Iguana Handling and Etiquette

When one meets a new iguana, be very mindful of the etiquette standards which apply to lizard culture. A slow, gentle approach can yield a very loving relationship between you and your lizard, but a few missteps early on can lead to months of work to correct your faux pas. While I try to go through things as completely as I can, use your own good judgment about what is a kind, gentle way to show your pet that you care. In the two and half years I've known my friend Bobarella the green iguana, we've grown so close that she lets me pick the shedding skin from her face. While your ig may not be as receptive to assistance in the molting process, I can share what I did to teach Bobarella that I am not a threat, I am her friend.

So how do you start getting to know your new friend? Slowly! One of the most important things to keep in mind is that while much more intelligent than given credit for, an iguana is still an animal and have much stronger instinctive behavior drives than we humans do. Should their head bobbing and movements become quick paced and jerky, they are feeling threatened and it's best to back off, or face their bite. Being bitten is not always avoidable, but in hindsight, every time Bobarella has bitten me, I knew she was uncomfortable beforehand. Keeping you lizard comfortable in the handling and taming process is vital, so start slow. Begin by opening their enclosure and placing a hand inside, not too close to where they are resting, but not so far that they don't notice. Of course they'll notice, a healthy iguana is an alert iguana, so if yours isn't curious, consider consulting a good vet. With your hand in their house, talk to your new friend, being sure to mention their name frequently. Within a few weeks of coming home, your friend will know their name. They might not come when you call, but they'll know who they are and when you talk about them. If the iguana is curious and comes towards your hand, stay very still and relaxed, talking softly and calmly. They may give you a little lick, or a kiss as we call it. Should they give you several licks in rapid succession, be careful, this can indicate that they think you might be food. It's always a good idea to wash your hands before handling your iguana to be sure there's no strange smells coming from you that could taste good. Hand washing after handling your iguana is another important step you should never omit, whether you believe they carry so-and-so germ or X bacteria or not, it can't hurt you to wash your hands.

After a few days of introducing both your hand and voice to your new friend, it's time to try holding them. Holding out your hand flat beneath the iguana may convince them to step right onto you, if they feel like it. If you pick them up, do so in the most gentle, slow way that you can, reaching from underneath them if possible. In nature, things coming at iguanas from above are generally a threat, so they'll likely feel threatened by a hand coming from above. Hang out with your ig still in their comfortable and familiar house while you hold them, talking and making it clear that this is a good behavior. Praise a calm lizard, but never scold an anxious one, it only causes more tension to the animal, resulting in more tense behavior. Gradually start moving your friend closer to the door of their house when you hold them, until finally taking them out of the enclosure completely for a brief visit. This first visit outside their house should be a short one to assure that it is a positive experience for the lizard. As your visits grow longer, be sure to walk around the house and show off your abode. Give your iguana friend the grand tour.

While it may sound a bit wacky to talk to your iguana, sounds are an important cue to their natural instincts that you can use to your advantage. A soft, soothing tone will quiet a lizard in much the same way that it does a crying baby. Adversely, loud and high pitched noises can be seen as threats, causing a stressed out lizard to grab onto your hand very tightly with their claws, or worse yet, try to get away and thrash about. Maintaining control of your iguana will take a gentle but firm hand when, not if, but when they attempt to roll free. The best way I've found to hold onto a spinning iguana is to loosely hold my hands in a circle and brace the thumbs together and let her spin. Forcing them to a stop may result in an injury or damage to their spikes, so be gentle and careful in dealing with a rolling tantrum. As this is much akin to a child's tantrum, it's also important to not cave in and give the lizard what they want, usually to be put down. Waiting to release the iguana until they are calm will assure that you are the dominant lizard in the relationship. Do not cut short a visit because of bad behavior, always end your play time on a calm note. If this means holding your friend in the most serene manner you can while you glance at the mess they just made whipping the table with their tail, just remember don't worry about the mess, worry about the iguana that you're going to live with for the next ten or more years.

By taking small, slow steps to get friendly with your new iguana, you're building a sound foundation for a good relationship. This loving care can foster a healthy, happy pet that will be a real asset to your state of mind in this crazy world, treasure that. By thinking of the natural world iguanas were born to inhabit, you can understand their reasons to be scared by the loud brakes of bus or the fast approach of your harmless friend. Understanding the mind of your pet can help you to be a better owner, and sharing what you know can help other owners become great friends to their pets. Caring for a pet doesn't just mean food and shelter, it needs to feel respected to be a happy pet. By gently introducing yourself to your new pet, you're starting a beautiful friendship that will last a lifetime in your heart.