Whipper Snapper

[gecko_paws]

My young iggy likes to whip and snap when we try to handle him. It's not like we are rough with him or anything. Could you guys give me any tips on how to make an iggy settle down and not whip me every time I try and pic him up.
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[eddie]

It's just gonna take lots and lots and lots of gentle handling.
Also, iggys like to remain supported with ALL of its feet on a surface, so don't just grab him, but try to get your hand underneath him for support when ya pick him up and hold him.
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[gecko_paws]

Well this is the thing though, when I try and pick him up, he's really really skittish. Yet he's young, will they settle down as they get bigger? I handle him gently, and talk to him and pet him. I don't know, I'm not going to give up though.
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[Shrub]

Also, I know my brother and I took care of an iggy a few years back over the summer..it was a class pet..and man that thing would snap and snap and snap..even if we werent around he'd snap..and since he was in the middle of the hallway and my door I had to sqeeze past him snapping all day..hes was caged of course..but if we needed to get him we dropped a towell over his eyes..this calms them down almost like a sleepy state..you see this on the croc hunter too..it calms them down..then you can get him out of the cage without being skittish and he should be a little bit better when out of the cage..but handle often and you will calm him down.. Good Luck
[addsig]

YES, It is possible to "calm" down an Iggy. It just takes a lot of handling and then some tail whipping etc in the interim hehe
We have successfully 'calmed" down about 6 very wippy UIggy's here in rescue just this year. the rest all came in already nice and calm [ gotta love it when they are calm already though lol]
Just keep at it and you will see improvement in time. As for the towel over the head..I prefer not to.. I have found that Iggy's do NOT like such being done to them and only use such if there is an immediate problem going on so as to not get bit by an IG. What we have found is that when we do such to an IG, they are quite perturbed with us for a few days time and then during such time are absolutely unhandable to say the least. BUT different things work for different people, try what ya want and find what works best for you & your Iggy. [ within reason of course [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif[/img] ]
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[gecko_paws]

Thanks guys I've tried handling him a lot and yeah he's calmed down a lot. He even likes it if I pet him on the head gently(thats how I get him to calm down.) The only thing now is to get him to sit in my hand without him darting off like speedy gonzalez!!! Other than that he's getting calmer, now all I have to do is pray he will stop whipping. He's still doing the wippy thing. And to think we named him luey!!!
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[Johnny801]

Glad to hear he's calming down for you. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
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