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Henry Lizardlover
10700 Santa Monica Blvd., Office 4-378
Los Angeles, CA 90025
Phone: (213) 460-2900

  • Send email to: henry@herp.com
  • Welcome
  • The Reactive Mind is a Narrow Mind
  • the Iguana Owner's Manual
  • The Electric Nail Melt-It Tool
  • VHS Video
    [Welcome]

    Welcome LIZARD LOVERS & Others
    This is Henry Lizardlover's Lovable Website!

    Who or what is a Henry Lizardlover???
    Once iguana time, and long ago, in a strange land called Los Angeles, there was a normal sort of guy, Henry was his name but after he bought his first iguana, life would never be the same.

    Henry was fascinated with this iguana and he was compelled to have more of these unusual pets. By 1983 he would be sharing a home with over 30 iguanas, spread throughout the house in a free roaming (cageless) iguana homestead. It was an environment where these iguanas could relax, hang out and feel safe. At a time when people generally believed that iguanas are stupid and brainless zombies, Henry was learning surprising things contrary to popular beliefs about these creatures. He was so amazed and moved to see that each iguana is an individual with unique personality and behavior, and that they can actually have the kind of good character and behavior you'd expect to see in a pet like the cat or bird, not "a lizard". Living with them turned out be an opportunity not only to enjoy neat pets but also to gain deeper insight into what these creatures really are: In Henry's eccentric view, lizards are people, good people.

    Some of the iguanas became unique examples to learn from and after a while Henry discovered for himself that these iguanas would easily pose (without any tricks of any kind!) in human like positions for photographs. He was consistently surprised with their progress as they matured, they got better and better as pets and posers. The adult iguanas would somehow learn and recognize the way from the house out to the backyard, for walks in the sun and always to return right back into the house, even their own respective rooms. These incredibly friendly iguanas would even return back to the car after Henry let them out for walks in large open parks. To this day, their wonderful character, body language and intelligence continues to inspire Henry with more and more ideas about iguanas, and that direct experience goes into his book, "Iguana Owner's Manual", (first printed in 1992 with revisions every year thereafter).

    Henry's dream was to put together a line of postcards and greeting cards with pictures of his beloved lizards for people to see the wonderful behavior of these lizards, hoping to show that lizards can be calm and reasonable beings, not some kind of vile, low life forms, that have nothing to do but eat bugs and spread disease. Henry was really disturbed about the low view people have toward lizards. The photos and TV shows that came later were another opportunity at breaking the ice with all the people that are so fearful and suspicious of iguanas. Believe it or not, many people that find lizards in their backyard will smash their lives out in a second, only because of the tremendous low regard and foolish ideas, we, the humans, have about reptiles including lizards.

    In 1988 Henry changed his last name from Schiff to Lizardlover, (in the never ending quest for more meaning), and in that same year every national tabloid magazine did a photo story on his fleet of lizards, continuing with updated stories again and again. In the years to come, these lizards were featured in newspapers, magazines, radio talk and television shows all over the world. They were also featured on numerous National TV shows such as:

  • Hard Copy (NBC)
  • After Hours (FOX)
  • The Late Show (FOX)
  • Candid Camera (ABC)
  • Current Affair (FOX)
  • The Chevy Chase Show (FOX)
  • NBC Now (Tom Brokaw hosted)
  • Funny People (NBC)
  • Camp Midnight (USA)
  • To Tell The Truth (NBC)
  • Front Runners (ABC)
  • The Jim J and Tammy Faye Show (FOX)
  • Dozens and dozens of local and affiliated TV news stories
  • Dozens of International shows in Japan, Taiwan, France, and other shows Henry can't even remember!
  • The lizards were featured in several Music Videos and the show goes on and on.

     At this time Henry is living with 17 Iguanas, 23 Chinese Water Dragons, 7 Solomon Island Tree Skinks, 4 Sneider Skinks, 3 Indonesian Water Skinks, 2 Australian Bearded Dragons, 1 Veiled Chameleon and a bunch of pet singing crickets.

