Do iguanas bite ?

Question

My friend heard that iguanas are "mean" and that "they bite" ? Is this true ? How can they be handled to decrease the chance of being bitten ?

Answer 1

The best thing to do is to get one that is still young. They will be open to being handled and so you should do this every day. They make iguana leashes and they work really well. If you hold it and put it on a leash and walk it outside on the cement, it'll like it. If you hold it and stuff every day it will become way more friendly than if you didn't ever hold it. This handling will also almost completely eliminate the chances of them "tail-whiping" you because they become used to being handled. I'll warn you on one thing tho that is still a problem even if they don't bite or "tail-whip" (after you've trained them): their claws. I'd invest in a pair of reptile nail clippers. You can get them at almost any pet store and with iguanas, they work miracles. If their claws aren't trimmed, they're very sharp. I have a scar on my arm to prove it but if you trim them, then you really have no worries of your iguana hurting you at all!

Answer 2

There are basically 3 things you need to watch out for. Most iguanas will use the tail as their primary weapon, and when they get bigger, they can injure you with it. I know someone who had his arm broken by a 6 1/2 foot iguanas tail. Then you have the claws, which are like razors and don't retract, so you'll get cut when handling him even when he doesn't intend to hurt you. For most iguanas, the bite is the last resort, but you don't want to be bitten. Their jaws are very powerful. It's true that many iguanas will tame, but it's not a guarentee. You may always get one that refuses to tame, and when you do get a friendly one, you need to make sure you keep interacting with him because they can revert to the wild very easily. Also keep in mind that a male iguana will have a tendancy to become very aggressive during breeding season, even if he's a puppy dog the rest of the time. They tend to take on an orange colouration during breeding season, so watch for it. Good luck. They're very rewarding pets for the right person, but they're not easy to care for.

Answer 3

Yes they bite, I have the scars to prove it. And it hurts and bleeds a lot. You just have to know you ig. You'll know when it's angry and when it's going to bit. There is no avoiding it you will get bit evenually, everyone does. To tame them you have to handle them everyday for atleast 30 minutes. Here is some info I give every ig owner.

They should be feed:

45% leafy greens such as escarole, dandelions, endive, mustard, and collards, NO lettuces or spinach! They aren't good for him.
45% hard mixed veggies such as an orange flesh squash the harder the better(acorn,pumpkin,butternut... fresh green beans, fresh peas, parsnip, and green bell peppers, NO broccoli or cauliflower, or avocado!
10% fruit such as figs, papaya, mango, pear, and berries. NO bananas, only very rarely as a treat.
NO ANIMAL PROTEIN such as bugs, meat, eggs, or cheese!

Cage size:

Minimum length (side to side): 2-3 x
Minimum depth (front to back): 1.5-2 x
Minimum height: 1.5-2 x

They get 7ft long and 20+ lbs

Temperature:

They need a basking area of 95-100 and normal temps of 75-85. NO heat rocks!

Lights:

They need a 5.0 UV light.

Hydration:

They should also get baths everyday or so. And should have a water bowl in their cage.

Vet:

You should take Your Iguana for regular vet checkups to make sure it is in good health. Reptiles can have internal parasites that can harm them so you should make sure the vet checks that.

Here are some good sites, the first one was recomended by my vet.

http://www.anapsid.org/iguana/index.html
www.greenigsociety.org
www.triciaswaterdragon.com/igcare.htm
http://www.baskingspot.com/iguanas/igbook/
http://www.reptilecare.com/IgCare.htm

Answer 4

Get one that is young and just handle it. But beware not only do they bite but they can tail whip you. That hurts too. If you get a young docile one you should have no promblem taming it if, you have the time to spend with it. They get used to time spent like any other animal.

Answer 5

If you treat them with love and respect and let them get used to being hadled....chances are they won't be mean and bite. It's all in how you raise it.