Iguanas
Steven Ray Byrd
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.
--
___________________________________________________________________________
Matt Nelsen
>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.
>
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"
min...@tam2000.tamu.edu | Iain Banks, _Use of Weapons_
Barry Roomberg
>
[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?
>
>
>Steve "that-ig-sitting-on-that-guys-shoulder-looks-so-cool" Byrd.
>
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.
LEOPOLD
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
Jacques Vidrine
>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.
Richard Aagaard
-> 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...
bs...@uxa.ecn.bgu.edu
>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....
Doctor Zero
writes:
>
>In article <3lrqll$8...@panther.Gsu.EDU>, gs0...@panther.Gsu.EDU says...
>>I have provisions for space, heat, food, etc. and that is not a problem.
>>I just want to hear some actual stories about how loving and fun your igs
>>are, or are they more often flesh-shedders?
>
>I suppose that they're not in general flesh-shredders, but Phoebe (all
>of 6") gave me a bite on the nose this evening. Now I'm walking around
>with a bandaid on my nose.
>
>Anyone else out there been bitten by their iguana?
Bella will bite if she gets real annoyed at you, but it's rare. You have to
really try to peeve her off. She'll also get a little too rambunctious when
eating out of your hand and nip accidentally.
--
------------------------------------------------------------
Doctor Zero
DrZ...@ix.netcom.com
"Mr. Sulu, Warp 3.141592653589793238... Oh never mind."
------------------------------------------------------------
Rab5365
treat, for a broder food try canned dog food, just a spoonful a week.
mike bailey
i> From: "Jennifer E. Swofford" <igu...@CMU.EDU>
i> Subject: Re: Iguanas
i> Date: Thu, 20 Apr 1995 21:44:48 -0400
i> Organization: Junior, Biology, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
i> References: <3n15ie$d...@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---...@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
---
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