large iguana spikes

[Kendalle]

sometime today or yesterday all but one of my iguana's big spikes on his neck fell off. it's really weird. they aren't bleeding.. or haven't. it looks like he never had them. Now he is bald on the back of his neck, and a spot on his lower back where he got stuck in his cage and between his back legs that was like that when i got him.. I wonder why his neck spikes fell off.

He sometimes has a hard time shedding his spikes so i watch them, they weren't about to shed or anything, and he has a uvb light a heat lamp and calcium he gets on his food.

any ideas?

[tarita2004]

i wonder if it was a bad shed that's the only reason i can think of unless abuse (but i know that's not why cuz you love him)

is he under alot of stress?? stress does weird things to animals too

[Dragonrain]

When I had my iguana the only reason she ever lost a spike was due to a bad shed. Or maybe he hurt himself on a part of the cage somehow? I would check and see if there are any sharp edges or anything.

[Kendalle]

he has a hard time shedding that spot but i check them every time and he gets mineral oil on them to help and lots of baths and such and normally then his spikes come fine. i don't think it was a part of his cage... and he isn't under stress i don't think... hmm i'll check his cage over

[Nikko]

I don't really know anything about iguanas, but I read this on another site:

Quote: Owners should keep a close eye on their iguana's spikes, toes, and tail tip during each shedding cycle. These areas often have difficulty shedding, and layers of old skin can build up if left unattended. These layers of old skin will eventually constrict and cut off the circulation to these areas of the body, cause the death of tissue and loss of the spike, toe or tail tip.

[Ravnos]

Lack of humidity/dehydration would be my first thought, but malnutrition, cage rubbing, and mites can also be causes.

Cage rubbing is a pretty common affliction with iguanas, even if they have lots of space, but it usually ends up with their nose rubbed raw or toenails ripped out before damage to any other part of their bodies.

Mites are usually pretty easy to find on any reptile by just moistening a white paper towel and wipe it all over your iguana, especially around areas that can have little wrinkles, like the eye or ear area. If the paper towel comes away with little red or black specks that may or may not be moving, he could have mites. If you have a hand magnifying glass, you'd be even better off at telling, but some mites are pretty dang small.

Dehydration could be caused by a number of things, even if he's getting baths and is drinking water regularly, like mites - but certain internal parasites, like giardia, can contribute to it as well.

I think it's probably worth a vet visit, of course with a vet who is knowledgeable about iguanas, just to cover your bases by going over diet, enclosure, and possibly a fecal exam. Not to sound too rude, but parts are falling off your pet, something is probably wrong - best to get it sorted out so it doesn't have a chance to progress into something worse, but not that it will. Sometimes it just happens. I've seen perfectly healthy iguanas with a missing spike or two.

[Kendalle]

he lost 3 spikes in the last few days. one has always been twisted.

Its not cage rubbing, he has a wire cage and never rubs... it could be dehydration i have a hard time with that sometimes because it is an open cage.

He went to the vet not that long ago and tested negative for any parasites and if he got them from his food then i probably have them too :s.. he also doesn't have mites...

[Ravnos]

Well, with dehydration about all I could recommend would be to give him more frequent baths, even when he's not shedding. Let him soak for a while in water deep enough for him to stand in, but not so deep he has to swim (though, watching them swim is pretty cool!). It's kind of hard to mist down a wire cage, as the humidity just immediately evaporates anyway, but it certainly can't hurt to give him a squirt every now and then - I bought a large 2 gallon garden sprayer just for this purpose. A room humidifier might not be a bad idea, but if he's in a larger room, finding a decent humidifier which you aren't constantly refilling can be a nightmare. I bought one about a year ago with a gallon water tub, and I refill it pretty much daily my herp room is so dry.

Internal parasites can be tricky little buggers though, and may not always be readily apparent in a fecal float, as it is really such a small representative sample they're looking at. Parasites can sometimes be there and be no problem at all until a time when your animal is a little stressed and then suddenly begin to cause symptoms - but I'd think you'd notice it in his poop as well, being runnier than usual, or an odd color. Also, if it is something food or water borne, your system may have been able to fight it off where his couldn't. Who knows, they're annoying things to deal with - but if you know you have trouble with keeping humidity up, that's where I'd start first.

[Kendalle]

thanks!

[Kendalle]

ok, update- he's spikes are growing back, and where there was one spike they split into 2 or 3 spikes its odd, they aren't cracked they are just growing to be more spikes....

My rep forum has never herd of this and said i have a funny lookin ig now heh. they are hard to take a picture of though because they are still small, i'll try soon

[mulder]

wow that sounds weird! well I'm glad he's not appearing ill to you I'd love a pic of the new spikes!