Update on my Ig

[reptigirl04]

I know Nicole asked me to keep her informed about any differences in my ig now that he's maturing...so here's an update:

Well, Gollum has been rather fiesty lately. Eating less on most days, maybe every 3rd day he pigs out though.
He has a new routine to dogde me when i get him out of his cage. He'll do a circle around his cage...run across the top shelf and climb (at running speed) across the wire then back to the shelf. It's insane...lol.
He's doing those alligator rolls alot too. Once he realizes i have him and he's gonna lose no matter what, he finally settles down and goes back to his normal (dare i say nice?) self.
The vet discovered that holding him vertically, almost on his back, works to settle him down very quickly....but he's gotta be in my hands first...ha.
Do you think that's an alright way to settle him down?
Oh, and he opened his mouth at me for the first time ever yesterday. I dont know if he actually intended to bite me...maybe he just wanted to scare me?
He still holds still for me to clip his nails, and work w/ any stubborn spike shedding...so i guess that's a plus. (his spikes are getting big! He's looking more like a "man" every day!)

Over all, he's acting less tolerant and more fiesty and skittish, but he's still my little baby! He still has his good days.
Oh, I've decided that his claws are used as a sign of love. Now instead of battle wounds, i call them love scratches .

[NicoleRussell]

Hey repti girl!
I remember reading about turning a lizard on his back when reading about WD"s on TRISCHA"S WD PAGE a long time ago....this is taken from her website:

"Lizards do not have diaphragms. The diaphragm in a human is located under the lungs. It helps our lungs expand and contract to bring in air or expel air from our lungs. The diaphragm in humans also helps keep the abdominal organs from getting into the lung cavity.
Reptiles don't have this so they use the their ribs to expand or contract their lungs and fill them or expel air from their lungs.
When a lizard is placed on it's back the abdominal organs may displace and apply pressure to the lizards lung cavity and rib cage. This may make the act of breathing very difficult for your lizard. So when you turn your dragon on it's back and it closes it's eyes, it's probably not sleeping ... it might be zoning out to some degree though ... it's most likely concentrating on breathing.
A reptile left on it's back for a period of time will often die of suffocation ... and in some cases exposure such as a turtle turned on it's back that cant right itself, baking in the hot sun. "

As far as your Iguana's behavior--I forwarded your post to Bob MacCarger because he rehabilitates green igs and would know behaviorial cues more then I. I do however look forward to hearing what he says and watching as your Ig matures.
They are great looking lizards....Be careful though!
Have you seen the LIZARD LOVER guy out on CA? He lives with many Iguanas and claims that the reason he does not get attcked is because he allows the males to see each other periodically through the glass---he swares it works

[NicoleRussell]

From BOB:

(me)what do you think?<

(Bob) play it safe and have him neutered. Neutering works best on young males
that have not run a full blown "loon" season.

Hey look into it...I would definately do so if I had one.

[reptigirl04]

Wow, that's a big step....taking away his manhood!? Ouch, lol. But i will def. look into it. thanks for posting the article on neutering.
Yea, and he opened his mouth at me again. he arches his back and puffs out laterally, dewlap out and all....trying to look bigger. He doesnt scare me!! lol, He's not all that big yet. In no way do i think he is becoming a threat to myself or him...yet....we'll see what happens...
For now, i'm just paying closer attention to his body language, its definitely changing.

And WOW about the info on igs having no diaphragm! Thank you soo much for that info! Who knows, you may have saved his life. I won't be holding him like that, and i'll have to let the vet/vet techs know! You'd think they'd know things like that, seeing as how they studied to deal w/ reptiles and all.....geez. i wonder how they go through surgery being on their backs...maybe they have respirators or something...

[futureCROChunter]

i just found that out about beardies as well...there was an argument about it that someone layed their beardie on their backs and rubbed it belly and he thinked he like it becaues he would close his eyes but they said you should not do that because they cant breath, anyways im glad that people know these things, it would be the worst if they sufficated right in your hands!!

Welli hope everything gets better with gollum! Hes a good boy...just going thro some stages Its a guy thing...

[reptigirl04]

LOL! Those 'guy things' are driving me crazy! But lately once he's out of his cage, he's alright...but getting him out is the problem. I've devised a plan where i open his door and sit there....giving him the chance to come out as he pleases. He almost always comes out. Sometimes he'll scratch at the door to be let out too. Then we do all the normal stuff: petting, holding, nail trimming, baths, exploring my now deserted brother's room (he went to college).
Gollum still puffs up when i approach him, and struggles a little when i first pick him up, but that's normal for him. He never became completely used to me....yet. I have high hopes for the little guy, and we're gonna get along eventually.