Post by mylilgreenman900 on Mar 27, 2011 16:39:23 GMT -8
Thanks for clicking! And thanks in advance for reading and commenting. I truly appreciate the help.
Before I ask my questions, I thought it would make sense to give an overview of him and his living situation.
Now, finally my first question
And a few more questions...
There... xD - I'm done.
Any and all help will be greatly appreciated! General tips as well would be nice too. Although I feel I have everything pretty much right, I always worry I missed something.
Again thank you so much!
~mylilgreenman900
Before I ask my questions, I thought it would make sense to give an overview of him and his living situation.
He is 15 months old, male. 6in SVL. Healthy, with clear eyes, nicely green, and an attitude along with it. Although I know it's not truly possible to 100% gauge his sex at this age, I've been told by multiple experts that he looks like a male. Aside from that he's begun the growth of the "fat bumps" behind his eyes, his jowls just look big, the base of his tail is quite thick, and his pores along his legs are exactly like that of the males, large and with small spines.
He eats a balanced diet of mostly fresh veggies, but I feed him a pre-made juvenile iguana diet about every third day as well. His diet is mostly based off of the Green Iguana Society's Food Chart: (www.greenigsociety.org/foodchart.htm), but also off various books.
BRIEF HISTORY
He came to me from a friend who runs a small reptile rescue. He was about three months old when he came to her, and she said, not at all tame. Unfortunately, she wasn't able to give him the time and attention a young iguana needs, and he became very nervous around hands. This resulted in snapped spines (which look fine now), a scar on his tail, and a distaste for human hands and being picked up.
When I first brought him home, I left him pretty much alone, put his food in and changed the water, but didn't come near him. After that, I offered food by hand, and didn't put the dish in until he ate at least part of it from me. I started handling - just five minutes a day to start... building up to half an hour.
But he never stopped freaking out when I held him.
So, about two months ago, I changed my tactic. The only time I pick him up now is weekly (at most) for his nails and Repti-Shed on his tail (the scar can't always shed). It took only a couple weeks before he figured out that the towel and the clippers meant he'd go back to his perch faster if he behaved. Now he lifts his feet for me and stands still while I mess with his tail for a good amount of time... until, of course, he gets bored and/or sick of it... and/or sees something interesting on the other side of the room and must immediately investigate.
He eats from my hand, allows me to occasionally pet him, and is completely confident in the room when he's alone or if it's just me and him. He just doesn't like to be picked up without a cause. I've never seen any aggression (towards me), threats, or attempts a dominance.
ENCLOSURE
A 6'x2'x8' netted off section of my bedroom, where I spend most of my time at when I'm at home. For the first month or so, I closed the door, but since have let him have free roam. Most of his day is spent under his UV strip and his heat lamp (I wound up having to separate the two sources after a succession of 200 - 250watt bulbs blew on me, leaving me with lower wattage bulbs that couldn't provide his UV but could provide the heat.)
His basking perch is, at the hottest point, 90degrees Fahrenheit. My room as a whole is between 75 and 85. (Various snake heat-lamps help keep it warm.)
Now, finally my first question
I was feeding Aslan earlier today and he did something he'd never done before. To put it shortly, he hopped. It was completely stationary and included a half-second look down his throat.
I have to say I'm not too worried, as I came across an internet post recently that described this exactly - and I don't remember any dire warnings in the reply. Aside from that, though, he's is a healthy little boy with no signs of illness or (vastly) different behavior changes. (When I say no vastly different changes, I mean that I do not count his spouts of grumpiness as mood changes anymore.)
At the time I saw that post, I didn't pay much attention to it, as I'd never seen it in Aslan. - And now I'm unable to find it. >.<
And a few more questions...
1. While looking for answer to hop I mentioned earlier, I came across many behavior questions regarding to handling/taming of young iguanas. As I said earlier, I don't handle him much anymore. It seems to make him more confident and relaxed around me. Should I begin the handling regime again, should I take a slower course, (I.e. work on eliminating his fear of hands before picking him up, maybe something like giving him a treat for letting me pet him.), or should I continue as I have?
2. Aside from me, my sister has always been his favorite person. When I'm away, she's the only one who can feed him without winding up with a tail-slap to the face. Since about 3 or 4 weeks... if he so much as hears her coming down the hall, he drops everything and goes to his box. Nothing has changed that we know of... Any ideas as to why this may be? The only thing we came up with was that he got jealous of me not paying attention to him when she was there.
3.No sweet foods. - in fact, no fruits. I've been looking around for a treat I could use in the future for training, but there seems to be no "treat" items he likes other then lettuce. He adores beans, peas, tofu, collard greens, and some other greens, but he turns his nose up at most colored or sweet things. Is this just a taste issue, and would there be a way I could bring him around to such foods, not only to the treats, but to staple fruits? At the current rate, I am able to give him all the nutrients he needs, but almost no variety.
There... xD - I'm done.
Any and all help will be greatly appreciated! General tips as well would be nice too. Although I feel I have everything pretty much right, I always worry I missed something.
Again thank you so much!
~mylilgreenman900