An Angry Iguana

Posted By: leeduigonPosted On:

My own iguana was perfectly willing to make friends with cats and dogs, and even cuddle up with them if the room got cold. That’s because he was properly raised. But there was one cat who had a habit of coming into people’s rooms and pooing on the bed. He did not permit this cat to come into my room.

This iguana is still pretty young, as shown by his still bright-green color which will fade with age. I am told that it smarts when an iguana whacks you with his tail. I don’t know: I was never whacked or clawed or bitten.

However, he is old enough to hold back. The cat is not getting the full blast of iguana fury, not by a long shot. That would consist of gaping jaws paused to bite, loud hissing, tail-lashing–and a sudden charge. Here the lizard is just letting the cat know who’s boss, and staking his claim to respect.

I think the cat will figure it out.

9 comments on “An Angry Iguana”

  1. A friend of mine had a 6-foot iguana – ‘Iggy’, of course 🙂 She also had a cat. The two were practically inseparable, Iggy being quite content to let the cat clean his mouth after he finished eating. And their sleeping arrangement many times involved curling up together for a nap.

    My friend’s brother worked as a tech at a veterinary office, which is where Iggy came from. He had been abused – shot full of steroids to make him mammoth. So he was rescued from his situation and brought to my friend, where he enjoyed leisurely baths in the bathtub and quick clean-ups by the cat before their naps 🙂

    Reply

    1. We have iguanas all over the place in South Florida, and mostly they’re afraid of people. They will puff themselves up and stand as tall as they can before jumping into the water or running away. We’ve had them walk along our back fence, along with the Knight Anoles, which are also neat lizards 🙂

    2. Most reptiles are peaceful unless cornered and forced to defend themselves. Even with truly dangerous reptiles, most problems happen when a human decides to press their luck.

      Around my place, horned lizards (AKA horned toads) are the most common reptile. They avoid people and are rarely even seen, but they sure are fascinating to look at. To you or I, they are a tiny reptile, but to an insect, it must look like a fearsome dinosaur. They do remind one of a tiny triceratops.

    3. And I’ve always found them fascinating to watch. The Knight Anole is actually from Cuba and people who came to South Florida brought them. As far as I know, they can now only be found in Cuba and in Dade and Broward Counties, South Florida. Their bright green color is quite striking.

    5. I didn’t know the knight anoles were on the loose in Florida along with the iguanas and the Burmese pythons. I’ve always wanted to see and handle one of those.

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