Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Many of you may not realize that Cyclura females protect their nest and eggs from intruders. Here is a pic of the female that laid 7 eggs yesterday whipping the male's a#$. She also will and did try to bite our feet as we approached the nest today. That's why visual barriers are so important to these lizards in order for them to get along. I've got a terrific video I'm working on to post showing this clearly but for now just this pic,,,thanks

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Tom Crutchfield
www.tomcrutchfield.com

Do you have a better pic? I can barely make out what is in the photo. Really like to see what a female iguana looks like after egg laying. I have heard they almost look like there on the death bed? How true is that?

Mine don't. Mine certainly look thinner but not at death's door. It all depends on nutrition prior to egg laying....I have seen other folks lizards who looked bad but mine don't. Thin yes, at deaths door NO...thanks
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Tom Crutchfield
www.tomcrutchfield.com

Kismet looked really bad, and I'd say at death's door, after the first time she laid eggs. She had been in very good health prior to laying. However, she was very young and she did not fast or show any other obvious signs of being gravid so I did not realize she had eggs. The next time she laid, I was more prepared a head of time with a little extra calcium and lots of extra real sunlight (no light bulb in the world, not even Mega ray can truly replace real sunlight). She was still thin after, because she laid twice as many eggs, but she didn't look nearly as bad and she bounced back very very quickly. I've attached a pic of her later that same day and you can see she doesn't look remotely close to death. These were infertile as Kismet has never been with a male, so I just threw them away after this picture.

Tom is right in that good nutrition can make a world of difference. And, Tom's iggies are outside all the time and that makes a world of difference too.