Now I Have a Jumper

I have had this boy now for a year, since he was 5 days old and my love for him is bordering insanity!

Since the first day I got him I started a routine of taking him out EVERY SINGLE NIGHT at 19:00. When he was still very young I used to go and sit in the bathroom with him and he used to roam around.

When he was a couple of weeks to a month old I first kept him on my hand and stroked him for awhile before I allowed him to roam around.

At about two months I started sitting with him in my bedroom. We can't sit in the lounge because he goes bongers with all the other reptile cages. I also started to hand feed him every morning, just a couple of bites before I go to work.

At this point we still sit in the bedroom and he sits on my lap while I stroke him, he loves it. After about 15 min his eyes get more alert and he starts looking around. He walks all over the bed and jumps on the dressing table and then starts performing in front of the mirror. What a beautiful laugh!! When he is tired of himself he will jump back on the bed. He is at this point that he understands very clearly what I mean when I put my hand in front of him and say "kom ons gaan doedoe" - meaning, come let's go sleep. He climbs up my hand, up my arm and almost always on top of my head. That is a habit that I am working on to change.

Now since about a week ago he started a new thing, he jumps out of his cage onto my shoulder (only my shoulder because I turn my face away fast enough!) Also in his outside jungle gym he will jump on me. As much as I feel honored this is a problem!

I am a 5 foot, skinny woman and these jumps are painful to say the least. I am sure he will out grow this, but still, it is dangerous. It has just been with luck that I turned my face away in time every time. So how would you treat this without hurting his feelings?

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First, you won't hurt his feelings. They don't have feelings like we do.

Its a simple matter of training. You have to go at his cage different than you normally do. Maybe don't open it until he comes to you, and then pick him up. Or stand further away or something. Since I don't know how you open it I can't really say, but you need to change something. And if he does jump up, give a really stern "NO" and put him back down.

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My name is Liz
Do what's best for the animal, not what's best for you.

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He will NOT outgrow this but it will continue until you put a stop to it.
Don't worry about hurting his feelings. Stop allowing this behavior. Now!
Imagine a 15-25 lb lizard doing this, missing and hooking a claw in your face, or eye!
Also the climbing to the top of your head is a dominance issue. Again something that you cannot allow to continue or when he is larger he may decide to try to battle you for top position.
And it will be VERY unpleasant.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

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I agree with what Merlin said, the climbing on the top of the head is a serious issue. I have a sub adult in here at the moment who does the same thing to me. He is 5 feet long and weighs about 8 pounds, it is a total dominance thing with him. We fight about it and he gets the stern no! After a few tries he gives up and will lay on my chest. I could not imagine him full grown thinking he was the dominant one! I would definitely end up hurt! Just hold strong and let him know you are in charge, it will eventually change! You just have to be firm!

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I have sucker tattood on my forehead

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Our Ig is the same way - When he sees a person coming, he always climbs up to the highest part of the cage, fans out his dewlap, and does the head-bob. It was a fight with him every time to get him out, so we finally started using gloves, and just being firm. It's been a year, but he is calming down nicely, now the effort he gives is only token.

If more than one person is handling this lizard, there needs to be consistency. You can't be the only stern one.

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Only when the last tree has been cut down
Only after the last river has been poisoned
Only after the last fish has been caught
Only then will you find that money cannot be eaten.

Cree Indian Prophecy.

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Maybe I came across wrong, he does not climb on my head all the time. He only does that when I put him back in his cage, he can reach better for his branch that way. It is not a problem and I am coaching him not to do it.

The jumping issue is more him using me as a short cut in his outdoor jungle gym. He only did it twice inside the house. This is a photo of him jumping for me, take note, I had to shoot and move at the same time.



I do not fully agree that iguanas do not have feelings a little bit like ours, schlegelbagel. For instance, Forest hates thunderstorms and we have heavy lightning these days. When the weather is so bad he will climb on my chest and press his face against my neck and lie completely still until he eventually falls asleep or the storm passes. He also does the same thing when we drive for long distances and pass a lot of bridges or big trucks. This is the only time that he does that.

Believe me the rest of the time he is a real egocentric boy with an attitude.

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I just wanted to say what a great pic, lol. You can see it in his eyes that he wants you. My late Chinese Water Dragon used to have that look too she would find me after and lay on me,lol.

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Just because you have an animal that isnt dead doesnt mean you know how to take care of it

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I agree all animals have feelings.

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It's not because he has "feelings," it's more because he is scared and sees you as a safe zone. Animals don't make decisions like people. Well, most animals. Sure my cats get depressed when I'm not home, I get that. But I don't think I can personify them as much as people.

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My name is Liz
Do what's best for the animal, not what's best for you.

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Passing a lot of bridges and such is a natural thing for them to be scared of. They have a third eye, called the parietal eye. This detects light and dark. It is used to detect predators, in the wild they are prey for a lot of different types of animals. They are usually attacked from above, so this eye lets them know there is a problem when it detects the shadow or darkness of something. That is why he cowers and such and tries to hide when you pass under bridges, and things like that.
As far as them having feelings like you or I would, I do not think that. They are smart creatures and they are capable of bonding with you, by knowing who brings the food and who does not. They are also smart enough to know who is the Alpha and who is not!
I have one in here that I took back a while back, his adoptive home did not work out so well. He terrorized these people, the minute I walked in and he tried that junk with me I gave him the firm " NO, KNOCK IT OFF!", instant submission. He does that to many others that he has intimidated because of his size, to the point where people are very scared of him. I have absolutely no problems with him. However, he knows I will not put up with his behavior, and he also knows I am the alpha, even if we have to fight about it, lol.

So as far as not having feelings, they have normal animal instincts. I do not think that any iguana I have ever brought in here has " loved" me, like I have loved them. They would not shed a tear if I dropped dead, however I have shed many of tears when I could not fix them! There is a difference.

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I have sucker tattood on my forehead

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