Re: I know what you mean... THANKS ! ! ! ! !

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Posted by Ivan on July 31, 2001 at 08:10:59:

In Reply to: I know what you mean... posted by Sharon on July 30, 2001 at 23:20:35:

: No, Iggy only picks and chooses from his massive collection of goodies at each meal - that is why i moved to three meals instead of the 2 I had him on before - just to make sure that if all he was eating was lets say "carrot shreds and cactus pad" - the next meal would have other things in it to ensure wide variety...

: OK - the bean deal - bear with me -
: I buy 1 lb bags of the follwing DRY beans and lentils:
: Split pea, pinto, garbanzo, lima, green and brown lentils, navy beans, kidney bean, black eyed peas (basically whatever I can find in the dry bean aisle!) I also get a bag of long grain brown rice.

: I cook about a cup of the rice with more water than directed (AND NO SALT!!) until it is VERY mushy and put small quantities of the dry beans in equal quantities into a coffee grinder until they are pulverized dust (You can grind as much or little as you have the patience for - it can be tedious work!). The rice I store in a tupperware container in the fridge - the bean powder (all mixed up) in a seperate one, also in the fridge. Every day I take a small scoop of the bean powder out (not even a teaspoon) and add some water ( a few tablespoons) to make it pastey and runny - then heat it up for a while (microwave works pretty good) until the mix is smooth. (I actually taste it to make sure it isn't gritty :P) Then I usually offer Iggy one tablespoon of the brown rice mixed with this bean mush as part of his dinner. He never eats ALL of it...but he usually hits that first when dinnertime comes, so I know he likes it.

:
: On the whole, I would say that I offer about a cup (TOTAL FOODS - greens, veggies, etc) per meal and he eats a little less than half at any meal...if that is any gauge to quantity...

: Talk to you soon!

: ~shar

: : Does he eat it all??? Freddy tends to eat about 1/4 - 1/2 of his food per day, but has a pretty descent sized bowl. He is growing and shedding fairly well, so we must be doing something right, but I would love to base it on something. If you have time, hook me up with the protein mix. I'll tell you though, I used beans in my salad last week for the first time and not only did he not touch the food 3 days straight, it stank up half of my house. I'll try the brown rice. LOL. Let me know what you think.

: : : That is reaslly fascinating about the dark circle - I had not read that. Makes a great deal of sense!

: : : I am also glad to hear that you said about the same thing as my vet about the brownish head...I think in Iggy's case the second or third theory might be right on - he DOES sit real close tot he heat bulb...and he tends to drop chunks of head skin off at times, revealing greener skin beneath. I can't figure out a way to help ease the shed process on the head area any more than we do already, so I am guessing he will just be that color. I really appreciate your response to all this - it helps a lot to know!

: : : As far as food Iggy is terribly SPOILEd with his diet...I feed 3 times a day a base of turnip and mustard greens with small amounts of romaine or red leaf lettuce. With that he gets some baby carrot shreds, minced cactus pad, dandelion green, collard, shredded green beans, lima beans, summer squash or zuchini, etc - in various mixtures for the morning and afternoon feedings...and usually some type of fruit (usually minced up grapes, banana, peach, or plum) added to the dark leafy greens base along with a brown rice/bean powder sloppy mush mix at dinnertime. I do not believe in feeding animal proteins, so I use the beans and brown rice (the combination provides a good ratio of nutrients for proper absorption) as a protein boost item rather than resorting to dogfood or monkey chow **UGH!!!**. Sometimes I sprinkle new food items with powdered Lory pellet (just a very small pinch) to give it a sweeter smell so he wil try new stuff. Our newest battle is with fresh alfalfa sprouts...he HATES them without the fruit powder and only eats them if they are dusted AND I feed them to him by hand (SPOILED ROTTEN!)

: : : I can post a basic recipe for my protein mixture if you want it - it takes a little work but is really good for iggies instead of animal protein sources...

: : :
: : : Talk to you soon!

