Christy - you misunderstood my post entirely...

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Posted by Sharon on July 25, 2001 at 00:51:27:

In Reply to: Greg this wasnt to you sorry was to the person who replyed to your post msg posted by Christy on July 24, 2001 at 09:40:35:

last clarification - if it hasn't been made yet.

I do NOT feed my iguana garbage food...if you read the post i made I was suggesting supplemental items in the first part (in response to the question about what to do if iguana only eats greens) I did not see any need to talk about more greens - that was not the question asked...

the rest of the post was devoted to talking about some STRANGE iguana eating habits I have experienced in the past. Rest assured I have rectified every animal's diet after adopting them - including the iguana that had been raised on catfood and pizza before I got him...(That was NOT an example of good iguana diet - but exactly the opposite! I was trying to make a point about 'picky eaters' - not suggest to anyone that those items should be fed. I did not think my statement was so unclear - and am NOT an idiot in regards to iguana diet. I feel that the tone of your post makes all sorts of assumptions that should not have been drawn from what i wrote. I will return to to it to re-read what you took such an offensive posture towards - but assure you that I am continuously reading up on new ideas in herp diet for all my animals. A pinch of fruit flavored dust (bird pellets ground) will not harm my baby, and really helps to get him to try new food items like squash and zuchinis...pinches of the bean powder mush i mentioned are offered for extra protein...rather than doing what so many other people do fo rprotein and give him dogfod (ugh) I prefer the bean powder...

By the way - while iceberg lettuce has no value whatsoever and should not be fed...green/red leaf as well as romaine are nutritionally sound elements (in small quantities) of a balanced diet for an iguana...good phosphorus to calcium ratio as far as green food goes. The bulk of Iggy's diet is mustard and turnip greens and I don't even use large quantities of collards because some experts claim that it is much like spinach and kale in regards to calcium binding effects in the digestive system...none of the food items I posted about were meant to be staple foods (goodness gracious!) please re read what I wrote in light of this clarification.

And as far as the idea that iguanas cannot choose foods based on nutritional needs - I am afraid I do not agree. The prime reason (after sheer curiosity) that an animal might eat something silly like a button or other non food item has been hypothesized to be based in the same physiological phenomenon as the uman disorder called 'PICA' People with PICA eat non food items in an unconscious attempt to bring needed dietary components into their bodies...animals do the same thing for the most part. if you read what I wrote, it wasn't that anyone should simply allow their animal to run around and eat what it chooses - it was a direct response to the question of 'if my iguana only eats greens...' - and what i was saying is that a variety should be offered and the animal should be allowed to choose items from that variety because it will eat what it needs to as long as what it needs is offered.

I sure hope this clarifies your misconceptions, Christy. I realize you and I do not know each other - so i forgive the misunderstanding...but I do tend to get a little touchy when I am accused of miscaring for my animals in ANY way.

**************************************************
HERE IS MY ORIGINAL POST:
Iggy had a thing about lettuce - any of the romaine or red leaf I put in disappeared first - then he would **not really wanting to** move along to other stuff...so i have to keep his lettuce to a minimum (and buried at the bottom) so he tries out other stuff...

some of his favorites NOW are:
shredded carrot, cactus pad shreds, french cut green beans chopped (i use frozen) and he LOVES fresh aloe (kinda minced and mushed up)... and dandelion -
sometimes i can get him to eat his squash and his 'bean powder mush' by smearing aloe or cactus pad 'goo' on top...also I have bird pellets for Lorikeets (mostly fruit based pellet diet) that I process in a coffee grinder with the bean powder...really fine dusting of that stuff will get my Iggy to eat ANYTHING. I guess it smells delicious. **grins**

Gotta just try everything...some iguanas love certain foods while others won't touch it. Malachai used to have to be "fenced off" from the catfood bowls (!) ...and he HATED greens when I got him. He only wanted squash, zuchini and (of all things) CHEERIOS!... he would jump all over a slice of pizza if he could too....

They are all different (kinda like people) - pick up some new items each week and try them out...also you may find that something he won't touch one day might be his favorite food next week - so keep cycling throught he options. Iguanas tend to know what nutrients they need and will eat accordingly - so don't worry. As long as he has a good selection, he can choose what he wants...

~shar

: I figured that was waht you mean the lady who posted above mine posted she feed lettuce, cherios and pizza. Sorry for any confusion. Just read the post above the one mine is in reply to and I think youwill see waht I mean.

