Iguana troubles

[MPRC]

If you're going to build a new one make sure it is BIG! I couldn't even keep my guy contained in a 8x8x4ft enclosure because he would pace and wanted out. He ended up with a 10x13ft room with an on suite bathroom to himself along with a lot of free roaming time.

 

[KaderTheAnts]

Thanks for all your helpful advice everyone! Sadly, he bit my mom and so we gave him to my uncle who will be able to deal with his attitude.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

They often grow to 5 to 6 feet long and get more dangerous and unpredictable.

 

[KaderTheAnts]

Thanks guys for all of your help! Sadly he bit my mom so he went immediately. ;( at least he'll be with my uncle and I can visit him.

 

[Turtlepete]

Most healthy, well cared for iguanas are like that. Just one reason I tell people they don't usually make good pets.

Their bite is serious and they will damage your eyes with their tail, so be careful.

Agree with Tom. Greens are almost always very poor pets. Out of about a dozen greens I've had maybe one that was halfway tame. Rock iguanas on the other hand are fantastic pets.

 

[Tiff]

My first reptile was a green iguana. He was like a cat! I was also bitten and it hurt!

 

[ZEROPILOT]

right now with the cool weather we've had, you can just walk up and pick them up. Some of them haven't moved in days.

 

[MPRC]

right now with the cool weather we've had, you can just walk up and pick them up. Some of them haven't moved in days.

It's a good thing I don't live in FL, I'd have to build an iguana warming center! I'm such a sucker for reptiles.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

It's a good thing I don't live in FL, I'd have to build an iguana warming center! I'm such a sucker for reptiles.

I have an amusing story about iguana warming. Sorry to get off topic. (Hijack)
Someone here at work found a motionless iguana back a few years ago at a school during a cold spell. He placed it inside his jacket. Gave it a name, had even designed a pen to build and make it into a pet for his kid. He showed me a drawing of a beautifully designed and elaborate cage.
It had been inside his jacket for quite a while when he bought his fleet truck here for some service or repair of some sort and told me about this "tame" iguana that he found and how friendly it was and as he proceeded to open up his jacket, a green object about 2.5 feet long jetted out of his chest area, leaving behind skin and blood everywhere! It even tore his lower eyelid just below his eye. After a few laps of the office, it ran out the front door and ran away.
I'm sure it was very painful, but a lesson learned.
And to me worth repeating every now and again.
A friendly iguana is likely just cold or sick.

 

[MPRC]

We cooled (just turned off supplemental heat) on my iguana for 12 hours before we tried to move him to a new home after it went 'face eating crazy' and I still ended up having to go to work and get a sedative from the vet because he still wanted to kill me. I made him a raspberry and acepromazine sandwich though and about 30 minutes later I managed to wrestle him out of his 10x13 enclosure without injury.

TL;DR - Iguanas are terrible stubborn jerks. (But I love them)

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Oh. Don't get me wrong. I LOVE THEM too.
I no longer have the urge to chase down and catch every one that I see any more.

 

[Tom]

Agree with Tom. Greens are almost always very poor pets. Out of about a dozen greens I've had maybe one that was halfway tame. Rock iguanas on the other hand are fantastic pets.

And now tell them about Rhino Iguanas…