Up to this point I have stuck to snakes. The only exception was a brief foray a few years ago with a Savannah Monitor. He was beautiful and lots of fun to watch eat, but I am convinced he was possessed by some horrific demon whose only purpose was the shredding of human flesh. After six months of handling with leather gloves with absolutely no improvement in behavior, someone offered me what I paid for him, and we quickly parted company.
I would like to try again. After collecting all data I can find I have come to the following conclusion. Overall, I want a blue tongued skink, but can't afford it (being a career college student). Appearance wise, the Uromastyx are always interesting. However, a local pet store is selling baby igs very cheap. I have heard they are not bad to keep and tend to be easily tamed, however that is also what my book said about the demon lizard from hell.
I have provisions for space, heat, food, etc. and that is not a problem. I just want to hear some actual stories about how loving and fun your igs are, or are they more often flesh-shedders?
Would I be making a mistake or would this be a pet I would enjoy? I understand the personality can vary a lot, but would just like to hear some general recommendations.
Thanks! Steve "that-ig-sitting-on-that-guys-shoulder-looks-so-cool" Byrd.
In article <3lrqll$...@panther.gsu.edu>, Steven Ray Byrd <gs03...@panther.Gsu.EDU> wrote:
>Okay all, give me your experienced opinions.
... >I have provisions for space, heat, food, etc. and that is not a problem. >I just want to hear some actual stories about how loving and fun your igs >are, or are they more often flesh-shedders?
>Would I be making a mistake or would this be a pet I would enjoy? >I understand the personality can vary a lot, but would just like to hear >some general recommendations.
Realize that if you buy an ig it will cost more than the ig itself. Size requirements are considerable. I started with a 20 gallon aquarium for a small ig, and in 6 months I had a big ig too large for the aquarium. I wound up building a 3 x 3 x 7 foot enclosure for her. It has cost me at least 2 hundred dollars, and I think that I have been lucky to keep the costs that low. By way of the character of igs, it varies a lot. Look for one that is calm, allows you to approach it, doesn't whip you, display, etc. This isn't even a guarentee. My ig got kind of wild after I bought her, and I have been spending two months so far trying to retame her. Still, even when they are hard to handle, they lead interesting lives in their enclosures. Mine seems to like to find the most difficult way to the top of her new enclosure. My roomate owns a ball python that sleeps under newspaper most of the time, and I have a friend that owned several species of lizards that seemed to move only when poked. Iguanas to me are the most lively of reptile pets. Hope this helps in your decision. Later!
-- Matt Nelsen | "The way to a man's heart is through his chest" min0...@tam2000.tamu.edu | Iain Banks, _Use of Weapons_
In article <3lrqll$...@panther.Gsu.EDU>, gs03...@panther.Gsu.EDU (Steven Ray Byrd) says:
[SNIP]
>I have provisions for space, heat, food, etc. and that is not a problem. >I just want to hear some actual stories about how loving and fun your igs >are, or are they more often flesh-shedders?
Someone gave me a 9 month old ig about 2 weeks ago and I love it. I had to clip the hooks off it's claws (razor sharp), but I did that to my cats too, so it didn't bother me.
You just have to be careful about crickets getting away. I feed it a mix of fruits/veges daily plus a dozen crickets once a week. It ate about 1/2 the crickets and ignored the rest. 2 nights later my 3 years old daughter started screaming at 3AM about the cricket in her bedroom. It took about 45 minutes to track down and squash. I'm still dizzy from the sleep loss.
Mine likes to crawl up to the top of my head and hang out there, ala the kid ib the Fox Trot comic.
In regards to keeping igs, and how friendly or demonic they may be, you will find huge variation. My ig, which i have had for about 6 months, is a calm, tame beatiful creature who likes to run around my apt. and is very easy to handle, he will climb onto a hand or aarm and walk around as if you were a playpen. My friend's ig of a bout the same age, is a real hellion, however, and will not allow any human to approach it without threatening to tail whip mightily, and it bites anytime a finger is within range of it mouth, she has been un able to tame it as yet. good luck, and may you find an ig that matches your temperament. bj
In article <3lrqll$...@panther.Gsu.EDU>, gs03...@panther.Gsu.EDU says...