: : : ~Sharon

: : :
: : : : First of all, I was very happy to see the pics of Iggy when he was little. I dont know exactly how old Freddy is, but when I got him, he was only a little bit bigger than Iggy is in the "Teeny Tiny Guy" picture. So my new estimate is that Freddy is about 6 months old...and NOT 8 Months. Thanks.

: : : : As for your questions...I've been reading a lot about these little guys and have learned a few things about their bodies. For one, the spot on the top of their heads is like a "3rd" eye. Basically, it detects changes in light from above. For example, a bird flying over-head that might want to eat him would be detected by this EYE and he would run for cover. Ive read stories about pet Iguanas on their owners shoulder buggin out because a plane flew over them (at 30000 feet) and they detected it. If you notice, when you try to pick him up from the top it startles him. Pretty cool gizmo.

: : : : The darker head has a few theories. Yeah, Freddy has always had it. I read that they get darker to absorb more heat. Its like when you walk in the sun with an open black umbrella, it absorbs the heat like crazy. Maybe the enclosure is not warm enough. Another one is that maybe the heat lamp is too close to his basking spot. I think thats what happened to Freddy. Like Iggy, he usually hangs out with his head up closer to the heat. So it may be like a heat burn. Lastly, he may not have shed properly on his head, and what you are seeing is a few layers of old skin encrustated to his head (which may also be happenning to Fred). The other day he shed a huge chunk of dark head skin off. It was no Joke. And his head got a bit lighter.

: : : : Thats it...hope this helps. What are you feeding him, since I see he is growing pretty quickly??
: : : : -Ivan

: : : : : I looked over the pics you posted of Freddy (He is very sweet looking!!) I was wondering about his facial coloration...he seems to have a dark head and some blackish areas - including a spot on the top of his head that looks like a little black circle? (Not sure if these are just photo 'tricks' or if his head is colored like that)

: : : : : I was just wondering if you had a vet look at the coloration and if anyone had any answers as to what causes color differences like those as compared to other iguana colors...I am curious because Iggy has similar markings, and while my vet said it was fine - I am wondering if anyone has info on mhy or how that occurs in some animals...

: : : : : Thanks for whatever help you can offer here...

