Mating behavior???

[Diane]

ok, Narcy just did a really strange thing (imagine that!). He has been getting better with me, letting me pick him up and pet him without much of a threat. Tonight, i picked him up and cuddled with him a bit, bathed him, cleaned his cage, then picked him up and cuddled some more. When i put him back on his shelf in his cage, i petted him some more and he was really into it, leaning into my hand and all, and i noticed he began to open his mouth. So, i was being careful and watching him when suddenly he quite aggressively bit the rug he was sitting on and shook it so violently that he and the rug fell off the shelf and hit the bottom of the cage (maybe 3' down.) Did I perhaps 'overstimulate' him? Was he enjoying my attentions too much? I was greatful that it was the rug he bit and shook and not my hand! if some of the 'experienced' iggie owners could give me your opinion of what happened here i would appreciate it!

possibly along the same lines, after male igs go through their first 'season' do they have more of an odor? i never noticed Narcy having an odor before, but he can get quite smelly if i don't bath him now!!

Thanks ahead of time!

[IguanaKing]

Hmmm...perhaps he saw the rug as a rival for your attention? I don't know for sure though, these igs can always manage to do something I have never seen before. The biting is mating behavior, but the violent shaking is usually something that is done in combat between rival males. As for an odor, I haven't noticed any change in Hercules' odor during the almost 8 years that I have had him. But, on the other hand, he is never in the same area as his poop, he has learned to always poop in the bath tub. He does this so reliably, it seems to be more a matter of pride than of being trained to do it. My guess is that breeding season behavior is causing the usual behavioral changes in Narcy which causes him to accidentally come in contact with his poop more often. Right now, Hercules has wax coming out his femoral pores like play-do spaghetti and, although it has a scent to it which is detectable to igs, its not anything I have been able to smell. He still smells very neutral.

[Tesa]

My only hands on experience is with a female.
I'm no help.

[Tammy]

Maybe it's time to get Narcy a LuvSock to take his frustrations out on? I'll be anxious to read some of the other folks input.

[Diane]

Actually, when he was truly in season i made him a luv sock and he wanted nothing to do with it! he has actually been quite a lot better. . .except he truly dislikes my husband now. And when he went into season last Christmas he wanted nothing to do with me and was just fine with hubby! ah, go figure eh? ;D