Happy, Happy, Happy!

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Posted by Julie on February 08, 1999 at 15:48:08:

We have a baby ig who is just a little over a year old.
We got him for Christmas, 1997. When we first thought
about getting an iguana we checked around at all the pet
stores, we really thought we did our research. It never
occurred to me at the time to check the internet, duh!
We followed all their advice for a few months, then,
thankfully, I decided just for the heck of it too look
up iguanas on the internet. I was so thrilled, then
shocked, to find all the stuff on the internet. I am
so happy we found this message board because although
I don't post a lot, I do read a lot. Melissa Kaplan has
a great site, with tons of information. And I would
probably have a pretty sick iggy by now if it hadn't
been for these two places. After reading the proper
ways to house, heat, feed, etc. our iggy on the internet,
no thanks to the pet stores, we modified our whole set
up and diet. It's been about 8 months since then and
this weekend we took iggy to the vet a couple hours away.

Good tips from this board on traveling with your ig! We
took a large cooler and laid three 2-liter soda bottles
filled with hot water on top of a towel on the bottom
of the cooler. Then I pre-heated a people heating pad,
unplugged it and laid it in the bottom of a pet tax (we
call it a cat carrier), put iggys favorite green towel
over the pad and put the cat carrier in the cooler sitting
right on top of the hot water bottles. I laid a big towel
over the whole thing and took it out to the back seat
of the car and cranked the heat! We brought a thermometer
with us and in the car it was about 75 degrees, and even
with the top towel off, iggys carrier stayed over 90 degrees
the whole time. We live in Oregon and it was about 40
outside! After his vet visit we even went to the mall
and iggy stayed toasty warm in his little set up in the
car. So, thanks for the hot water bottle idea you guys!

Oh yeah, the vet said iggy was doing great. He has a little
dry tail thing happening right on the tip, he said we may
lose a tiny bit, but that tail problems are pretty common and he
is so healthy otherwise it shouldn't be a problem. We are
treating it with triple antibiotic ointment 3 times a day.
It is a ridiculously small thing, but we are SO protective!
The vet tech came in first and brought iggy a hot water
bottle with a towel over it to lay on so he'd stay warm.
She said he was the healthiest iguana she'd ever seen and
couldn't believe he was only 1 year and 4 months old. He
already had big femoral pores and a big hemipenes (sp?)
bulge (male bragging here!). The vet said we are at the
head of his class and on the right track. We had the
biggest smiles ever when we walked out of there! We even
brought pictures of iggy the day we got him and pictures
of his cage now. He is about 30" stl.

Just wanted you all to know, especially the people who
post regularly on here, just how helpful you have been.
There are probably a lot of people out there like me,
who read and rarely post. But there is one more healthy,
totally spoiled rotten, iguana in the world thanks to
this information. Even though I posted a picture of our
cage we had built several months ago, I'm putting it up
again. We took the doors off a closet (5 foot wide) and
added a wood and plexi-glass addition. The total cage
dimensions are 6 feet tall, 5 feet wide, 5 feet deep.
We live near the coast so we gathered drift wood (logs),
washed/scrubbed them several times in bleach water and
let them dry for weeks before putting them in the cage.
It's great to get stuff for free, just have to be careful
to wash it all up so well. These logs would have cost
a ton to purchase. The biggest I could find available
on the internet or at the pet stores were quite a bit smaller
than these.

Thanks again!
Julei

Follow Ups:

i just love happy stories! iZ + mom 2/08/99 (0)
Re: Happy, Happy, Happy! Julie 2/08/99 (0)

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: We have a baby ig who is just a little over a year old. : We got him for Christmas, 1997. When we first thought : about getting an iguana we checked around at all the pet : stores, we really thought we did our research. It never : occurred to me at the time to check the internet, duh! : We followed all their advice for a few months, then, : thankfully, I decided just for the heck of it too look : up iguanas on the internet. I was so thrilled, then : shocked, to find all the stuff on the internet. I am : so happy we found this message board because although : I don't post a lot, I do read a lot. Melissa Kaplan has : a great site, with tons of information. And I would : probably have a pretty sick iggy by now if it hadn't : been for these two places. After reading the proper : ways to house, heat, feed, etc. our iggy on the internet, : no thanks to the pet stores, we modified our whole set : up and diet. It's been about 8 months since then and : this weekend we took iggy to the vet a couple hours away. : Good tips from this board on traveling with your ig! We : took a large cooler and laid three 2-liter soda bottles : filled with hot water on top of a towel on the bottom : of the cooler. Then I pre-heated a people heating pad, : unplugged it and laid it in the bottom of a pet tax (we : call it a cat carrier), put iggys favorite green towel : over the pad and put the cat carrier in the cooler sitting : right on top of the hot water bottles. I laid a big towel : over the whole thing and took it out to the back seat : of the car and cranked the heat! We brought a thermometer : with us and in the car it was about 75 degrees, and even : with the top towel off, iggys carrier stayed over 90 degrees : the whole time. We live in Oregon and it was about 40 : outside! After his vet visit we even went to the mall : and iggy stayed toasty warm in his little set up in the : car. So, thanks for the hot water bottle idea you guys! : Oh yeah, the vet said iggy was doing great. He has a little : dry tail thing happening right on the tip, he said we may : lose a tiny bit, but that tail problems are pretty common and he : is so healthy otherwise it shouldn't be a problem. We are : treating it with triple antibiotic ointment 3 times a day. : It is a ridiculously small thing, but we are SO protective! : The vet tech came in first and brought iggy a hot water : bottle with a towel over it to lay on so he'd stay warm. : She said he was the healthiest iguana she'd ever seen and : couldn't believe he was only 1 year and 4 months old. He : already had big femoral pores and a big hemipenes (sp?) : bulge (male bragging here!). The vet said we are at the : head of his class and on the right track. We had the : biggest smiles ever when we walked out of there! We even : brought pictures of iggy the day we got him and pictures : of his cage now. He is about 30" stl. : Just wanted you all to know, especially the people who : post regularly on here, just how helpful you have been. : There are probably a lot of people out there like me, : who read and rarely post. But there is one more healthy, : totally spoiled rotten, iguana in the world thanks to : this information. Even though I posted a picture of our : cage we had built several months ago, I'm putting it up : again. We took the doors off a closet (5 foot wide) and : added a wood and plexi-glass addition. The total cage : dimensions are 6 feet tall, 5 feet wide, 5 feet deep. : We live near the coast so we gathered drift wood (logs), : washed/scrubbed them several times in bleach water and : let them dry for weeks before putting them in the cage. : It's great to get stuff for free, just have to be careful : to wash it all up so well. These logs would have cost : a ton to purchase. The biggest I could find available : on the internet or at the pet stores were quite a bit smaller : than these. : Thanks again! : Julei

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