Hi. I've had my baby Ig (Well, its about 7 months old estimate) for about 3 weeks now. And at first, I kept it in a small enclosure for 2 weeks as I was building my large enclosure. It was scared at first, but gradually tamed down as it got used to the new place. It started letting me pick her up without much of a fuss, and was willing to eat from my hand while sitting on my lap after about 1 week.

Then, the new enclosure was built. It moved in and it was very scared the first day, no pooping, no leaving its basking spot. Then, second day it started exploring and pooping and eating normally.

I've been handling her several times daily and petting her talking to her nicely etc. When she would fight and claw and whip its tail, I woiuld hold it firmly and say "BAD" in a stern voice. When it was good, like docile etc. I would gently talk to it in a good soft voice while petting him.

However, there were a few times since he has gone into his huge enclosure, that he had darted from my hand. The first time, I went in gently and talked to it nicely and it just let me pick him back up.

The next two times, it went scrambling, whipping, clawwing, crawling between small gaps etc. I followed Melissa Kaplan's website advice saying I MUST get it, and show it who's boss, knock over furniture if I had to. So sometimes I am tough with it, but never hurt it.

So it seems, that during the first two weeks while she was here, she has made good progress and started to get used to me etc. However, in the past few days, she has seemed to grow increasingly scared of me. Whenever I would enter the enclosure, she would flare the dewlap, and lean away from me. When I moved my hand in to put down its food even, it would immediately close its eyes and duck its head in the other direction, as a person would to avoid a punch. Even when my hand is in slow motion, like 10 inches away from it, and I'm talking to it nicely. He seems PETRIFIED by my presence, and increasingly so by each day. He's been eating less as a result too.

I wonder what it is that I have done wrong? And how can I correct this?

Should I still handle her? Melissa Kaplan says that you should still forcefully pick them up and then wait till they calm down and eventually they will notice it's ok. Or should I give it a few days?

Something is wrong. Something must have freaked her out! Even her food plate is scaring her and she's been eating from that thing for weeks like nothing happened. I must be doing something SERIOUSLY wrong. She's getting Really really jumpy and while I know it takes time to get used to her new enclosure, she's getting MORE jumpy after the first 2 - 3 days, when she calmed. Then, more and more scared everyday. She's not aggressive, not attacking. Just obviously SCARED.

I've done more reading and I think my mistake was in my attempt to show him I'm not scared and I'm "Boss" like they recommend, I tried to catch him quickly the two or three times that he's wiggled out of my hand. I thought this was the right thing to do to show it I'm the dominant and not tolerate these running away behaviour. Now I read I'm supposed to pick him up slowly when it calms down in a corner or something.

This scared it. Have I made a fatal error? If I don't do that anymore, will it ever forgive me and come to trust me again?
Or will it recognize me and be scared of me forever?

I can try not handling and just petting for a few days. Is that a good idea?

Have I done any permanent damage or is this fixable? Do iguanas forgive?

I would make sure that you still have some interaction with your ig - taling to him/her in a clam voice while petting inside the cage - don't try to pick it up just yet and give him/her a few days to settle into the new environment. The rule of thumb is to generally leave them be comletely for the first week or so of their arrival to let them settle anyways - I am sure you haven't caused any 'damage' at all - just moved things a little too fast - time to sit back adn let your ig catch up lol. They do take a lot of time to get them to settle completely but just be patient, take things slowly and always let your ig hear your voice when you are near him/her. good luck

Hello,

You can enter the enclosure and not touch the iguana as well. Use the time to do some reading on the iguana. Take MK's book in the enclosure and have a seat. Read out loud in a "soothing" voice so the iguana can hear you. It helps to hand feed "treats" as well. Socialization is a process and not an event. It take patience and a great deal of time.

Sitting in the enclosure with your ig will show the ig that you aren't trying to hurt him/her. Your ig may also become curious and come down to you. Try leaving a "treat" beside you while you read. If the ig decides to make a move for the treat, let him/her and don't move. Just let the ig do what it wants while you are in the enclosure reading.

Simple things like talking to your iguana or reading can help build a bond. Once your iguana begins to associate you with "good" things, it won't be so apt to flee.

In the igs eyes, you are a predator. You are massive compared to him/her and you are trying to "catch" him.

Keep working on it. It will get better.

__________________

I agree with Rich, move a lawn chair in to the cage and spend time in it. Even if you aren't making much noise or reading out loud. Spend time in there and ignore the ig. You will also be surprized at how much heat and humidity you put off but it won't be too clear as your cage is wide open mesh.

Last year I had a 4x8x6 foot cage for my ig where I spent much of my waking time when at home. I would do everything from just sit and listen to the radio, to my homework, to surfing the net.

__________________
~ Mark

Thanks. I'll spend time just talking to him standing in his cage. I can't really sit down there though, because even though it is big, the branches, racks and shelves, while giving him lots of space to climb and move, make it difficult for ME to find enough room. But I'll stand there as he's on the basking platform anyway. He does still let me pet him, although he closes one eye while I do it and flares his dewlap.