I guess it was only a matter of time, but it finally happened. He bit me! I have been so careful these past three years. But just now, I had a few minutes, so I thought I would try handling him. He has never been tame, despite my efforts, but I sometimes can get Rocky to really relax when I rub his head and "ears". While I was rubbing his head, he appeared to be enjoying it, but all of a sudden he whipped his head back and almost bit my thumb off. I am still bleeding and it is throbbing like crazy.

I am so mad because it wasn't a self-defense move on his part. I could see if he felt threatened or scared, but this was somehting that I usually do with him. My husband wants me to get rid of him because he's afraid he will hurt one of our children or one of their friends. He is a free roaming iguana and is pretty set in his ways. He doesn't bother anyone ever, just minds his own business most of the time. I guess he wasn't in the mood today so he let me have it. But I am very upset.

What do you think I should do?

--Doreen

Our experience with our Iggy, is you can never depend on what they are going to do. When we do a demo and he has been a brat at home, he is a sweet heart and just sits on his log and looks pretty. I also read somewhere that male iggy's can tell when a female (human) is cycling, so that might be something to think about. I'm not iggy expert, actually ours hates me. LOL

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Colleen

How big is he exactly? I'd definitely be worried about a big free-roaming iguana...especially around kids (are the kids little?)...however, that's me...I'm like super-ultra-paranoid-mom and I have no experience with iguanas. So I don't know how likely one is to do it again once he's bitten someone. I'd tend to think they'd be pretty unpredictable as far as biting goes...

We have a guinea pig who does regularly what you described, but he's tiny and lives in a cage so it's not too big a concern..

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~Juliane~

I am really bummin'! He bit right through the middle of my nail, and the entire underside of my thumb is split open. I hate to think if this would have happened to a child that there would not be a finger left.

I held him right after he bit me so he wouldn't think that that's how I am going to put him down in the future. My kids brought me paper towels and I wrapped them around my thumb while I continued to hold Rocky. (This is so hard to type without my thumb!!)

My husband is very worried, and to be honest, I am not sure if I will try to hold him again to do a "love" session. I will continue to give him his bath, but I am scared to ever try handling him again to pet him. Alike I said before, he never did get tame, but I never was bit (betrayed!) by him before and were not sure what to do now.

I appreciate any advice anyone may have...

Doreen

As long as you can accept the fact that he is a wild animal and make sure to educate your kids on that you my be able to still live in harmony with him. I would still make sure that you have a safe place that he can go (where he also feels safe) that is away from everyone where you can shut him up if anyone he is not used to comes over (i.e. family dinners, kids's friends, plumbers) I would make sure that the children are never unsupervised around him and I would also be careful to watch for signs of unprovoked agression like him charging at you. If he takes to doing that it might be time to lock him up or say goodbye.

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"If you're not falling, you're not trying." - Sonni Trotter

~*~Lacey~*~

My Photos

I have a question Doreen, how old is he? You mention being careful for 3 yrs...was he an adult when you got him? He could be just displaying some sort of breeding season behavior that you have not experienced before. And I know as kids get older, more and more traffic comes through the house...which can be very stressful for a free roaming ig. Is there a bedroom he could call "sanctuary" that you could close him in when there is a bunch of people in the house? What was his day like when you gave the love and he gave you the bite? Had there been a lot of traffic in the house?

Some animals handle stress in different ways....maybe he feels threatened by the influx of NEW people coming around. Iguanas know their people well and usually get grumpy with strangers. I know mine do and they are caged most of the time. I hope things work out for you. best wishes......

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Warmest Regards from Lyn

At three years old it is possible that he is going into breeding season,...often an "interesting" time for keepers of male iguanas.

It sounds like you fell into the trap that many keepers do...you made the mistake of trusting him and assuming that there would not be a problem.
Wrong.
You have to remember that these are a wild animal and a reptile at that. They are not constrained by the "pack rules" that causes mammal and bird pets to be more behaved. You can never fully trust them and have to always be aware of what they are up to. My 5 year old female is fully handleable and has never bitten, but I always watch her body language and have a pretty good notion of what is going on in her head.
And a free roaming iguana and small children are a dangerous mix.
Not handling is not the best way to go about this. An iguana without interaction will revert to more and more wild type behavior and the situation will only worsen. He may decide that your home is HIS and will do his darndest to run you out of HIS territory.
Just keep a close eye on him.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

I agree with Merlin, you shouldnt stop handeling him. But I also think its time he gets an enclosure, it will be more safe for your kids and house guests. It may even make him feel more secure. That way you wont have to worry about "wheres the iggy and which kid is he eating..." He may have just been stressed, or as others have said breeding season..hahaaa always a fun time for iggy owners !!

Thanks everyone. I am looking into everything about breeding season. He is shedding, and I have given him two baths since he bit me. I am very careful, more so now than ever. He has an entire room to himself that he is free to go in or out of, but mostly he chooses to stay on his bench. I have noticed him coming out and checking out each window sill on my first floor. He roams for about 10 minutes or so and then goes back to his room. He is also scratching and "digging" in the corners of his room. Not sure if this breeding behavior or not.

I haven't tried "petting" him since the bite. I don't know if I should try during breeding season. But my husband still wants me to look into a new home for him. He's afraid that Rocky may bite someone when I'm not keeping close watch. We do have a cage, but I only use it in the summer when I put Rocky outside for one hour of natural sunlight. He really doesn't like it at all, and he's always trying to get out. (He's a free roamer because he chewed a whole in the first cage we ever bought for him!!)

Like I said, I am going to read all about breeding season and see what I need to do for him. I appreciate everyone's input.

P.S. My thumb is doing better!!!

--Doreen

Doreen it may not necessarily have been breeding season, that was just a possibilty. I would continue to interact with him or otherwise he learns that biting you will get you to leave him alone.
Your husband has a very valid concern!
Those of us who keep iguanas have a serious responsibility when it comes to others being around our pets. While we may know what they are capable of and watch out, other people may not be so careful. Many people will assume because it is a "pet" that it is harmless and that the ig will put up with whatever nonsense pops into their head to do.
I routinely take my Zok out and constantly have to fend off people who walk up and immediately without a second thought try to stick their hands in her face.
I have offended a few when they suddenly found my hand on their wrist stopping them.
Till I informed them that they could have lost a finger.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!