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Post by Brujah on Apr 9, 2004 10:45:00 GMT -8
We've only had her for two full days now but it seems she doesn't have much interest in eating. When we got her they gave us a bunch of Kale and said she also likes strawberries. Of course after doing some reading we found out this diet is not good for her.
I mixed Collard Greens, Watercress, Green beans, Parsnip, Mango, and one of the squashes on your list (can't remember the name right now) put them all in the food processor and put it in with her and she hasn't touched it. I did cut up one strawberry and put that in and she ate just that. She did poop yesterday but hasn't yet today.
I guess my question is, with her change in environment and family is it normal for her not to eat or am I doing something wrong?
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Post by Merlin on Apr 9, 2004 11:10:43 GMT -8
It's not unusual for an iguana that has changed locations and owners to go off feed, particularly with a change in diet on top of it. It will also be normal for the ig to not want to eat when you are watching. Just give it a little time to settle in to the new digs and it should be fine. Thats assuming that the temps are warm enough. You might try offering collards or turnip leaves whole by hand and see if it will tear off bites of them. Sometimes with the bowl of chopped up food its hard to tell if it is eating anything.
A fecal check for parasites would be a good idea as well.
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Post by Brujah on Apr 9, 2004 18:04:25 GMT -8
Thanks Merlin!!! I did manage to get about 2 more leaves in her by just ripping them up and putting them in with her. Of course I'm still worried she's not eating nearly enough but hoping she'll come around. She really is just so sweet, loves being held already and seems to have a great and social personality!!
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Post by mar on Apr 9, 2004 18:24:33 GMT -8
Continue to offer proper food and clean water. Try to offer food at about the same times each day and don't move the dishes around too much either. Igs are creatures of habit and tend to eat better when they don't have to hunt for the dish.
I like to have it on a shelf about half way up the cage. Away form the heat lights, away from the poop, and easy to see from across the room -- seems logical to me. My food shelf allows the food and water dish to nest down in it so Bob can't push them off or tip them over easily.
Hand feeding may work to get some greens in her now but don't get trained. Igs are very good at training you to hand feed them and not eat otherwise so don't hand feed too much.
Sounds like you are doing well with her and are getting on the right track quickly.
Mark
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Razzi
Junior Member
Posts: 9
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Post by Razzi on Apr 9, 2004 18:28:08 GMT -8
Well the hand feeding is definitely not a problem when I offer her food she closes her eyes and pretends I'm not there. lol
I have been moving her dish about a bit though so I'll try just leaving it in one place now. Guess I was playing the overbearing "mom" trying to get her baby to eat any way possible. ;D
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Post by Tesa on Apr 10, 2004 4:07:47 GMT -8
Maybe she would do beter with the leaves being torn rather than run thru the food processor?? Just give her time. She'll come around. They just enjoy driving us crazy ;D
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Razzi
Junior Member
Posts: 9
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Post by Razzi on Apr 10, 2004 6:02:06 GMT -8
Yes Tesa I think you're right I tried tearing them up instead of completely chopping them in the processor and she did eat a few, better than nothing I guess, but I know she can do better.
I'm hoping today maybe she will eat some more.
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Post by Tesa on Apr 10, 2004 6:10:23 GMT -8
...... just a little more time to settle in
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Post by Merlin on Apr 10, 2004 6:40:22 GMT -8
Oops I didn't clarify. The suggestion for handfeeding was more to allay the fears of the owners that the ig was not eating at all. I see nothing wrong with handfeeding its a great tool for winning the igs trust but your correct some of them will get spoiled to it.
Since the ig is more prone to eating the food that is in a recognizable form than the shredded form try putting some of the torn up leaves on top of the processed stuff.
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Post by Brujah on Apr 13, 2004 18:12:30 GMT -8
Just wanted to say that she seems to be getting back to normal. Ate very well today... She had a bath and we were gonna let her roam some and she climbed back in the cage to eat...lol Glad she's starting to get her appetite back. Oh was wondering if they lose there appetite when they shed? Just curious if that had something to do with it, along with the setteling in period.
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Post by Tesa on Apr 14, 2004 3:37:55 GMT -8
Yep, often the appetite decreases when they are gonna shed. (makes em grouchy sometimes too) In my igs case tho, she just pigs out all the time. lol
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Post by Merlin on Apr 14, 2004 6:09:31 GMT -8
Zok is the same way (outside of breeding season). If there is a plate of food in there, its gone!
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Post by mar on Apr 14, 2004 11:02:37 GMT -8
Only run the dryer hard veggies through the food processor. You can grate about 4 days worth at a time like this.
You still have to cut things like green beans daily as they have enough water in them they start to rot quickly.
Take the large stems out of the greens then slice them with a knife (sharper the better)-- I usually end up with strips of leaves 1/2" wide and half the width of the whole leaf. You can go through and de-stem the whole bag, wrap them with a particularly big collard leaf and slice them all at once.
I do two pounds of greens at a time like this. Put them back in a new/dry produce bag with a few paper towels and fluff them up -- they last about 4 days if you fluff them up each time you feed and then push most of the air out of the bag. I DONT wash them before I cut them rather they are washed just before they go into the food bowl. If they are stored wet they start to rot within a day.
The easier it is to toss together his meals and still have them balanced the better you will feed him and the less reason you have "not to notice" that he wants a third, forth, or fifth plate of food that day.
Mark
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Post by Tesa on Apr 15, 2004 3:20:28 GMT -8
Everyone does the food differently. I wash, dry, and tear all my greens on the same day I buy them, then put them in seperate ziplock bags with paper towels to absorb excess moisture. This way all I have to do if I'm in a hurry is grab a handful from each bag and throw them on a plate. They generally stay good for 7-10 days.
I buy enough veggies for about a week at a time, (one small squash, a handful of green beans, small bag of alfalfa sprouts)peel and cut them into manageable portions, and throw them in the freezer. I only use a small amount of each and make enough for about 2-3 days at a time. All of them go thru the food processor: squash, green beans, snow peas, parsnips...everything Im feeding her that week. Thrasher gets a HUGE salad and about a half cup of veggies every morning, and another smaller salad in the afternoon if she asks for it. Fruit is reserved for evening treats while I'm holding her before bedtime.
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