I've only had my iguana a few days, the first day it was kind of scared I guess and when I petted it and picked it up it just closed its eyes and stayed still. It did try to wiggle out of my hands a few times and I would talk to it in a low tone of voice like "Baaaaaad" when it did that. When it was still, I'd do my high pitch "GOOOOD" and pet it a little bit.

Then, the next day, at first when I reached for it, it raised it's upper torso, flared its dewlap etc. I petted it lightly and then it calmed down and I picked him up no problem, it didn't run away it just stayed there but tried to grip onto the branch it was on a little. Again, tried to wiggle out for about 10 - 20 seconds but then was really calm. If I don't let it down, it would try to wiggle a little after about a minute, but by the most part, it stayed still.

The next time, I picked it up and it wiggled a little more agressively, and even lashed me a few times with its tail. I didn't let go until it was calm, and I'd do the same 'baaaaaad' "GOOOOOD" talk. This tail lashing only happened once.

The next time, it actually managed to wiggle free but instead of scurrying away it turned around and crawled up my arm and stayed on my forearm. I picked him up with my other hand and held him and he wiggled again.

Since then, it has been very calm. I would pet him a little, pick him up and he would try to hold onto the branch it was on a little, but then not run away. When I had him on my hand, he would wiggle a little bit but mostly stay still and calm and turn its head and look at me. No gapping and no dewlap flare.
Sometimes as I'm lowering him to put him down when he's calm, he would wiggle a little bit just before being put down, but I think that's just anticipation of getting onto the floor.

This seems good, but I was under the impression it would take a lot longer to tame him. I don't know if he is staying still because it is very frightened or not.

I guess one thing I may be doing wrong is, from my reading, I always hear "put him down when he's calm so he knows that struggling doesn't do it etc." Well, he's pretty calm after just 10 - 20 seconds, and I thought that meant I should put it down a little after that. Usually, what happens is that I pick him up, he'd wiggle a little for like 10 seconds, then he'd be calm. I'd hold him for about a minute, then put him down. I read a little more and perhaps I should hold him longer? Even though he's already calm?

Also, what else should I be saying to it?

It sounds like you're off to the right start. Just take this in baby steps.

2 things to keep in mind.

Iguana's in general are not very trusting animals and want to have a good grip on what they are on. When they are on your arm or hand they will scratch for grip until they are firmly dug in. This also means they will scramble and try to grip about anything as you are picking them up.

No matter how calm the ig seems it will always be a wild animal and has to be treated as such. Never trust him near your face as it can do a lot of harm especially when grown. Usually they will show their attitude for a while before actually getting dangerous and chomping down on you but this is not an absolute rule.

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~ Mark

In my opinion, no offence, Iguanas like to wip and bite you even if you've had it for ten years.

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Live life likes it's the last day of school.:)

Any reptile will be an absolute terror if not properly socialized but igs just have the size and power to back it up. I've had my ig for over 10 years now and handle him daily and have no problem with him. You don't hear about Leopard Geckos going postal just because when they do no real injury will come of it. Any corn will be nippy if not handled but many just laugh off the little mouths.

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~ Mark

elan, that would be the way some non-iguana owner's would feel like. Obviously you have never had an iguana. No offense in this either...but it takes and iguana owner to understand how much personality each iguana has potential to show.

I have read "Green Iguana, The Ultimate Owner's Manual" cover to cover and one segment of the book on iguana affection really caught my attention.

Countless quotes from dedicated iguana owners say that iguanas exhibit a profound amount of curiosity, personality, stubbornness...but most of all affection. On many accounts, when the owner leaves a well-tamed iguana alone in a room, after 10 minutes the owner will see their beloved pet trotting along the floor looking for them.

The key is spending time with them....Most iguana owners buy their pets on pure impulse and know nothing about their proper care.

Consider this elan...
your a baby iguana and you've been taken from your home in the south-american jungle, shoved in a box with hundreds of others like you and shipped off, going days without food, water, or sanitary conditions.

Then when you finally arrive to your destination, your shoved yet again into cramped quarters with others just like you. Little or no heat, uvb, or a space to climb.

After days of being trampled over by your cagemates a little kid walks into the pet store you live in and sees you.

"MOMMY MOMMY!!! I WANT IT NOW!!!!!!!!" .....eventually the helpless parent buys you just to shut the kid up.

You come in a kit with a nice 10 gallon aquarium, sand, and food pellets.

When you get home you are taken care of for a few days and then your owner decides he doesnt want you..and you live the rest of your (very short) life walking in your own waste.

Now tell me.....if you were this iguana...wouldnt you be a little bit wary of humans?

Just something to think about,

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-Adam

"Help Protect our Planet from Overcollection, Purchase Aquacultured Livestock and Captive Bred Herps"

Greetings Replover-

I think you are doing just fine. Follow Mark's advise, the advise of an experienced iguana owner who has been through all the stages.

In my experience, if the iguana is well socialized at a young age, they can indeed be dog-tame. Rex is 8 years old and has not whipped or bit anyone for 6 or so years now. He also is a large male. I think he would only bite if he was terrorized by something. But, being highly socialized, I have yet to find anything that terrorizes him that much. LOL

Keep at it, patience now will pay off many-fold later. ;-)

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Regards,
Dominick
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"Do you watch too much television? Did you do so as a toddler? Evidence tonight that it could be the cause of learning disorders, like attention deficit and hyperact-Ooooh, a kitty!" - Keith Olbermann

hey Dom,

i think your mistaken...i didnt start this thread lol.

you probably ment to say "replover" instead of adam.

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-Adam

"Help Protect our Planet from Overcollection, Purchase Aquacultured Livestock and Captive Bred Herps"

YIKES! You are right Adam! My bad! I fixed it. ;-)

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Regards,
Dominick
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"Do you watch too much television? Did you do so as a toddler? Evidence tonight that it could be the cause of learning disorders, like attention deficit and hyperact-Ooooh, a kitty!" - Keith Olbermann

Replover, I had problems with Godz when he first arrived. He wouldn't let me near him and as he was already 3 foot long, it was very intimidating! My first port of call for advice was IC and Dominck and the others really helped a lot. The advice I was given was much like the advice above, be patient, be aware and take things slowly. Sure enough it worked and Godz became a little gem. Each iguana is different and although your ig is still a baby, he will probably try to establish his 'rank' within your household - Godz wanted to be topdog when he first arrived!! Stand your ground and I'm sure with time, your ig will settle - he just needs to build a trusting bond with you first. good luck with him

Elan, have you ever owned an iguana or personally known anyone who has? It certainly doesn't sound like it!
In my experience most iguanas (that have been treated properly) settle down in a year or less. My Zok has never bit me and the tail whipping only lasted a few weeks. I have had her for 4 years.
What they are getting at is, don't put the iguana down when its fighting you. If you do that you are teaching it that fighting you is the way to get you to do what IT wants YOU to do. They are very good at training us if we let them!

You do not have to immediately put it down when it calms. Go ahead and keep holding it and interacting with it. Just don't let it back you down or make you put it down by it struggling.

It doesn't matter. The iguana has no idea what you are saying. It only feels the gentleness or aggressiveness in the tone of your voice. You could be giving it a very detailed description of how you were going to skin it and eat it but as long as your voice was gentle it would not bother it.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!