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Post by sillywoman1969 on Aug 26, 2004 8:36:21 GMT -8
Howdy yall! I'm being given a male iguana today and I'm so excited not to mention my moose sized 14 yr old son is ready to burst! I'm allergic to dogs and cats so we've never had a pet unless you count fish. We've been researching like crazy to be able to give him a healthy new home and since we're both goofballs we decided to name him "Puppy". I'm gonna have a million questions and every answer will be put in a notebook that we're gonna keep on Puppy's enclosure till we get everything down pat! SO.......here's a question.......we built his enclosure last night and my son would like to paint it, is paint safe for Puppy? My son being an aspiring artist would probably like to paint images on Puppys enclosure, not just a solid color. If anybody has any advise on this I'd thank ya kindly for it!! ;D
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Post by Tesa on Aug 26, 2004 11:57:49 GMT -8
lol @ "Puppy" You guys sound SO excited! Makes me grin. This is gonna be one spoiled lizard. ;D Any kind of water based paint should be ok to use, just make sure you give it plenty of time to dry/air out so he isn't breathing the fumes.
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Post by sillywoman1969 on Aug 27, 2004 8:39:03 GMT -8
I GOT HIM!!! He's malnourished though. He WOLFED a whole bowl of wet collard greens and then I gave him a couple of blackberries. I was told they only fed him lettuce GRRRRRR His tail and legs are thin. He's got a gray area on his side which looks like shedding but he's got a gray area surrounding a black area on his leg that is smooth. I found out that one of my officers used to rescue iguanas (till their pet of 10 years ripped open her husbands face ) she's going to come over and check him out for me cuz it looks like a burn to me but what do i know yet?? He's not as aggressive as I was led to believe, just very very scared, he ate from my hand a few times and let me pet him after a bit. I'll attempt to handle him today when I get home cuz I'm going to put him in a large bucket and let him and my kid sit outside in the sunshine a bit. Does he need to be misted when he's basking? What's the best way for me to pick him up? He's going to try to run and he'll whip his tail for sure, I'm not afraid he'll hurt me but I'm afraid I'll hurt him or he'll hurt himself.
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Post by Tesa on Aug 27, 2004 9:04:55 GMT -8
Iguanas will not overeat, so let him wolf down as many greens as he can hold! He won't be skinny for long. ;D (He will be able to fit more into his belly if they are torn into small pieces) Without seeing pics I can't judge about the possible burns, but here is a link to a pic of my second gal when I got her that shows what hers looked like. You can use triple antibiotic ointment on burns, but if you are able to get your hands on a prescription of Sylvadene, it is the best way to treat them. tesa.proboards24.com/index.cgi?board=health&action=display&thread=1079982215Going outside: My suggestion would be to put a leash on him. You can make one yourself for a couple of bucks. Here's a link that shows a picture of what most of us here recommend, and how to put it on him. Beware tho! He's liable to do lots of crocodile rolls and belly flops when he gets to the "end of his rope". lol album4055.fotopic.net/c85192.htmlThe best way to pick them up is to scoop your hand under the belly and lift....IF he will let you. ;D After you get him picked up, make sure his feet have something to hold onto so he will feel more secure. The bottom picture at the following link shows the "proper" way to hold an ig. I generally hold mine against my chest tho. ;D tesa.proboards24.com/index.cgi?board=pictures&action=display&thread=1090100547I think I covered all your questions. lol (Aren't they just TOO cool!?)
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Post by Tesa on Aug 27, 2004 9:07:53 GMT -8
nope, I missed one! lol
When he is outside he doesn't necessarily have to be misted. It kind of depends on the temperature and how strongly the direct sunlight is beating down. If he starts to get too hot he will prolly hold his mouth open (kinda like a dog panting). If that happens, definately get him cooled down some.
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Post by Tesa on Aug 27, 2004 9:13:28 GMT -8
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Post by sillywoman1969 on Aug 27, 2004 9:24:08 GMT -8
I am SO thankful I found this message board!!! My poor Puppy is so pitifully thin compared to the pics you've shown me! The pic of the burn looks a little similar but Puppy's is darker, shinier and is surrounded by gray, could it be that means it's healing and will shed off the damaged area? I'll try the leash but I have a feeling he'll be better off in a bucket till I get a little more practice in at handling him, hehe Once I get my house claimed back from the wood and tools all over it my son and I plan on spending a lot of time with him to get him well acquainted with us both and I'll take some pics! I definitely need do a before and after type of pic of my poor iguana!!
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Post by Tesa on Aug 27, 2004 9:39:56 GMT -8
Even if you put him in a bucket, I'd still suggest the leash as a precaution. If he were to somehow jump out (and they can jump pretty high!) or squirm lose from ya.....he'd be hell to catch. and yes, it could be a healing burn ready to shed.....I just cant say for sure.
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Post by sillywoman1969 on Aug 27, 2004 9:45:26 GMT -8
I just read all the posts on the harness and I'll go with that!! Maybe I should take before and after pics of myself when I attempt this!! LOL I'll go ahead and put some antibiotic cream on it just in case, it can't hurt right?
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Post by Tesa on Aug 27, 2004 9:52:03 GMT -8
nope, it can't hurt
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Post by CCP1083 on Aug 27, 2004 11:12:31 GMT -8
I would definately put a leash on him, especially for the first time.
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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 Aug 27, 2004 12:21:18 GMT -8
Hi and welcome to the board. ;D Can't wait to see pics of Puppy. How big is he, and did they tell you his age?? Definitely use a leash when outside. I nearly lost Drako when he decided to take one of those flying ig leaps, and I didn't have his leash on
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Post by sillywoman1969 on Aug 28, 2004 16:46:30 GMT -8
I made the leash and it worked wonderfully! However I now look like I went toe to toe with Freddy Krugar, hehe. I know this wiill sound weird but I got very excited cuz he made a poopie today! LOL I've been so worried about his lil malnourished body and possible impaction that it was a great relief! no pun intended, ROFL I also got him to sit calmly on my lap and I fed him blackberries by hand while my son cleaned up his mess and got him fresh food and water and stuff so I was excited that he seemed to relax a bit. Our next task is a jaunt in the tub. How do you measure the temp of the water? Is it being warm enough for us warm enough for him? I want to start taking pictures of him but I'm afraid the flash will scare him. OH i have noticed that if I mist him before I handle him he seems more calm.
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Post by IguanaKing on Aug 28, 2004 17:18:18 GMT -8
Warm enough for you is too warm for him. The bath water should feel neutral to your touch, anything much warmer than this is too warm for him.
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Post by prism_wolf on Aug 28, 2004 20:40:06 GMT -8
I usually set the temp for water about 90. About what you would use for a baby.
You are SO CUTE being so excited about Puppy... ;D.
Paint (water-based) should dry for at least three days...in humid conditions a few days more...and then add on a couple of more days for the fumes to disperse.
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