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Post by iamslotman on Nov 26, 2004 19:46:00 GMT -8
Hello... I am not sure how I stumbled onto this site but its a great find and I bookmarked it immediately so I don't lose it. My wife teaches Earth Science and seems to be the pet adoption lady at her school. Her latest new children are two 2 year old green iguanas she brought home last week. Each is about 3' long and they look healthy. They each have a 30 gallon tank with a uv bulb and yes, what I have now learned to be dreaded heat rock. After reading what an iguana wants and needs I started building a bigger cage to hold both. Well now I learned here that was mistake number one. So if you know anyone responsible on Long Island Ny who would like to help me by readopting one of these I would be appreciative. I only can build one cage and the size is 6'L x 7"H but sadly only 2'W. Compared to the 1' wide tank he has now I think he will be ok. I made it out of 1" pvc and luckily read about the chicken wire and returned that for green plastic mesh with 1" openings. I tried 4 Home Depots, 1 Lowes and more hardware stores, Agways and Pet stores than I can remember and had no luck finding any 1/2" hardware cloth pvc coated that seems so popular everywhere else apparently. I hope this green plastic fencing holds up. I still need to build a basking shelf and get proper lighting as well as uv and uvb lights. I see now I may need to add some plexiglass walls to retain humidity. I built it along a wall with baseboard heat so it will be warm at night I feel. I see these poor guys laying in these small low tanks and its so sad. I hope to be finished in a few days. So thanks for all the kind advice I learned by reading posts and I will pester you I am sure as things pop up. Meanwhile I need to find one iguana a home fast so it doesn't stay trapped in a tank while the other one has fun. Thanks again, John
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Post by Merlin on Nov 27, 2004 4:54:34 GMT -8
Welcome John! It sounds like you are on the right track!
Just to clarify you only need one bulb. A UVB bulb also puts out UVA. UV is the entire spectrum.
LOL Pester away! Its what we are here for ! ;D
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Post by Tesa on Nov 27, 2004 7:44:47 GMT -8
Hi John! I'm very glad you found us. Sounds like whichever of these two you end up keeping is gonna be a very lucky ig. I'm impressed that you are putting so much effort into making things right for them. Cheers and welcome to IZ.  |
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Post by WillemsMom on Nov 28, 2004 7:13:51 GMT -8
Good luck, John. It's nice to have you here.
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Post by IguanaKing on Nov 28, 2004 7:44:42 GMT -8
As a general rule, Iguanas don't like to be housed together...HOWEVER...there are ALWAYS exceptions to the rule. If they are opposite sexes, the chances for successful co-habitation are greater than if they are...say...both male (YIKES  , NOT A GOOD SITUATION. ). They CAN live together peacefully, you just have to keep an eye on them. Ironically, you should keep your closest eye on them when they are allowed to explore the area outside their own cage. Most...if not all...Iguanas, will become their most territorial outside the cage, since its a new territory for them (gives them a whole new opportunity to try and establish who's "king of the hill"). Hint: this is also the area in which YOU need to be the most cautious in interacting with them.  |
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Post by iamslotman on Nov 28, 2004 8:20:19 GMT -8
Thanks for all the warm welcomes. I have decided to not attempt housing both iguanas together. First, I have no clue about their sexes. I put a tube of lipstick in each tank but so far neither one has applied it.j/k ok, now for the questions i promised:
1) does anyone know a good home for iguana #2? I live in central Long Island (Bayport) and I cannot build 2 cages or see it living in this small glass tank any longer.
2) this lighting still has me confused. I am building a 2'x40" basking shelf one foot below an incandescent bulb up high at one end of the 2Wx6Lx7H cage. from there I am building a midlevel shelf at the opposite end with a ramp made from closet wire shelving connecting them. Is a uvb bulb enough to light the remaining shelf or do i need a 4' florescent iguana bulb also?
3) the second level shelf needs an access ramp to the floor.( about 3' down) Using another shelving ramp would cross where the door is in the center of the 6' side. I see some use a long thick braided rope in their pictures. Can an iguana easily climb up and down this rope or maybe a carpeted pole like a cat scratch pole?
4) is wire shelving, as I see widely used for ramps, suitable for basking shelves? Maybe i need some artifical grass mat on top so the poor guy doesn't feel like hes on an oven rack. He might wake up all waffelly looking on the bottom.Thanks all
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Post by prism_wolf on Nov 28, 2004 9:15:44 GMT -8
Hello and welcome! You are doing very well by these guys/gals. I will try to answer your questions the best I can. 1) I do not know, but you may have some luck with www.scalesandtails.org...an adoption agency out of NJ. They pretty much cover the upper east/mid-eastern coast. They are usually pretty full, but they may be able to help. 2) You only need the UVB tube set on the uppermost basking shelf with the heat bulb. Because the ig will grow into a 4' tube anyway...it's best to start out with it if you have the room...and you are definitely making room! You can use only one UVB bulb, but it is better with a double fixture holding two. Not the cheap Wal-Mart brand fixtures, but from Lowe's or Home Depot...about $20. It's been recently discovered that certain fixtures do not allow for optimum UVB emissions from the tubes...and Wal-Mart's were on that list. 3) Rope is fine, but best if it's at least as thick as the ig's body. Wrapped like a cat post would be good using a 2x4...or using the carpeted idea you had mentioned. 4) The wire is fine for basking shelves, just a bit harder to get the temps to hold steady. Many people like to use "iguana body pillows" to place on the wire shelves. Two of them so when one needs cleaning, there's one to replace it. You can make these at home...remembering to add ties to the corners for security... I hope these have helped you and I wish you luck with finding a good home for #2. Welcome aboard... ;D |
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Post by iamslotman on Nov 29, 2004 16:07:38 GMT -8
I found a 4' bulb in home depot called Philips 40w Natural Sunshine full spectrum. It was only 5.00. Specs are 2200 lumens....color rendering 92....color temperature 5000k. Is this sufficent alone with a 100w incandescent bulb as a basking set-up?
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Post by IguanaKing on Nov 29, 2004 16:16:56 GMT -8
That'll be ok for illumination only...but it won't put out the UVB that your iguana needs. These types of lights can only be found in pet stores...or...give this site a look: www.reptileuv.com, they sell the best artificial UVB source available. |
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Post by SurvivorSteph on Nov 29, 2004 19:55:22 GMT -8
Welcome! It sounds like you're on your way to being totally ig-whipped! ;D
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Post by prism_wolf on Nov 30, 2004 16:44:39 GMT -8
Full spectrum does not mean it is UVB emitting. It just means it serves a fuller color spectrum...aquarium lights are the same way. If your not paying at least $17 for one 4' tube...it ain't right...  . They will specifically say "UVB" on the package. |
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Post by dominick on Dec 20, 2004 6:28:23 GMT -8
Meet slotman's Iggy's!   |
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Post by prism_wolf on Dec 20, 2004 7:45:40 GMT -8
So pretty! I love pictures!
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Post by SurvivorSteph on Dec 20, 2004 22:53:20 GMT -8
awwww!
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, NOT A GOOD SITUATION. 
. They will specifically say "UVB" on the package.