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Post by tex311 on Dec 21, 2009 11:27:22 GMT -8
i have an approximately 9month old green iguana. I got it from another owner after she found out she was pregnant and was scared to have the ig during the pregnancy. from what i can tell it's very healthy and for the most part pretty tame too. her and her youngest daughter would handle it often. I brought it home to my place bout a week ago. right now i have him in like a 30gallon aquarium with coconut bedding and a big tree limb he can bask on and a hiding log as well as a big water bowl. i feel terrible keeping him in this aquarium hes always trying to climb up the walls and stuff, i'm gonna build him a big cage hopefully within the next few weeks! anyhow i've already handled him 3 times and for the most part he was pretty calm especially the last time i handled him. i was unaware that i should've waited a few weeks before hand. so should i leave him alone for a while or now that i already have and he'll eat out f my hand occasionally too just continue to tame him?? during the day time i keep on a 5.0 UVB light bulb and during the night i put on a red heat lamp for him, i can't seem to ever get the temps in the aquarium up past 87 or so.. could this be a bad thing? any help and or advice is greatly appreciated! i am a new iguana owner and constantly doing research and everything within my power to ensure the best life possible for my Ig i'm already attatched to him lol Attachments:
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Post by Jen on Dec 21, 2009 17:42:43 GMT -8
Tank is too small, so the sooner you build a larger one the better. The coconut bedding has to go, it's no good. Iguanas accidentally ingest loose bedding, and it will cause impaction and possibly be fatal. Temps, the basking spot needs to be around 95, the cooler side of the tank no less than 75. Leaving a light on for them at night is no good, it interferes with their sleep due to the parietial eye on the top of their head. If you can't keep the tank at around 70-75 at night you may have to invest in buying a CHE (ceramic heat emitter).
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dee
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Post by dee on Dec 22, 2009 10:19:26 GMT -8
Yep tank is way too small.. That could very well be one of the reasons she is scratching at the glass all the time. UVB light is too small for her also. You need at least something like a ZooMed 10.0. If you are intending on building a larger cage [the sooner the better] then I suggest you research into the Mega Ray lights.. www.reptileuv.com They are one of the best. Yep the substrate has to go. Or odds are you will end up with a sick girl. As for your temps, a good way to up them is to add a plain old household bulb [75-100 watt] to the basking area along with your UVB. And unless your temps go below 70 at night in there I wouldn't worry about anything for night. Jen was absolutly correct in getting a CHE if they do go below 70 and she was also correct in getting rid of the night lite. It does disturbe their sleeping. So you need to get rid of that substrate [use newspapers, paper towels,or reptile carpet]. Put your UVB and bright light in the basking area.. Putting your water dish in this area will also help alittle with the humidity. Ambient temps [middle of cage] around 80. Cool end around 75. You are using a digital thermometer aren't you??
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Post by tex311 on Dec 24, 2009 16:18:32 GMT -8
ok I replaced the coconut stuff with paper towels fer now.. where's the best place to get reptile carpet fer when I get the new cage built? Thank Ya'll so much fer the help!
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Post by Jen on Dec 25, 2009 20:05:23 GMT -8
ok I replaced the coconut stuff with paper towels fer now.. where's the best place to get reptile carpet fer when I get the new cage built? Thank Ya'll so much fer the help! I recommend news paper or butcher paper they are not pretty but they are functional and inexpensive. Also easier to maintain. I have my male in the habit of going potty in the shower. I put him in around the same time each day, turn the shower on and he goes within a minute. It has taken a few months to get to this point. I learned the hard way not to forget to potty him by a certain time as he will go poop on my bed
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Post by medicalwaste on Dec 26, 2009 4:31:53 GMT -8
Dee - I agree on you Mega Ray lights comment - they are fantastic. Make sure to purchase two so you have a backup lamp!
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dee
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Post by dee on Dec 27, 2009 13:39:24 GMT -8
I do not pruchase more Mega Rays then I am going to use for the simple fact-- If I don't use it with in the 6 months period and then do go to use it and 3 days latter it blows out, I can not do the guarantee that they have on them.. I have found that if they have these bulbs in stock, I will see my new one ordered within a couple of days. They are very good about this..
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Post by Cheryl Ann on Feb 23, 2010 14:41:30 GMT -8
I would suggest not using paper towels, or newspaper, or any carpeting (especially green)....I wouldn't put anything in there that the little guy could eat, it will kill him if he eats too much. I used good ol' fasioned tile in the cage I have for my Iguanas, and it works great, and it cleans up good too. If your iggy poops on some sort of carpeting, it won't be an easy clean. Also, a lot of that stuff is green, and since that is the same color of a lot of their food, it could also make them try to eat it. If you want a good Iguana book I highly suggest "Green Iguana, the ultimate iguana book" By James W. Hartfield. He has traveled the world researching green iguanas. You can buy it here: www.amazon.com/Green-Iguana-Ultimate-Owners-Manual/dp/1883463483I have read and used this book so many times, it really is the best Iguana care book out there. I think Zoomed has pretty good UVB for reptiles, and purchasing a humidifier will definatly help out with the heat, and is necissary for your new little guy. You should also get him checked out by a good exotics Vet, make sure they check his blood for worms. I would higley recommending researching an exotics vet in your area, me and one of my iguanas had the misfortune of having a bad one, who told me my iguana was "just constipated" when in reality she had eaten a sock, and was in the beginning stages of being egg-bound. The same vet also told me collard greens weren't good for any lizard (which I knew other wise). Once you get a nice cage, good temp, humidity, and make sure he is healthy, I think he may be able to bond back with you. Good luck!
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