[Zaroukos]

Hello guys, im new to the forums, i ran into it while searching for some answer for my iguana, Larry, considering its health...Forgive me about all this "essay" but i tried to analyse my problem as much as i could

I have my iguana 2 and a half years now...
Everything started when i changed the type of the small pieces of wood that i had for his 'floor' to step on a week ago...He seemed kinda stressed and he didnt walk on it properly like he walked on previous type..

As the days went on, he started walking on it felling more relaxed. But now his back has started turning yellow, he is a bit off balanced and his moves are like a person who has neurological problems...he sleeps much more than usual and he seemed to poo only the white-part of his, erm...poo but i consider this is because he hasnt eaten anything for 3 days now... I tried feeding him the dehydrated food they sell on stores espacially for iguanas and he seems to eat some of that...

i gave him a warm bath the 2nd day i saw this problem and when he entered the tank, he drank a load of water both from his nose and mouth(bubbles coming out!!)truth be said i dont have water for him in his cage but i do give him a bath very often and this never was a problem..

considering its diet i feed him mostly lettuce and usually i give him carrots and cuccumber...i often give him some green peppers (not the hot ones!) and rarely some bananas... I dont have a light in his cage but i keep him near the window and when the weather is nice i take him out with his cage and i leave half of it in the sun and half in shadow...I rarely let him loose at home because he poops in places i dont want to.!(yea my iguana only sometimes does poop in bath!)

oh yea i noticed a strange oddour from his poop..And now that im typing this post, he has laid down on the cage floor (like dogs) and he is just looking around... i feel like he has accepted his death and just waits for it... im also very depressed right now...The vets in my city know nothing about iguanas -.-

 

[Nibbler]

you may want to consider traveling a little farther out of the city for a vet who may know, more about reptiles. if you dont mind me asking whats his tempature in his terrium, and what is his diet like ?

 

[Zaroukos]

erm its temprature is around 25-28 degrees and his diet is mostly lettuce, twice a week i give him cuccumber or carrots or green pepper and around once a month i give him bananas. i often use calcium on top of the food in the form of dust

 

[Nibbler]

it sounds like your tempature maybe to low for it.
heres a link i found that should help you, i dont personally own an iguana, hope this helps
http://www.angelfire.com/fl/igdom/care.html

 

[Zaroukos]

i have read quite many guides and helpful tips for raising an iguana and try my best not to skip or miss anything... :/ i think ill take him to a vet although i cant rly afford it at the moment

 

[Toirtis]

I would suggest a vet....although I can attempt to help you here, I really cannot do a lot online, and cannot use any diagnostic equipment nor even a physical examination.

Initially, your diet is not bad, but could use greater variety. What sort of lettuce are you feeding?

You should be aware that virtually no UV light makes it through window glass, so putting your iguana near a window is really doing very little for him. Depending on how often he gets outside, and for how long, he may have some issues resulting from a lack of UVB, which some of his symptoms would seem to indicate....but you would need a vet to test him to confirm this, and to treat it.

 

[Jess]

Lettuce doesn't have much nutrients. I would suggest greens that have more nutrition and calcium like collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, ect.


You REALLY need to get a UVB light too. UVB rays can't penetrate glass, so he isn't getting any UVB from the window what so ever. Getting the proper lighting should help a ton with his appetite too. I love the ReptiSun brand UVB lights, they are the best ones that you can buy right now.

Also, what kind of wood chips is he on? Keep in mind that pine, cedar, and any redwoods are toxic to reptiles.

 

[Kendalle]

Whoa, you need to do a total overhaul.

Take the wood chips out, NOW. It sounds like he is constipated. He could be impacted from the woodchips. They clog them up.

Temps need to be 92-95 in the basking point. Any type of tank is too small for an iguana, they need at a minimum 4 foot by 4 foot by 4 foot.

Stop with the lettuce and cucumbers, those are basically water. Change to mustard greens turnip greens and collard greens.

Get some plain canned pumpkin, hopefully that will help unclog him but he may need surgery and xrays.

The green peppers are good, feed more often you can give hotter peppers as well they like them, jalepinos.

 

[Toirtis]

Whoa, you need to do a total overhaul.

No, not really.

