Hope clears things up for you.

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Posted by James on March 21, 2001 at 16:16:54:

In Reply to: HERE I GO AGAIN . Long one . posted by Travis on March 21, 2001 at 14:06:20:

: Ok I have to go into this again .
: #1 Many thanks to MR D for making my first point
: #2 "Green Iguanas are strictly herbivorous " Please tell me ONE field study at least 1 year long that says this .

James-I have acquired my information on that matter from Robert Ehrig who has been Involved with Greed iguanas in the field.

: #3 Of all the things on you diet iguanas only have access to a few ie bananas mango an papaya . They do NOT eat anything else on the list in the wild .

James- Unfortunately we don't all live in Natural Iguana habitat, and do not have access to their natural foods, This diet is only an effort to duplicate (nutritionally) their diet in the wild with items commonly available to us here in the U.S.

: #4 Iguanas in the wild live on the ground ( for the most part ) until around 2 and eat anything they can get in there mouth .

James- Please tell me one study that suggests this. (Not the living on the ground stuff)

: #5 Iguanas in the wild after around age 2 live in tree tops and eat mostly the leaves and fruit of these trees .

: #6 You make the statement AND I QUOTE "Stomach content analysis's from wild iguanas of all ages have, to date, never produced any vidence to suggest that they ever eat any animal protein in any of the stages of their development from hatchling to older adults . I don't know where you got this from but I can tell you it was not from a field study . Just the fact that iguana eat LEAVES would mean they ingest animal protein by chance ie eggs , bugs and anything else on the leaf .

James- I am not talking about the occasional inadvertent ingesting of an aphid or some insect eggs. I do not discount that, but it makes up an immeasurable percentage of their diet.

: #7 You state and again I quote "Calcium Supplementation: A phosphorous free calcium supplement containing added vitamin D3 is the most important supplement you will need for your iguana." If you feed them correctly why would you need to do this ( other then a malnourished rescue ) ? Please tell me one study that says iguanas in the wild go to the pharmacy to buy calcium or any other supplement .

James- Again, we do not have access to their exact diet here in the U.S. In the wild their diet consists of calcium rich vegetation. In order to get the proper ratio for them, we need to supplement with some calcium. (not a huge amount, but enough to get the proper calcium/phospherous ratio).

: #8 You say and again I quote " Iguanas that have regular access to natural unfiltered sunlight need little or no vitamin D3 in their calcium. " So diet has not part ? Does this mean if I put my iguana in an out door inclosure he does not need to eat ? DIET is the # 1 killer of iguanas .

James- I don't know what the hell you are trying to say here. My point is that the D3 can be acquired through regular exposure to natural unfiltered sunlight. Therefore if an Iguana has access to this luxury then it will need little or no D3. That is all that I am saying. Please do not put words in my mouth.

: Well all that being said . I figure you might want to know who I am . Well nobody really . I am just a just that has been caring for iguanas for 17 years I have been rescuing them for 16 . I have talked to many people in many places and I have learned that one should NEVER take information from a single source and treat is as gospel . You seem to have a love as we all do of iguanas . You should NEVER offer ideas as FACT . Please do not get me wrong I do not recommend animal protein as a staple of an iguana diet . I also know for a FACT that a little is not going to kill them . You also don't know the Vets reasons for saying this he may have valid reasons . Having had to rescue many iguanas from vets I to question them but I would never condemn there idea without understanding the reason they do have good ones . Well I guess my rant is done for now . Please feel free to respond as I love
banter.
: Travis

James- No kidding.....

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Reply Travis 03/21/01 (1)
- one last word James 03/22/01 (0)

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: : Ok I have to go into this again . : : #1 Many thanks to MR D for making my first point : : #2 "Green Iguanas are strictly herbivorous " Please tell me ONE field study at least 1 year long that says this . : James-I have acquired my information on that matter from Robert Ehrig who has been Involved with Greed iguanas in the field. : : #3 Of all the things on you diet iguanas only have access to a few ie bananas mango an papaya . They do NOT eat anything else on the list in the wild . : James- Unfortunately we don't all live in Natural Iguana habitat, and do not have access to their natural foods, This diet is only an effort to duplicate (nutritionally) their diet in the wild with items commonly available to us here in the U.S. : : #4 Iguanas in the wild live on the ground ( for the most part ) until around 2 and eat anything they can get in there mouth . : James- Please tell me one study that suggests this. (Not the living on the ground stuff) : : #5 Iguanas in the wild after around age 2 live in tree tops and eat mostly the leaves and fruit of these trees . : : #6 You make the statement AND I QUOTE "Stomach content analysis's from wild iguanas of all ages have, to date, never produced any vidence to suggest that they ever eat any animal protein in any of the stages of their development from hatchling to older adults . I don't know where you got this from but I can tell you it was not from a field study . Just the fact that iguana eat LEAVES would mean they ingest animal protein by chance ie eggs , bugs and anything else on the leaf . : James- I am not talking about the occasional inadvertent ingesting of an aphid or some insect eggs. I do not discount that, but it makes up an immeasurable percentage of their diet. : : #7 You state and again I quote "Calcium Supplementation: A phosphorous free calcium supplement containing added vitamin D3 is the most important supplement you will need for your iguana." If you feed them correctly why would you need to do this ( other then a malnourished rescue ) ? Please tell me one study that says iguanas in the wild go to the pharmacy to buy calcium or any other supplement . : James- Again, we do not have access to their exact diet here in the U.S. In the wild their diet consists of calcium rich vegetation. In order to get the proper ratio for them, we need to supplement with some calcium. (not a huge amount, but enough to get the proper calcium/phospherous ratio). : : #8 You say and again I quote " Iguanas that have regular access to natural unfiltered sunlight need little or no vitamin D3 in their calcium. " So diet has not part ? Does this mean if I put my iguana in an out door inclosure he does not need to eat ? DIET is the # 1 killer of iguanas . : James- I don't know what the hell you are trying to say here. My point is that the D3 can be acquired through regular exposure to natural unfiltered sunlight. Therefore if an Iguana has access to this luxury then it will need little or no D3. That is all that I am saying. Please do not put words in my mouth. : : Well all that being said . I figure you might want to know who I am . Well nobody really . I am just a just that has been caring for iguanas for 17 years I have been rescuing them for 16 . I have talked to many people in many places and I have learned that one should NEVER take information from a single source and treat is as gospel . You seem to have a love as we all do of iguanas . You should NEVER offer ideas as FACT . Please do not get me wrong I do not recommend animal protein as a staple of an iguana diet . I also know for a FACT that a little is not going to kill them . You also don't know the Vets reasons for saying this he may have valid reasons . Having had to rescue many iguanas from vets I to question them but I would never condemn there idea without understanding the reason they do have good ones . Well I guess my rant is done for now . Please feel free to respond as I love : banter. : : Travis : James- No kidding.....

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