#3399

 Sleestack the terrible!

I’m afraid I have to admit it to myself that Sleestack is starting to freak me out these days. I’ve told you before that he’s been headbobbing at me for the last year or more (everytime he sees me) and it isn’t a good headbob I can tell. So far I’ve been able to keep my dominance going but he is growing, bulking up, and feeling ready to take me on. I thought breeding season was over, but I wonder if some igs are in and out of it all year? His bad one ended awhile ago (the winter one where he stops being potty trained and he tries to tear down our house). He is still having some big seminal plugs though so I assume he could still be in some type of breeding mode. Anyway, I suspected he has lunged at me a couple other times, but I kept thinking there was a possibility he got startled the other times. Well tonight, he DEFINITELY lunged at me. He headbobbed over and over as I stood in front of his cage talking to him. Then, I opened the door to pet him like I always do after he headbobbed at me, and he rushed me..headed straight for my face! (that’s the level of his basking shelf unfortunately). I ducked away. He didn’t open his mouth, but it was almost an instinctual lunge. I got a towel and put it near his face, made him close his eyes and then I pet him and made sure he knew I was still dominant. I have a feeling this is only the beginning though. He is starting to stand up to me and no longer respect me as being above him. He is not as crazy as some iguanas I’ve seen, but I worry how much further he’ll go. He seems to respect my husband more so I think it is because I am female (and also smaller than my husband). I am the treat giver and he still will come over to get treats (dewlap tucked in...priorities you know! ) So I don’t know what we’ll do if he turns into another Harry the Horrible. He’s got an interesting iguana personality, but I don’t think he likes people very much (less than what would be normal for an iguana). He’s been that way from that day I brought him home. He’s a magnificent creature who I love, but he’s not always easy to love if you know what I mean. On a side note, he is accepting his pina colada flavored medicine soaked into a lemon blueberry muffin topped with bananas. I know it’s not very nutritious for him, but we gotta get that medicine in him! If there ever was an iguana who wasn’t acting sick, it would be Sleestack! He’s fiesty, strong, growing, shedding and eating like a horse.

 #3400

 Re: Sleestack the terrible!

Slee has to be a couple months older then Magellan. It seems whatever Slee goes through, that in a couple of months Magellan goes through it. I havent seen much aggressiveness. He is eating way more then he used to, and doesnt travel as much anymore. Except to use the toilet. He has been more or less keeping to himself. If he does get crazy and lunges I will have to smack him around like a red-headed step child. He did smack up my aunts dog today. I think he enjoyed that. PE

 #3402

 Re: Re: Sleestack the terrible!

Keep showing Sleestack the Stinker who is the real boss, xta!! If this kind of behavior continues maybe you should either stand on a step stool when opening his cage or lowering that basking shelf so that you have your head higher than he does. I hope he’s not taking Harry the Horrible lessons.

 #3425

 Re: Re: Re: Sleestack the terrible!

Yeah, maybe I should bring the step stool into the lizard room. Today he was fine...no lunges. It seems very random. I admit I am feeling a bit scared of him and upset too....but we all knew this was a reality when having a male iguana. I am trying not to let him see me afraid though, but let me tell you I have quick reflexes, and when he lunged, I set a world record for jumping backwards! I can’t help my reaction when I’m not expecting that! I’m just going to try to be nice and calm around him so as not to provoke him with my abrasive personality at least. Bob thinks we maybe should spend more time with him, but he doesn’t like to be out of his cage unless he has to go potty, or is looking for food or ig chics! He has always been like this. Flapjack will at least fall asleep while sitting on you with a little persuasion. At least I have one and one ! Well FJ is a when it comes to giving him his medicine. Tomorrow is the final dose thank goodness!

 #3479

 Re: Re: Re: Re: Sleestack the terrible!

Sleestack has been very polite for the last couple days. He scarfed down a blueberry muffin filled with the pina colada medicine and topped with bananas. It’s his last dose but I sure have the process down now. Those bananas are critical to tricking him! I thought he was going to choke because he wolfed down 1/3 of the muffin without chewing...he could barely close his mouth! (I need a pig icon here!) Flapjack was a little hissing wriggle monster (beard turned black) but he choked it down like a trooper after much wrestling on my part!

 #3499

 Be careful xta!

Godzilla started just like that and if i hadnt stepped back when he attacked me i would not have a nose by now. Slee will probably get worse and worse.I think all the male igs must have a very bad breeding season once in their lives.It took Godzilla almost 7 years to have one.God is starting to become green again and is not hurting himself so badly against the cages door anymore. Dont be mad at him.Even us react like crazy when the level of our hormones are high!

 #3503

 Shhhh, Flavia!!

We females are not supposed to admit to being hormonal so that men won’t blame absolutely everything on our cycles. Otherwise the next time someone in the household does something very rude that hurts your feelings, they will think you are only angry and upset because "it’s that time" and act like they did nothing wrong.

 #3516

 Re: Shhhh, Flavia!!

Did you never become hysterical and fainted in all your life during a Rock Star presentation and never wanted to tear up the clothes of a big movie star like Tom Cruise?? Most girls do that when their hormones’level are right.Oh, yes we can become very aggressive too!Mainly teen agers! And we cannot pretend we dont do that because we can see on the TV programs lots of hysterical teen agers crying and fainting because of their idols!

 #3549

 Re: Re: Shhhh, Flavia!!

Cr@p! He charged me again today when I tried to open the door! He smashed into the plexi like last time. Then I was able to pet him and calm him down but he went straight for me again. (mouth still closed..he would have just rammed me I guess.) I think he has a seminal plug stuck too. I guess this could be another breeding season. He sure is acting odd. I can’t say I am enjoying his unpredictable nature. I don’t know how I will leave him with my lizard sitters in the future with this kind of behavior going on!?! I’m not even sure I can care for him myself. Bob actually takes care of him more than I do these days and he seems to prefer that. I clean his cage, give him treats, and randomly feed/take him to the potty. Bob does more consistant feedings/potty breaks since his schedule is more flexible.