Take the wood chips out, NOW. It sounds like he is constipated. He could be impacted from the woodchips. They clog them up.

It depends on the woodchips, but it is unlikely, as is the constipation. Incidentally, if ingestion of non-digestible items is the issue, it would be impaction, not constipation...they are two different things.

Temps need to be 92-95 in the basking point. Any type of tank is too small for an iguana, they need at a minimum 4 foot by 4 foot by 4 foot.

They need more than that, and seeing as there are many tanks that are larger than that, you may wish to have the facts, first...we are, after all, on a fact-finding mission here, so that we can better assess the situation before making recommendations.

Stop with the lettuce and cucumbers, those are basically water. Change to mustard greens turnip greens and collard greens.

Again, some lettuce types have a decent amount of nutrition as part of an iguanid diet, but it depends on what sort she is using.

Get some plain canned pumpkin, hopefully that will help unclog him but he may need surgery and xrays.

Again, jumping the gun before the facts we need for a decent assessment...it is unlikely that there is any constipation here...more likely a partial impaction coupled with early MBD, but again, too early to say.

 

[Zaroukos]

im gonna take him to a vet tomorrow i hope he gets well...The wood chips i bought were from a pet shop in a bag that had an iguana picture on it saying proper for reptiles etc...Considering the lights, seems i have to buy a uv light, but to be honest i thought just watching the daylight was okay (like plants, dont laugh about it ) i didnt want to put him on direct sunlight inside the cage since its made of glass and i thought he might suffocate...

but im quite sure that those d a m n chips did that to my poor Larry...I'll be more carefull from now on
despite a couple of comments that made me more anxious about his health, my hopes are up! Larry is a tough guy!! I'll post some pictures when he gets better to see my big boy

 

[Toirtis]

So, firstly, we really need more info....

1. Tell us more about his caging.

2. These 'wood chips'...what brand and type are they?

3. What sort of lettuce are you using in his diet?

4. You said that you have had Larry for 2 years...how old/big was he when you got him, and how big is he now?

5. Do you know for certain that he is male or female?

 

[Nibbler]

Good luck

 

[Zaroukos]

So, firstly, we really need more info....

1. Tell us more about his caging.

2. These 'wood chips'...what brand and type are they?

3. What sort of lettuce are you using in his diet?

4. You said that you have had Larry for 2 years...how old/big was he when you got him, and how big is he now?

5. Do you know for certain that he is male or female?

erm... his cage is made of glass and has marble on bottom..Its kinda small for his size but he has room to walk around...I also have a big wood stick so that he can climb and sit on it, or even hide behind it..The cage is not a problem (for now) but im gonna make a bigger one from metal (you know, the ones they use to keep dogs inside in pet shops, looks more like a prison) This way it will be easier to clean the poop from it or change the wood chips...And it will be easier to make a more proper enviroment with more stuff inside to climb on etc...Could you give me any ideas about making him a new cage?My idea is kinda general, i dont even know where to find the materials to make it (hehe lol) but i really dont want to buy it ready (and afford it too)

About the wood chips i used... i dont really remember the brand and the type of wood since i threw away the bag, but its a red-dark brown type of wood...

about the lettuce..i cant post pictures i need 20 posts or more hehe..i use the normal lettuce we put in our salad
and the other one that has more curves..Im sorry i really cant describe them more!!

when i got him he was smaller than my palm, the employee from pet shop told me it was around 2 months old.. And now he is about 30cm without his tail and 70cm with his tail

and yes i know for sure he is a male,the spikes on his back are growing biger along with him and his jewels start getting bigger too...!

 

[Toirtis]

erm... his cage is made of glass and has marble on bottom..Its kinda small for his size

It is actually really far too small....at his current size, he should be in something that is no smaller than 200cm x 120 cm x 200cm.

but im gonna make a bigger one from metal (you know, the ones they use to keep dogs inside in pet shops,

Have you considered how that will maintain humidity, and how to keep it from rusting? As well, you are going to want one that is no less than 250cm long, 180cm wide, and 225cm tall...I genuinely doubt that you will find a dog crate even approaching that size.

About the wood chips i used... i dont really remember the brand and the type of wood since i threw away the bag, but its a red-dark brown type of wood...

