Re: Purchasing an Iguana

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Posted by iZ's mom on August 29, 1998 at 08:31:26:

In Reply to: Purchasing an Iguana posted by Joan on August 29, 1998 at 03:31:28:

they're called GIANT Green Iguanas .....ARE YOU SURE YOU KNOW WHAT YOU"RE GETTING INTO?!?!?!?!?!!?
PLEASE don't just "cruise" thru those sites!!!!!READ THEM THOROUGHLY!!!!!!!!!
PLEASE don't go by what the pet stores tell you you'll need!!!!

i adopted my ig when he was about 1.5 years old, he was 30" long nose to tail ....he's now approx. 3 yo and is FOUR + A HALF FEET LONG .....( and i think he MAY be small for his age, due to a rough start in life.....)
that 20 gal aquarium the pet store says will work will only work for a COUPLE OF MONTHS.....
when iZ was 2 yo, i built him a 6'x5'x4' "condo"... and THAT was ONLY big enough because he has (supervised) free-roaming time EVERYDAY ....he now has his OWN ROOM .......
igs need VERY specialized care, diet, environment:
that prepackaged "ig diet" is BAD for them, "hot rocks" are even WORSE, and finding a QUALIFIED REPTILE VET isn't always easy OR CHEAP!!!
you HAVE to handle them EVERYDAY so they will stay accepting of you.....i trim iZ's claws EVERY 2-3 DAYS or my arms look like i've been thru a meat grinder from the scratches he UNINTENTIONLY leaves.....
who will spoon feed it baby food 3-4 times a day if it gets sick and/or won't eat?
who will hunt all over town for the collard greens, mustard greens, kale etc....? (on a WEEKLY basis)
who will pay for the ever-increasing things s/he needs????? full-spectrum lights are NOT cheap and need to be replaced every 6 months or so because they UVs get too weak......
no, it can't just share a room with one of the kids ......igs need a temp RANGE of 85-100 degrees .........
igs can live for TWENTY YEARS ....IF PROPERLY CARED FOR........

if i haven't scared you off yet.....*grin*......
i LOVE my iguana and think he is the most wonderful thing to hapapen to me since my son ....BUT......i was also very very UNprepared for the realities of ig-raising and much as i love iZ, i'm NOT sure i'd have taken on the responsibility if i'd known.....(oh YES i would have....i 'rescued' him from a very bad, abusive home......) but THAT"S another story ....

NOT ALL lizards are as difficult to care for as iguanas ..... mostly because they don't get as BIG as FAST!!!!!!! check out Bearded Dragons and others before settling on an ig....

(STILL reading????????) ok - here is a list of highly recommended (by us ig-lovers) sites ....READ THEM!!!!!!!! (with THANKS AGAIN to CHRISTINE !!!!!!)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Posted by Cristine on July 29, 1998 at 11:17:41:

I am making this a general post so that it will be easier to refer people to it in the future when they need this info.

Here's some recommended reading:

Melissa Kaplan's Herp Care Site
http://www.sonic.net/~melissk/ig_care.html
(M.Kaplan's IS THE BEST AND MOST INCLUSIVE!!!!read IT if you read nothing else!!!!!......iZ's mom)

Kevin Eagan's Iguana Den
http://www.escape.com/~iggyden/

Jen Swofford's iguana Pages
http://www.baskingspot.com/iguanas/index.html

Wong's Green Iguana Heaven
http://mail.milagros.net/caiman/

National Iguana Awareness Day
http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Canopy/2218/NIAD.html

The Ultimate Iguana Owner's Handbook, by James Hatfield III
http://www.tierraverde.com/iguana-1.htm

You may notice that diet varies from each of these sources, and from everyone who posts here. The main points to emphasize is great variety,
calcium rich foods, and generally about 70-80% leafy greens, and 20-30% vegetables as proportions.
Best of wishes with your ig!
Cristine
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
if you STILL want an ig ....*grins* .... there are MANY,MANY,MANY people here who are a GREAT HELP in times of need (and/or questions whose answer you can't find anywhere else!!!!)

GOOD LUCK!!!!!
let us know what you decide!!!!!

