Iguana's sore face

[AnnB]

Howdy all I am pet sittting PETE a 4 foot roaming iguana for 2 months. And he has been caged and not used to it so he has rubbed his bottom lip sore and his nose. What type of medication should I use on the sores. I have also found that a couple of his nails are broke and slowly growning back also a couple of toes been broke and he has started to shed and not doing so well on the toes that seem to be mangled. Old breaks is what it looks like, I am getting some betadine but was wondering if it is okay to use it on him.
Thanks for the help
Ann

[bigmitch]

Re:Iguana's sore face

I'm really unsure on that one. I'm pretty sure what ever you put on his lips he's gonna lick... ??? I'll look around and see what I can find..

[sclark]

Re:Iguana's sore face

Hi AnnB,

Welcome to the forum..

This one is a hard question because it would have a lot of factors involved that might be hard to suggest something without seeing the iggy or atleast pics.. I can tell you what I have used in the rescue until we got them to the vet, but keep in mind this was for surface scratches not real deep ones.. Neosporin (sp) without the pain medication. and lowered the humdity some. Just use a Q-tip and make sure you do not clog up its nostrils and do not put too thick of a coat on its mouth.. Like BigMitch said, they will lick it. Now you also said this is a roaming iggy, not sure if that is a specific type I am not aware of, but I have done this with the normal Green iggy's and had good luck.. I am hopeful Baracudda or some iggy person will stop by and post.. The toe problem I have no clue. I know with iggy's if the humidity is low the will have problems shedding on legs and toes. I would worry about the shed after you correct the rub marks..

Hope this helped a little..

Steve

[bigmitch]

Re:Iguana's sore face

I agree with steve..I thought about neosporin but, I wasn't sure because of the licking..I think what she ment by roaming was a Iguana who usually has free rein of the house...

[AnnB]

Re:Iguana's sore face

thanks for the warm welcome, yes he is free rein or he has taken over my bedroom, we have the air on but I have closed one vent and the humity is low. I to bath him and make him soak for awhile which helps some but he hates water. I have to take him outside he is housebroke and wont go inside, so when we are out I mist him and he enjoys that, i do know that he isnt drinking any water only get what is on his greens, he is a Green Iguana. I am almost hoping that his parent will decide she cant care for him and turn him over to me.
thanks for all the help I will keep posting and watching here.
Ann

[sclark]

Re:Iguana's sore face

Hey Ann,

Now thats cool, a house broken Iggy... Very cool...

Keep us posted how the iggy is doing..

Steve

[AnnB]

Re:Iguana's sore face

I will keep you all informed and when hubby gets back home I will try to get a picture of his nose and lip, it is better believe me. Took him out today and turned such a great color of orange and he was like rubbing his face in the grass and boy can they run, I sure am getting enough exercise with him and sun too. lol.
Ann

[Barracuda_41]

Re:Iguana's sore face

Hello AnnB, as far as the toes go it sounds like he may have gotting some threads caught around his toes or that he has indeed broken them but then again he may not be getting enough vitamins and calciucm in its diet do you have a UVB light he can bask under?? as for the mouth if it gets swollen or red and flunky looking you have to clean out the sore and then put some hydrogen peroxide on it to help clean out the bad tissue then like steve said put some neosporin non pain killer on it 2 times a day.. if it turns into mouth rot which it can very easy then you may need to get it to the vets..iggys also can get a fungus on diffrent parts of the body.. as far as the shedding goes find someone who carries Four Paws vita spray and use it 2 times a day from head to tip of tail.. And all iggys need a water dish,, also good bath soak from time to time... Would be good to have a pic of it.. and also what food items are you feeding him??

[AnnB]

Re:Iguana's sore face

What i am feeding him and our small one is the same thing well almost. His owner brought all kinds of stuff for him, like them cup of fruit things that he wont touch, canned greens which I wont use, canned beans that he wont eat.
Now onto what I am feeding him, his iguana pellets, mustard, turnip, radish greens, some banana that is his favorite. I do spray it with calcium supplement too. He has been eating some dandelion greens outside too. I am sure that he is healty his wounds have been healing great. I am just more worried about his toes not shedding well. He gets misted every days and sometimes more depends on if I told the kids I have done it or not. We keep water for him but I have never seen him drink or get in it.
Also would like to know how often the bigger guys go to the bathroom?
Thanks for all the help, I am loving this forum for all the help it has given me and all the help from everyone here.
Ann

[AnnB]

Re:Iguana's sore face

update on pete; He is doing much better, made him a pool out in the back yard that he loves to soak in. His toes are much better now. I did clean his nose and bottom lip area and they are so much better, I did try to get a picture of his face but can seem to get it close enough without it being fuzzzy. Thanks for all the help. He is improving alot. We also went fishing the other day and took pete with us and he had a blast outside walking around and getting so much sun, turned so orange. Even took a little swim in the lake. Had all the other fisherpeople checking him out, it was fun.
Ann

[sclark]

Re:Iguana's sore face

Hi Ann,

That is real good news.. Very glad he os doing better... Hope he contiunes to get better..

Steve

[AnnB]

Re:Iguana's sore face

A new update on Pete. I was getting him ready to go outside for his adventure in the sun and found that he had the part of his nose that was injured peeling off, so i still took him out and he rubbed it off and can breath so much better now and is in such a better mood too.
I am so happy that he is healing fast and so great. Thanks for all the input
Ann

[AnnB]

Re:Iguana's sore face

thought I would let you all know that his face healed and he is now at his own house back with his owners.
Thanks for the help with him.
Ann

[sclark]

Re:Iguana's sore face

Thats Great Ann.. Do you miss him? If you do I have a free one up for adoption...

Steve