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Q:
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New Iguana Rescue: Suggestions?
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In Relation To:
spike
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k so i just got a green iguana from a friend that couldnt take care of him anymore. she gave me a full set up. cage about 3 and a half feet long and 2 and a half wide. he is 7 and i am feeding him collard greens and mustard greens. for heat he has a light on top with 75 watt bulb which i change out to a red 75 watt at night and a bar light on bottom that he lounges on. fake plants and large log in terrarium. repticarpet on bottom. and he recently has had surgery on his lip because he had a lump of some kind but he is fully healed from that she said it is commen for them to get. am i doin good? any other suggestions would be great! thx :)
Attached Photos:
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Member Comment
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1/19/2010 11:24:05 PM
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jeremyk
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take care of it and dont give it to someone else when u get sick of it.good luck:)
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Member Comment
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1/19/2010 11:33:29 PM
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abi21491
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Not sure if you mentioned it but he needs a UVB bulb for sure. I'd get him one of those strip lights since the compact fluorescents aren't good. Of course the cage size will need to be increased but other than that he should be good. They need a variety in their diet. Here is a great site all about iguana care.
http://www.iguanaden.org/main.htm
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Member Comment
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1/19/2010 11:48:35 PM
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magsj387
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He's going to get bigger...and that cage is not going to last. You sound like your doing well with it, keep in mind they need a higher humidity than that screen cage will provide so make sure to spray him down at least once a day I'd shoot for two. You mentioned the wattages but whats his basking temperature, hopefully 95 or so? Also, that light bar is his UVB, 1. find out the last time it was replaced because it needs to be done every 6 months or so 2. most people dont realize that UVB does not penetrate glass or plastic, so unless you remove that plastic cover over that bulb...your just wasting your money, its not doing anything at all. If I were you I'd remove the plastic cover and mount it on the top of the cage so its lighting downward. Other than that good luck with him.
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Accepted Answer
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1/20/2010 12:15:07 AM
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Sylvias
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He is 7!!?? He should definitely be full grown by now and looks to have been badly abused in his last home. Perhaps its the angle he is sitting at but he looks very deformed, from that picture i would almost bet my snakes that "limp" that was removed was something that resulted from MBD.
As others said YOU NEED UVB above all else at this time. Humidity needs to be at a constant 80-90% temps should be mid 80's with a hot basking spot of 95-98. UVB can pass through plexiglass but not glass so keep that in mind if and when you update the cage.
If he is already 7 years old I highly doubt he will be growing much more, his growth has been stunted.
you will also need to provide much more variation than just greens. as well as coating everything with calcium powder.
Iguanas need a wide variety of plant material, greens make up the most of it but they need a good mixture of fruit and veggies as well.
Here is an awesome source for the types of plants reptiles can eat and what they have to offer.
http://www.herpfamily.com/showthread.php?t=10536
I personally would get rid of the repticarpet and put him on newspapers. Unless you are washing and changing out the carpet everyday it is going to be dirty and soak up those urates like a sponge. news paper that can be changed out daily is so much easier...and yes...it definitely needs to be daily...igs eat a lot..therefor crap a lot...
I am curious to know exactly how this person was keeping it before you, and what they fed it....
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Author Comment
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1/20/2010 12:21:15 AM
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Billy Warren
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the lady b4 me was a teacher and had him in the class room but the school lost funds for it and had to get rid of it so she asked me being the herp lover i am lol but she kept him just like he is now and has raised him since he was a baby
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Member Comment
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1/20/2010 12:22:46 AM
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Sylvias
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Then there was some definite flaws in her keeping if he is that tiny and 7 years old! That is down right cruelty.
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Member Comment
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1/20/2010 12:25:52 AM
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abi21491
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Agreed. That poor guy definitely looks to be a victim of MBD - growths on the jaw are NOT common in healthy iguanas, but common in iguanas with MBD.