:P + :)
iZ + mom

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Re: Purchasing an Iguana Joan 8/29/98 (1)
- sounds like your iggy is going to have a GREAT HOME!!!!!!!!!! iZ's mom 8/29/98 (0)

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Comments:
: they're called GIANT Green Iguanas .....ARE YOU SURE YOU KNOW WHAT YOU"RE GETTING INTO?!?!?!?!?!!? : PLEASE don't just "cruise" thru those sites!!!!!READ THEM THOROUGHLY!!!!!!!!! : PLEASE don't go by what the pet stores tell you you'll need!!!! : i adopted my ig when he was about 1.5 years old, he was 30" long nose to tail ....he's now approx. 3 yo and is FOUR + A HALF FEET LONG .....( and i think he MAY be small for his age, due to a rough start in life.....) : that 20 gal aquarium the pet store says will work will only work for a COUPLE OF MONTHS..... : when iZ was 2 yo, i built him a 6'x5'x4' "condo"... and THAT was ONLY big enough because he has (supervised) free-roaming time EVERYDAY ....he now has his OWN ROOM ....... : igs need VERY specialized care, diet, environment: : that prepackaged "ig diet" is BAD for them, "hot rocks" are even WORSE, and finding a QUALIFIED REPTILE VET isn't always easy OR CHEAP!!! : you HAVE to handle them EVERYDAY so they will stay accepting of you.....i trim iZ's claws EVERY 2-3 DAYS or my arms look like i've been thru a meat grinder from the scratches he UNINTENTIONLY leaves..... : who will spoon feed it baby food 3-4 times a day if it gets sick and/or won't eat? : who will hunt all over town for the collard greens, mustard greens, kale etc....? (on a WEEKLY basis) : who will pay for the ever-increasing things s/he needs????? full-spectrum lights are NOT cheap and need to be replaced every 6 months or so because they UVs get too weak...... : no, it can't just share a room with one of the kids ......igs need a temp RANGE of 85-100 degrees ......... : igs can live for TWENTY YEARS ....IF PROPERLY CARED FOR........ : if i haven't scared you off yet.....*grin*...... : i LOVE my iguana and think he is the most wonderful thing to hapapen to me since my son ....BUT......i was also very very UNprepared for the realities of ig-raising and much as i love iZ, i'm NOT sure i'd have taken on the responsibility if i'd known.....(oh YES i would have....i 'rescued' him from a very bad, abusive home......) but THAT"S another story .... : NOT ALL lizards are as difficult to care for as iguanas ..... mostly because they don't get as BIG as FAST!!!!!!! check out Bearded Dragons and others before settling on an ig.... : (STILL reading????????) ok - here is a list of highly recommended (by us ig-lovers) sites ....READ THEM!!!!!!!! (with THANKS AGAIN to CHRISTINE !!!!!!) : ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ : Posted by Cristine on July 29, 1998 at 11:17:41: : I am making this a general post so that it will be easier to refer people to it in the future when they need this info. : Here's some recommended reading: : Melissa Kaplan's Herp Care Site : http://www.sonic.net/~melissk/ig_care.html : (M.Kaplan's IS THE BEST AND MOST INCLUSIVE!!!!read IT if you read nothing else!!!!!......iZ's mom) : : Kevin Eagan's Iguana Den : http://www.escape.com/~iggyden/ : Jen Swofford's iguana Pages : http://www.baskingspot.com/iguanas/index.html : Wong's Green Iguana Heaven : http://mail.milagros.net/caiman/ : National Iguana Awareness Day : http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Canopy/2218/NIAD.html : The Ultimate Iguana Owner's Handbook, by James Hatfield III : http://www.tierraverde.com/iguana-1.htm : : You may notice that diet varies from each of these sources, and from everyone who posts here. The main points to emphasize is great variety, : calcium rich foods, and generally about 70-80% leafy greens, and 20-30% vegetables as proportions. : Best of wishes with your ig! : Cristine : ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ : if you STILL want an ig ....*grins* .... there are MANY,MANY,MANY people here who are a GREAT HELP in times of need (and/or questions whose answer you can't find anywhere else!!!!) : GOOD LUCK!!!!! : let us know what you decide!!!!! : :P + :) : iZ + mom

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