how long have you had him???

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Posted by iZ's mom on August 31, 1998 at 17:37:12:

In Reply to: Help - Our Iguana's not doing so well! posted by Sherry on August 31, 1998 at 16:34:21:

hi Sherry!
*hi little MO! you're CUTE!*

i doubt that it's "too late" to change Mo's diet to a healthier one!!! (at least they didn't tell you Lettuce + Spinach!!!!!) my iZ had a VERY unhealthy diet for the first YEAR of his life, til he came to live with me ....it was very slooooow progress but he HAS fattened up and GROWN quite nicely!!!!
you didn't say how long you've had Mo....? igs do NOT like change...they are easily stressed out and then they stop eating....very normal for a "new" ig!!! just make sure he's got fresh food available alllll the time in the beginning and i'm sure he WILL eat... it may take him a few days tho ..... make sure he has a bowl of fresh water too .... in time he'll calm down and realize you guys aren't going to eat him .....he's just really scared right now is all ... handle him EVERYday for at LEAST 15 min. so he has a chance to learn that you're not a threat to him.....if you can do things at the same time every day, that will help too....he'll know kind of WHAT to expect and WHEN ....
it MIGHT take him a while to learn to LIKE healthy food ... be patient!!! fruit is good in small amounts ... iZ gets a couple of orange segments everynight (with vitamins on them....shhh! he doesn't know THAT) ...but the times when he's been really stressed out and not eating to the point where i'm REALLY worried about him getting dehydrated, i'll give him extra oranges ... (a bit of extra fruit is also good for constipation.....) kiwi fruit is good too ...but it'll take some time before you figure out what Mo's favorties are ....
here's some more sites to check out:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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

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
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
oh! and i'd HIGHLY recommend a trip to a reputable REPTILE vet!!!! it's worth the cost for the peace of mind you'll get!!! also it's a good idea to have Mo checked for worms/parasites (same as you would a new puppy or kitty)!!!!!

hope this helps
good luck and come back!!!!

:P + :)
iZ + mom

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: : hi Sherry! : *hi little MO! you're CUTE!* : i doubt that it's "too late" to change Mo's diet to a healthier one!!! (at least they didn't tell you Lettuce + Spinach!!!!!) my iZ had a VERY unhealthy diet for the first YEAR of his life, til he came to live with me ....it was very slooooow progress but he HAS fattened up and GROWN quite nicely!!!! : you didn't say how long you've had Mo....? igs do NOT like change...they are easily stressed out and then they stop eating....very normal for a "new" ig!!! just make sure he's got fresh food available alllll the time in the beginning and i'm sure he WILL eat... it may take him a few days tho ..... make sure he has a bowl of fresh water too .... in time he'll calm down and realize you guys aren't going to eat him .....he's just really scared right now is all ... handle him EVERYday for at LEAST 15 min. so he has a chance to learn that you're not a threat to him.....if you can do things at the same time every day, that will help too....he'll know kind of WHAT to expect and WHEN .... : it MIGHT take him a while to learn to LIKE healthy food ... be patient!!! fruit is good in small amounts ... iZ gets a couple of orange segments everynight (with vitamins on them....shhh! he doesn't know THAT) ...but the times when he's been really stressed out and not eating to the point where i'm REALLY worried about him getting dehydrated, i'll give him extra oranges ... (a bit of extra fruit is also good for constipation.....) kiwi fruit is good too ...but it'll take some time before you figure out what Mo's favorties are .... : here's some more sites to check out: : ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ : 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 : 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 : ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ : oh! and i'd HIGHLY recommend a trip to a reputable REPTILE vet!!!! it's worth the cost for the peace of mind you'll get!!! also it's a good idea to have Mo checked for worms/parasites (same as you would a new puppy or kitty)!!!!! : hope this helps : good luck and come back!!!! : :P + :) : iZ + mom :

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