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Post by JennaAndIguanaGwen on Feb 15, 2021 7:32:22 GMT -8
Hi Kimbeth, thanks for posting I put a link to our food list below that should help you expand on the food options for Izzy. She is so tiny! (or he, too young to tell really). It's been awhile since I've seen an iguana that small. Young iguana's can be quite skittish and easily scared if you reach over their head (natural response to avoid being eaten by birds). When I approached Gwendolyn, my iguana who passed away at 18 years old, I would always approach slowly from the side with my hand out and she would stay calm. Quick movements or loud/sudden noises startled her sometimes. Spending time quiet around Izzy (like reading a book) can help her get used to your presence and not see you as a threat. Young iguanas often like to hide and if other animals (or humans) are staring at them, it can make them feel like prey. Each iguana is a little different so it's important to get to know what Izzy is afraid of and work to avoid those or slowly work with her show her she doesn't have to be frightened. On one hand, iguana's can be slow to realize temperature changes so she may have been too cold in the water but on the other hand a lot of iguana's love being in water (and using it like a litter box). I'll definitely leave it to your judgement to tell which times are which though because she is so small it would be easy for her to get cold quickly. She may enjoy swimming around in the bathtub, just make sure the water is only slightly warm and that she has a place to go to get out of the water. The empty exposed space and white coloration of a bathtub and be confusing and scary for iguana's at first but I knew multiple iguanas that learned to absolutely LOVE getting a bath. Some would even run/walk to the bathroom and climb into the tub on their own accord. That's definitely when they are older and much bigger though, don't let her wonder around at this size or she may crawl into a small space and you'll never find her again I'm glad you don't have a heat rock! Those are all too common and the burns from them are just as common. Iguana's are slow to realize temperature changes so when the rock eventually overheats, they continue to lay on the rock and they can get severe burns before they realize they need to move. Iguana's don't need heat rocks and even if the rock seems fine at first, after 6 months, a year, or two years; at some point it will overheat and burn the reptile. I have seen it time and time again from people who say it's fine and that their reptile loves it. It is absolutely not worth the risk. She will outgrow that aquarium within a year or so, so it would be good to think about where you would want to put a bigger enclosure for her. When I made Gwendolyn's enclosure it was 6' tall by 5' long and about 3.5' wide with a pvc frame, cloth sides/top, tarp bottom, and plastic front (well sewn and velcroed together). Wood frames with plexiglass work well too but I would avoid using any type of chicken wire because iguanas will lose toes and claws when they climb it. And they absolutely will climb it. All the time. After having Gwen for a few years I realized that she really didn't venture to the bottom of the enclosure very often so I wish I had left a foot or two of space at the bottom for storage under her enclosure. I don't recommend live plants in the enclosures because not only will she eventually eat some but she will also dig around in the dirt and most likely eventually kill the plant. Live plants usually haven't done well with iguanas and they can make iguanas sick so I don't recommend them. The live plants and soil can attract and propagate bugs as well which is not something you want in the iguana enclosure! I've dealt with that before and it is absolutely no fun. If you would still like to try a plant at some point then I would recommend a plant that is ok for iguanas to eat like nasturtium. Food List: tesa.proboards.com/thread/3578/food-chartLet me know if you have anymore questions! I don't always have all the answers but I will do my best to answer what I can and give any tips that I have. Best of luck! -Jenna
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Post by JennaAndIguanaGwen on Jan 12, 2021 18:14:09 GMT -8
