If you've read my recent introduction, some of this will sound familiar to you. Sorry.

I adopted a large iguana a few days ago from a family that no longer wanted him. He's four or five years old, and the size of a cat or small dog. The family told me that the daughter won the iguana at a fair a few years before, and they really weren't prepared for the size it grew into the care it required.

Nevertheless, they did an excellent job raising him. He is an obviously well fed and cared for animal, who is alert and active. Even though they maintain that he was never held, he is totally trusting, and has had an uncommonly easy time adjusting to switching homes. He'll eat right from my hand, and within two days of his adoption, he'd come right over and let me stroke him until he got bored. He's been nothing but totally sweet this whole time.

Not exactly what I'd expected from any adopted lizard. I've adopted others before, and generally there's a few weeks before they stop hiding from me and let me touch them or hold them without panicking.

Anyway, weird as that is, this one is displaying a behavior that's different from the iguana I had years ago, and it's puzzeling me.

When I'm petting him, or if I put my hand near enough to him, he'll just lean into my hand. Not just a little, either. He leans so far into me that he would fall over if I pulled away quickly. (Or it seems that way to me.)

Any ideas why he's doing this? Is it a "This is my territory, get out please!" action? Any info on it would really be appreciated.

I think you are just bragging in question form. You have the iguana everyone wishes for
He might just be starved for interaction or something. Or he may still be feeling things out. It's hard to say. His behavior may change once he realizes that he isnt a guest but that he is there to stay and that that is "his" territory.

Oh and be careful, they will lean into your hand and fall over (or off of a basking ledge) if you move away too quick. When Diz is really leaning into me hard I always stop petting him when i'm done but I keep my hand on him until he leans away.

Best of luck!

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No kidding. He really is something like out of a nature book's best senario. But I'm afraid I can't take any credit for it. I suppose that he being of a slightly more mature age might also be a contributing factor.

Actually, I was just trying to answer some questions before they got asked; what the circumstances are around his behavior and such.

So it's just something they do from time to time, and he'll most likely stop when he feels like he's at home? That's really good to hear. Thank you.

Well he might not stop. I'd be hoping he doesn't. Some iguana sare just more affectionate than others. I've had rescues come from the worst conditions to be the best most mild mannered pets. its just a matter of how the ig is. They all have different persionalities.

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~Lacey~

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be very carefull around breeding season time. that friendly ig may turn very quick and inflict a real nasty bite. as long as your aware of the warning signs before the attack your good to go

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My iguana dose this to when you put your palm flat on his side.

My Ig, Lothar, does this almost every time I pet him. If you want to make sure he does not fall over when you move your hand, start rubbing his other side with your thumb, he will start to lean into it.
Just wait till he starts puffing his eyes up at the same time, a sign of a very happy Iguana, so I've been told.

Thanks guys. I feel much better about that particular behavior.

I had another ig a few years ago, but he was a very sickly little thing from the time I got him, to the time he died. I doubt I can base normal iguana behavior on him, but he's my only first-hand-caregiving-experience for me to base off of. I think he's probably made me a little paranoid where ig sickness is concerned.

Being paranoid is all part of ig-slavery.

__________________

“Be the change you want to see in the world.”

-Mahatma Gandhi

~Lacey~

My Photos

Sounds like you adopted a cat with scales. I would get it vet checked, and if all checks out you are just the luckiest person I know, my iguana took months of work to get to perfectly handleable.

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