Post by danitmd on Oct 12, 2012 16:18:17 GMT -8
Hey!! My name is Dani, and I got my iguana Ziggy maybe 3-4 weeks ago. I got him from a petstore and he's still juvenile. I just wanted to post here and get my story out, and maybe get some help from people who know what they're talking about.
Before I got Ziggy, I did some research (though not enough apparently) on iguanas, and decided I was committed and dedicated to having one and caring for it. AND LOVING IT OF COURSE!! But, I'll admit I wasn't as prepared as I should have been. When I got him, the guy at the pet store was new and didn't know what he was doing. He sold me a desert lizard habitat, and I didn't realize that this was wrong until after I got home and set everything up and put Ziggy inside. Thankfully, I realized quickly that it was wrong.
By the time I took everything back and got the right tank for him, he had been in his holding box for maybe 3-4 hours. :S So, that stressed him out obviously and I could see that. I didn't handle it right though, because I decided to get him to warm up to me more I would take him out everyday for like 20 minutes at a time. Everyday, he hated me even more and it's gotten so bad that I can't even walk by his tank without him stiffening up and getting angry.
I also realized recently (way too late) that I had been leaving lights on in his tank at night because no one had ever told me, nor did I read anywhere, that Iguanas have a night and day schedule. Immediately after figuring it out however I got some night lamps and tonight is the first night that he'll have darkness and peace and a good night's sleep.
I understand that he's probably gotten progressively more hostile with me because he wasn't getting the proper night and day schedule he needed and also from the trauma of his first day with me.
I now believe I am doing everything right, everything feels better with him and I don't have that queezy feeling like im doing something wrong with him anymore. I am here though, to ask what I can do to strengthen our relationship. I have seen the adult iguana bites and i'm not comfortable with having a pet who will not tame and who I can feel safe with. I think it's fair to say that no one should have to be afraid of something living in their own house. I adore Ziggy, and I love him very much and want what's best for him, and haven't given up. I just need to know what else I can do to get him to trust me.
Thanks for your time
Before I got Ziggy, I did some research (though not enough apparently) on iguanas, and decided I was committed and dedicated to having one and caring for it. AND LOVING IT OF COURSE!! But, I'll admit I wasn't as prepared as I should have been. When I got him, the guy at the pet store was new and didn't know what he was doing. He sold me a desert lizard habitat, and I didn't realize that this was wrong until after I got home and set everything up and put Ziggy inside. Thankfully, I realized quickly that it was wrong.
By the time I took everything back and got the right tank for him, he had been in his holding box for maybe 3-4 hours. :S So, that stressed him out obviously and I could see that. I didn't handle it right though, because I decided to get him to warm up to me more I would take him out everyday for like 20 minutes at a time. Everyday, he hated me even more and it's gotten so bad that I can't even walk by his tank without him stiffening up and getting angry.
I also realized recently (way too late) that I had been leaving lights on in his tank at night because no one had ever told me, nor did I read anywhere, that Iguanas have a night and day schedule. Immediately after figuring it out however I got some night lamps and tonight is the first night that he'll have darkness and peace and a good night's sleep.
I understand that he's probably gotten progressively more hostile with me because he wasn't getting the proper night and day schedule he needed and also from the trauma of his first day with me.
I now believe I am doing everything right, everything feels better with him and I don't have that queezy feeling like im doing something wrong with him anymore. I am here though, to ask what I can do to strengthen our relationship. I have seen the adult iguana bites and i'm not comfortable with having a pet who will not tame and who I can feel safe with. I think it's fair to say that no one should have to be afraid of something living in their own house. I adore Ziggy, and I love him very much and want what's best for him, and haven't given up. I just need to know what else I can do to get him to trust me.
Thanks for your time