Hello! I'm glad to hear he's eating well! He does sound quite thin Sometimes transitioning between homes can cause stress and a lack of apatite so I'm glad that's not the case. If he was the runt and they had all the litter mates in the same enclosure then he probably hasn't been able to get as much food as he needed before you got him. It could also be parasites so I would recommend taking him to the vet if he doesn't start putting on more weight in a week or two. I would recommend taking a picture of him next to something for a size reference each week to easily be able to tell if, or how much weight, he is gaining. Sometimes it can be hard to tell just by looking at them each day. I'm not sure how old he is but since it sounds like he had been malnourished I would keep an eye on his lower jaw. A soft lower jaw or stunted growth in his lower jaw is one of the first signs of Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD). If you notice either of those signs I would take him to the vet, make sure he is on the highest quality fresh diet, and possibly upgrade your UVB lamp to ensure it doesn't progress any further. Good luck! I hope he fills out into a plump iguana soon -Jenna
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Post by JennaAndIguanaGwen on Sept 3, 2020 4:26:33 GMT -8
Hi Renee! I'm sorry to hear what happened to your iguana I hope she is doing ok. I'm not sure what to do about air pockets but the best thing to do is keep the wounds clean and set an appointment to see a vet as soon as you can. How is she acting after the encounter? Is she walking and eating ok? There may be internal damage that isn't easily seen; iguana's can be good at hiding illness and injury sometimes. I hope she is doing ok! -Jenna
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Post by JennaAndIguanaGwen on Aug 25, 2020 18:02:26 GMT -8
Hi envision! I'm sorry to hear that Iggy is having some breathing issues. I'm not 100% sure if this will help in your situation but you can try cutting/shredding her food into smaller pieces and make sure its extra moist to help with swallowing. Sometimes when I used to mist my iguana, Gwendolyn, I would spray some in her mouth as well to keep her extra hydrated.That might be something to try before she eats her food. If she isn't absorbing enough nutrients you may want to get a new UVB bulb and make sure she is getting highly nutritious food. We have a food chart were but unfortunately the original formatting disappeared a while ago so it doesn't look as good as it used to. It still has all the information though. I hope those tips help! -Jenna Food Chart: tesa.proboards.com/thread/3578/food-chart
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Post by JennaAndIguanaGwen on Jul 26, 2020 21:33:28 GMT -8
Hello! I apologize for the delayed response, I just got back from vacation and I hadn't checked the website in over a week. You sure have quite a bit going on right now!
I'm sure she will get stressed out in the moving process but the best way to keep her calm during transportation is to have her carrier covered so she can't see what's going on around her. The more movement, loud noises, and moving people or objects she sees will make the process worse for her. Some people have used dog crates covered by a towel to transport iguana's and other people (including me) used a storage bin (not see-through) with holes drilled in the top for air flow. I chose the storage bin because there's less worry about her claws getting stuck in any of the holes from a dog carrier and there's more room so her long tail wouldn't have too much of a kink in it.
She may eat less for a few days to a week because of the transition to a new home, that's normal. Try giving her more treats (strawberries, banana, watermelon, soaked wheat bread, etc.) to encourage her to eat her food if you notice she is eating less.
I'm not 100% sure about the moisture problem but no one wants mold. You could try sealing it again and letting it air out for a few days before your iguana comes into contact with it. It may sound odd but make sure she doesn't lick it too much. She may initially lick it just to check it out but I wouldn't want her making a habit of it and getting some chemicals in her system. I wouldn't think she would be interested but you never know!
I had a 6x5x4 enclosure with 5 sealed plywood platforms connected by sealed plywood ramps that were supported with 2x4s but the frame was entirely PVC. The top, back, and sides were fabric. The bottom was a small tarp and the front was clear thick plastic with a zipper sewn in between the plastic and fabric for a large door. Everything was sewn together except for the tarp at the bottom which was connected with velcro for easy removal/cleaning. It worked great except for Gwendolyn eventually tearing through the plastic. I iguana proofed my whole room so it all worked out but free roaming isn't the best option. Gwen liked to sit in front of the window instead of under her UVB lamp so I would have to move her back to her UVB basking spot pretty commonly. There's a lot of other health concerns letting an iguana free roam but I don't think I need to go into all the details.
Sorry I don't have more suggestions for your particular set-up but let me know if I can help with any other advice!