>I have provisions for space, heat, food, etc. and that is not a problem. >I just want to hear some actual stories about how loving and fun your igs >are, or are they more often flesh-shedders?
I suppose that they're not in general flesh-shredders, but Phoebe (all of 6") gave me a bite on the nose this evening. Now I'm walking around with a bandaid on my nose.
Anyone else out there been bitten by their iguana? -- Jacques Vidrine <nec...@communique.net> Communique, Inc.
-> You just have to be careful about crickets getting away. -> I feed it a mix of fruits/veges daily plus a dozen crickets once -> a week. It ate about 1/2 the crickets and ignored the rest. -> 2 nights later my 3 years old daughter started screaming at 3AM -> about the cricket in her bedroom. It took about 45 minutes to -> track down and squash. I'm still dizzy from the sleep loss. I was told that meat(crickets) causes the Iguanas to become more agressive...bringing up hunting instincts that could cause a hard to handle igy...
>In article <3lrqll$...@panther.Gsu.EDU>, gs03...@panther.Gsu.EDU says... >I have provisions for space, heat, food, etc. and that is not a problem. >I just want to hear some actual stories about how loving and fun your igs >are, or are they more often flesh-shedders?
My daughters Igs have a talent for climbing on their shoulders and taking a dump. They've done it to me once as well. Theu've not bitten anyone yet, even when I'm clipping their nails. I *have* lost a fair amount of blood to the lil' darlins' from their claws though....
In <3m7hbk$...@tetsuo.communique.net> nec...@communique.net (Jacques Vidrine) writes:
>In article <3lrqll$...@panther.Gsu.EDU>, gs03...@panther.Gsu.EDU says... >>I have provisions for space, heat, food, etc. and that is not a problem. >>I just want to hear some actual stories about how loving and fun your igs >>are, or are they more often flesh-shedders?
>I suppose that they're not in general flesh-shredders, but Phoebe (all >of 6") gave me a bite on the nose this evening. Now I'm walking around >with a bandaid on my nose.
>Anyone else out there been bitten by their iguana?
Bella will bite if she gets real annoyed at you, but it's rare. You have to really try to peeve her off. She'll also get a little too rambunctious when eating out of your hand and nip accidentally. -- ------------------------------------------------------------ Doctor Zero DrZ...@ix.netcom.com
"Mr. Sulu, Warp 3.141592653589793238... Oh never mind." ------------------------------------------------------------
** Quoting igua...@CMU.EDU to All ** i> From: "Jennifer E. Swofford" <igua...@CMU.EDU> i> Subject: Re: Iguanas i> Date: Thu, 20 Apr 1995 21:44:48 -0400 i> Organization: Junior, Biology, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA i> References: <3n15ie$...@news.isl.net> i> <Pine.SV4.3.91.950419164831.13723B-100000@owl> i> i> Excerpts from netnews.rec.pets.herp: 19-Apr-95 Re: Iguanas by "Colleen i> E. Moulton"@war i> > I'm not sure what the BEST food for an iguana is, but mine does very i> > well with monkey chow(soaked in water), lettuce and apples. i> i> Again, please check out my FAQ and read the previous post "Iguana Diet". i> i> Jen Swofford--------igu...@cmu.edu--------iguanidae@aol.com i> i> To access my green iguana FAQ, try: i> http://gto.ncsa.uiuc.edu/pingleto/herps/iguanacare.html i> i> i> --- i> * Origin: TBIE Internet Gateway Services, Bailey, CO, USA (1:104/825.0) i> SEEN-BY: 104/825 3407/7
whew, that was an offbeat diet. could you post your iguana diet here? Mike Bailey --- Email Replies to: mike.bailey%Pxc...@hms.com +-------------------------------------------------------------------+ | This message was gated utilizing the facilities at hms.com. | | The Bailey Info Exchange BBS Internet Gateway Services | | Please send all problem reports or questions to: r...@hms.com | +-------------------------------------------------------------------+
