Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi everyone, I am happy to find this forum and am hoping it will be a source for info and advice. I just got a baby iguana a few weeks ago. I have wanted one for a while and my husband made me do my research before he'd let me get one, which I did. I read everything I could find and finally got him. I used to have a red tail boa and bullsnake before, so he isn't my first reptile, but my first iguana. His name is Bodhi (Bo-dee). Of course don't know if he is a really a he or a she. He is currently in a 55 gallon tank, with a UVB/UVA strip on timer for 12hrs a day and a heat light to provide heat and a basking spot. I am currently feeding variations of Melissa Kaplan's salad along with mustard, collard, and dandelion greens. He really likes to eat the greens but really working on getting him to eat the salad which I have been varying each time I make it. I of course am still working on taming him. He's been sitting still for longer periods each time a hold him, as opposed to constantly trying to get away each time. He greatly enjoys when we spend time outside. Any new advice for a new ig mom? I am so anxious for him to be a big guy . Thanks, Id appreciate it.

Congrats on your new ig-baby Sounds like you are doing your research and being a good ig-mum, which is wonderful! About the only advice I'd have is keep handing him/her lots every day, and start planning a bigger cage now. Tempest's growing I have to admit snuck up on me, even though he was a big fellow when I rescued him. The new cage is almost done, then its painting and varnishing, moving it up to here from my dad's work shop and fitting in the glass.

Post some pics so we can all see your iglet and get all mushy

I agree you sound like a great ig-mom, I wish everybody who got iguanas (and any pet) did research prior like you did. Good call by hubby, too. I hope you enjoy your ig as much as I do mine

Sarah

Thanks, I am already looking up plans on bigger cages for him once he is bigger. The next plan is to build one unless I run into one before then. I do have a question to all the experts out there. How much does a little one eat? And how do I ensure that he eats the salad (I am feeding him Melissa Kaplans salad reciple) which I add his vits to. He really likes the greens and I have not really seen him eat much of the salad (greens I have offered include collard,mustard, and dandelion). I have tried only putting the salad out in the morning and adding the greens later in the afternoon and evening, but I think he just holds out on eating until the greens are there. I may be wrong, sometimes it does look like he may have eaten it or maybe just moved it around. I have varied the salad every couple of weeks to give variety and sometimes it looks different depending on what I add each time. So I have wondered if that isnt the problem, and maybe I should leave it the same for longer periods so he develops a taste for it. Im just not sure. I have heard that some iguanas do not like the alfalfa (which I am adding for protein), so I have wondered if that is the problem. I am currently adding alfalfa tea which I bought in bulk from the health food store. (Current recipe: pumpkin, asparagus, snow peas, mangos and a 2-3 blackberries for color mostly). Any tips?