-Jenna
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Post by JennaAndIguanaGwen on May 20, 2020 20:10:39 GMT -8
Hello! I'm sorry to hear his scale is peeling off It's rather common unfortunately for iguana's to rub their noses on surfaces they are trying to get through but can't (like glass or a mesh screen). Keep it clean and it should heal in a couple days. If it gets worse, looks infected, or doesn't heal after a week then I would consult a vet about it. They can be pretty pain tolerant sometimes so I would watch him the next few times you put him in the outdoor enclosure to see if you can figure out what he was doing and try to mitigate it. Thanks for posting! -Jenna
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Post by JennaAndIguanaGwen on Jan 22, 2020 20:49:20 GMT -8
Hi Jacob! My first piece of advice is to be sure to Always keep him on a leash with a harness. Iguana's can be startled by unexpected sounds or movements and I would hate for him to get away and get hurt or lost. He may also get curious about something and try to jump off your shoulders to investigate. Other animals are going to be interested in him so be prepared if someone is walking a dog or you walk by a house with dogs. It can be fun to take reptiles out into public. You can get to know other reptile lovers as well. I don't have much advice for training Gerald to stay on your shoulders besides just keep practicing to get him more comfortable. You're right that short instances of going outside are best. He may learn to like going places or he may decide he doesn't want to. Some iguana's learn to like being carried around and others would rather walk around on a leash and go where they want. I've learned that a lot of iguanas are startled when they first feel the tug of a leash but you can work with him to get used to a leash. If you haven't used a harness or a leash before be prepared if he rolls and wiggles to get out. I'm glad he hasn't tail whipped or tried to bite in such a long time, it sounds like you are doing well with him I would love to see some pictures of him and hear about his (safe) adventures. Good luck! -Jenna
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Post by JennaAndIguanaGwen on Jan 3, 2020 20:58:09 GMT -8
Hi Jazz, you really need to take him to a vet for immediate care. Do not just end his suffering - take him to a vet and get a prognosis. I wish I could give more advice but it's an immediate medical issue. If he pulls through I would be happy to give advice on lighting, housing, diet, etc. I truly hope he pulls through so please bring him to a vet immediately.
-Jenna
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Post by JennaAndIguanaGwen on Jun 5, 2019 17:21:50 GMT -8
Hi there, a white spot could be various things. Could you upload a picture? If it is an infection you should definitely consult a vet but hopefully it's not.
-Jenna
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Post by JennaAndIguanaGwen on May 11, 2019 19:29:14 GMT -8
Hi Vanessa I have much respect for your dedication to care for animals! There are a lot of reptiles out there that need rescuing and rehabilitating and even more people who need to know how to properly care for their reptiles. There's not a whole of of action on this forum but I'm here to answer questions and help where I can. I took a peek at your blog and, wow, you have a lot of information! It looks like you've been doing research for a while now! I did the same thing before I got my iguana, Gwendolyn, many years ago. I had her for 10 years and she passed away a few years ago when she was about 18 years old. There's a lot of good information in this forum for your research I've learned over the years that some of the most important things for new iguana owners to know is an iguana's proper diet, lighting requirements, and temperature requirements. I didn't read everything on your blog but some important facts to note are that unless they have an outdoor enclosure with access to natural sunlight they absolutely need a UVB lamp to absorb enough calcium. Light coming through a window or even a screen is not sufficient for healthy calcium absorption. Metabolic Bones Disease is an unfortunately very common and painful health issue with iguana's that don't have the right UVB lighting. Metabolic Bone Disease can also occur with an improper diet and heating. An iguana's enclosure should have a range of temperatures from 95 degrees (basking spot) to cooler shade around 70 degrees. 40 degrees is freezing to an iguana and they shouldn't be in those conditions. They are cold blooded and quite slow to realize when they are in a temperature that is too cold or hot for them and that can be dangerous. Their diets can be a bit complex and to make sure they are getting the right nutrition to be healthy take a look at these food charts: tesa.proboards.com/thread/3578/food-chartgreenigsociety.org/foodchart.htmI hope I've added to your growing wealth of knowledge about iguanas Good luck in your endeavours, Vanessa! -Jenna
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Post by JennaAndIguanaGwen on Feb 5, 2019 22:00:43 GMT -8
I'm so sorry to hear about Sam!
I'm definitely not a medical professional but keeping him hydrated is the most important thing until you can get him to a vet. When I had my iguana, Gwendolyn, sometimes I would use a spray bottle and mist/spray her face or into her mouth so she would drink extra water. Either that or a syringe might work to make sure he stays hydrated. Fruits are another good way to try to get him to eat, even if you have to put it into his mouth. They can sure be stubborn but it's for their own good!
I don't know of any generic ointments or medications that would be safe for an iguana. A vet technician might be able to give you some advice over the phone for what to do in the meantime until you get an appointment. I also don't think it would hurt to try to wrap or splint the leg, it might take some of the strain off of his leg/joins. That could be another question to ask a vet technician over the phone.
Is he moving around at all or at least paying attention to his surroundings with his good eye? If he is then that's a good sign.
Some vets will also do payment plans to make it easier.
I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions.
