Jeep!

[ladyball]

Well guess what?!?! I was feeding Jeep today, she looked at me, cocked her head, eyed me good, the climbed up my arm!!! WOHOO!!!
She didn't run right up, didn't creap, just kind of said,"I guess you are okay now mamma, so I will sit on your shoulder!" She seemed just fine up there, as if we were old friends and that is where she belonged!
From a silly little lizard that ran every time I tried to pet her, to this in just three weeks! WOW!! I am SO EXCITED!!!
I will take her out and trim her claws and let her on me more often! I don't know how much she was handled before, but I guess she does like being held, and misses the human touch.
I had the distinct impression she was ready to explore the world up there! Is that silly? or could that be what she wants? To go places? I don't know much about Iggys as far as that goes. Could she want to explore now she is confident in me?
I know I have to be careful in that other things COULD and probably WILL scare her, and we need to take baby steps, but should I start carrying her around the yard like that? Build our confidence in each other that way?
She really huffed at me when she knew I was putting her back. She didn't WANT to go back in! :0) I am just SO EXCITED!!! Thanks for "listening" folks! ;D

[Tesa]

Wow! Huge step forward!! Congratulations!!! **applause**
Sure she wants to explore! Just take it slow. You have good animal instincts. Go with the flow.
I don't think I'd let her ride around on my shoulder outside without a harness on tho. No telling when she might decide to go skiddish on ya and jump!
I'm so happy for ya!! ;D

[Debbie]

Congratulations Ladyball, that is a big accoplishment to earn her trust. We have a little girl a well she is 1 1/2 years old and she is harness broke. We jusrt started putting a harness on her. She has never tryed to jump while outside on Jon's sholder, but we do not want to take the chance. besides it is best to try and harness break them when they are young. That way they will know when they see the harness that it is time to go outside. Again congrats and good luck. I am so excited for you. Debbie and babies.

[ladyball]

Thanks Debbie! I tried to harnass break RC, but that went over like a lead balloon!
It took me several days, maybe a week, to get him to trust me again! Iggies sure do take a long time to get used to different things!
Jeep is older, so I don't think I will be harnass training her either. I will just take it slow, and work on her when the weather gets colder and they are inside most of the time.

[dominick]

Hi Ladyball-

Harness training is difficult and necessary if you wish to take her outside.

Rex is harness trained, but we rarely use it anymore. We have a good understanding that he won't get to go outside if he tries to jump off out shoulder.

However, we do always use a cradle hold on him when he is outside. This way we have a good control over his movements. If he starts to get fidgety, we usually raise him high in the air to calm him.

Try that around the house first. If the Ig gets used to you "restaining" it through the cradle hold, then you can build from there.

Outside is very scary for both owner and Ig. Problem with Igs is you never know what will make them jump, lunge, run etc. So, suddenly the Ig that was on your shoulder a second ago is now 10 feet away on the ground and eyeing up the impossibly tall tree! LOL.

Good luck!