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Posted by Mr. D on February 28, 2003 at 10:06:01:
In Reply to: I'm gonna get roasted for this (it's long, too) posted by nate351 on February 27, 2003 at 22:52:52:
Currently, companies such as Flukers in fact ARE "captive breeding" iguanas as PHFaust touched on. Of course, I'm still unsure as to exactly HOW an albino iguana is going to survive if it can't be exposed to light/UV but I'm sure that one of us will eventually get one in sooner or later...
These days, I'm not 100% sure just what the percentages of CB/WC there is but your own reasons hold the answer as to why there a re problems with iguanas. You, being a knowledgable iguana keeper, are concerned with the CB/WC concept. Now go back and re-read your top 3. Unfortunately, they have nothing to do with ecological/environmental concerns and EVERYTHING to do with PROPER EDUCATION.
While we all know that ther is still MUCH research to be done regarding GGI's, current proper husbandry techniques are FAR better than they were as little as 10 years ago. Current, up to date books the size of small boat anchors have been written covering iguana husbandry from A to Z and yet the proper information is STILL not getting into the hands of John & Jane Q. at *their* source of obtaining a GGI - which, as we all know, is most likely a pet shop. I say this with a fair amount of certainty because knowing the nature of rescue/adoption programs currently operating and having been in touch with many of them over the course of the last few years I know that very few if any let an ig go out the door without at least a comprehensive care sheet any in most cases a lengthy lecture and screening process before adoption to try and help ensure that the ig in question goes to an educated and responsible home and that the new owners are fully aware of what they are getting into.
Of course proper captive breeding programs also do play a part. Correctly raising igs ensures healthy "product". This, of course, can also drive up the price of an ig due to the expense of properly keeping the hatchlings. Unfortunately, I have first hand knowledge of one of the more popular US reptile breeder/distributors iguana breeding project. Despite having vast knowledge of topics such as genetics and selective breeding in various python species, as of a year ago this operation was keeping/breeding GGI's in a fully enclosed roughly 3x4x5 box in the basement of his "facility" with rather poor ventilation and quite possibly zero UVB exposure for the igs. I never did find out what was being fed for diet. Of course, this is also the same breeder/distributor that takes in unwanted reptiles of ALL kinds- gators,turtles, snakes, igs, etc as he markets himself as a "rescuer" as well as one of the larger breeder/distributors in the country (world?).To this day I question what exactly happens to those animals as this business also operates a retail shop. Do these potentially unhealthy animals get turned around immediately for a profit or are they used as less than quality breeding stock ?
CB/WC isn't as much of an issue as proper education of John & Jane Q. Public when it comes to the how and why of iguana abuse/overpopulation. The retail/for profit sources of reptiles especially iguanas are, for the most part, either poorly educated themselves or simply refuse to take the time to properly educate their clients for various reasons -I firmly believe that one of them is simply that once John/Jane actually know about proper husbandry they most likely won't want to buy an iguana and a sale is lost.
Anyone know where I can have this soapbox re-upholstered?