: : when i write greens i refer to collard, dandilian and a little parsley, not lettuce

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: last clarification - if it hasn't been made yet. : I do NOT feed my iguana garbage food...if you read the post i made I was suggesting supplemental items in the first part (in response to the question about what to do if iguana only eats greens) I did not see any need to talk about more greens - that was not the question asked... : the rest of the post was devoted to talking about some STRANGE iguana eating habits I have experienced in the past. Rest assured I have rectified every animal's diet after adopting them - including the iguana that had been raised on catfood and pizza before I got him...(That was NOT an example of good iguana diet - but exactly the opposite! I was trying to make a point about 'picky eaters' - not suggest to anyone that those items should be fed. I did not think my statement was so unclear - and am NOT an idiot in regards to iguana diet. I feel that the tone of your post makes all sorts of assumptions that should not have been drawn from what i wrote. I will return to to it to re-read what you took such an offensive posture towards - but assure you that I am continuously reading up on new ideas in herp diet for all my animals. A pinch of fruit flavored dust (bird pellets ground) will not harm my baby, and really helps to get him to try new food items like squash and zuchinis...pinches of the bean powder mush i mentioned are offered for extra protein...rather than doing what so many other people do fo rprotein and give him dogfod (ugh) I prefer the bean powder... : By the way - while iceberg lettuce has no value whatsoever and should not be fed...green/red leaf as well as romaine are nutritionally sound elements (in small quantities) of a balanced diet for an iguana...good phosphorus to calcium ratio as far as green food goes. The bulk of Iggy's diet is mustard and turnip greens and I don't even use large quantities of collards because some experts claim that it is much like spinach and kale in regards to calcium binding effects in the digestive system...none of the food items I posted about were meant to be staple foods (goodness gracious!) please re read what I wrote in light of this clarification. : And as far as the idea that iguanas cannot choose foods based on nutritional needs - I am afraid I do not agree. The prime reason (after sheer curiosity) that an animal might eat something silly like a button or other non food item has been hypothesized to be based in the same physiological phenomenon as the uman disorder called 'PICA' People with PICA eat non food items in an unconscious attempt to bring needed dietary components into their bodies...animals do the same thing for the most part. if you read what I wrote, it wasn't that anyone should simply allow their animal to run around and eat what it chooses - it was a direct response to the question of 'if my iguana only eats greens...' - and what i was saying is that a variety should be offered and the animal should be allowed to choose items from that variety because it will eat what it needs to as long as what it needs is offered. : I sure hope this clarifies your misconceptions, Christy. I realize you and I do not know each other - so i forgive the misunderstanding...but I do tend to get a little touchy when I am accused of miscaring for my animals in ANY way. : ************************************************** : HERE IS MY ORIGINAL POST: : Iggy had a thing about lettuce - any of the romaine or red leaf I put in disappeared first - then he would **not really wanting to** move along to other stuff...so i have to keep his lettuce to a minimum (and buried at the bottom) so he tries out other stuff... : some of his favorites NOW are: : shredded carrot, cactus pad shreds, french cut green beans chopped (i use frozen) and he LOVES fresh aloe (kinda minced and mushed up)... and dandelion - : sometimes i can get him to eat his squash and his 'bean powder mush' by smearing aloe or cactus pad 'goo' on top...also I have bird pellets for Lorikeets (mostly fruit based pellet diet) that I process in a coffee grinder with the bean powder...really fine dusting of that stuff will get my Iggy to eat ANYTHING. I guess it smells delicious. **grins** : Gotta just try everything...some iguanas love certain foods while others won't touch it. Malachai used to have to be "fenced off" from the catfood bowls (!) ...and he HATED greens when I got him. He only wanted squash, zuchini and (of all things) CHEERIOS!... he would jump all over a slice of pizza if he could too.... : They are all different (kinda like people) - pick up some new items each week and try them out...also you may find that something he won't touch one day might be his favorite food next week - so keep cycling throught he options. Iguanas tend to know what nutrients they need and will eat accordingly - so don't worry. As long as he has a good selection, he can choose what he wants... : ~shar : : I figured that was waht you mean the lady who posted above mine posted she feed lettuce, cherios and pizza. Sorry for any confusion. Just read the post above the one mine is in reply to and I think youwill see waht I mean. : : : when i write greens i refer to collard, dandilian and a little parsley, not lettuce

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