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    [The Reactive Mind is a Narrow Mind]

    Throughout the years, cruel and RIDICULOUS rumors have spread with statements that Henry uses trickery to get his lizards to do those "unnatural poses that lizards were incapable of", including malicious rumors about freezing, paralyzing, shocking, etc., all kinds of evil animal abusing methods to get the iguanas to pose. Those people cannot have a good knowledge of iguanas to imagine such a thing and they never had the decency to verify their ideas by getting in contact with Henry (easily available with his phone number and address on the greeting cards and in multiple national magazine ads for his book) to ask him about it.

    Anyone that has seen Henry and his lizards on television, at reptile shows or elsewhere, has seen that these are the most vibrant and healthy lizards, calm and friendly, obviously not on drugs, frozen or anything but what it is, reasonable pet - owner cooperation and nothing near animal abuse or disrespect, call it LOVE. Many of the people that are estranged to lizards will be more comfortable and willing to love them or at least not hate them when we recognize human like qualities in the lizards and all animals for that matter. The posing and eating human foods, like pizza, really breaks the ice. And humor makes the heart sweet.

    If you are one of the silly people that perpetuates any of the nasty comments or rumors about Henry's lizard posing, please try to understand that iguanas are great creatures and do not require any sneaky or sinister methods to do this. Sitting in a pose for a photo does not "inactivate" them or hurt them, it makes them feel important, not abused. Abuse is when people eat iguanas or keep them stuck in pet shops or locked up in cages. All of Henry's "posing iguanas" have free roam in his home and access to taking walks outside in the sunshine everyday. If the "posing" does not appeal to you, do not be a tyrant and deny other people the right to see the good in it.


    More Heart..More Meaning..More Depth

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    [the Iguana Owner's Manual]

    the IGUANA OWNER'S MANUAL by Henry Lizardlover (half man - half reptile)
    The iguana is a very complex creature with regards to its behavior, individuality and health issues. And there are so many controversies and differing opinions to contend with. That's why you need to read all the books and especially a book like this. It explains more and helps you confirm some things you may already know. Don't think because you have already read books about iguanas that there's nothing more to know, with iguanas, there is no end. This book takes you for a ride into the whole feeling and experience of having iguanas as pets, no other book tells you who the iguana is and what's on his mind. It's written in friendly, down to earth English, without the scientific chill or the "expert", "don't think, just do what I tell you" - Authority.

    Yes the book brings you closer to really knowing the iguana in a more meaningful and rewarding way. You learn about their complex behavior, character, dynamic range of attitudes, potential abilities, communication / body language and really, much more. If you have a male iguana and you don't read this book you may be in for some serious surprises, you may misunderstand what he does when he goes into sexual heat or even more serious, male aggression. (By the way, many people have been to veterinarians and pet shops and while they are told the iguana is one sex or another, it often ends up being the opposite.) The rest of this lovable book covers all kinds of health problems and remedies along with all of the diet and environmental issues regarding the iguana. Bear in mind, very few of the other books are written by people that live with iguanas or even love them for that matter.

    The Iguana Owner's Manual is a serious effort by someone who wants people to know what the whole pet - owner experience is going to involve, the good, the bad, the ugly and the beautiful. It's a BIG book, 8 x 11 inches, 180 pages, and it comes to your door in a pizza box, to keep it fresh and warm!


    Iguana Owner's Manual - total cost $26.00 (this price includes the shipping and handling)

    To order, send a check or money order with your address and telephone number to:
    Henry Lizardlover
    10700 Santa Monica Blvd., Office 4-378
    Los Angeles, CA 90025 FIAT LUX

    Credit Card Orders (for the book only)
    If you prefer to order the book by credit card, then call the Big Apple Herpetological company at (800) 666-6672

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    [The Electric Nail Melt-It Tool]

    The Electric Nail Melt-It Tool
    This tool allows you to reshape and dull sharp toe nails on the iguana, without the bleeding or pain of conventional nail clippers (although the iguana may begin to feel some heat from the electric cautery tool depending how you use it). With the push of a button the tool's wire tip is immediately activated and becomes red hot. It melts down a toe nail just like a hot knife melts through butter. Do not try to cut through the nail but rather touch the tool's tip to the point of the nail in order to reshape it into a dull rounded finish. It really does not matter how long a toe nail is just so long as it does not come to a sharp point. It takes a little practice but this is a reasonable alternative to the pain and fear iguanas have with common nail clippers. Sometimes you can use the electric cautery tool on the iguana's toe nail without him or her even noticing. You may want to have someone help and hold the iguana still for convenience. It takes about five seconds to melt/shape the nail's point. Practice, practice, practice. Trimming the nails is an ART requiring a certain "knack". If you don't have the knack, ask a friend that might do it better.

