Reptile & Amphibian Forums

posted this on the iggy forum, no response, thought id put it here, sorry for the cut and past, feeling lazy...

so i have had reptiles for years and now have a reptile rescue, seeing the need to take in many large iggys we have built an outdoor cage, i have a vet willing to teach me how to spay any girls we get to eliminate egg binding (i know as a vet tech i cant make permenent change, but i cant sue myself, and my boss is cool with it and wants to learn too)
the one question i have, becasue the floor of the cage is not solid and grass can grow up into it, as long as i provide a good regular diet, do you thing it would hurt them to eat some regular grass, i cant find anything on the topic
i know one of "special" iggys has had some outside time and eatten a bit and has seemed fine, but the cage is intended for the evil ones who no one wants to just live out their lives in the best manner possible (they will be chipped in case of escape and local animal control knows us, and often our rescues come from them)
any leads would rock!
thanks!
-----
hanging out under heat lights burns up my brain cells!!

Grass is absolutely fine. It's obviously not going to be the bulk of their diet and even with a good percentage, it won't be problematic. Being outdoors, watch for parasitic burden.

Now the spays. I think I'm gettin to know you a bit and assume this is done at the vet clinic, under their supervision correct? I ask for out of curiousity, and to remove the idea from some readers that might think they can do this because they have a rescue too.

Ian

diddnt think so but with the trouble of other seeming non harmful foods i wanted to ask anothers opinion
and you do know me, spays would only be done in a clinic under supervision, but to cut my cost (im sure ill have to pay for the drugs needed) ill do the work myself, only after being well trained and having someone who could help in case of trouble near by. i would never assume to have the skills of a full vet, and would never endanger an animal just to save $.
BTW, hows vet school going? do i dare dream of the next step? that is if i win the lotto and have the $, my husband would die to be in that kind of debt after the debt we are in for his green card (i do like me some canadian hehe)
-----
hanging out under heat lights burns up my brain cells!!

lol, I"m in the opposite position, my wife is an American, but we live up here Vet school is on delay for the very same reasons you have not yet attempted; money of course. It's hard to be a full time student and bring home enough bacon to feed the family.

I'm sure I've asked you this already, but are you going to ARAV in October?

Ian