New Iguana Arrival, Very Sad

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Posted by Traci on June 19, 1999 at 17:25:37:

While at the pet store buying rats and crickets (for OTHER animals), one of the employees approached me and asked me if I could take in 2 iguanas and a 10' burmese python. Guy was on the phone trying to sell the iguanas and the snake to the store. I got the phone number, gave him a call, and the iguanas and snake have been delivered.

The smaller iguana is male. He's about 3 1/2' overall length. The female is slightly larger. The owner said they had no cage, but had been allowed to free roam. They were delivered and are still currently sitting in a large rabbit cage (4x2x2).

The owner told me that the male was thinner because the female had been stealing most of his food. I was in no way prepared for what I saw.

The male is skeletal in appearance. His tail is nothing but bone with a little bit of skin stretched over it. You can count his ribs by sight. His hind legs, which by rights should be massive, are the size of a magic marker. There is NO muscle tone at all.

He has what appear to be abscesses (knots that look infected) along his lower jaw, and his dewlap is torn slightly where it meets his lower jaw. He also has a raw spot on his lower lip just under the nose. Some of his spikes are laying over onto his sides.

Their diet consisted of romaine lettuce, collards, watermelon, kale, and mustard greens and there was no access to uv lighting. I cannot even be sure they were kept warm.

The GOOD news is, I have seperated the two and the male is standing in the middle of a dinner plate full of collards, dandelion greens, wax and green beans, yellow and butternut squash and is eating as fast as he can get it down! He's also tame as a puppy dog and puts his head up and back with his eyes closed when you scratch his head.

The female 'appears' to be healthy. Of course, given her recent history, I cannot be sure. The male is definitely inline for a trip to the vet immediately, if not sooner.

I'm sure Harry's mom and dad will post the pictures I'm going to be taking, but it's going to upset the both of them a great deal to see this guy. I cried when the owner left and I realized it was up to me. He really does look that bad.

I will keep you all posted and any advice you'd care to offer will be appreciated. Aside from the obvious 'get him to eat as much as possible', I'd like to know if there are certain foods that might be better than others right now to help bulk him up and build his muscle tone back up? I usually serve collards, mustard, turnip, and dandelion greens, chicory, escarole, rapini, yellow, butternut and acorn squash, green and wax beans, and every now and then a strawberry, piece of banana or watermelon for a treat.

Wish me luck, guys... this one's going to be tough.

Traci

Virginia Reptile Adoptions

Follow Ups:

Re: Traci you indeed a SPECIAL person, hats off to you! Martin 6/21/99 (0)
Sounds VERY familiar... Juby 6/19/99 (0)
Re: New Iguana Arrival, Very Sad Joan 6/19/99 (0)
Bit of advice Iguanamomma 6/19/99 (0)
Re: New Iguana Arrival, Very Sad meagan 6/19/99 (0)
Re: New Iguana Arrival, Very Sad xta 6/19/99 (0)

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: While at the pet store buying rats and crickets (for OTHER animals), one of the employees approached me and asked me if I could take in 2 iguanas and a 10' burmese python. Guy was on the phone trying to sell the iguanas and the snake to the store. I got the phone number, gave him a call, and the iguanas and snake have been delivered. : The smaller iguana is male. He's about 3 1/2' overall length. The female is slightly larger. The owner said they had no cage, but had been allowed to free roam. They were delivered and are still currently sitting in a large rabbit cage (4x2x2). : The owner told me that the male was thinner because the female had been stealing most of his food. I was in no way prepared for what I saw. : The male is skeletal in appearance. His tail is nothing but bone with a little bit of skin stretched over it. You can count his ribs by sight. His hind legs, which by rights should be massive, are the size of a magic marker. There is NO muscle tone at all. : He has what appear to be abscesses (knots that look infected) along his lower jaw, and his dewlap is torn slightly where it meets his lower jaw. He also has a raw spot on his lower lip just under the nose. Some of his spikes are laying over onto his sides. : Their diet consisted of romaine lettuce, collards, watermelon, kale, and mustard greens and there was no access to uv lighting. I cannot even be sure they were kept warm. : The GOOD news is, I have seperated the two and the male is standing in the middle of a dinner plate full of collards, dandelion greens, wax and green beans, yellow and butternut squash and is eating as fast as he can get it down! He's also tame as a puppy dog and puts his head up and back with his eyes closed when you scratch his head. : The female 'appears' to be healthy. Of course, given her recent history, I cannot be sure. The male is definitely inline for a trip to the vet immediately, if not sooner. : I'm sure Harry's mom and dad will post the pictures I'm going to be taking, but it's going to upset the both of them a great deal to see this guy. I cried when the owner left and I realized it was up to me. He really does look that bad. : I will keep you all posted and any advice you'd care to offer will be appreciated. Aside from the obvious 'get him to eat as much as possible', I'd like to know if there are certain foods that might be better than others right now to help bulk him up and build his muscle tone back up? I usually serve collards, mustard, turnip, and dandelion greens, chicory, escarole, rapini, yellow, butternut and acorn squash, green and wax beans, and every now and then a strawberry, piece of banana or watermelon for a treat. : Wish me luck, guys... this one's going to be tough. : Traci

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