Anyone with Iggies...

[capsicum]

Can you please tell me what they are like as pets? Thanks in advance!

TK

[justinO]

i've had a few over the years, and from my experience, some can be incredibally rewarding, others can be the devil incarnate. babies are usually rather skittish. Also, they are 100% vegetarian.

Adult males can potentially become incredibally territorial/aggressive for some times of the year. Bites can require stitches.

Also, i'd not recommend buying one from a pet store, there are way too many out there. There are a few iguana adoption sites around.. reptilerescue.on.ca is one of them.

i'd advise doing lots of research and find out both the extreme good and the extreme bad that can come with them. Then make an informed decision from there.

Personally, I doubt I'll ever own one again, but other's I know absolutly adore theirs.

good luck :)

[capsicum]

Thanks for the link :) I have never been greatly interested in one as a pet, since I have seen waaaaaaaaaaay too many die because of human idiocy. As well I have heard the major horror stories :eek:
When people ask me to find them an iggy, I give them photocopies of pictures that I have found of bites and tail-whips. That usually quickly makes them realize that they are not for everyone.
I do know of a few people who have them, and they love theirs. I think I will just redirect people to that website now, thanks again!

TK

[Kevin McRae]

Well said.....there neat pets though....I also adopted one:)

[thunder]

my first iguana was a rescue who was in terrible shape, she had mbd and her growth was stunted, and his spine twisted. he had been kept with a larger iguana who had injured her frequently so she was missing a tailtip and covered with scars. as can be expected, she was not terribly fond of human attention, and as soon as she got a little better she became very aggressive, could not be handled with out gloves, and once bit my finger down to the bone. after her death i adopted another iggy. this one was a bit battered as well, but in much better shape. she eventually became a very tame animal, not only tolerating human attention but seeking it out. she has never scratched or tail whipped me, and loves to be held and have her jaw scratched. the only time she is flighty is when she is outside, i think it makes her nervous. so in conclusion, an iguana's temperment is dependent on both the experience they have had with humans, and their individual personalities. if you have done a lot of research and truly feel you want an iguana, i would suggest adopting one from a rescue center, and requesting an individual that is already used to humans, and has a docile demeanor. there are many iguana-only rescues out there who know all of their iguana's individual histories and their individual quirks and flaws. also, females are generally less difficult than males.

[Linds]

My first pet was an iguana. I aquired her when I was about 4 years old and she passed away the first day of this March, 20 years later. She was awesome and I did love her, however I would never get another one. Iguanas just aren't my thing. However, I did luck in with her, as she had quite an agreeable temperament when she matured. This isn't all that common, most igs cannot be labelled as 'docile', even the nice ones still have their ways and their days :p Definitely one of the animals that shoudln't be sold in stores, but all too often are. My old work didn't stock them for this reason, we only sold them on special order. I agree with the above advice, rescues are the way to go with these guys. They can be good for the right person, but as with any large lizard, you cannot expect to have a 'lap pet' - they are definitely not for everyone.

Originally posted by thunder
the only time she is flighty is when she is outside, i think it makes her nervous.

The intense UV rays the sun provides always gives any durinal animals a real boost, which they display in their temperaments. People often mistake this for becoming aggressive and whatnot, when in fact it's the animal coming full capacity like they would in the wild. I housed my girl outdoors every summer, which I attribute her long life to :sun:

[capsicum]

Thanks for the opinions everyone! I greatly appreciate them all :)

TK

[marisa]

Yeah my experience is like LInds....I have a iguana now, but I will not have another.

I also got lucky and mine is quite docile and at 5 feet, I can still hold her like a baby. But even my girl gets into a mood some days, or even for a week or two where she is very aggresive, and she could do serious damage.

Take a long time to think about it :)

Marisa

[capsicum]

Good advice. I am compiling opinions about them so that people can see what others (with them) say about them. So far several people that I know (friends) have decided that they won't get an iggy, just because they are not cookie cutter pets (every one is not identical nor predicatable).

TK