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Post by wheel on Jul 6, 2004 22:27:37 GMT -8
hi! i've been thinking about gett'n and iguana, and have been reading about them. and they seem totally cool.i've read good things, and bad things (their wild little mating habits)..and just was wondering how u decided to get ur first..like deciding yes or no..input would be appreciated greatly ;D
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Post by Merlin on Jul 7, 2004 4:30:05 GMT -8
Reading is good but there are a lot of books out there that are hopelessly out of date and full of bad info. Melissa Kaplin's Iguanas for Dummies and James Hatfeild's Green Iguana The Ultimate Owners Manual are the 2 that are recognized as state of the art.
Although all of us here will agree that Iguanas are cool, getting an ig just because they are cool is not necessarily the best idea. You have to ask yourself a few questions.
Are you prepared to house a lizard that gets 6-7ft long and can weigh 20 lbs, requiring an enclosure the size of a small room?
Can you afford to provide proper heating and lighting for the ig? Those UV bulbs aren't cheap and have to be replaced every 6 months.
Are you prepared to deal with an animal that may take up to a year to tame and during this time is capable of scratching your skin to shreds, leaving welts and abrasions on your skin with a bullwhip like tail and biting, severe enough to require stitches?
What are you going to do if it turns out that you have one of those iguanas that is a little green monster who resists all efforts to tame?
Males in breeding season can be VERY dangerous!
Are you prepared to live for the next 20-25 years with said little green monster, who will not remain little for very long?
Can you afford vet bills? Vet bills are a fact of life when dealing with iguanas.
Are you willing to feed the proper fresh greens, vegetables and fruits on a daily basis as well as clean the enclosure daily.
If it sounds like I am trying to talk you out if it,...I am!
Owning an iguana is a very big responsibility and can be very expensive. The purchase price of the animal is miniscule compared to the cost just to set up proper housing for them! If after considering all this and if you feel like an iguana is right for you then go for it! We will be here to help answer any questions. There is a LOT of things to learn!
Might I also suggest that if you do decide to get an iguana that you consider adopting one from a shelter instead of buying one. There are hundreds of iguanas that are homeless because the people that initially got them didn't give consideration to what they were getting into and abandoned them.
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Post by Tesa on Jul 7, 2004 5:15:59 GMT -8
Hi wheel and welcome to Iguana-Zone.
It looks to me like Merlin covered all the bases. These creatures are VERY cool, but as he has pointed out, they require alot of daily care.
I got my first one because the owner asked me to babysit it for it a month or so. She'd had it for about 3 years. The thing was extremely defensive/aggressive, and was in poor health. She told me it was impossible to touch it.
I didn't even know I like lizards, but being an animal lover, I couldn't bear to see the thing so unhappy and unhealthy. So, I researched proper care. Within that month, the iguana got a healthy diet, a larger house, proper lighting, and would allow me to hold it and pet it (after a fight getting it out of its cage) ;D
I absolutely fell in love with it, and the owner was amazed at the change in the lizard.
By mututal agreement, I became the new owner. ;D
Happy ending yes, but don't forget what Merlin said. You REALLY have to be prepared to put alot of time/effort/money into these guys.
(and yes, if you decide to get an iguana, please do adopt.)
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Post by Kerrydaktyl on Jul 7, 2004 5:17:12 GMT -8
Id agree with Merlin. But that said, you had the sense to check it out first and are obviously thinking about it seriously rather than just going out and buying one, getting it home and then thinking "right what do I need to do now...?" So your on the right track, and should you decide you can provide all of the above and you do go ahead and get one, your in the right place for iguana info!  |
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Post by Kling on Jul 7, 2004 8:16:06 GMT -8
Merlin got it all down. you should really adopt here is a really good site . i wish i could go bbck and adopt my iguana now but know i'm happy with my iguanas. but here is the site.http://members2.boardhost.com/gisadoptions/
take a look at them and if you really consider geting an iguana just keep in mind they are alot of work.