If it was not cypress mulch, it should not be used....cypress mulch is red/dark-brown, but so are a lot of other woods...some naturally so, some dyed.

about the lettuce..i cant post pictures i need 20 posts or more hehe..i use the normal lettuce we put in our salad
and the other one that has more curves..Im sorry i really cant describe them more!!

The fact that you do not know what sort of lettuce you are feeding concerns me a great deal....your knowledge and care on the diet your iguana is getting is lacking terribly. The only lettuces that you should ever include in his diet are red leaf, romaine, oak leaf, and endive...and he should have other greens, like dandelion leaves (organic, NOT from your lawn), collards, etc...and there are some that you must avoid, like spinach and kale.

when i got him he was smaller than my palm, the employee from pet shop told me it was around 2 months old.. And now he is about 30cm without his tail and 70cm with his tail

He is a bit small for his age...possibly due to poor diet and a lack of proper UVB lighting.

and yes i know for sure he is a male,the spikes on his back are growing biger along with him and his jewels start getting bigger too...!

Apparent secondary sexual characteristics do not a positive gender identity make, but it is a start.

Have you ever seen Hatfield's iguana manual? If not, order it straightaway, and read it...every page, front to back...something you should have done 2 years ago.

http://www.amazon.ca/Green-Iguana-Ultimate-Owners-Manual/dp/1883463483

Iguanas are not easy to keep well, and in the 17 years that I have run my rescue I have dealt with hundreds that have suffered from improper care.

 

[Jess]

Are you feeding him any of these?

Lettuce 1:

Lettuce 2:

Lettuce 3:

Lettuce 4:

Lettuce 5:

If you want your iggy to survive much longer, you REALLY need ot follow the adice given to you, and change your set up ASAP. If you can't afford a proper set up, you should rehome your iguana to someone who can.

 

[Kendalle]

How can it be unlikely impaction? Wood chips are not a food source for iguanas, and they will eat them if they are in the cage, they taste with their tongues, they taste everything, and their tongues are sticky. It could vary easily be impaction.

The canned pumpkin won't hurt the ig even if it isn't impacted or constipated, its common for ig owners to give canned pumpkin every once and a while anyway. Plus it is nutritious anyway.

Lettuce of any type should not be the staple diet for an iguana. Any type of lettuce. Cabbage family foods have the wrong ratio and can hinder calcium absorption, so cabbage family foods should be fed rarely.

Very few aquariums are larger than a four foot cube. Chances are this isn't.

 

[Zaroukos]

It is actually really far too small....at his current size, he should be in something that is no smaller than 200cm x 120 cm x 200cm.



Have you considered how that will maintain humidity, and how to keep it from rusting? As well, you are going to want one that is no less than 250cm long, 180cm wide, and 225cm tall...I genuinely doubt that you will find a dog crate even approaching that size.



If it was not cypress mulch, it should not be used....cypress mulch is red/dark-brown, but so are a lot of other woods...some naturally so, some dyed.



The fact that you do not know what sort of lettuce you are feeding concerns me a great deal....your knowledge and care on the diet your iguana is getting is lacking terribly. The only lettuces that you should ever include in his diet are red leaf, romaine, oak leaf, and endive...and he should have other greens, like dandelion leaves (organic, NOT from your lawn), collards, etc...and there are some that you must avoid, like spinach and kale.



He is a bit small for his age...possibly due to poor diet and a lack of proper UVB lighting.



Apparent secondary sexual characteristics do not a positive gender identity make, but it is a start.

Have you ever seen Hatfield's iguana manual? If not, order it straightaway, and read it...every page, front to back...something you should have done 2 years ago.


Iguanas are not easy to keep well, and in the 17 years that I have run my rescue I have dealt with hundreds that have suffered from improper care.

well how could you be so sure its cage is small just by hearing what is made of...?Humidity is not a problem, im near the sea and at very hot times i give him more often baths...they told me also to spray it, but i dont personally want to.

About the metalic cage, can you suggest me some kind of cage that can be easily cleaned? If it can be cleaned easier, it will be cleaned more often!

