[underdog]

Hi guys, not posted here in years but I need advice. I have an iguana he's about 6 years old, I've had him since he was tiny. The trouble is he's always been aggressive, this isn't my first reptile, not even my first iguana (last one died at 14 of liver failure and was so tame).

Now my attitude has always been he didn't like humans but he lived in a huge enclosure, was well fed, well looked after etc so the fact he didn't like humans was a non issue.

He tolerates me feeding him, cleaning him out and changing bulbs but all are done with one eye on him and at no time do I go too close to him (he ripped my finger open when he was about 2). However he now has a couple of lumps on his tail (half way down an area of about an inch which is thinner than area around it with lump at either side), and it dawned on me I couldn't get him to a vet in an emergency

This is the first time I feel I simply can not offer him the care he deserves, I can't do what's best for him

This has led me to think that I need to hand him over to someone more experienced with aggressive and large reptiles, thoughts?

 

[cobe]

could you get a photo of the lumps on the tail?

 

[underdog]

Will try tomorrow, his lights are off at the moment.

 

[cobe]

its very hard to take a guess of what it is without photos. best course of action would be a visit to the vets. I had a 6ft female that was very aggressive and vet always had problems assessing her. better safe than sorry in my opinion.

 

[Estherta]

Is your vet far from you? Perhaps you could enquiry with them if they do home visits as some vets do. Of course this is more expensive for you, but that could be alternative option instead of rehoming him...

 

[Salazare Slytherin]

Hi guys, not posted here in years but I need advice. I have an iguana he's about 6 years old, I've had him since he was tiny. The trouble is he's always been aggressive, this isn't my first reptile, not even my first iguana (last one died at 14 of liver failure and was so tame).

Now my attitude has always been he didn't like humans but he lived in a huge enclosure, was well fed, well looked after etc so the fact he didn't like humans was a non issue.

He tolerates me feeding him, cleaning him out and changing bulbs but all are done with one eye on him and at no time do I go too close to him (he ripped my finger open when he was about 2). However he now has a couple of lumps on his tail (half way down an area of about an inch which is thinner than area around it with lump at either side), and it dawned on me I couldn't get him to a vet in an emergency

This is the first time I feel I simply can not offer him the care he deserves, I can't do what's best for him

This has led me to think that I need to hand him over to someone more experienced with aggressive and large reptiles, thoughts?

Hi mate, some iguanas are like that, I think the concept of "not giving them the time" they deserve is something of a parroted nonsense on iguana websites historically, the truth is if your comfortable having him as a "pet" in a display enclosure, he is probably happy that way, just keep doing what you are.

As for the vet thing, its simple, towels are your best friend for iguanas like that, I handle my male maybe two times a year, (hes a :censor one for a yearly checkup, and one for a photo shoot (for myself) nothing less, any emergency vets he can be easily detained with a towel or with the vasovagal restraint, transfer to a box) take to the vet, and most specialist vets will be familiar with proper restraint technique so there is no worries there, in extreme cases they might offer him a mild anasthetic for his own safety if they need to look at something.


The lumps on his tail, has he been chasing his tail at all recently? within the last few months.