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Post by wheel on Jul 7, 2004 10:08:17 GMT -8
thanks for the tips everyone!! i think im going to get one. i've been reading about all this adoption stuff, and it seems that most of them are rather large, i would feel a lot better to start with a smaller one, so a big huge lizard doesnt get thrown at me lol..start off small and learn as i go.
and i was wondering, cuz i havent read much about this, but..(for those who had a cage or something) what did u put to line the bottom of it?
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Post by Tesa on Jul 7, 2004 11:14:32 GMT -8
The most commonly used items are newspaper, paper towels, and repticarpet. Newspaper and paper towels are very easy to change out daily.
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Drako's Mom
Senior
"It's.....it's.......green!"
Posts: 145
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Post by Drako's Mom on Jul 7, 2004 11:15:56 GMT -8
and i was wondering, cuz i havent read much about this, but..(for those who had a cage or something) what did u put to line the bottom of it? You can use newspaper (not the shiny colored parts), indoor/outdoor carpet, astroturf, or even paper towels. :oWARNING  - do not use ANYTHING "particulate" such as Repti Bark (the stuff they try to sell you at the pet store that has a picture of an Iguana on it), no dirt, sand, pebbles, small rocks, and Never, never, never use Kitty Litter it is poisonous. Anything loose, the Ig will "smell" it with his tongue, it will stick to his tongue, he will swallow it, and it could lead to a gut impaction, and possibly be fatal, or require surgery to remove it. |
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Post by wheel on Jul 7, 2004 13:44:35 GMT -8
thanks again, i was wondering, cuz i haven't read a lot about it..my parents are super worried about the smell too lol
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Post by Merlin on Jul 7, 2004 14:40:04 GMT -8
Not all adoptable iguanas are adults. you can frequently find juveniles.
Actually if you are diligent the smell is the least of your problems. Iguanas can be trained to "go" in the bathtub under running water. I put Zok in and whoosh right down the drain it goes. Once a day and the cage stays clean. You can also train them to go in a cat litter pan full of water (no litter!). You have a bit more mess and smell taht way but nothiing on the scale of a dog or cat. Being vegetarians their waste is not nearly as rank as a carnivore's.
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Post by wheel on Jul 7, 2004 14:44:16 GMT -8
yeah, they keep thinking about the smells, but i told them about like getting them to go in the bath and stuff, and i said im going to clean the cage also..i think in a couple of days i am going to get the needed things for a little home. and then after its set up, go out and get one, but i will keep looking into adopting, hopefully i may find a small one. good luck to me lol |
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Post by Kerrydaktyl on Jul 8, 2004 0:39:54 GMT -8
When I adopted mine, (he was about one year old, a good size) his owner said that he stinks. but thats only because he never cleaned up after him. Now he has lots of baths and volunarily goes in his water tub, never even needed training to do it! Igs dont have a natural smell like dogs though. In fact they can smell quite nice depending on what sprays you use! My mite spray smells loverly |
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Post by URSULA on Jul 8, 2004 3:47:01 GMT -8
What smell? Spyro smell s good. She is potty treined and she takes shower every day.  I kiss her all the time, so she must be nice and clean.  |
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Post by Tesa on Jul 8, 2004 5:28:35 GMT -8
Wheels,
frankly, I'm still worried that you aren't looking far enough into the future. How old are you?
Are your parents gonna take care of the ig when you go to college?
Will you be able to provide a good home for it after you move out on your own?
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Post by Lyn on Jul 8, 2004 5:39:01 GMT -8
Tesa is right...if your parents cant even handle the smell, then why would they want to keep your iguana after you go off to school...You should wait until you are settled down after school in your own place before bringing an iguana into your life...they keep you running and they need daily attention especially the small ones...otherwise they become those big "discarded" igs you read about...I adopted all 5 of mine...people just drove them over and dropped them off without a care in the world...please think before you buy...Lyn
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- do not use ANYTHING "particulate" such as Repti Bark (the stuff they try to sell you at the pet store that has a picture of an Iguana on it), no dirt, sand, pebbles, small rocks, and Never, never, never use Kitty Litter it is poisonous. Anything loose, the Ig will "smell" it with his tongue, it will stick to his tongue, he will swallow it, and it could lead to a gut impaction, and possibly be fatal, or require surgery to remove it.
I kiss her all the time, so she must be nice and clean. 
