietal eye to sense predators from above. Keeping this in mind, it is important to remember that their instincts tell them that anything approaching them or attempting to put their mouth near them appears to be a predator and even if they do like you, they cannot grow comfortable with the fact that they are in a position in which they could easily become lunch. A lot of people are under the false impression that their iguanas should one day become comfortable enough to behave like a household cat or dog. I can assure you that it is more normal for an iguana to remain skiddish and mean than it is for an iguana to become loving and affectionate.

In my opinion, iguanas are not capable of loving and are not made to form attachments. Consider this: when females lay their eggs, they simply dig, lay, and thne leave. There is no maternal instinct that tells them to care for their young. In my opinion, the best an iguana owner can hope for is that their iguana will learn to be comfortable with them and learn to tolerate them without constantly biting and/or whipping.

There have been studies that have shown some iguanas can develop strong attachments to their owners and some of them can even die of "broken hearts" if they are separated from their longtime owner(s), but in my rescue experience, I have not taken a single iguana who hasn't rebounded very quickly from it's old owner to me, therefore, I am not convinced these studies are representative of iguana "emotions".

Remember, oftentimes iguanas will calm down with age and if yours is not into his adulthood, he may calm down even further as he gets older, especially if you work with him often. With this in mind, just try to enjoy your iguana for the way he is and try to accept that he is a naturally paranoid creature.

You can try to help socialize him better if you spend a set amount of time with him everyday practicing the handling techniques and getting him comfortable with you. You should never let him go or put him down when he is being aggressive or he will learn that aggressive behavior gets him what he wants.

Well, I hope this sheds some light onto your concern and I do hope you are reassured that he does not dislike you. Keep working with him and continuing to hold her, being slow in your movements and soft in your tone of voice so he feels extra relaxed near you. Good luck to you and your baby!

//SIGNED//
SARA J. GWERDER
PRESIDENT
RAPTOR RESCUE IGUANA SANCTUARY
SHREVEPORT, LA
www.RaptorRescue.org