HELP!

[tatdaddy]

???Well I just took in my friends Iguana because he had no clue how to take care of it. I am not saying that I do but I have done a little home work. My buddy had it in a 10 gal tank and she (iggy) has a SVL of aprox 10" not to mention the tail. Last night I built a bigger cage out of some plywood I had in the shed. She is no in a 3' x2' x2' cage. The front is all screen so that sun light will get in there for her.

I tried to feed her to day but she won't eat! She took a few bites os squash and a bite of green bean. The only reason I think she took it was because she was trying to bite me and i stuck that in her mouth (I was not force feeding her she ate it all her own). What cloud I do to possible make her eat?

I am going to build her a new cage that is 4' tall x 4' widex 3' deep. If any one has any advice please feel free to tell me any thing. Thankyou

Joshua

[Red]

Re: HELP!

I wish I could help you but I don't know that much about them... I know that they need uv-a and b ray's and that is for digestion... (vit> b3) Wright lori a Instant message.. she is a rep rescue and she will have you all set up in just a lil' while.... I knew your friend was in for more then he bargend for.... Well good luck
Eric aka...Red

[J.D.J]

Re: HELP!

Most reptiles take a couple of days to get adjusted to a new environment and won't eat during that time.

When I move my Leopard Geckos to different enclosures it takes them a couple of days to adjust and look for food.

Let me know if she does eat.

[tatdaddy]

Re: HELP!

Hi Jeff,
She has started to eat a little bit. But I haven,t seen any poop in her cage and I am wondering if she might be blocked up. I have also decided to go with a biger cage. The new cage is going to be 6' tall x3' wide x 3' deep. This may sound silly but is iguana poop brown. The reason I am asking is because yesterday I found this green slimey stuff next to her food dish. It looked like something that we would cough up and have some food that was in our gut. I am still haveing no luck in tameing her. She is a little monster. I let her out of her cage s much as I can to get some real sun light, but she still wips and tries to bite me. thank you for everthing.

Joshua

[tatdaddy]

Re: HELP!

:-[ She just lifted her butt up and looked like she wsas trying to poop and some white stuff came out.

[tatdaddy]

Re: HELP!

Can some one tell me if that is normal? here are some more pic of her. And we just named her (iggy).Hopefully some one can tell me if she looks normal. Thanx for your help.

Joshua

[tatdaddy]

Re: HELP!

more pic. i can figure out how to post more than one at a time.

[tatdaddy]

Re: HELP!

and another

[tatdaddy]

Re: HELP!

bottom side.

[tatdaddy]

Re: HELP!

Does taht brown spot on her side look normal to any one?

[J.D.J]

Re: HELP!

If she has been mistreated, unfed (just basically not taken care of from before), she is not going to tame in a short time. I wouldn't try to force it by holding her a lot or keep her pinned down to keep her from "whipping" you. That will only make it worse. I'm not saying you are doing that, I'm just recommending to not do that. Have patience with her calming down. Rome wasn't built in a day. Feed and handle her well and eventually she will not be as aggressive. I must say though she MAY or may NOT be completely tame one day, she more than likely will not be as aggressive as far as the biting and tail whipping.

I know it sounds like I'm talking about a dog or something and not a reptile, but reptiles get in a rythm too.

About the poop and the brown spot, I don't know. We need to get Lori involved on that. Let's IM her to see if she can give us some more input.

Overall from the pics, she looks like a nice looking iggy.

Jeff J.

[tatdaddy]

Re: HELP!

I konw that it is going to take more than one week to tame her. I am willing to take the time a patince to do so. As for the white crap that came from her butt lets just hope that some one will be able to know what it is. In the mean time thank you Jeff.

Joshua

[LORI]

Re: HELP!

