Index
Updated 3/19/03

3/19/03 - Hemme is very happily living in a cage with Chester. They get along very well. She's a little less feisty when I touch her, now that she's in a cage. I think it's helped calm her down.

I got a call from my vet who gave me the number of a woman who's son was looking to find his iguana a new home. I called the woman and she told me when her son would be around to talk to. I called back later and talked to him. He didn't feel he was spending enough time with his iguana and wanted to find her a new home. Hemme, at that time, was 2 1/2 years old. He and his girlfriend brought Hemme out to my home on September 9, 2000. A week later, even after thorough checking, Hemme had mites. I think she got eggs from the wooden crate they brought her over in and the mites were just showing up. She had them very bad - and not finding a way to safely treat them right away, the mites spread to the rest of the iguanas.

Click on Hemme to see her photo album

I had planned on just taking her in for a short time and then finding her a new permanent home, but it was February by the time I had eradicated the mites and she was very content living as a free roaming iguana in the lizard room. I figure that most people looking for an iguana would like one as a pet and she prefers to just hang out with my other iguanas and not be bothered with me. Hemme has the attitude "Just set the plate of food down and back away slowly." Often if I move to fast around her, I'll spook her and I'll get a nasty whack from her tail. And I get hit not because she is trying to tail whip me, but because she's trying to retreat so fast. She still is not very social, but is slowly gaining my trust and will accept food from my hand. Her trust and confidence seems to stem from her growing larger and getting older, plus she sees I'm not going to hurt her (and I do feed her too ;-)) She does not like to be touched, but will tolerate me softly talking to her and standing next to her (as long as I don't try to touch her).

Hemme's is over 3 years old now, growing fast and is very strong. I'll be adding her SVL/STL very soon.