hi there + welcome!

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Posted by iZ's mom on March 04, 1999 at 21:19:16:

In Reply to: New Iggy... just want to know if i'm doing everything right posted by Jennifer on March 04, 1999 at 18:05:48:

: Since about september I've been reading up on everything I could get my hands on.
Good job! you've got a better start than most do! MK's site is excellent!!!

: Cage: 6ft 9in tall; 4ft wide; 3ft deep. It's made of wood (painted green) and coated chicken wire. Large branch (4ft) inside cage. I plan on getting him another branch.

How big is your new roomie?!? the enclosure sounds good to start with, if the ig is very big (over 3') it might be a bit narrow for him ... some supervised, free-roaming time outside his enclosure on a daily basis will help (and is recommended either way ... ) but it is *very* good that it's as tall as it is!
what *kind* of paint? it needs to be durable to withstand regular cleaning + disinfecting ...
chicken wire is *BAD*!!!!! the part where it's twisted together tends to get tips of claws stuck and can rip them out ... would *strongly* suggest replacing the chicken wire asap!!! i've used heavy plastic mesh/hardware cloth and stapled it to the wood frame ... you can get it in rolls like at Menard's pretty cheap ... (black is actually the most *invisible*)
make sure the branches are at the *very least* as wide as your ig is, wider than that would be better ... (i hung shelves for iZ when he got too fat for his branches)

: Floor: newpaper
good, cheap, easily replaced substrate!

: Light: 150watt bulb on top. About 1.5ft from the top of the branch. I'm getting a strip light tomorrow.
you *MUST* put the lights *OUTside* the enclosure!!!! AND far enough away from the top of the enclosure that a tongue or toe can't reach it! (igs are smart, but curious! iZ "tasted" his heat lamp soon after he moved in with me .... it was NOT good ...) if there's ANY possible way an ig can hurt himself, it'll happen ...

: Food/water: dish with commercial food.
"Reed's" is the only commercial food i've ever heard anything good about ... you'd be further ahead to stuck to MK's diet or Jen Swofford's (at bottom of post)

i really recommend you take him to a herp vet and have him checked out for parasites (most igs DO have worms until they're treated) and have blood work done to check kidney function, calcium levels, etc. ... the vet can also take a look at his burns ... any triple antibiotic (like neosporin) is ok + good to use, but depending on a bunch of things, the vet may want to give you oral antibiotics for him too ...

be prepared for an attitude change, all this new stuff and a good diet/environment may stress him out for awhile *grin* ... you need lots of patience and persistance with igs ... spend *at the very least* 1/2 hr everyday with him so he can get to know you and trust you ...

don't worry about long posts here! sometimes, there's just alot of questions and sometimes, ya just gotta ramble (they're used to listening to ME!) LOL

yes, tell us *why* you have an ig named "Spot"!

a very warm welcome to our board! you'll like it here!

tongue flix + collard greenz from
iZ the dreadful dragon and his 'mom'

Jen Swofford's Basking Spot

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: : Since about september I've been reading up on everything I could get my hands on. : Good job! you've got a better start than most do! MK's site is excellent!!! : : Cage: 6ft 9in tall; 4ft wide; 3ft deep. It's made of wood (painted green) and coated chicken wire. Large branch (4ft) inside cage. I plan on getting him another branch. : How big is your new roomie?!? the enclosure sounds good to start with, if the ig is very big (over 3') it might be a bit narrow for him ... some supervised, free-roaming time outside his enclosure on a daily basis will help (and is recommended either way ... ) but it is *very* good that it's as tall as it is! : what *kind* of paint? it needs to be durable to withstand regular cleaning + disinfecting ... : chicken wire is *BAD*!!!!! the part where it's twisted together tends to get tips of claws stuck and can rip them out ... would *strongly* suggest replacing the chicken wire asap!!! i've used heavy plastic mesh/hardware cloth and stapled it to the wood frame ... you can get it in rolls like at Menard's pretty cheap ... (black is actually the most *invisible*) : make sure the branches are at the *very least* as wide as your ig is, wider than that would be better ... (i hung shelves for iZ when he got too fat for his branches) : : Floor: newpaper : good, cheap, easily replaced substrate! : : Light: 150watt bulb on top. About 1.5ft from the top of the branch. I'm getting a strip light tomorrow. : you *MUST* put the lights *OUTside* the enclosure!!!! AND far enough away from the top of the enclosure that a tongue or toe can't reach it! (igs are smart, but curious! iZ "tasted" his heat lamp soon after he moved in with me .... it was NOT good ...) if there's ANY possible way an ig can hurt himself, it'll happen ... : : Food/water: dish with commercial food. : "Reed's" is the only commercial food i've ever heard anything good about ... you'd be further ahead to stuck to MK's diet or Jen Swofford's (at bottom of post) : i really recommend you take him to a herp vet and have him checked out for parasites (most igs DO have worms until they're treated) and have blood work done to check kidney function, calcium levels, etc. ... the vet can also take a look at his burns ... any triple antibiotic (like neosporin) is ok + good to use, but depending on a bunch of things, the vet may want to give you oral antibiotics for him too ... : be prepared for an attitude change, all this new stuff and a good diet/environment may stress him out for awhile *grin* ... you need lots of patience and persistance with igs ... spend *at the very least* 1/2 hr everyday with him so he can get to know you and trust you ... : don't worry about long posts here! sometimes, there's just alot of questions and sometimes, ya just gotta ramble (they're used to listening to ME!) LOL : yes, tell us *why* you have an ig named "Spot"! : a very warm welcome to our board! you'll like it here! : tongue flix + collard greenz from : iZ the dreadful dragon and his 'mom'

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