Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi. I rescued a ctenosaura similis who hadn't been given any temperature settings before in his environment nor regular UVB. He was fed exclusively on crickets, I'm told.

He's 12 inches STL. One missing toenail, otherwise pretty perfect.

I have set up a terrarium for him. As expected, he's really jumpy. The temps are supposed to be 80 to 90 with basking of 100F. Somehow my cage is 85 to 95 with 105F basking (5 degrees above what it should be). So I tried to move the light further away. However, it seems that he is CONSTANTLY at the hot end and trying to climb up there so that he can get closer to the heat. Could it be that he really wants to be hotter?

Also, he hasn't eaten anything yet. He was fed only on crickets before. I've given him a salad with fruits and greens, and have put in some mealworms and crickets into the mix. He hasn't done anything except run through it and mess it all up. I am a little worried he wno't eat. But then again this is the first day.

Let it get as hot as it wants to. 105F is nothing to worry about. Mine has a high cage so it has a piece of driftwood that goes from the floor to the top directly under the light. This gives it an option of choosing it's desired temp. It's all about letting the lizard control how warm it is.
As far as eating, you mention putting the crickets in the salad. Are they alive? Also, if you have access to them, few plant eating lizards will refuse dandelion blossoms. But, like you said, it was only the first day.

I keep a 50w bulb about 6 inches above a brick and pull about 125-130 degrees.

Rob

Hello,
I deal with Similis on a constant basis. If you have access to some red hibiscus flowers they work great for starters. Also try mixing in some grated carrots with fine chopped romaine lettuce. The bright colors of the carrots stimulate feeding and the lettuce re-hydrates. Also place the food directly under the heat lamp. When you see that he starts feeding regularly then I would start introducing (lightly) calcium powder supplement. If you try to feed the calcium now he may not eat the food because they dislike the taste of the powder.

Hope this helps,

Manny

The heat is fine at 95 to 105 but make sure he gets plenty of water. You may want to mist him a couple of times a week. The stress and high temps will cause accelerated dehydration. It may also need to be treated for parasites.

Manny

Hi. Thanks!

I'll try to get a hold of some red hibiscus flowers. I have been giving some lettuce type veggies mixed in dark greens, strawberries (because my friend got his to start eating with strawberries), papaya, grapes, squash, crix and mealworms. I did put calcium on the mealworms... I'll stop for now.

Why do you put the food directly under the heat lamp? It dries it up so fast and the fruit gets hard.

Should I cut everything up small? This is a tiny lizard about 11 inches long. I have been putting both big pieces and cut up pieces.

The crix and mealies are in a bowl that they can't escape. I also put some in the salad because I thought that the movement will attract them to it. I removed the legs on one side of the crix and the hind legs so they stay on the salad.

Actually I don't know if he has eaten. I gave a lot of food daily and he is a little guy. I tried to count the mealworms but it was a lost cause because they sometimes escape and they sometimes molt and it looks like two and I gave up on that. So I probably didn't see if he ate.

I do notice he has been pooping daily, not much, just like poop and urates of about 2 mm in diameter. This morning, I saw a bigger poop about 4mm in diameter. I also saw that he had a little bit of papaya on the corner of his mouth, but that could just be rubbed on...

Regarding the temps.... They say in the care sheet 100 basking spot. You say 105 is ok. But some said 130 here. So should I make it HIGHER temps? I just got it down to 100 before reading your posts by moving the light higher up...

Also, you mean put the salad directly under the heat right? I find that while the salad dries it is still ok, but the mealworms just get all dead within a short time and turn black!

I wasn't implying to put the food under the lamp. I would offer a range of temps from 130 at the high end and let him decide (a rock in the sun on a hot day can reach 130 degrees even if its only on the 70's outside). How are you measuring your temps? Do you have a temp gun?

Rob

I just reread the prior posts and realized that you were not replying to me.

Rob

THanks. I am not using a temp gun, but I am using a digital thermometer with a probe. It's not a cheap dail thing, its an oregon scientific digital thermometer.

I see. I'll try to give him levels of heat to choose from. Right now he has 90 to 105. I put in a 2 inch thick basking block so he can get closer to the light if he wants to.

He looks fatter, and he is gaining new coloration, pooping daily, and even started to shed. So while I haven't seen it, I would THINK that he has been eating?

He has a water bowl that is more than big enough to soak in, and he does. I am concerned he is a little dehydrated. He is active and very fast, but he was a little thin to begin with from previous bad care, and although he seems to be getting fatter fast, his skin is still a little loose on the sides and when I pinch it it stays for a while before stretching back.

Should I soak him? I see he bathes in the water tub daily at least for a while himself.

And is it true that they can't see still water? That I have to make the water running like a stream so he can see it and drink?

Hi,

The digital thermometer measures the air temp, while the infrared temp gun measures the surface temp. What are you using to heat the basking area? High wattage bulbs at a distance create alot of heat that will cause the air to rise and draw out moisture (dehydrate). Always better off with low wattage kept closer to the basking spot.

Rob

I like to put the food directly or offset from the heat lamp because that is where the iguana will be spending most of its time. The heat plays a major factor in Ctenosaura when it comes to feeding. It is a fine line that you will need to adjust on just how hot the animal needs to be and that depends on the iguana’s progress. If it is too hot and the animal is stressed, the heat intensifies the metabolism of the iguana and also causes dehydration and an opportunity for parasites to take over. If he is too cold he will not eat and will become “depressed.” I do not like to feed mealworms frequently especially in small lizards that may be stressed because mealworms have a lot of cartilage that has caused blockages in some of my lizards in the past. I would feed ¾” crickets or wax worms which contain less cartilage. I have also noticed that even when the food dries up that they will eat it especially dried up hibiscus flowers and although it may not contain moisture or the maximum nutrient content found in fresh food, it may be a prelude to eating regularly. I like to cut everything small enough that the iguana will not have to fight for an hour on a single piece of food like a large piece of romaine lettuce stem which has little nutrient value. So cut up the stems and fruit pieces fine and the leafy parts medium. Also take the petals off the ovary of the hibiscus flower. You may also find that it will not eat insects. Similis start off as mainly insectivores and become mainly vegetarian as they mature. Another trick maybe to not feed the iguana every day. Try not giving food for a couple of days and then introduce food, this may stimulate aggressive feeding. Try also dropping red hibiscus directly in front of it without causing it to run and step away where it cannot see you.

Hope this helps,

Manny

Hey
is that pic taken on Boca Grande along the wall near the end of the main strip ? If so , Ive vaught many out there as well... its great chasing along that wall till they tire out... stresses em out but in the end it was worth it ... they are about to eradicate , or at least try to eradicate the entire population ... per my previous post
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Safari Tom
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