-Jenna
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Post by JennaAndIguanaGwen on Jan 27, 2019 16:54:46 GMT -8
Hi Rose! I'm happy to hear you want to help this little guy out. Do you know how old he is? One of the most common reasons for toes breaking is the type of enclosure they are in. Anything with bars or wires for them to climb will easily break their toes. Their long toes are meant to climb trees and branches and although they may like climbing anything, it can definitely hurt them. What kind of enclosure do you have for him? When I had Gwendolyn I built her enclosure because there really aren't any cheap ones on the market. Iguana's do have specific dietary, lighting, and heating needs that are important for the right amount of calcium to be absorbed into their system. I have a link to our food section here: tesa.proboards.com/thread/3578/food-chartAt the bottom of our food chart there is also a link to the Green Iguana Societies food chart (with pictures). Our list looks pretty basic so I keep their link at the bottom. I have a few basic questions to help me help you: What have you been feeding him? What kind of lighting do you have for him? What are the temperature ranges in the enclosure? (highest/lowest) What kind of enclosure do you have for him? Is his enclosure in a quiet place or in a busy room? Pictures are always great if you can These guys can live long lives! My girl Gwendolyn lived to be 18 years old and I knew someone who had an iguana that was 24. Generally she was great (granted great for an iguana and great for a dog are two completely different things) but she was always cautious of strangers and didn't like people wearing bright colors (territorial colors). There's a lot to learn about these guys! Ask any questions you have an I will do my best to answer them -Jenna
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Post by JennaAndIguanaGwen on Sept 1, 2018 23:00:26 GMT -8
Apologies on the late response! I personally have not had experience with a blind iguana but there are some things you can do for now that will help her. I'm glad you brought her to the vet quickly, that is always the best choice in matters like this. I would definitely limit her roaming capabilities and create a mostly flat enclosure for her with nothing to fall off of. No more roaming. Since she is blind falling is going to be a big concern. Iguana's are not the most graceful creatures even when they can see. Make sure she still has a range of temperatures to go to (70-95 degrees) so she doesn't overheat but of course can bask in the UVB. The enclosure doesn't have to be completely flat but make it so if she does fall it won't be any more than 6 inches to a foot to avoid injury. Cabbage should only be fed occasionally but watercress is a staple green that can be fed daily. I would recommend taking a look at the food chart here: tesa.proboards.com/thread/3578/food-chart . For food, you may have to hand feed her for a while if she isn't eating (just watch out she can't see where the food ends and your fingers begin!). Going blind is going to be a huge stressor for her and she may not want to eat anything right now but it's important that she does. Make sure she is drinking as well. Often I would mist my iguana, Gwendolyn, with a spray bottle and she would start drinking the water droplets on her face. Something like this may help keep her hydrated. You may even be able to simply spray some water in her mouth. When leaving food out for her adding some good smelling fruits/berries like bananas and strawberries (what ever her favorites might be) may be beneficial for her to identify that there is tasty edible food near her. I can't say how she will handle the stress of being blind but I hope she recovers and does well! I would be curious to know how she is doing and get updates. best of luck, Jenna
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Post by JennaAndIguanaGwen on Jul 31, 2018 19:22:41 GMT -8
Hello there Bison! Sorry to hear one of your iguana's isn't doing very well. As with any animal a vet should be consulted if she doesn't get better. A skinny tail and hips is not a good sign and usually has something to do with the diet or how much the iguana is eating but it could also be a medical issue. The foods you are feeding are good occasionally but shouldn't be a regular diet. We have a diet section and a food chart here that might be a little hard to read but the symbols are the important part: tesa.proboards.com/thread/3578/food-chartFood like collards, turnip greens, mustard greens, butternut squash, okra, acorn squash as well as others with a "+" in the chart are good foods to feed on a daily basis. I'm glad to hear you're soaking her every day, that will help with hydration. Since she hasn't pooped in a week I'm a little worried bout a blockage or something internal going on. Does she eat as much as the other iguanas or less? Has she been like this since you got her or is it just recent? Hopefully a new UVB light would be good but not all brands and bulbs are the same. It's important to find a reputable tested brand that has a good amount of UVB output. I hope she gets better! -Jenna
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Post by JennaAndIguanaGwen on May 4, 2018 20:47:27 GMT -8
That would be a cool fun fact to know.
-Jenna
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