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Post by CCP1083 on Jun 8, 2004 10:50:13 GMT -8
Hello. I just rescued an iguana from a friend of a friend because he didn't really take care of it properly, and he didn't mind that i take it. I am not sure how old he/she is, but is about 3 1/2 feet long. The name is Stanley. Anyways, he gave me a container titled iguana food, wich is hard bits like bacon bits but different colored. I didn't believe in it, he wouldnt even eat it anyway. So i put fresh greens and vegies in it. he wouldnt even eat it. I figured he was just stressed out and kept putting new stuff in every day. Well, one day as i was putting it in his cage, he came after me and grabbed it right out of my hand. I thought he was gonna bite my whole hand off! Scary! I grabbed another piece and he ate it. I came to the conclusion that he liked eating out of my hand. thats the way it has been since. I dont want him to do that, i want him to be able to eat on his own, but not sure how to unspoil hiim. I do keep fresh stuff in every day, but t always goes to waste. I have also experienced first hand their escape artist abilities! If anyone know what i can do to try to wean him off of hand feeding, let me know. Thank You!  |
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Post by Merlin on Jun 8, 2004 13:49:34 GMT -8
Welcome to the world of ig slavery! Simply stop hand feeding him. It won't hurt him to go a day or two without eating if he wants to be stubborn. If you allow it an iguana is great at training humans to do their bidding! Tell us about how you are caging him equipment temps humidity etc and well see if we can't fine tune YOU into the keeper and the ig as the kept!  |
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Post by mar on Jun 8, 2004 14:17:07 GMT -8
Merlin is right. Bob only ate from my hand for a while (well I was holding the dish up to him, but that counts). Finally I said that was enough and only put his dish on the food shelf. As long as there is clean water and fresh food in the cage, and the ig knows where it is, the ig will be fine.
What kind of dish do you have? If the walls on it are much higher than 1.5 inches it could be hard for the ig to get to the food. I have holes cut in the shelf that the bowls nest into but plates work very well too.
I like to keep my food shelf about mid height in the cage. This way the food is off the floor and away from the bathroom area but far enough from the heat sources to stay fresh for a few hours.
In addition to the equipment specs could you include a list of what you have added to the salad.
thanks
Mark
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Post by Tesa on Jun 9, 2004 3:43:56 GMT -8
Hi CCP and welcome to Iguana-Zone! Good to hear you cared enough about this guy to rescue him! They are fascinating creatures and it's very fulfilling to watch them flourish under proper care. I agree with Merlin and MAR. Under normal circumstances, if you leave the food there, he will eventually eat on his own. I'd suggest that you go heavy on the collard greens. (Their Calcium content is wonderful and chances are Stanley needs extra.) How long ago did you rescue him? What kind of light do you have to provide him with UVB? What are the temperatures in his cage? (basking area and ambient temp) We're all looking forward to hearing more from you. |
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Post by CCP1083 on Jun 9, 2004 7:44:33 GMT -8
Wow, that was fast response, Thank You for the advise. I will try to stop feeding him by hand, i thought of that, but i felt guilty. I guess he will eat if he gets hungry enough. Well a little more about my Stanley. I adopted him a couple weeks ago from a friend of a friend. I was really excited myself, as i had a chameleon before hand and absolutely loved him. I love lizards, it turns some guys on and some off, but if they want to like me, they have to like my baby, right? Anyway...I rescued him with a cage included. It is one of those big meshed ones about 5' X 3' X 3', something like that...it's pretty big in my apartment. The cage was setup to lay down lengthwise cause they had some hand built steps, and platforms for him. I was pondering standing it up, but wasn't sure, and i figured it was fine for now and less stress until i find out for sure. I will have to rebuild some more stuff for him though. What do you think? I have a couple dishes for him for feeding, one water and two food. They are shallow dishes so he can find them and eat out of them if he desired, but he doesn't seem to like to. I put the vegies in one, and the greens in another. I use majorly collards, but did put some other greens as well. He loves apples, but i try to only do them as a treat cause those aren't staple, correct? Tell me if I am wrong, but i got into a disagreement with someone the other day. She said that she fed hers only lettace and vegies. I heard that lettace wasn't nutritional for them at all. Yes/No? Now yesturday when i tried to feed him, he wouldn't eat at all. He seemed really weak and he looked pale. I am hoping it's because he is gonna molt soon, and thats the only reason. But i better get back to work now before i get too far behind. Thank you again for your resonses, and hope to hear more information. Thank you!
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Post by Kerrydaktyl on Jun 9, 2004 8:18:26 GMT -8
Hi! Yey another safe ig! Mines about the same size and hes 2 years old, but if its a female or hasnt been fed properly it could be older.
Mine preferes to be hand fed too, but just so he doesnt get dependent on it, I put the bowl in front of him and he isnt interested, but if I lift a bit to him, he will then eat it and soon realises he can get it quicker and more of it himslef so eats from the bowl! But like everyone says it woudnt do any hamr if it learns the hard way!
