Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi all, I am seriously thinking about getting my rhino ig, Kharma spayed as a preventative to reproductive problems. We just lost a 5 year old rhino to repro issues. She died literally overnight with no symptoms of any problems. On necropsy she had lots of rotten folicles in her with at least one broken with yolk on her organs. This animal did slow down eating in Aug/Sept but started eating again with vigor in October. Since they will slow down eating during breeding season there didnt seem to be any cause for alarm. I actually drove her to Michigan to a new adoptive home in early November and not 7 weeks later she was dead from unlaid follicles.

Which leads me to my worry about Kharma. I am tired of losing female iguanas to reproductive issues. I have thus far lost 1 green iguana who was a "superproducer" after laying 105 eggs. She died in the spay after losing too much blood. I lost my hybrid cyclura, "Tashmoo" in a spay after she didnt lay her eggs.

So I am looking for a vet in the CT/MA/NY (preferrably CT) area that has done LOTS of spays. I have lost 2 out of 2 iguanas to spays and am leary of doing this again. But I feel damned if I do and damned if I dont. For all I know Kharma has rotting follicles in her too and is a time bomb. I want to get bloodwork done but would like to start seeing a vet that has actually done many spays as opposed to taking her to just anyone for the blood.

Thanks for any help.
Carole
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www.reptilecare.com

Is Kharma laying eggs every year or not at all ? Moving animals is always a huge stress risk. I wonder if the shock of the move might have had some influence on the 5 year old rupturing the yolk, There have been a many cases of ruptured yolks killing iguanas, It is enough to make anyone with a restless gravid iguana nervous that she is going to land hard and rupture an egg. Alternatively there seems to be alot of cyclura in colder climates that do not lay eggs at all. Or every other year or sporatically. They eem to have the ability to reabsorb the eggs, or retain them in deminished condition indefinetely. Are there not alot like that at the rescue in hartford ? And what about some of the cyclura at cyclura.com ? If you fear Kharma does not fall into the same category of these other iggs, maybe all kharma needs is to build a nest and lay some slugs once in awhle. If you can afford to put her outside for the month of august, she will probably lay for you -- she has done it before.

Don't get defensive, but it can't hurt to take everything into consideration.........Since you have had unusully bad luck with gravid cycluras, what are you doing differently than others ?......very strict non animal protien diet ? Food for thought.

Yes, vegan diet. Not sure what I am doing different than others except trying to keep them in the north.

First one was "superproducer" female green ig that had been a rescue and fed cottage cheese the beginning of her life (years, but not sure how many years). Laid 82 eggs the first season she was here successfully. Second year laid 105 and then laid her oviduct. She died in spay at the vet presumably from blood loss even tho she was rushed there immediately.

Second one was hybrid cyclura. She was 3 years old and also on vegetarian diet. She was xrayed at dog and cat vet and then taken to herp vet in Mass who did surgery to remove eggs. She died after surgery. Never woke up from anesthesia. On necropsy her organs were "crystalized" for reasons unknown.

They all have vegetarian diets. I have an 18 yr old male green iguana who has been in this house for 16 years. I cant be doing it all wrong.

Thanks,
Carole
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www.reptilecare.com

All you have to do is provide a proper nesting area and the Females won't hold onto follices, whether fertile or not.
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South Central Herpetological

I'm guessing no one is going to answer my actual question about a decent vet I could rely on in CT/MA/NY.
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www.reptilecare.com

I know there is a reptile vet in plaistow n.h. he's very good cant remember the name right now but you should be able to look it up I go to conneticut some times and takes me about 2 hours.