Taking your iguana out of his habitat

You approach your untamed iguana's habitat and it sits up, eyes big, heart pounding, thinking "Oh NO what is going to happen now?". You dont even realize all the emotions your iguana just went through and open the door to the habitat and reach forward to take it out. Your iguana starts bolting, tail whipping and will even bite if it really has to and you cant understand what you have done wrong.

This is completely normal behaviour, in your iguana's eyes you are a predator, you are huge and you mean the end of its existence. From the first moment that they hatch their instinct scream "Run, hide and dont get caught!" In your house the running part is not really possible so the flight turns into fight. For an untamed iguana to be held for an instant is to die!

Dont chase your iguana around in the habitat every time that you open the door, this only stresses your iguana and it will remember the last chase and run every time. There are several methods of getting that green monster out but I am only going to discuss the method I used and what worked for me with my own and other iguanas that I've helped with.

You need to go to the habitat several times during the day, open up and just offer it food with your hand. Your iguana will most probable back down and refuse the treat. It is ok, just lower your hand again and try next time. Do this several times a day until your iguana start realizing that you are not planning on eating him. When your iguana finally takes the food out of your hand you can start raising your hand very slowly and try and stroke it, if your iguana backs down then lower your hand. Do this as often as you can and eventually your iguana will allow you to stroke it.

Your iguana must associate your hands with a treat, warmth or anything pleasant.

When you want to take your iguana out then you open up - walk in - take him, do not go slow like you do with the food - move normal, dont hesitate for a second and dont make eye contact. You must not give your iguana any time to think about it and believe me one hesitation is all that is needed. No hesitation!

In the wild iguanas are high up in the trees basking and relaxing and their main predators come from above grasping them and flying off with them. For this reason it is imprinted into your iguana that danger comes from above therefore you must always approach your iguana from below. Hold your hand with the palm facing up and slide it in under the iguana's breastbone, turn you hand so your thumb is facing in the same direction as your iguana's head and lift your iguana. This technique catches them completely off guard because they do not expect a predator from below.

After picking your iguana up it will most probably try to grab onto something especially the habitat door, in his mind this is it, it is his final moment and only death will come next. If your iguana does hook onto something then dont jerk him away, they can easily pull out a claw or even break a toe, just gently unhook the foot.

When your iguana starts to wiggle wildly trying to escape from the monster then you need to increase your hold enough so that your iguana cant get away. Talk very softly and in a kind manner, the same as way as what you speak to a baby and start walking slowly. When your iguana stops wiggling then relax your hands as well. They sometimes go so crazy that it feels as if you cannot hold on any more, if this happens walk to a wall and turn so you face it and allow your iguana to 'clime' the wall. This relaxes the iguana fast until the next time.

Never put your iguana down while it wiggles, if you do this your iguana will remember and always wiggle in order for you to put it down.

These green monster are much more intelligent than what most people realize and they have a brilliant memory!

The key is patience, understanding that you are a predator, time and consistency.