 #3565

 Re: Re: Re: Shhhh, Flavia!!

Maybe Slee is just mad at you. Maybe you did something to upset him. Or...maybe he is just crazy with hormones. I’m still waiting for Magellan to get aggressive. He never even attempts to attack me now. But what he does do is if I bother him too much...he takes his hand and smack my hand. And he will do this continually till I stop playing with his spikes and stuff. Eventually he gets tired of it and moves away from me like I have the cooties or something. PE

 #3586

 If he gets really crazy

the only thing you have to do is to lock him in his cage and give him food when he is on his cage’s upper shelf.Thats what i do with Godzilla.His cage has 2 doors.When he is on his upper shelf i put the food on the bottom of his cage trough the lower door and when he is on the lower shelf i put the food on the upper shelf with the help of the upper door.Uff! If he is going to have a VERY bad breeding season (and that is what i think because Godzilla gave me the same signs before becoming a devil)it took him 4 years to have one so probably he will have another one only in 2007!

 #3593

 Re: Re: Re: Re: Shhhh, Flavia!!

Gizmo does the exact same little pitty-pat game!

 #3607

 Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Shhhh, Flavia!!

Sleestack will smack or kick hands away sometimes, although mostly he’ll just close his eyes and hope you’ll disappear. He has to be really irritated to smack your hand away. Well Flavia, it sounds like Slee is going down the same road as your boy. However, I fear that instead of this happening every 4 years it might happen once and then happen again and again until they get too old! (like a switch that is turned on forever)

 #3630

 Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Shhhh, Flavia!!

I read somewhere (I think it was in James Hatfield’s book) that males’ breeding seasons tend to "peak," usually when they’re around 5 years old. Meaning that the breeding seasons tend ot get worse and worse, then hit a peak of awfulness, and then gradually get better. Hopefully this is the case with Slee and Godzilla. Of course there are always exceptions, like Harry the Horrible, who stay that bad. Or males that never get really bad in breeding season... I’m keeping my fingers crossed that Lizard will be in this category. So far he really hasn’t been bad at all, and he’s close to four. On the other hand, I think his breeding season at 3 years old may have been his first, since he was pretty unhealthy before that. Well, I wish all of us luck with our boys! Kate

 #3660

 Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Shhhh, Flavia!!

Thanks Kate! I’m experimenting with Slee now, but being very watchful so I don’t get hurt! I am trying to never bend down when I go up to his cage (i’m rather short) so I’m standing tall and even put a stool in there to help me get him out and be taller. So far this seems to be working but it’s probably not long enough to really make a conclusive judgement yet. He’s happy enough to take treats from me that’s for sure..little stinker! And yes, he is at least 5 years old is my guess. I got him Feb. 1999 and he looked to be a year old then (my best guess).

 #3671

 Male iguanas are crazy!

Last week end as hubbie was out of town (hubbie does not like my reptiles) i took all my iguanas out of their cages for a spa session.Baths and manicure and measuring the lenght and verifying the weight.All are doing great.Shena since he has his own cage is growing more than one inch a month!He grew five inches since January!I did the same with Godzilla and he accepted!I gave him a bath, i cut his nails, i spread Betadine on his bobos.But i needed to keep his head toweled while i was cuting his nails and with one hand i kept his mouth closed (to stop him from biting me)while i was spreading Betadine on his snout. I think he tries to bite me and my son because that is what a male is supposed to do when he is in breeding season (kind of " noblesse oblige") not because he really wants to attack us.By the way, my maid can enter his cage and clean everything even the shelf where he is laid on without suffering any attack.Can you explain that to me?

 #3672

 Senior citizens

Both our iguanas are becoming senior citizens if compared with the average life span of the igs we know. My God must be around 6/7 because when i got him (august 1999) he was already a big adult with large jowls and a fat head.He was much more impressive than Thor and Shena are today, both with 3 years old.So perhaps Godzilla is even older than that.

 #3675

 Re: Senior citizens

Flavia, I think you mean booboo not bobo. Bobo is a clown. Maybe your maid shows more dominance then you do to Godzilla. PE

 #3684

 He he he

Bobo is booboo in French.

 #3691

 Re: He he he

Bo Bo is a clown in America. PE

 #3698

 Re: Re: He he he

Bo Bo the clown? I don’t know of this clown....

 #3704

 Re: Re: Re: He he he

Your right! Its Bonzo the clown. Bo Bo must be his dog or something. PE

 #3705

 Re: Re: Re: Re: He he he

Crap, got it wrong again. I meant Bozo the Clown. Or maybe that was my moms dog when she was younger. I dont know...I’m kind of lost now. PE

 #3723

 Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: He he he

Bobos are what we used to call sneakers with the big rubber toe caps and thick rubber soles when I was a kid. Yep, it’s Bozo the Clown, there was a Seinfeld episode where George was all upset because a clown at his girlfriend’s kid’s party didn’t know who Bozo was.

 #3724

 Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: He he he

We had a kind of a clown in Brazil (tevevision show program)called Bozó.It was not really a clown but a sort of very stupid guy that was always making stupid questions and doing pretty stupid things.So when i was at school when someone made stupid questions or behave like a retarded we use to call him Bozó.

 #3726

 Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: He he he

We had a kind of a clown in Brazil (tevevision show program)called Bozó.It was not really a clown but a sort of very stupid guy that was always making stupid questions and doing pretty stupid things.So when i was at school when someone made stupid questions or behaved like a retarded we used to call him Bozó.