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Expert: Sara J Gwerder - 11/5/2009


Question
I have a 4 and a half foot male iguana and a 2 and a half foot female I have housed them together for about 4 months now with no problems....well today my male was head bobbing alot and grabbed my female by the hind quaters she is ok just a little blood but I was wondering why he would do this, is he trying to breed with her and what should I do about it, should I seperate them from now on...anyway any help would be appreciated thank you

Answer

Iguana "Sex Toy"
Alyssa,

In the wild, iguanas mate towards the end of "summer" (wet season); this is also the time period in which iguanas who previously lived together compatibly may start showing signs of incompatibility. It is sounding like your male may be becoming sexually mature. Once breeding season hits, it will occur about the same time every year. The exact time of year varies among individuals, perhaps due to what region of Central/South America they originally came from. If your iguana reaches the 18 month mark and his or her first season in November, that will be about the time every subsequent year that the season will start.
Anyhow, to get to the point: Yes, it is a VERY good idea to remove that female from the terrarium and get her her own space. Males are VERY aggressive when breeding and will often bite the females on the nape of their necks and draw blood while trying to mount. Some males have been known to kill females during breeding they can get so aggressive.
Adult males who are "in heat" can become very different in their personalities and temperaments. They can be very dangerous to you and to other iguanas and so you should consider any unusual aggressive behavior from him as normal for a male with pent-up sexual frustration. Some iguana owners find that giving the male a "sex toy" to relieve himself works to alleviate some of the aggression. I have heard of using stuffed animals or
Even if your male stops his aggression toward your female, it is still a good idea to separate them because whenever two iguanas are housed together there is always going to be a more dominant iguana and a more passive iguana. This usually means that the dominant iguana will soak up most of the heat and UV rays and get the most food, leaving the other iguana to be suppressed and possibly not getting the heat, UV and food that he/she needs.

Please read the following information about males who are breeding:

Males During Breeding Season: Physical Changes - Physical signs that a male iguana is in breeding season are an increase in orange coloring in the skin, an enlargement of the waxy protrusions from the femoral pores (see photo below), and the presence of sperm plugs seen either protruding from the vent or found in the enclosure or habitat area. Sperm plugs are dried packets of semen that often appear as long, translucent orange or cream colored objects. Males in season may also leave fresh semen around too, which is sometimes compared in color and consistency to melted mozzarella cheese.

Males During Breeding Season: Behavioral Changes - Many owners get quite exasperated with their males during breeding season. Owners of male iguanas should be prepared for possible difficulties when their iguana matures. Since mature iguanas go into breeding season for a period of several weeks, or even months, every year, this is something owners must deal with on a yearly basis. Many male iguanas exhibit behavioral changes during breeding season that can make them very difficult to handle or interact with. Some males can even be dangerous during this time. Behavioral changes may include an increase in head bobbing and display behaviors, an increase in territory patrolling and an increase in territorial defensive behavior. Problems occur when male iguanas defend their territories, which may range from their enclosure, to one room, to an entire house, with violent attacks. These attacks may be initiated by a normally docile male against the owner he usually trusts and has bonded with. These attacks can be unpredictable and severe. Iguanas can deliver serious bites, especially when their owner is caught off-guard. It is imperative that owners of male iguanas be on the lookout for this type of territorial aggression during breeding season. Not all males exhibit this type of behavioral change. Many remain their normal, docile selves. However, the very real possibility exists for this type of behavior, so all owners of mature male iguanas should be prepared for it.

I have attached a picture of a male iguana taking his aggression out on his "sex toy". This sounds silly but it really may help your male do his business and minimize his pent-up frustration. I strongly advise you to remove that female from the same cage for her safety or else the little big of blood he drew from her today could be a much worse injury in the near future.

Also, be sure that you are giving them both sufficient UVB, a balanced diet and a set sleep schedule because the healthier they are, the smoother the breeding season will be as iguanas can endure undue stress from not having any of the above things I listed.

Now that you have a sexually mature male, and soon to be female, please spend some significant time researching iguana breeding and the best online sources are:

http://www.greenigsociety.org/breedingseason.htm
http://www.anapsid.org/iguana/breedingbasics.html

Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance to you.

Thank You!

Sara J. Gwerder
President
Raptor Rescue Iguana Sanctuary
Shreveport, LA
www.RaptorRescue.org

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Sara J Gwerder

Expertise

I can answer questions about the best types of lighting and heating sources. I also am very knowledgeable of metabolic bone disease, foods of which to comprise a balanced diet, growth rates, personality and decoding of iguana body language. I cannot provide any medical diagnoses, but can instruct you on the best home care in addition to a veterinarian's instructions. I can recommend when to seek professional medical advice.

Experience

President and founder of Louisiana's only nonprofit iguana rescue mission and sanctuary called Raptor Rescue Iguana Sanctuary. I am an iguana owner of over 5 years and specialize in the rehabilitation and rehoming of pet iguanas. I currently have 10 iguanas in my home all of which receive medical attention when needed, fresh food diets, freedom to roam, top quality sun-simulating lamps and playtime with other iggys. See my website at www.RaptorRescue.org for more info.

Organizations
Networked with PETA, Resource for Iguana Care and Adoption, and Petsavers

Publications
My "iguana bill" is being introduced to the Louisiana State Senate and aims to mandate that retail pet stores be required to distribute veterinarian-approved informational literature with the sale of any exotic animal. See the article: http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2010/03/north_lousiana_lawmaker_wants.html I am currently in works with ZooMed, a popular reptile supplies manufacturer, to revise their advertising on their popular reptile basking bulbs to alert customers that their bulb does not emit UVA and needs to be used in conjunction with a UVB source.

Education/Credentials
No formal education in herpetology or veterinary medicine, all knowledgeability on this subject has been gained through personal research and years of hands-on experience with this animal.

Awards and Honors
Nothing formal as of yet.

Past/Present Clients
15 rescued iguanas since May...Currently, I house 10 iguanas in my home by the names of Trogdor, Isador, Miss Jacky, Pete, Balthor, Mr. Pop, Twizzle, Spunky, Peatree and Medina.

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