Its not that i dont know what kind of lettuce i feed him its just that i dont know how to say it in english, since its not my first language.And i cant post pictures because my posts are too low.

i understand your love for animals but please dont put me in an all-ignorant level as a pet owner, i've done research and aquired information before even taking it. Its just that i had a bad moment in the pet shop with the wood chips, normal ones were sold, i was in a hurry and the shop owner said that this was for iguanas too(yea i know that there's a possibility he could try and trick me to sell products but i believed him because i saw the label on it)

and i really hope that this is the problem and not something worse...

Wood chips are not a food source for iguanas, and they will eat them if they are in the cage

no they wont?unless you dont say it literaly ;p

Very few aquariums are larger than a four foot cube. Chances are this isn't.

its about 3,3f = 1 meter.

 

[Kendalle]

You said it was a tank. Which probably means you got it at a store, so it probably is too small for an iguana because there are really no commercial cages made big enough for iguanas. Pet stores have tons of products for iguanas that are horrible for them. tanks, food pellets that have bugs in them, heat rocks, collars/harnesses, and flooring. Yes they have iguanas listed for their target to sell to, along with bearded dragons, hamsters, guinea pigs, birds, and so on. None of these animals have the same needs, they can't have the same product but stores know that if they offer it people of all of them will buy them. Many don't know and buy it anyway.

Wood chips are simply not a good idea with an iguana, and i said it. I didn't call you all ignorant, just telling you to throw them in the trash where they belong. Or in a compost bin, which ever you prefer. They will consume wood chips. Plus you can use plain old paper towels or newspapers for the bottom which is cheap to free, so its benifical to you to change this as well. Plus it makes cleaning easier. I don't understand why you feel this is an attack on you.

So your tank is 3 foot long, that is under 4 foot. Plus how wide is it? normally they are about 18 inches wide, which is too small for an iguana, and how tall? normally they aren't 6 foot tall. Your tank is smaller than an adult iguana, you have no UVB source, or heat source? how can you give a spot for your full iguana to fit in that is 95 degrees F to and 70 degrees F it is impossible to have a heat verient that is needed for an iguana in a tank.

The food isn't right, you need to have turnip greens, mustard greens, and collard greens as the stable diet for your iguana, lettuce isn't enough, even if it is a wide veriety of lettuces its not enough. You also need to add fruit and veggies to the diet.

I'm not telling you to get rid of your iguana just make a few changes to benefit its life.

I do think it not eating is a problem, it could be that it is reaching sexual maturity and either making eggs or raging in male hormones, but it doesn't sound like it.

 

[Toirtis]

How can it be unlikely impaction?

Read my post.

Wood chips are not a food source for iguanas, and they will eat them if they are in the cage, they taste with their tongues, they taste everything, and their tongues are sticky. It could vary easily be impaction.

Based on the symptoms, it is unlikely...not imppossible, but unlikely. Of course, 34 years of experience with literally hundreds of iguanas probably means I know nothing.

The canned pumpkin won't hurt the ig even if it isn't impacted or constipated, its common for ig owners to give canned pumpkin every once and a while anyway. Plus it is nutritious anyway.

It is beneficial if the animal is constipated, deleterious if the animal is impacted.

Lettuce of any type should not be the staple diet for an iguana. Any type of lettuce.

No, it should not...but of course I stated that it was potentially a part of a diet...given the right type.

Cabbage family foods have the wrong ratio and can hinder calcium absorption, so cabbage family foods should be fed rarely.

Cabbages should not be fed at all...but who mentioned cabbage?

Very few aquariums are larger than a four foot cube. Chances are this isn't.

You, apparently, have very little experience in the aquarium hobby....there are plenty. Most aquaria kept by average folk are under 50 gallons, but there are plenty of larger aquariums about...it was worth asking.

 

[Toirtis]

About the metalic cage, can you suggest me some kind of cage that can be easily cleaned? If it can be cleaned easier, it will be cleaned more often!

Plexiglass and sealed wood...you will have to look at a custom build....after all, a fully mature male iguana can reach 2.5m in length.

Its not that i dont know what kind of lettuce i feed him its just that i dont know how to say it in english, since its not my first language.

That is not how your post read, however.

its about 3,3f = 1 meter.

So far too small, even now.