Hand feeding can bring you closer to the ig though, so it is nice to do it occassionally!
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Post by URSULA on Jun 9, 2004 10:25:58 GMT -8
Welcome CCP..... oh god do you have a name ;D That spoiled little iggy ll be o.k. I know what is it. I worry too much all the time."Is she eat, is she eat enough ......  |
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Post by CCP1083 on Jun 9, 2004 13:23:03 GMT -8
Ursula..... what name are you referring to? CCP or Stanley? CCP is a nickname of mine that I got from a drunk friend of mine-it stands for Crystal (my first name) Clear Pepsi (remember-he was drunk). Stanley is the igg's name- It was there when I got it.
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Post by Merlin on Jun 9, 2004 15:55:09 GMT -8
The ig will be much happier with the long side of the cage being in a vertical orientation. They are an arboreal animal and like to get up high. Lettuce is absolutely worthless nutritionwise. Collards, mustard and turnip greens are the way to go with a bit of veggies thrown in. Apple is ok for an occasional treat but is not a staple. Of course absolutly no animal protein of any sort.
What temperature are you keeping him at and do you have a uvb light? UVB is required for them to metabolize the calcium in their diet.
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Post by CCP1083 on Jun 10, 2004 5:47:44 GMT -8
I want to thank all of you for time and responses. I am very sad  to say, but stanley past away last night. I got home last night and after seeing him I knew i had to rush to the pet store to get some calcium rehydration formula stuff and feed him. I was with him on the deck in the sun all night trying to get him to eat. He was just so weak and he looked helpless. I guess I was too late at rescuing him. I tried everything I knew to do, I just couldn't get him to eat enough. I fed him a lot (well as much as he would eat) of collards, endives, cilantro, etc and various vegies. Always fresh water. I had the heat lamp on at night, during the day it is very warm on my 3rd floor apartment. I had a big UVB light on him at all times, except when he escaped the cage. All I can say now, is that I tried, He will be greatly missed as he was very loved with friends and family. The thing that helps me, is that i know he is restfull and is in a better place. I just don't see how people can take on an animal and then not even take care of them the right way. I only had him a couple days, but those couple days were really fun. He was my baby, since I dont really want a real one at this time, I really enjoyed waking up to feeding him, and coming home to check on him, hold him, and give him a bedtime treat. I will continue to chat with all of you, you have been great the past couple days and I thank you for that. Hopefully I will come across another Ig sometime soon, and hopefully he will be in better shape. Thanks Again Everyone! |
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Post by Kling on Jun 10, 2004 6:36:58 GMT -8
you know whatc you did good trying to help one of gods anmial or earth and i bet you will rewored for it to i'm proud of you you could of just simpley say no i dont want but you sad yes i hope you find a nother one that is in a little a little better shap well i sorry to hear that.
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Post by Shaun on Jun 10, 2004 10:23:55 GMT -8
I place Orkos main meal in his cage before I go to work/college and when I get home if he's still hungry I feed him by hand if I'm not busy, but Orko is not reliant on it.
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Post by angela on Jul 4, 2004 8:56:03 GMT -8
I'm really sorry to hear that Stanley passed away. But don't blame yourself I'm sure you did everything you could. My ig passed away lastyear it was the the hardest thing we had her for 3 years. But we thought she was a he boy were we wrong. She passed away because she had eggs in her not fertilized and we didn't know until it was to late.We took her to several vets nobody really knew what was wrong.So with all there stupidity my ig suffered a battle that could have been cured I'm very bitter to all vets out there. But anyway we have gotten another one it's just a baby and she's really not wanting to eat if anybody has suggestions please share them with me. thank you, angela
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to say, but stanley past away last night. I got home last night and after seeing him I knew i had to rush to the pet store to get some calcium rehydration formula stuff and feed him. I was with him on the deck in the sun all night trying to get him to eat. He was just so weak and he looked helpless. I guess I was too late at rescuing him. I tried everything I knew to do, I just couldn't get him to eat enough. I fed him a lot (well as much as he would eat) of collards, endives, cilantro, etc and various vegies. Always fresh water. I had the heat lamp on at night, during the day it is very warm on my 3rd floor apartment. I had a big UVB light on him at all times, except when he escaped the cage. All I can say now, is that I tried, He will be greatly missed as he was very loved with friends and family. The thing that helps me, is that i know he is restfull and is in a better place. I just don't see how people can take on an animal and then not even take care of them the right way. I only had him a couple days, but those couple days were really fun. He was my baby, since I dont really want a real one at this time, I really enjoyed waking up to feeding him, and coming home to check on him, hold him, and give him a bedtime treat. I will continue to chat with all of you, you have been great the past couple days and I thank you for that. Hopefully I will come across another Ig sometime soon, and hopefully he will be in better shape. Thanks Again Everyone!