THE HOLD I USE ON PHOENIX DURING TRAINING

If you haven't seen my newest training video working with Phoenix click HERE to view it. During this video you will see me hold Phoenix a certain way that helps calm her, keeps my hands safe and doesn't seem like a threatening move to the iguana.

Here's a photo of the hold....

 As you can see in this picture I do not have any part of my hand or arm over her back and pinning her down. Iguanas are a pray species and because of that when they are put into a position that they feel constricted or completely immobilized they may become scared and feel threatened, which is what you want to avoid when training your iguana.

 

This hold allows me to have control over her in a non threatening way. So here is how its done....

 Iguana's chest resting on palm of your hand, your thumb should be behind the arm (in the armpit)

Index finger runs along the throat (no pressure just resting there)

Middle and ring finger (index finger also if the iguana is smaller) are in front of the other leg with the pinky finger in that armpit.

Your arm then runs down the iguanas side and over the top of the back leg (this stops that leg from coming up onto your arm and cutting it)

 

Once in that hold you want to lift the front feet off the ground (some igs may not respond well so you may have to leave them on the ground, each ig is different) the feet should be set down once the ig is calm, if the feet touch the ground and the ig tries to run off simply lift them back up again.

 

Also if the iguana was to squirm you simply place your index and middle finger on the opposite side of the hips (above the leg) that your arm is on and apply slight pressure to keep the iguana in one spot. Once the iguana stops squirming remove those fingers from her one side and return to the hold.

 

The goal of this hold is to be able to let your iguana go and have it remain in that spot not frightened. As your iguana calms down and his/her feet are on the ground you then can start with removing your fingers, not completely but removing them from the side so they are not touching the ig anymore. Eventually the iguana should just be resting on your palm of your hand without you holding on at all.

 

 

 

While in this hold you can pet your iguana as well as talking nice and soft to him/her.

 

I have had great success with this hold and it is a great calming and non threatening way to hold your iguana but still give it the feeling that he/she isn't completely contained.

 

I hope this information and picture helps clear anything up and id love to see photos of you guys using this hold and or stories of it. You can contact me on my FACEBOOK PAGE  or on instagram at @robinsmall or #ontarioiguanas

 

 

 

This is Phoenix after about 10 minutes of me working with her. When I first bring her out I can't even hold on to her as she dives off of my hands, now she was climbing all over me and went into her enclosure after very calmly

 

 

Thanks for reading and I hope this helps some people out!!!

 

 

Robin.