    1) Find a comfortable place to work on the iguana. It may help to wrap a towel around the iguana, while exposing one hand or foot at a time. Blocking his view of the trimming usually helps.

    2) Test the unit: Plug it in and remove the cover tube to expose the wire tip. Push the button down and see if the wire tip glows red hot (which should be immediate).

    3) Lightly, gently, carefully, touch the tool's tip to the iguana's toe nail point
    Don't worry if there is any burning nail smoke, that is normal. Use the tool in a position to avoid the smoke getting into your eyes or nose. NEVER PUSH or FORCE the tool's hot tip against the nail or you will bend and damage the wire tip. The unit is delivered with a spare tip and if you ever need extra tips they are $4 dollars each (includes shipping).

    Hasbro (my iguana), becomes very angry and scared if I try to clip his nails with a conventional nail clipper, because of that mechanical clipping and clicking. He is so concerned about anything touching his nails that it requires sneaky tactics. While he is sitting still, I keep one hand over his eyes. With my other hand I maneuver the cautery's wire tip to each toe nail on his hands and then his feet. Never cutting through the nail, just a light touch on the nail's point to flatten the point.

    P.S. "AA" battery type works exactly the same as the above, electric plug-in unit. However, you must use fresh batteries or the wire tip hesitates to get red hot rendering the tool ineffective. Battery life depends on the size of the iguana's toe nails. You should get about three to five nail trimmings on the average size iguana (from a set of the AA batteries).

    NOTICE on the battery type unit: When you slid the cover tube back on to the unit, be sure the cover tube is not pushing down on the power button. If the power button is stuck on, the unit will melt down and may cause a fire. Another method of safety prevention is to simply pull the wire tip off (out) of the unit when not using it. When you need to use it, just push the tip back into the front of the unit. It pops on or off very easily by gripping the white or red plastic part of the wire tip.
    "AA" Battery Model.... $29.00 total (includes shipping and handling)
    AC Plug-In Model...... $55.00 total (includes shipping and handling)

    To order, send check or money order with your address and telephone number to:
    Henry Lizardlover
    10700 Santa Monica Blvd. office 4-378
    Los Angeles, CA 90025 FIAT LUX

    If you have any questions or problems using the tool, call Henry at: 213-651-3737
    CAUTION: This tool must be kept out of reach of iguanas and especially CHILDREN!
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    [VHS Video]

    Henry's Lizards Get Respect On TV Shows
    These are unique and fun TV segments featuring IGUANAS, CHINESE WATER DRAGONS & fine SKINKS, along with their eccentric owner, Henry Lizardlover of Los Angeles.
    Most iguana lovers enjoy viewing this video because it demonstrates how wonderful and personable the lizard's can be and the world saw it too.
    This video captures the lizards at their TV best, posing for photo sessions, living it up at the house, on the streets, at the beach, at the TV studios. The video will give you a visual idea of the lizard's as described in the book, "Iguana Owner's Manual".

    NEWS & MAGAZINE profile stories, TALK shows, GAME shows, MTV music videos and some excellent home video:

  • HARD COPY
  • AFTER HOURS
  • FRONT RUNNERS
  • CURRENT AFFAIR
  • REAL PEOPLE
  • CHEVY CHASE SHOW
  • THE LATE SHOW (Ross Shaffer)
  • NBC NOW (Tom Brokaw)
  • USA CAMP MIDNIGHT
  • LIVE IN L.A.
  • NBC NEWS
  • ABC NEWS
  • CBS NEWS
  • K-CAL NEWS
  • FOX NEWS
  • TO TELL THE TRUTH (game show)
  • CANDID CAMERA

    95 Minute - VHS VIDEO..... total $24.00 (includes shipping and handling)

    To order, send a check or money order with your address and telephone number to:
    Henry Lizardlover
    10700 Santa Monica Blvd., Office 4-378
    Los Angeles, CA 90025

    ***It comes in a pizza box.
    ***Allow 6 to 14 days to receive your order.

    *** Henry can always be reached at (213) 651-3737
    *** Send email to: henry@herp.com

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