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Member Comment
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1/20/2010 12:26:45 AM
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magsj387
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I believe it was lump, not limp... but yes I agree with you on what you've said. I doubt he will grow much more and his growth was greatly stunted in his prior home. Diet should be much more varied than collard and mustard greens, and calcium to boot to help out. As far as UVB, its penetration of plexiglass is highly dependent on thickness, with the bulbs having a very low output, its HIGHLY suggested to remove that plate to allow as much UV as possible, (the box even says to do so, its for shipping purposes only). Remember you can't do anything about what was done in his past, only do your research and care for him as good as possible from now on.
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Member Comment
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1/20/2010 12:29:44 AM
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Sylvias
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I am curious why that light is on the bottom as well... lizards should always have over head heating and lighting, so i would say your first order of business is to move lights to the top, make absolutely sure you have uvb lighting. get the temps and humidity in order and get working on the diet...
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Author Comment
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1/20/2010 12:51:07 AM
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Billy Warren
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thx guys u r all a big help :) he had a uvb bulb b4 we moved him but it blew out while we were moving him but im going to the store to get one tomorrow and i am for sure moving that light on top. idk y it was on the bottom but he loves it because of the warmthbut will move for sure
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Assisted Answer
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1/20/2010 2:20:45 AM
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jeremyk
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i feed mine a dry diet. i know some people dont like it, but i do. its easier than fresh and in imo just as good if not better for them. the male i have is about 12 years old 6 feet long and 17 pounds. the male i just took in is about 5 feet and 10 pounds. the one u have is way under sized. u really need To research better nutrition or get it on a dry diet cause just greens aint going to cut it. The reason im stressing the dry diet is because it takes all the think work out of it for u and u can buy a 50 pound bag of it for 100.00 bucks, its just easy. UV is EXTREMLY important A and B. cage size ,start building a bigger one, that one is too small the smallest id go is 7x6x4. Humidity is also important, just cause u spray an animal doesn’t mean the humidity in the cage is right, it just means u have a wet iguana for 5 minutes. The cage has to hold humidity which means ..no chicken wire. Get a nice big mercury vapor bulb for basking, a good solid log and a nice rock. I put the rock somewhere under the bulb that way it heats up and provides another hot spot and it will hold heat too, once the lights go out for the night. There’s soooooo much more , but… I don’t feel like typing any more... so... that’s my two cents. im sure ur doing a good job with him. Just remember they live a long time and take up a lot of yours.
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Member Comment
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1/20/2010 10:50:07 AM
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Sylvias
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Dry diets are good as well, I used them for my iggy when I was short on cash or just feeling lazy. For the most part I enjoyed providing him with the variety to see what he liked and didn't but there were time when i was spending $15 a week on iguana salad...and he was still a little baby!! if you choose dry food to make things easier on yourself that is perfectly fine
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Member Comment
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1/20/2010 11:06:17 AM
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shellboa
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Anapsid.org has tons of great stuff about iguana care. It seems like you are doing well so far, other than the suggestions for the variety in diet I would only add that you put a constant source of calcium in there...like a little dish of powder it can lick at.
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Member Comment
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1/20/2010 12:01:45 PM
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Krestie Kate
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greeniguanasociety.org (i think thats right) Has the best dietary information. My guys got atleast 15-20 diffrent things each month in there diets. From greens to berries,dry food and even raw ramon. They need a highly varried diet. He's definatly the victiem of neglect. poor fella. He looks like he's only 2 years old not 7.
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Member Comment
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1/20/2010 12:58:27 PM
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Damiens daddy ken
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Greenigsociety.org is the site that kate was mentioning.And i agree that site has the best info in general.That's where i go to get any info when i have a question about my igg.
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Member Comment
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1/20/2010 1:25:52 PM
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dalvers63
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If you need to buy a new bulb anyhow, I suggest investing in a MegaRay mercury vapor UVA/UVB bulb. They last a LOT longer than the fluorescent types and provide appropriate heat at the same time. I love these and get them for all of our foster lizards that need good UV lighting.
www.reptileuv.com/
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Member Comment
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1/19/2011 4:30:23 AM
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abi21491
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