Re: MEAN Iggy!

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Posted by Harry's Dad on April 23, 2000 at 07:00:44:

In Reply to: MEAN Iggy! posted by Kim on April 22, 2000 at 22:54:32:

First off, is this your first iguana? Are you aware of the requirements for caring for an iguana? UVB,high temps,special diet,humidity...etc...?
About the tail growing back, it depends on several things if it will grow back or not. If the tail broke in one of the breaking points (there's 5 points) chances are very good, that it will grow back. If it didn't, it can be questionable about growing back. If it does grow back either way, it will be a different color and the scales will not match the rest of the body, most likely.
Some problem areas to watch out for with a broken tail are:
1. ring shed: this is when your iguana starts to shed, but the area by the break doesn't come off. It continues to build up dead skin, which will finally cut off any chance of new growth at the end of the tail. Make sure any dead skin is off the very tip of the tail when the shedding is in progress.
2. Infection: Keeping the area of the tail clean and the cage also, so that infection doesn't set in. Some cases of infection, will continue to climb up the tail and will eventally kill your iguana, from the spread of the main infection that started in the tail.

If the tail doesn't start to grow back (4 to 6 months) you do have the option of taking your iguana into a "Reptile Vet" and having him/her perform an operation to remove a section of the tail to the next breaking point. This still isn't fully guarentee to make the tail grow back, but chances are good it will.

As far as your "spooked" iguana goes, time is about the only thing that will cure that and plenty of attention from you to your iguana. Your iguana needs to know you're not going to hurt it. Right now, it's looking at you as if....Hey....it's a monster that's going to get me!!! ( what would you feel like if something 20 times bigger than you walked up to you and wanted to pick you up? )
Best wishes
HD

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: First off, is this your first iguana? Are you aware of the requirements for caring for an iguana? UVB,high temps,special diet,humidity...etc...? : About the tail growing back, it depends on several things if it will grow back or not. If the tail broke in one of the breaking points (there's 5 points) chances are very good, that it will grow back. If it didn't, it can be questionable about growing back. If it does grow back either way, it will be a different color and the scales will not match the rest of the body, most likely. : Some problem areas to watch out for with a broken tail are: : 1. ring shed: this is when your iguana starts to shed, but the area by the break doesn't come off. It continues to build up dead skin, which will finally cut off any chance of new growth at the end of the tail. Make sure any dead skin is off the very tip of the tail when the shedding is in progress. : 2. Infection: Keeping the area of the tail clean and the cage also, so that infection doesn't set in. Some cases of infection, will continue to climb up the tail and will eventally kill your iguana, from the spread of the main infection that started in the tail. : If the tail doesn't start to grow back (4 to 6 months) you do have the option of taking your iguana into a "Reptile Vet" and having him/her perform an operation to remove a section of the tail to the next breaking point. This still isn't fully guarentee to make the tail grow back, but chances are good it will. : As far as your "spooked" iguana goes, time is about the only thing that will cure that and plenty of attention from you to your iguana. Your iguana needs to know you're not going to hurt it. Right now, it's looking at you as if....Hey....it's a monster that's going to get me!!! ( what would you feel like if something 20 times bigger than you walked up to you and wanted to pick you up? ) : Best wishes : HD

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