The Scratch Post

I understand it can be hard to realize your friend isn't exactly how you thought they were, but they're still you're friend. It's likely you've met their other alters, they just didn't say who they were.

So, first thing you need to know is that is a very visibly healthy adult green iguana. Every part of the iguana is sharp. The claws evolved to haul a ten pound lizard up a tree. The spines are like tiny icepicks. The tail is a bullwhip. The teeth evolved to shred leaves, but they'll just as easily shred your flesh. Good luck making a healthy adult iguana do anything they don't wanna. That puts us on our first thing to look at- is the animal capable of defense and getting away, physically? Yes, definitely.

Next thing to know is what does a threatened or scared iguana look like? When an iguana is threatened, it doesn't stand on its hind legs like that; it stands on all fours and puffs itself up to look bigger, aggressively bobs its head (note: head bobbing is a behavior used for a LOT of things, it does need context- for example, they also head bob as part of mating displays), there is hissing, there is tail whipping- iguanas are not subtle creatures. None of this is the behavior of an iguana that feels threatened or is being a threat!

So what does standing like that mean? That's just simple reaching. The iguana sees something they want and is attempting to reach it, and what they want appears to be uppies, because they settle into the human's grip immediately.

Then, we see some GREAT handling from the human. There's really great communication happening between the two of them! The person picks up the iguana very securely- pelvis and pectoral girdles are well supported, and he doesn't grab. (Iguanas typically do NOT like being grabbed around the sides; many of their predators are birds and coming at them from above or gripping the sides is scary!)

As he goes in for the pet, he lets the iguana support their back half on his knee. The hold is secure but not tight; at any point, if the iggy was distressed, they could leave. But they don't- instead, you see them leaning into the pets, actively participating in the behavior. They're not even closing their eyes to block stimulus. They want this to happen.

This is the kind of bond that's possible when you can prove to a big lizard that you're trustworthy, and easily the best iguana video I've seen in a long time. Thank you for tagging me in!

Some green iguana body language resources under the jump!

ATEEZ ZERO FEVER: PART 2

'Fireworks (I'm The One)' MV Behind SAN Wallpaper

Holy Jesus Mary and Joseph this man is gonna be the death of me😖🏴‍☠️

Like/reblog if you want cuz I'm lonely🥺🖤

☆Sky High text posts: Part 4

Warren "why don't you just tell him you like him?" Peace, who totally liked Layla and -guess what- didn't tell her

Here's a little game of... guess the two couples that I ship!

Sky High (2005)

“Who did this to you?!”

But is Layla returning from her mission to find Warren has a bruise.

Had to throw this in. Loved them

When I tell you 5 year old Ivanna thought these two mf were the most attractive humans on Earth…

LOOK— Sky High was one of my top five movies EVER as a kid… they would play it so many times on Disney and I watched EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. I was particularly OBSESSED with Warren and Layla. Literally my grumpy x sunshine blueprint. I would— and still do— CRINGE anytime the last scene with Layla ending with Will came up. If Will Stronghold has no haters then I’m GONE. My lil self was so fucking upset at Warren and Layla not ending up together bro 😭😭 that restaurant scene was EVERYTHING TO ME—

I WILL RAISE THIS SHIP FROM THE ASHES MYSELF—