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NicoSage · #1 (**permalink**) 10-31-2002, 08:30 AM

This is my first post here, but I have been reading this forum for a while. I have enjoyed reading and have learned a lot. I do have a Question now though. I have had an Iguana for 14 months and have loved it! It was 10 inches long when we got it, and now it is olmost 50 inches long. I handle it daily, and have a teen age daughter spends a lot of time with it to. It has a large cage, eats like a hourse, and is very gentle. Two days ago, I went to put it back into its cage, and it tried to bite me! It hasnt done that since it was about 15 inches long. When I tried again, it lunged at me with its mouth open. Needless to say, it got to sit on its cage on its basking spot a little longer. I reaproached her about an hour later (with a towel rapped around my hand) and was able to put it into its cage. She didnt try to bite me that time. The only thing that ws diferent with her was a mirror my wife put by her cage. Could that have make her more agressive? Is this kind of behavior normal? I did give her a bath tonight, and she was fine, just a little skiddish mabey. She is the focus of the entire house (much prettier then our Gecko) and I hope you can help me out with this! Oh, I do live up in the mountains in Cali, and it has been much colder the past few weaks, if that means anything.

ChrisRezendes · #2 (**permalink**) 10-31-2002, 09:02 AM

I'm no expert on Iguanas (in fact, I've never had one), but I think it MAY be possible that the light bouncing off of the mirror could have temporarily altered the iguana's vision. I don't know about iguanas, but I know that snakes tend to be much more aggressive when they can't see. Or maybe he was just so happy where he was that he didn't want to be bothered and responded aggressively to your disturbing him. You should PM Lori and check back tomorrow. She's the iguana lady. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]
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#3 (**permalink**) 11-01-2002, 07:42 AM

LOL.. IG lady now huh?? [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_lol.gif[/img] OK.. I have been called worse [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
Ok.. In regards to your IG.. I assume that it is a young ig and most likely has not been definately sexed either way at all also due to such possibly ??? With that in mind here's my .02 on the issue at hand...

Sounds like the IG when being placed back into it's cage took note of the mirror and what is was seeing in there also.. a reflection of self.. which in the Ig's mind was another Ig, not itself. One of the owrst things to do is to place a mirror in front of or in position of an Ig's cage so that they see a reflection of another IG aka themselves. Especially if this is a male IG ! Males do NOT get along with other male Igs as a rule and will go into a full defensive/attack thing if they come into contact with another one.including just seeing them even..like in a mirror.
So with that in mind it actually sounds like your ig was not actually being aggressive towards the person trying to place it into it's cage but actually reacting to the image of the "other" ig it saw and since the hand that was carrying it was what had placed it near the other ig [ in it's mind] is why it tried to bite the hand is all. Make sense ?
NOTE : LOSE THE MIRROR !
Hope that helps...
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NicoSage · #4 (**permalink**) 11-01-2002, 06:15 PM

I did toss the mirror and put my wife on house arrest. She is now only alloud to play with her Gecko (my Valentines Day pressnt to her, which she loves!) Thanks for all the help guys (and girls). I'll put a pic of Sage and Linkin when I got the time! Thanks again!
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#5 (**permalink**) 11-01-2002, 11:16 PM

HEY! If you have her on house arrest , then you really need to provide her with more herps to play with then inhouse ya know [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] LOL So what's her next herp gift then ? hehe
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roachpunk · #6 (**permalink**) 11-02-2002, 12:43 AM

welcome to RTB! iggies love being alone. is your iggy or gecko named linkin? named after linkin park by any chance? ~roachpunk~ [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

<linkin park's biggest fan [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_razz.gif[/img]
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NicoSage · #7 (**permalink**) 11-03-2002, 02:52 AM

My iguana's name is Sage, and the Gecko is Linkin. Yes She is named after Linkin Park. Funny though, Valentines day fell on, or around Abraham Lincolns B-Day, and so there is kinda a two-fold name thing going on there. This was also the time when I had introduced my wife to Linkin Park to. As far as my next herp, I do have a perfectly good 60 gal. tank in the garage n ot being used! Isn't that a sin? I was thinking that a baby Red Tail would look nice in it. The only problem is that my house is VERY small and I dont have any more room. Sage kinda has the living room to her self, her cage is the size of one of those old huge upright pianos. The only way I could make room for a snake is mabey trade one of my children (I do have 4!!) Any takers? LOL.
By the way, how do I put a pic on the end of my message? I fiddled with my settings and I could't figure it out. PLEASE HELP!
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NicoSage · #8 (**permalink**) 11-04-2002, 10:59 AM

Just an update. Sage is doing fine with no more atempts to eat me. Thanks for all your help!
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