Ok.. On the sex of the Iguana.. The pic isn't that clear actually but from what I can see you may have a male and not a female Iguana there. The pores are very distinct and look to be enlarged basically in the pic from what I can see. [ pores are the line of "dots" along the inner thigh/leg btw in case you didn't know ] . The females will have like the first few pores 2-4 from the vent outward that are enlarged. The males will have all but like that last 2 or so near the knee that are not enlarged.
In regards to the poop .. YUP it is white, brown and green all mixed in yet not actually mixed up so to say. YUCK lol. Also it can be all or just one of the colorings as well. So what you have found is normal for the Ig to be passing. They also will pee liquid at times as well. BTW.. Give the IG a cat litter pan and place some water in it on the bottom of the cage. They like to go to the bathroom in water and if they have this they will do such in it. [makes cleaning a heck of a lot easier also hehe]. Umm.. they will also drink from the same water so make sure that you change it frequently for them also. They do not always go to the bathroom every day either. If the Ig does not go to the bathroom except for like every few days , don't worry about it at all.
Caging.. 6x6x3 is fine for a full grown ig np. But ya also have to give them some free roaming time as well also. YES, The ig does need a UVB bulb lighting in it's enclosure ! Unless it is outdoors and receives a ton of UVb natural rays, it is not sufficient lighting without the bulb also. UVB is lost coming through glass also..ie windows etc. The UVB is something that they need in order to properly digest their food and without it they will come down with MBD eventually. Merc bulbs are the latest fad in UVB lighting for Igs etc also. They are expensive to say the least but they do last a looong time and give off a high ratio of uVB as well. Using any of the UVB lights would be better than none though IMO. They also need a high degree basking spot as well. Basking bulbs work just fine for this btw. I even use some regular lightbulbs for basking areas when I have UVB bulbs on the cage even. Basking temps basically I keep around 90-95 degrees. Temps for the caging need to be warm also ..I keep mine at an ambient of 84 degrees basically, with warm at like 88/92 and also try to give them a cooler area to go to as well also in the 78 degree range. Also give them a cooling at night by just dropping off their basking heat basically. Humidity they also need, basically in the 65-80% range would do well for them most of the time. I do give my igs time with no increase in humidity also by keeping it at around a 50-60% sometimes also. Give igs a day and night cycle also...12/12 is fine.
Iguanas are tree dwellers basically and will climb to whatever is the highest point they can see btw. So provide them with a shelf for hanging out on in their cage also.. I place this half under the basking area and half not for mine. With how your building the cage just use a wooden shel that extends out and covers like 1/3 to 1/2 of the cage width and legth is all basically. Place it about 1/2 way up the height of the cage also for the Ig. You can use either a branch / log or some plastic type netting located so that the IG can get to the shelf easily is all.
Like Jeff said.. reptiles will go offf feed when moved to a new home usually, including Igs. Give him a few days to adjust and he should start eating np for you though. From what I see in the pics this Ig is not underweight nor does it look like one that has not been eating either. Also, IGs tend to eat better when they are like this oif you handfeed them also I haver found. Just take a piece of their food and hold it up to their mouth [ watch your fingers btw !! ] They instinctively will "lick" anything in front of them and take the food you are holding into their mouth usually. Do NOT ever feed any type of animal protein to the iG at all ! They do NOT have the proper gut flora to properly digest such things at all. This means crickets btw also. If they are fed such things over an extended period of time it will lead to renal failure and they will eventually die from such also. Also basic iceberg lettuce is a big NO-NO ! Their diet is herbivorous one basically, some people feed theirs wheat bread even at times, some of that will not harm them from what I understand also.

[LORI]

Re: HELP!

Their diet should consist of a basic 2:1 ratio / calcium to phospherous. they can have MANY types of veggies etc also. Some of the basic ones that most people feed them is :

**MUSTARD GREENS
**COLLARD GREENS
**PARSLEY
**ROMAINE LETTUCE [ Provides large amount of nutrition and calcium ]
**ESCAROLE
**DANDELION GREENS
**KALE [ In limited quantities ]
**RED LEAF LETTUCE
**SPINACH [ In limited quantities ]
**CLOVER
**BERRIES [ they love strawberries]
**KIWI FRUIT
**APPLES
**BANANAS
**MELONS [ not rinds]
**MANGOS
**SUMMER SQUASH
**GREEN PEAS
**COOKED SWEET POTATO
**PEA PODS
**CARROTS [ SHAVINGS, NOT SLICES ]
**RAISINS
**ROSES petals [ MAKE SURE THERE ARE NO THORNS/insecticides ]

The following foods should NEVER be fed to your IGUANA :


**MELON RINDS
**AVOCADO [ Unknown whether toxic or not ]
**THEOBROMINE CONTAINING FOODS chocolate,
caffeine
**RHODODENDRON
**BUTTERCUP
**WILD MUSHROOMS
**POPPY
**WILD BERRIES
**ANY PLANTS KNOWN TO BE TOXIC

There are MANY other foods that your iguana can eat also. I have as yet to repair the page i had listing off just about every food item they can have though. Those are most of what basically people feed them though. Just be sure to give them variety in their diet. They should be fed daily IMO. Some people will only feed them like every other day or so but they should be offered food daily. Long as the Ig eats I wouldn't fret if it were to not eat a meal offered every so often at all either.

