From: jwg0@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu (JOHN WALTER GEWARTOWSKI)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.herp
Subject: Re: HELP: Iguana problem!
Date: 15 Dec 92 08:39:54 GMT
Organization: Lehigh University

In article <1992Dec13.005424.12316@panix.com>, ss@panix.com (Steve Steinberg) wr
ites:
the larger started to sniff (tongue?) around>after the smaller and then tried to
take a bite out of him!
>
>Has anyone else noticed this type of behavior?  For now I've seperated
>them, but I'm considering taking the smaller one back to the store.


I'd like to relate my experience with an iguana I'm presently iguana-sitting
for.  Bunky has been staying in my room in his own cage since Thanksgiving,
and it looks like I'll now have him over the Christmas break because Rob's
parents won't allow Bunky in the house.  Anyway, Higgins (my slightly larger
iguana) looked pretty pissed the moment Bunky came in with his cage.
    I decided to experiment with the iguanas to see how they would get along.
I placed Bunky in Higgins' 50 gallon aquarium, and almost immediately Higgins
started defending his home.  He bobbed his head up and down to give "the
warning" which I don't think Bunky understood, and then Higgins charged Bunky
and bit him on the tail.  Bunky, of course, ran away, but where could he run
in an aquarium?  So, Higgins would find him again, and after awhile started
biting him in better places, such as the leg and stomach.  I then removed
Bunky to cause him no further pain.  I should mention that Bunky is maybe an
inch smaller than Higgins, but not much more than that, and he never fought
back.  This behavior makes me think that Higgins is a male, and Bunky is a
female.  Of course, it could be the other way around also, but from the
behavior, I think there is a definite difference.
    Here's the funny part.  I then placed Higgins in Bunky's 20 gallon
aquarium to see what would happen.  Bunky did not defend his home at all, but
was running away to keep his distance from Higgins.  Higgins, I thought, would
display the same behavior and attack in Bunky's cage, but he did nothing!
Higgins just walked around looking bored.  I guess he knew it wasn't his turf,
so he didn't attack.
    So, I know now that Higgins would probably have a tough time living with
another iguana.  I guess I don't have to waste my money finding that out.  One
thing you could try before taking the iguana back to the store is something I
tried the other night which SEEMED to work, although I didn't give it enough
time to find out.  (due to studying)  I held Bunky outside of Higgins' tank
when Higgins was near the glass, and when I caught Higgins' attention, and he
started attacking the glass trying to get at Bunky, I bobbed Bunky's head up
and down at Higgins.  Well, this scared Higgins away, for Bunky now appeared
to have a spine, and was fighting back.  When I later put Bunky in Higgins'
cage again, Higgins left him alone.  However, as I said before, this may have
only been temporary, for I didn't have time to sit and watch.

    Hey, you made it to the end!  Sorry this was such a winded response.
    And to all a good night...
-- 

*--------------------------------------*
 Take a walk on the Wild side...Biffman
*--------------------------------------*
     j o h n g e w a r t o w s k i

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