Trying to help...long post

[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ The Iguana & Water Dragon Forum ] [ FAQ ]

Posted by Iguanamomma on July 01, 1999 at 14:35:21:

In Reply to: Baby Ig problem, HELP!! posted by Toby on July 01, 1999 at 13:11:16:

First, do find a vet in your area because you may need to have a complete exam. Second, answer questions posed by Lola/Harry's Mom to help us better help you.

Important - stop the force feeding! Depending on how you define force feeding you are seriously running the risk of food/water going down "the wrong hole" and actually drowning your baby. It sounds to me as tho you have a dehydration problem going on. Try soaking him in slightly warm water in a rubbermaid tub or bowl if he's small. Stay right there with him to be sure his head doesn't go under. You mainly, at this point, just want to cover his underside. Iguanas can actually soak up water thru their vent (where the poop comes out). This will help with the dehydration problem. Also get Gatorade and dilute it one to one and place in his water bowl. You can also use Pedialyte without diluting it. These products correct the imbalance in electrolytes that occurs in dehydration. You CAN actually add Gatorade or Pedialyte to the soaking water. (I'd recommend a bit of a rinse off if you do tho to keep him from being sticky.)

You CAN use a needleless syringe to drip liquid so that he can lap it up. One that has a flexible tip on it works great. You can work this sort of tip up & under a lip and squirt just a tiny, tiny bit in and let him swallow. If he resists, don't fight him over it because you don't want to have to deal with an injury right now (his or yours!).

For feeding purposes you can try using what is known as a slurry. This is a mixture of food and liquid. Make it watery enough to pass thru the syringe and once again drip it. Try dripping a drop on the end of the nose and see if he licks it. If you can get him interested enough, you may be able to put this mixture in a bowl and he'll lick it up from there.

If he's very skinny, I would supplement with the Ensure slurry-- 1 can Ensure + 1 banana + vitamins/calcium. There are several kinds of Ensure; use the one that's "regular" (vanilla). Mix this well and refrigerate unused Ensure. You may want to just open a can and mix with the other stuff in a bowl and not use the entire can. Chances are he's not going to eat all of this before it spoils. The can will keep for a while refrigerated but once you add the banana it goes down hill fast...in other words not suitable for feeding the next day even when refrigerated. The Ensure contains proteins and vitamins that he's missed while not eating; the banana is a source of potassium which helps balance the electrolytes.

Another method is to use the Pedialyte or diluted Gatorade to water down a vegetable baby food enough to pass thru a syringe. Baby food should be the kind that has no additives such as "First Foods".

The Pedialyte, syringes and baby food can all be found at most stores' Baby aisle. The Ensure is usually over with the vitamins and power drinks. Syringes may also be in the pharmacy area. (Remember needleless! :o) ) Gatorade is everywhere.

I'm leaving you a website that gives more information. It is in relationship to sick reptiles. I'm not saying yours is sick per se but he does need some help. The non-pooping can certainly be from dehydration. And dehydration can come from not eating just as easily as from not drinking.

As I said at the beginning, find a herp vet now. You should call them & explain things as you have here and see if they think you should come in now or try some of these methods first. Let the professionals decide this; I'm not a vet just experienced in a few things. I do not wish to scare you, but you have described a serious situation and I don't want to mislead you in to thinking that simple soaking, etc. WILL fix it when it might not. At this point, time may be against you.

Good luck and I hope that some of this will help your iguana. Please stay around the forum and post updates.....we are all in a learning process. There are sites on the net that can help in raising one of these green babes. Haven't included any today because well, first things first :o)

Here's the one for sickies:

http://hometown.aol.com/nevrengh/cure.html

Sick Reptile Care

Follow Ups:

Re: Dang!! IgMom...yur gooood! BabyHerp 7/01/99 (0)

Post a Followup

Name:
E-Mail:

Subject:

Comments:
: First, do find a vet in your area because you may need to have a complete exam. Second, answer questions posed by Lola/Harry's Mom to help us better help you. : Important - stop the force feeding! Depending on how you define force feeding you are seriously running the risk of food/water going down "the wrong hole" and actually drowning your baby. It sounds to me as tho you have a dehydration problem going on. Try soaking him in slightly warm water in a rubbermaid tub or bowl if he's small. Stay right there with him to be sure his head doesn't go under. You mainly, at this point, just want to cover his underside. Iguanas can actually soak up water thru their vent (where the poop comes out). This will help with the dehydration problem. Also get Gatorade and dilute it one to one and place in his water bowl. You can also use Pedialyte without diluting it. These products correct the imbalance in electrolytes that occurs in dehydration. You CAN actually add Gatorade or Pedialyte to the soaking water. (I'd recommend a bit of a rinse off if you do tho to keep him from being sticky.) : You CAN use a needleless syringe to drip liquid so that he can lap it up. One that has a flexible tip on it works great. You can work this sort of tip up & under a lip and squirt just a tiny, tiny bit in and let him swallow. If he resists, don't fight him over it because you don't want to have to deal with an injury right now (his or yours!). : For feeding purposes you can try using what is known as a slurry. This is a mixture of food and liquid. Make it watery enough to pass thru the syringe and once again drip it. Try dripping a drop on the end of the nose and see if he licks it. If you can get him interested enough, you may be able to put this mixture in a bowl and he'll lick it up from there. : If he's very skinny, I would supplement with the Ensure slurry-- 1 can Ensure + 1 banana + vitamins/calcium. There are several kinds of Ensure; use the one that's "regular" (vanilla). Mix this well and refrigerate unused Ensure. You may want to just open a can and mix with the other stuff in a bowl and not use the entire can. Chances are he's not going to eat all of this before it spoils. The can will keep for a while refrigerated but once you add the banana it goes down hill fast...in other words not suitable for feeding the next day even when refrigerated. The Ensure contains proteins and vitamins that he's missed while not eating; the banana is a source of potassium which helps balance the electrolytes. : Another method is to use the Pedialyte or diluted Gatorade to water down a vegetable baby food enough to pass thru a syringe. Baby food should be the kind that has no additives such as "First Foods". : The Pedialyte, syringes and baby food can all be found at most stores' Baby aisle. The Ensure is usually over with the vitamins and power drinks. Syringes may also be in the pharmacy area. (Remember needleless! :o) ) Gatorade is everywhere. : I'm leaving you a website that gives more information. It is in relationship to sick reptiles. I'm not saying yours is sick per se but he does need some help. The non-pooping can certainly be from dehydration. And dehydration can come from not eating just as easily as from not drinking. : As I said at the beginning, find a herp vet now. You should call them & explain things as you have here and see if they think you should come in now or try some of these methods first. Let the professionals decide this; I'm not a vet just experienced in a few things. I do not wish to scare you, but you have described a serious situation and I don't want to mislead you in to thinking that simple soaking, etc. WILL fix it when it might not. At this point, time may be against you. : Good luck and I hope that some of this will help your iguana. Please stay around the forum and post updates.....we are all in a learning process. There are sites on the net that can help in raising one of these green babes. Haven't included any today because well, first things first :o) : Here's the one for sickies: : http://hometown.aol.com/nevrengh/cure.html

Optional Link URL:
Link Title:
Optional Image URL:

[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ The Iguana & Water Dragon Forum ] [ FAQ ]