[SmallieHunter]

A few months ago I got Jakob his first real pet, a toad. I didn't know how much he would enjoy or pay attention to it but to my surprise he fell in love with that thing and played with it constantly. He would get it out during an evening and take it for rides in his Tonka dump truck and sit there and hold it while watching T.V.. He had it for a few months and then suddenly a few weeks ago I came home from work and checked on it....it was dead. It broke his poor little heart when he discovered that his frog were gone.

Since I knew his birthday was coming soon I set out on a mission to find him a new pet. It has gotten a little too cold around here to find another toad so I started looking at the pet shops for a different species. Most of the pet shops had frogs that were fast jumping and not really kid friendly so I began looking at lizards when the iguanas caught my eye. I began doing alot of research about them and was fasinated with them and thought it would be perfect for Jake. As you probably know these things can grow over a foot a year and can get 7' long and weight over 20 lbs. They require alot of care, special lighting, the right food and plenty of space when they get big. I have a spare room that is 6' x 7' that is not being used for anything and in a few months I plan on transferring it to an iguana room that he can have to himself. They are suppose to be very intelligent and can easily be litter box trained.

Jake was VERY excited about his new pet when I gave it to him Friday night and quickly name him Thomas after the train but couldn't do much with him because he was very skittish after being transported to his new home. I have spent all weekend holding him and he has really calmed down but it wasn't easy, so far I have been bite twice and tail whipped once. Now he is very calm(he stills has his moments) but allows Jakob to hold and pet him. The calmer he gets the more Jakob likes him and now several times a day he is asking to get him out of the aquarium.

Thomas is still considered a hatchling and is only two months old but is already over 16 inches long

Here are some pics

Jakob holding Thomas this morning


Thomas hanging out underneath his heat lamp

[Carver]

Thats cool! I have a Bearded Dragon named Rocky, my son Riley loves holding him as well. Thay do develop their own personality quickly. Have fun Will!

[Joe Hard]

Very cool Will. I hope it doesnt cost you too much to feed Thomas. Maybe some of those unfreindly frogs will bulk him up and fill him out

I supose some of you guys in the realistic forum are looking at Thomas the wrong way! Shame on you.

[GlobalFisher]

Very cool! I used to have a leopard gecko but ended up having to get rid of it when I moved to Alaska.

That is one cool pet.

[steeldrifter]

[Fishyman]

F.

[dafack01]

Them summbeaches are FAST! They are all over the place in south Florida (they're wild down there), and my friends and I were there a couple months ago and tried to catch some when we were fishing the canals. They are QUICK!

[Bud Guidry]

i had one that got to 6 foot fast and we had to get rid of it. it bacame, well, i'll use the word unaproachable. when this critter gets about four foot long you'll have a welt after the tail lashing. i fed mine only purina puppy chow in the can after it was a year old. they're cute when young but dam ugly once they get older, a face only a mother could love.


Bud

[steeldrifter]

they're cute when young but dam ugly once they get older, a face only a mother could love.


Bud

Kind'a like Will?

[Fry Flier]

Alie our Desert Igunia is 10 years old now and enjoys the front room terrium with a view. We picked her up from a client of mine when I was in Real Estate. Great pets, quiet and clean and not a whole lot of maintenance.
Love the warmth and eats very little, if you treat Thomas right you should get a lot of years from him.

[Leaky Waders]

Hey Will,

The good thing about getting Jakob an iguana, is if something happens to it you can go to the pet shop and buy him another one just like that one, and Jakob wont know the difference.

LW

[harleyhunter]

Hey Will,

Thats a great gift you got your son. I used to have iguanas among many other reptiles. They are great to have around. You sound like your on the right track to training him. If you need any help PM me I'll be more than happy to help you with him. Their is a book "Caring for Green Iguanas" by John Coborn that I have laying around I can send you if you would like. Stay in touch.

Sam