Taming, get a good pair of leather type gloves lol. Your going to need them possibly haha. Just give the ig time to adjust a bit in it's new home. I wouldn't expect much till it does at all. Like a week should be fine even. As it gets to know you it will calm down, usually. Most Igs are awful getting them out of their enclosure btw. BUT once out they will be fine even. Just handle carefully and avoid their mouth and tail if they start whipping. NEVER grab the IG by the tail alone either ! That could cause major health problems for the ig. Their teeth are like sharp shards of glass ! IF you ever get bit, you will know it ! Also do NOT let the wound get stitched up at all ! No matter how deep it is etc also. The mouth of an iguana carries a major amount of bacteria and when sticthed up all that is being done is that the bacteria is being held within by such and will "fester" within the wound. Dr's do NOT know this and will stitch the wound up and cause further problems from doing such. Just stop the bleeding and keep the wound VERY clean by cleansing with hydrogen peroxide and also novalson [ can get this from pharmacy even]. IF the wound needs to be stitched due to bleeding, just make sure it is NOT fully closed off then. Apply a triple antibitic also.

[LORI]

Re: HELP!

Handle the Ig for short periods of time leading up to longer ones on a daily basis once it has settled in a bit. They like to be talked to in a soothing voice like you would a baby btw. Also they like to be sung to hehe. If the Ig gets a bit testy just sing to it. that will usualy calm it down some for you. BTW.. They could care less if your off key also..lmao.
Stroking the ig on the head will also help in taming it down some too. Just "pat" it on the top of the head between the eyes across the very top of the head. BTW.. In case you did not know.. IGs actually have what's called a third eye. This is the transparent looking membrane between the ridging of the top of the head. They do not see from this like they do their other eyes at all. What they see is shadows from this eye. Do NOT ever approach the ig and pass your hand over this eye from the back of it at all ! that could get you bit possibly. Always make sure that the ig knows you are present before touching it btw also. They can get very defensive if they become startled or surprised even. The younger they are, they more of a monster they seem to be also lol. It is when they are not handled or given attention that they grow into HUGE monsters ! Just be patient and work slowly with the ig and it will come around also. We've had ones that took a day to tame and others that are still not 100% tame [ as far as tame can be with a reptile that is ] even after a year working with them. [ only 1 has gone this far with us, on the average most tame down after like a couple months at the most]
If this is indeed a male Ig.. Do yourself a favor and get it a "doll" to play with also. lol. The males remain more tame and satisfied when they have a "doll" to "play" with. Just a rag doll or such is fine. preferably green in color also. An old sock stuffed will do even for most of them np. Males go into breed and get REALLY NASTY when in such also. This will also help them to work their frustrations out on as well. You'll know when a male Ig is in breed.. Their coloring changes and they get a gorgeous orangey coloring to them usually. BTW.. female humans should NOT go near a male ig that is in breed when they are in their mense cycle also. Male igs have been known to attack or even chase a female human when they are in their breed lmao.
Hmm.. What I miss ? Oh that brown spot on the ig.. It could be a burn scar or just even the igs coloring is all. There also is a disease that igs can get, but that doesn't look like it at all to me. When they have that it is not just one spot at all. They have it all over. That one looks most likely to be a scar to me.
Also they have a "language", which you will get to know also. It's called "bobbing" or head bob " . This is when they drop their dewlap [ the fold of skin that hangs under the jowl] and they bob their head. They will do this for just about anything btw. Anger, happy, etc. If the iG drops its dewlap and bobs it head at you while also lifting it's body up on all four legs off the ground. It is letting you know that it is mad. Just back off and let it calm down is all at this point. Some of mine have learned the word "NO". If they do that "stance" and we tell them 'NO", they will stop.
LAways keep in mind that even a tame ig can become untame for a bit at times also. They do go through moods and you will need to learn to "read" such also when keeping them.
Hope that helps ya out some ! Just let me know what else you need to know is all np.