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Posted by iZ's mom on June 26, 2001 at 23:23:40:
In Reply to: Just adopted a young Iguana...Questions on the basics posted by Mike on June 26, 2001 at 21:08:42:
<< I know i should have read up before i got him, and i do plan on getting a few books tomorrow, but i couldn't help feeling bad for him. <<
*grin* ~ well i DO know that feeling!!! iZ was also a "rescue 1st, then figure it out" as well ... this is a GREAT forum for all kinds of questions!!!
depending on your ig's overall health, s/he *should* be about big enough to sex ... take a look at the inside of it's thighs ~ males have large, sometimes protruding femoral pores ... pix on the link ~ male/female femoral pores
~~~
take a fresh poop sample to an ig-vet, ASAP!
chances are your ig has worms and will need to be treated ...
~~~
coupla good links to start you off:
Basking Spot has a good (+ LONG!) list of good-for-ig foods
The Basking Spot
MK has literally TONS of ig info on ALL aspects of ig care ~ from enclosure size, to health stuff
MK's Giant Green Iguana Care
~~~~~
good books ~ James Hatfield's (oh carp ~ i blanked on the name of the book ... ) ... "Ultimate Iguana Manual" or somethin' like that ... highly recommeded!
Melissa Kaplin's "Iguana's for Dummies" also highly recommended ~ (yep, same MK as the web site)
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food ~
you're right, lettuce has zero nutritional value and should NOT be fed to igs for that reason ... (you don't want them to fill up on "junk food"!)
but other leafy greens should be the major portion of their diet ~ collards, dandelion, mustard, escarole, endive, etc... (check the Basking Spot!) ... (stay away from spinach, except as an *occasional* diet treat)
most recommend NOT feeding animal protein of any kind ~ it's potentially VERY hard on the kidneys, why risk it? ... no buggies, no mealworms, etc ~ no cheese or dairy products, etc. ...
different kinds of vegies are good too and igs like variety ... just remember that igs do NOT chew! their vegies need to be grated or sliced very thin so they're edible ... different kinds of squash (zucchini, acorn, yellow, butternut), green beans, carrots *once in a while*,
*small* amount of fruit are ok, not too much or you'll have an ig with diarrhea and a tummy ache! (iZ gets a bit of fruit on top of his supper salad, but not for breakfast) ... strawberries, kiwi, melon ... (slice 'em thin!) ... stay away from citrus fruit, as it *could* irritate their mouth ...
~~~
water~
igs should always have fresh water available to them even tho you may not ever see them actually drink ~ they'll get most of their moisture needs from their food so spray the salad before serving it ...
and most igs prefer moving water rather than just a plain ol' bowl ... iZ has a "bubbler" in his and likes that alot!
~~~
enclosure:
he needs BIGGER ~ ASAP!!! (easier to do this time of year maybe, cuz heat + humidity isn't *quite* as difficult as it is in the winter months!)
igs live in tree in the wild and they NEED to be able to climb and be up as high as possible ~ that's what makes them feel safe and safe makes them happy ...
in the mean time, if at all possible, give him time outside the "tank" everyday to roam and get exercise ~ *Supervise* him at all times!!!! (igs get into more trouble than toddlers and twice as fast!!! :)) ...
~~~
heat:
a range of temps is *best*, but prob'ly not possible in his current set-up ... i'd aim for 80-85 degrees during the day, maybe a bit cooler (70-75) at nite ...
as humid as possible! a pan of water in his enclosure will help that out a little bit ~ make sure to freshen it at least every day ~ it's possible he'll decide it's his toilet ~ (which is another topic, but it's a great way to 'potty train'!)
NO HOT ROCKS!!!!!!
~~~
igs have different personalities, same as us humons ... his quietness right now *could* be temporary, could be his way of reacting to all the change he's gone thru ... igs tend to HATE change, even if it's a "good" thing ...
so it's possible that right now, he's too terrified to do much and once he adjusts a bit you could have a wild thing on your hands ...
or ...
some of us think that rescued igs DO know they're in a better place and some igs just seem to adapt very quickly to their NICE, new humon ... (iZ was the size of your's when he moved in with me + has been a sweetie since day one ... we won't talk about mating season ... yet! :))
but ... be aware that igs have a mouthful of VERY SHARP teeth and they have a VERY powerful jaw and can do major damage to your skin!
apporach him slowly, start talkin' to him when you're still 1/2 a room away so he *knows* you're comin' ... (iZ "zones out" sometimes + doesn't hear me until i'm right there + i've scared the crap outta him a couple times ~ not a good thing!) ...
try not to loom over him cuz that's what predators do + it's scary ... if possible, pick him up from underneath instead of grabbing him from above ~ also less scary ... iZ has taught me that if his back legs feel secure *1st*, he's more ok with being picked up ~ so i pick up his back end, let him feel that he can get a good grip on my wrist and then pick up his front end with the other hand ...
~~~
ok ... i *think* i'm typed out ... *grin*
ask as many questions as you can think of!
we've all had to learn in the beginning and there are NO dumb, silly, etc. questions!!!
do you have a name picked out yet????
pix + stories always appreciated!!!
good luck + keep us posted!!!
Bon. + iZ (the dreadful dragon)
