We all know that dogs and cats can get jealous but how about iguanas? I was playing with my other pets the other day and I saw my iguana looking at me. This made me wonder if they could get jealous. Here is what I found after doing some research on the internet.
Yes, iguanas do get jealous and when they do, they can become quite dangerous. Iguanas are territorial creatures that like to have everything to themselves.
It can be quite obvious when an iguana gets jealous. Make sure you know what to do and what not to do in front of your iguana. They can get quite violent when they are jealous, so be aware of that.
Do All Iguanas Get Jealous?
All iguanas are jealous to some degree, some more than others. Just like us, each iguana has its own personality. No matter how well you tame it, this will not change much.
When you are getting a new iguana, there is no way to tell if the iguana is going to be a jealous one or not. Only time will tell…
Things That Make Iguanas Jealous
Whenever possible, try not to make your iguana jealous especially when it’s out of the cage. There are many things that could cause jealousy in iguanas. They are very territorial animals and this is very closely related to being jealous.
Some of the things that make iguanas jealous include:
- Having another animal in the household.
- When you show love to another pet. (Such as feeding and petting)
- Another animal getting hold of your iguana’s toys.
- Showing love to your girlfriend or boyfriend. (Especially if your iggy hasn’t seen them before)
If you already have an iguana as a pet, it is best not to introduce any other animal including a new iguana. Allowing your iguana to get in contact with the things making it jealous it can cause unwanted injuries.
This is especially true if your iguana isn’t tamed. On the other hand, if the iguana is locked in the cage, you still shouldn’t attempt to make your iguana jealous. This can cause stress in iguanas and if the stress continues for a prolonged period of time, it can kill your iguana.
One of the signs that an iguana is stressed is that it starts turning black. Make sure you read that article to know exactly when your iguana is stressed. This way, you can remedy it ASAP.
Prevent Iguanas Getting Jealous
When iguanas get jealous, they can be quite dangerous if they are not tamed. It can be tough to completely prevent your iguana from getting jealous.
This becomes even more challenging if you have another pet in your life. If you have a pet iguana, make sure to give all your attention to it. At least until you successfully tame it.
Having another pet in the same household can be a problem especially if space isn’t too big. Iguanas can smell another pet even if they cannot physically see it. So, if you plan to have other pets in the same household, make sure to keep them in separate rooms, as far away as possible.
You should also do the same if you are showing love to your girlfriend or boyfriend. Make sure your iguana doesn’t see you do that, keep it in a separate room.
Once your iguana is reasonably tamed, you can have more freedom doing what you want to do in front of your iguana. Your iguana can still get jealous but at least, the chances of violence are reduced.
Despite that, you should still try to keep your pets separated from your iguana when possible. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
Jealousy In Male Vs Female Iguanas
For humans, females are usually the ones that get jealous more often than males. However, iguanas are the opposite, the males usually show more jealousy when compared to female iguanas.
From my experience of owning both male and female iguanas, males are more territorial. They are more possessive of the things they “own” and get more aggressive when they are jealous.
There was this one time where my dog was playing with a soft toy I gave to my iguana. They were both free-roaming in my living room.
When my iguana saw my dog playing with his favorite soft toy, the iguana rushed towards my dog and chased it away. Then, he stood on the soft toy like he was saying, “nobody can touch my toy!”
Check out this video of a jealous iguana on Imgur. It’s a very similar situation to mine but this was a cat instead of a dog.
Signs of A Jealous Iguana
When your iguana gets jealous, it can be pretty obvious, just like the example above. However, there could be times where your iguana is in a cage. In this case, you have to look at its body language.
Signs your iguana is jealous are very similar to the signs they show when they are territorial. Here are some signs your iguana might give you when they are jealous:
- Chest puffed up
- Head bobbing
- Dewlap extended
- Mouth opened
- Hissing
These signs could also be quite dangerous because they are also signs that your iguana is angry. If they are out of the cage, they might attack the culprit. Iguanas can be very dangerous if you don’t know what to look out for.
Make sure you read this article I wrote about how dangerous iguanas can be. So, you know what to look out for and prevent yourself from unnecessary injuries caused by your iguana.
Conclusion
The final answer to whether iguanas get jealous is an astounding yes. Iguanas are very territorial animals, especially in males. Even the smallest things such as having another pet in the same household can get an iguana jealous.
Iguanas can get dangerous if they are jealous as they are not afraid to attack. To protect yourself and others in your iguana’s surroundings, try your best not to make it jealous (if it’s untamed).
There are signs you can look out for to see if your iguana might be jealous. However, these signs could also mean they are angry and want to attack.
