|
Post by igslave on Dec 9, 2007 14:12:12 GMT -8
The last couple days Lizzie has left about 1/3 of her salad. Today she actually took sips of her water during bath time. Both are unusual for her. She is still doing her , um, "business" every day. Are these early signs of egg development, or just weird winter behavior? No other factors have changed. I may be jumping the gun since this is only 2 days of unusual behavior, but just looking for earliest heads up I can get in case I need to make a nesting box, have xrays, etc. or in case there is anything else I need to watch for. Background: She's about 4, I got her 5/07; she did lay eggs 1/05 when she was living with a male ig. When I got her, she was 3 lbs, about 3 ft snout-to-tail. At that time, vet gave her less than 50/50, she was very malnourished, had MBD. At her last check in Aug. vet said she was doing very well & didn't even look like same ig. I had the fecal panel done just in case, which was fine. She now weighs 5.8 lbs. Given her poor state of health earlier this year, I didn't think she would be capable of becoming gravid. This picture is from a few hours ago, after potty time; sometimes she does hold air to sort of "float" in the tub. Ribs are still visible. Damage from living w/male ig : broken (mangled) digit on right forefoot is visible, healed poorly; also caudal spines were chewed off, don't know if they will regrow. (Light "sheen" that may be visible is mineral oil massaged at base of spines to assist shedding). PS - This is my first reptile, so I freak about every little odd thing.
|
|
|
Post by prism_wolf on Dec 9, 2007 15:04:19 GMT -8
WELCOME!! Very glad to see you here... ;D. It sure looks like she's been through a lot...and you sure picked a doosey of a reptile as your first one. Not only is her care pretty specific - but she was sick. Are you a glutton for punishment!? You seem to be doing very well by her. She's lucky to have gotten you as her caretaker. I wouldn't worry yet about her becoming gravid. MOST females aren't this time of year - though there have been some late layers about a month ago. The change in weather does have an effect on igs and their appetite goes through stages. Even if she was just freshly gravid - you would still have many weeks to prepare a next box (which she may not even use... ). Zair gets that same "float bloat" when he first gets in the tub - then once he settles in he lets it go and sinks farther under the water... . Again - welcome and I sure hope we can help you with anymore questions and concerns...
|
|
|
Post by Merlin on Dec 9, 2007 15:42:42 GMT -8
Since she did previously lay in January there is the possibility that she is becoming gravid. The only way you will know for sure is to have her xrayed for the presence of eggs. But as stated 2 days isn't anything to get worked up about. I would go ahead and watch her for a bit. Keep an eye on her feeding and watch for signs of scratching the floor, wanting out to wander around and becomeing just generally restless.
|
|
|
Post by igslave on Dec 9, 2007 21:02:38 GMT -8
Thanks! I will wait and observe. I am, indeed, a glutton for this type of thing. I ended up with my brother's girlfriend's aging dog a couple years ago, since she "didn't deal well with death or illness" (I hope her mom knows this for when it's time to go in a home or something). So I went through her doggie mastectomy for breast cancer, then finally had to have her put to sleep when she got bone cancer. My own dog (shelter adoption) tore her dog version of her ACL joint, and had to have her leg sawed apart and bolted back together last December. I think I'm kind of the animal hospice for my relatives. I was visiting my sister in Michigan in April, and her husband, who had bought the pair of iguanas, had moved out. He told her to just let the iguanas go down by the lake (in Michigan!!!). By the time I got there, the male had died 4 days earlier, he was found lying on the cement floor of the unheated utility room, and poor Lizzie was clinging to the TOP of her heat lamp (no UVB), with old broccoli and old feces. My husband knew immediately that we were about to aquire an iguana. I sent her back to Washington state by UPS, and immediately took her to the vet. I now have several iguana manuals, joined the local herp society, and read several forums. I'm doing what I can to make her healthy and happy, but I'm still learning and and there is so much to know about keeping these lizards in captivity! The only other iguanas I had seen were in Mexico and the Caribbean, but they weren't in cages!
|
|
|
Post by Jen on Dec 9, 2007 21:18:20 GMT -8
Dont worry you will get all the help you need here!! And thank you so much for taking in the Ig!!!!!!!!! It sounds like youve really been doing your research!!!
|
|
|
Post by Merlin on Dec 10, 2007 5:32:35 GMT -8
Just be careful, There are still iguana books out there with some horrendously BAD recomendations as for care! If they say to feed bugs, pinky mice, or dog food, anything containing animal protien,..toss the book!
|
|
|
Post by igslave on Dec 10, 2007 11:50:43 GMT -8
My 2 favorite books are Iguanas for Dummies (Kaplan) & Green Iguana: The ultimate owners manual (Hatfield). With the exception of a few blueberries as a special treat, all the other food items were recommended on the Green Ig Soc. food page. No animal (or bug) protein has passed those little lizard lips. The first couple months I also used some of the calcium powder to boost bone density. Her energy level slowly increased as she put on weight, but she also seemed more contented and less anxious. I have her lights on for about 12 1/2 hours, maybe she needs more sleep in the winter. Maybe she just eats less in the winter. It will take me going through all the seasons with her to get a feel for it all; I sure appreciate all the tips & info!
|
|
|
Post by George-n-Me on Jan 8, 2008 11:26:16 GMT -8
both of those books are great book to find out about iguanas, thank you for being responsible and taking care of her, she is beautiful.
|
|
|
Post by igslave on Jan 29, 2008 22:31:52 GMT -8
Lizzie continued to go from sort of chubby to not so much so, back and forth, but she seemed to be having a little tummy trouble (uh, her poo wasn't "binding," if you get my drift). So I took her to the vet a couple weeks ago, and had them do a fecal, they also cultured for e coli & samonella, and did a blood test. Stuff was still going in and coming out regularly, so it didn't seem she was really ill or anything. All her stuff checked out healthy, but she is forming eggs. The vet said that it's possible she would reabsorb them, and we discussed setting up the nesting box if she does get to the laying stage. She's on the liquid calcium now as well. I've seen the time frame for egg laying on the anapsid site, but she's still eating, although she takes her sweet time now, and likes to lay on her plate when it has just a few scraps left. (She looks like an iguana entree). I don't see any visible egg-like lumps on her, so, will it be obvious if she does have them? And if she reabsorbs them, how will I know? If I take her in for an x-ray, when would that be? (I don't have another pic right now, she's sleeping).
|
|
|
Post by prism_wolf on Jan 30, 2008 7:03:57 GMT -8
You will most definitely be able to tell when she's full of eggs. An xray is good to have before she lays, but more importantly after. You want to be sure all the eggs are laid. Towards the end (if she doesn't reabsorb them) she will eat practically nothing. At this point it doesn't matter what she eats except that she be fed good hydrating foods, like watermelon or cantelope. This will last about 2 weeks, more or less. It will make you crazy, but it's harder on you than her... . The more hydrated she is - and make sure she gets some exercise - the easier this will be forhe laying process.
|
|
|
Post by Merlin on Jan 30, 2008 7:55:52 GMT -8
And after she lays (IF she lays) she will look like death warmed over. Its shocking the first time you see it!
|
|