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: : No, Iggy only picks and chooses from his massive collection of goodies at each meal - that is why i moved to three meals instead of the 2 I had him on before - just to make sure that if all he was eating was lets say "carrot shreds and cactus pad" - the next meal would have other things in it to ensure wide variety... : : OK - the bean deal - bear with me - : : I buy 1 lb bags of the follwing DRY beans and lentils: : : Split pea, pinto, garbanzo, lima, green and brown lentils, navy beans, kidney bean, black eyed peas (basically whatever I can find in the dry bean aisle!) I also get a bag of long grain brown rice. : : I cook about a cup of the rice with more water than directed (AND NO SALT!!) until it is VERY mushy and put small quantities of the dry beans in equal quantities into a coffee grinder until they are pulverized dust (You can grind as much or little as you have the patience for - it can be tedious work!). The rice I store in a tupperware container in the fridge - the bean powder (all mixed up) in a seperate one, also in the fridge. Every day I take a small scoop of the bean powder out (not even a teaspoon) and add some water ( a few tablespoons) to make it pastey and runny - then heat it up for a while (microwave works pretty good) until the mix is smooth. (I actually taste it to make sure it isn't gritty :P) Then I usually offer Iggy one tablespoon of the brown rice mixed with this bean mush as part of his dinner. He never eats ALL of it...but he usually hits that first when dinnertime comes, so I know he likes it. : : : : On the whole, I would say that I offer about a cup (TOTAL FOODS - greens, veggies, etc) per meal and he eats a little less than half at any meal...if that is any gauge to quantity... : : Talk to you soon! : : ~shar : : : Does he eat it all??? Freddy tends to eat about 1/4 - 1/2 of his food per day, but has a pretty descent sized bowl. He is growing and shedding fairly well, so we must be doing something right, but I would love to base it on something. If you have time, hook me up with the protein mix. I'll tell you though, I used beans in my salad last week for the first time and not only did he not touch the food 3 days straight, it stank up half of my house. I'll try the brown rice. LOL. Let me know what you think. : : : : That is reaslly fascinating about the dark circle - I had not read that. Makes a great deal of sense! : : : : I am also glad to hear that you said about the same thing as my vet about the brownish head...I think in Iggy's case the second or third theory might be right on - he DOES sit real close tot he heat bulb...and he tends to drop chunks of head skin off at times, revealing greener skin beneath. I can't figure out a way to help ease the shed process on the head area any more than we do already, so I am guessing he will just be that color. I really appreciate your response to all this - it helps a lot to know! : : : : As far as food Iggy is terribly SPOILEd with his diet...I feed 3 times a day a base of turnip and mustard greens with small amounts of romaine or red leaf lettuce. With that he gets some baby carrot shreds, minced cactus pad, dandelion green, collard, shredded green beans, lima beans, summer squash or zuchini, etc - in various mixtures for the morning and afternoon feedings...and usually some type of fruit (usually minced up grapes, banana, peach, or plum) added to the dark leafy greens base along with a brown rice/bean powder sloppy mush mix at dinnertime. I do not believe in feeding animal proteins, so I use the beans and brown rice (the combination provides a good ratio of nutrients for proper absorption) as a protein boost item rather than resorting to dogfood or monkey chow **UGH!!!**. Sometimes I sprinkle new food items with powdered Lory pellet (just a very small pinch) to give it a sweeter smell so he wil try new stuff. Our newest battle is with fresh alfalfa sprouts...he HATES them without the fruit powder and only eats them if they are dusted AND I feed them to him by hand (SPOILED ROTTEN!) : : : : I can post a basic recipe for my protein mixture if you want it - it takes a little work but is really good for iggies instead of animal protein sources... : : : : : : : : Talk to you soon! : : : : ~Sharon : : : : : : : : : First of all, I was very happy to see the pics of Iggy when he was little. I dont know exactly how old Freddy is, but when I got him, he was only a little bit bigger than Iggy is in the "Teeny Tiny Guy" picture. So my new estimate is that Freddy is about 6 months old...and NOT 8 Months. Thanks. : : : : : As for your questions...I've been reading a lot about these little guys and have learned a few things about their bodies. For one, the spot on the top of their heads is like a "3rd" eye. Basically, it detects changes in light from above. For example, a bird flying over-head that might want to eat him would be detected by this EYE and he would run for cover. Ive read stories about pet Iguanas on their owners shoulder buggin out because a plane flew over them (at 30000 feet) and they detected it. If you notice, when you try to pick him up from the top it startles him. Pretty cool gizmo. : : : : : The darker head has a few theories. Yeah, Freddy has always had it. I read that they get darker to absorb more heat. Its like when you walk in the sun with an open black umbrella, it absorbs the heat like crazy. Maybe the enclosure is not warm enough. Another one is that maybe the heat lamp is too close to his basking spot. I think thats what happened to Freddy. Like Iggy, he usually hangs out with his head up closer to the heat. So it may be like a heat burn. Lastly, he may not have shed properly on his head, and what you are seeing is a few layers of old skin encrustated to his head (which may also be happenning to Fred). The other day he shed a huge chunk of dark head skin off. It was no Joke. And his head got a bit lighter. : : : : : Thats it...hope this helps. What are you feeding him, since I see he is growing pretty quickly?? : : : : : -Ivan : : : : : : I looked over the pics you posted of Freddy (He is very sweet looking!!) I was wondering about his facial coloration...he seems to have a dark head and some blackish areas - including a spot on the top of his head that looks like a little black circle? (Not sure if these are just photo 'tricks' or if his head is colored like that) : : : : : : I was just wondering if you had a vet look at the coloration and if anyone had any answers as to what causes color differences like those as compared to other iguana colors...I am curious because Iggy has similar markings, and while my vet said it was fine - I am wondering if anyone has info on mhy or how that occurs in some animals... : : : : : : Thanks for whatever help you can offer here...

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