How To Make Your Iguana Like You? (5 Easy Ways)

We all want to bond with our pets. Therefore, if you are looking for ways or steps to make your Iguana like you, this is the guide. To make your Iguana love or like you, it is essential to know how to Bond with them correctly. Adding to this, you should also look to strengthen the bond and gain their trust. Let’s Know How To Make Your Iguana Like You.

To bond with your Iguana effectively, build confidence and association between you and your pet with a safe, positive, and fun experience. This can be done in many forms, including bathing, feeding them by hand, playing with them, spending more time with your pet, and handling them. Here we will be discussing five ways to bond with your Iguana and make them like you.

6 Steps To Make Your Iguana Like You

There are many ways and steps to make your Iguana like you. But here, we will discuss the top 5 choices for how to build a connection with your Iguana.

Handling

The first thing you should do is learn how to handle a reptilian friend. As Iguana tend to be bigger, you should learn to handle them properly. Iguanas don’t mind being touched if they are raised in captivity. If you have recently adopted an Iguana, don’t hesitate to touch or handle them, even if they may not trust you. The more you handle an Iguana, the more it will become used to it and trust you.

Each time you pick up a healthy Iguana, it gathers your scent and recognizes this time. You should never approachIguanas from behind as they also have a third eye on the top of their head that is sensitive to the light level.

Predators like to sneak up from behind or fly overhead in the wild. Approaching your pet from behind will make them stressed and think you are a Predator. If you don’t know how to handle them correctly, then here is how to manage them correctly.

1. Get your hand closer gradually in front of the Iguana’s face.
2. Now, scoop and pick the Iguana up from under its belly. 
3. Keep your Iguana’s tail and limbs supported using one or two hands as needed.
4. Avoid moving too much and ensure your Iguanas is in place.
5. When placing it back in the tank or putting it down, make sure your Iguana is in the ground before removing your hand.

Bathing

Iguanas love baths and always look to dive into the water. Therefore it is always recommended to give your Iguana a clean bath to help their skin cleanse bacteria and stay hydrated. Bathing them is also great for bonding with your pet and making them like you.

Bathing is a positive experience that your Iguana will associate with your scent. Bathing them will also build their affection towards you. If you don’t know how to clean Iguanas properly and make them enjoy every second, then here are 9 basic steps.

1. Firstly, you should get a tub that can house an Iguana. Iguanas can be giant, up to 5 feet in length.
   
2. Now, fill the tub With warm water up to the shoulder height of your Iguana. Always make sure that the water level isn’t above the Iguana’s shoulder.
   
3. Check the water using a fingertip and inspect if it is too warm before putting your Iguana in it. 
   
4. If the water is mildly warm, gently put your Iguana in and let it adjust to the water. 
   
5. It would help to clean him by gently pouring water on your Iguana’s back while splashing his belly. 
   
6. You can also use brushing but be as gentle as possible. 
   
7. Let your Iguana spend time playing in the water to allow an opportunity to drink more water. 
   
8. Now take your Iguana out of the tab and pat dry using a towel before putting it back in its enclosure.
   
9. Make sure to place your Iguana in the basking area of the tank and then clean up the tub.

Feed It By Hand

When you feed your Iguana, it is essential to let it eat as much as it wants within 10-15 minutes or in each serving. If you are looking to bond with them more quickly, then feed your Iguana by hand. It will make your reptilian friend more excited to see or smell you over time when you approach their tank.

Do you know that feeding is one of the easiest ways to bond with any animal as long as you keep your hands safe? Iguanas can bite you but won’t cause any harm. Iguanas are completely vegetarian; feeding by hand shouldn’t be a cause of concern. It would help if you considered offering Greens, plants, flowers, and some fruits.

Make sure to always cut the fruits or the vegetables in sizes no more significant than the space between your Iguana’s Eyes. The food should be cut into a size that is easy to eat for your Iguanas as it can prevent choking. Cutting or mashing their food will also prevent infection in the future.

It is essential always to keep your fingers back when feeding your Iguanas as they can bite. Although their bite doesn’t hurt much, you need to be prepared for one. It is always recommended to wear gloves when handling and feeding Iguanas.

Calm Down Your Iguana

Iguanas can easily get stressed due to any sudden change in their environment. Even if you relocate their tank to a different room of your home, it is enough to cause them stress for a few days. Don’t be upset if your Iguana seems to be under pressure.

Despite being worried, you should see it as an excellent opportunity to bond with them. Firstly, you should start by calming your pet down. There are many ways you can calm down an Iguana. If you make a habit of calming your Iguana every time under stress, it will begin to associate you and your scent as a safe influence on its environment.

Play And Explore

It would help if you let your Iguana roan around the different areas of your home but make sure it is safe. Occasionally it would help to allow your Iguanas to be out of their enclosure. It would help if you got them appropriate props and toys for Iguanas to interact with.

As Iguanas play and explore, they may even change their color as a way to communicate with you over time. Letting them roam around your home gets your Iguanas associate safety and fun with you.

Most important: Be Patient And Be There

No pet can be trained or forced to like its owner in one day. Depending upon the type of pet people have, some may bond in a week. When we talk about reptiles, bonding with them takes time.

It would help if you were consistent with connecting with your Iguanas & build those bonding associations over time. Do all the five strategies mentioned above as often as possible when your Iguana is young. Younger Iguana is easier to tame and bond with than adults.

Interesting Further Reading

• 5 Reasons Why Do Iguanas Bob Their Heads?
• 7 Safe Plants For Iguana Enclosure
• 5 Humane Ways To Dispose Of Dead Iguana

How Do Iguanas Show Affection?

Iguanas are not very affectionate creatures, but they can be loving in sometimes unusual ways. Like many other reptiles, Iguana’s affection is mainly shown through trust. Behavior like relaxing on you or climbing on your hand to be handled is a sign of trust. And, Iguanas will also lick your hand.

Iguanas are unique among most lizards because they bond quickly and act affectionate. However, they are not very caring by nature, and depending upon each species; some will never like to be handled. If an Iguana is closing its eyes while you pet them, you should never think of it because of affection. Reptiles like Iguanas Usually close their eyes if they feel stressed.

Can Iguanas Recognize Their Owners?

Yes. Iguanas are capable of recognizing their owner as their highly intelligent reptile. The primary way of Iguanas remembers things is via their sense of smell. Like many other reptiles, Iguanas also smell by collecting air molecules on their tongues.

Iguanas have been seen to love and recognize their owner’s scent while getting excited. Your Iguana is likely to get excited when you come near them, but only if you have spent a lot of time bonding with them.

Conclusion

I hope you find this article helpful for making your Iguana like you. I have tried my best to give you all the ideas about bonding with your pet. Remember that bonding comes down to associating your presence with a positive experience. Always try to be as gentle as possible when handling your Iguana and look to spend more time.