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i was just wondering hat you people use for your big iggs to clig on. i was using a ramp and like a shelf but he didnt like that to well he always went off to one side and fell a few times(he was trying to climb it like a log almost) and on the shelf he alwasy hugged the outside edge(like a log also) but i cant seem to find any logs long and big enough for him to climb on.

Also what do you use on the the sides of your cage? i am using screen right now and that is not working well. he climbs it and then he gets about 2 feet up and then he falls on his side.
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I'm sorry but your ig has more serious problems that finding a good place to climb. An ig who falls like that is ill and needs a vet visit. It sounds like he might have MBD.

Roger

the place tht i adopted him from brought him to the vet before i got him and he has been under the correct lighting and every thing and he was always getting calcium on his food so i dont see how he could have MBD. He was climbing every thing fine the only thing he has troble climbing is the ramp. he climbs onto my bed he climbs up some of th screen on the side of his cage. also he was a free roamer at the shelterr and he was there for two years and i dont belive they had anything for him to climb on could that be part of his problem? i will brong him to the vet anyways just to make sure. about how much does it cost to bring a herp to a vet and have it checked out for MBD?

what are some of the symtoms of MBD?
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1.0.0 water dragon
0.0.1 mali uromastyx
0.1.0 painted turtle
0.0.1 common snapping turtle

then the ussual
2 dogs
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misc fish
hermit crabs
rat
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ITS NOT ABOUT YOU DIEING FOR YOUR COUNTRY, ITS ABOUT MAKING YOUR ENEMY DIE FOR HIS.

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If he has trouble climbing the screen it could just be that his claws have been clipped and the mesh is too fine for him to really dig in to it. But I agree with Roger that a visit to the vet would be a good idea, just to make sure. MBD is very common in iguanas. The cost will vary depending on the vet, but I'd guess $25-50 or thereabouts for a basic exam. They might want you to provide a fecal sample (the igs, not yours).

Climbing logs can be purchased through many of the larger providers of herp supplies; just do a little internet searching and you'll get a good idea of what's available and for how much. They also make nets and other fancy things just for igs to climb on.
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MichaelB

Tremor, general weakness (compared to a healthy ig), un-coordination, fat legs, flexible jaws, twisted baskbone; all or some of these symptoms.

An x-ray will instantly show whether MBD is happening to him. The treatment is vet-prescribed calcium glubionate, which any herp-treating vet will have on hand. So you have the cost of the office visit the cost of he x-ray which are not very expensive.

I understand what you mean by his lack of familiarity with climbing, but IMO and from my experience, igs are genetically harwired climbing machines. A healthy ig who climbs screen for the first time will cling so tightly that he would be hard to peel off of it.

Roger

When I first got Tempest, he had trouble climbing even though he was quite a big ig, he didn't have the coordination or muscle strength because he wasn't used to it. The first thing he could climb not too badly was hardware mesh, that heavy plastic stuff with 1/4" square holes.

With his new cage, I used a good sized tree trunk from a wood lot to go up diagonally through the cage, its maybe 5" in diameter, which he couldn't tackle until I put sisal rope around it so he had something to really grip with his toes. He's never handled ramps very well, although sprinkling sand in the paint helps hugely, or wrapping them with sisal rope (climbing rope and yellow nylon rope is no good at all, it has to be hemp or sisal rope I find). His shelves all have sand sprinkled into the first coat of paint, then two more coats on top of that to smooth it out, but they have really good grip for him without it being too rough. Honestly though, the first few times he tacked the log, because it was new, he fell like a dead chicken. I felt so bad for him, he was fine, just had never developed the coordination to climb something round even though it had lots to grip. Now, he's totally fine with it.

the thing that i dont get is that he walks fine and everything. he has no abseces, bent spine or anything like that. the only things i am worried about is his climbing(he favors the left side of things) and his bottom jaw is a slightly longer than the top. i may just be worrying to much since this is my first iguana. the whole time i was so happy because i got accepted and was able to adopt him and give him a second or third chance and now i feel terrible because he cant climb so now he is limited to a log that is only 8 inches off of the floor. now he has to go to the vet and go through all of that stress on top of the stress of being moved into a new home.

now i dnt know what to do my mom is telling me to give him back to the foster home i adopted him from and have them deal with it(which i am not going to do i am comminted to finding out what is wrong with him) and my dad is telling me to bring him o the vet(which i am going to do) now instead of getting new paintball equipmnt for christmas i am going to have them help me pay for the vet visit and stuff.

And how do i tell if his limbs are to "buff"? also he favors climbing on the right side of things(dont know if that makes a difference)

anyways thanks for the help and i will apreciate any and all advice

Mike and IGGY
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1.0.0 water dragon
0.0.1 mali uromastyx
0.1.0 painted turtle
0.0.1 common snapping turtle

then the ussual
2 dogs
6 cats
misc fish
hermit crabs
rat
misc. fish

My Email

ITS NOT ABOUT YOU DIEING FOR YOUR COUNTRY, ITS ABOUT MAKING YOUR ENEMY DIE FOR HIS.

HAPPINESS IS LIKE PEEING ON YOURSELF, EVERYONE CAN SEE IT BUT ONLY YOU CAN FEEL THE WARMTH

Just give him some time! Tempest was very unfit when I got him, couldn't climb worth beans. Let him figure things out for himself, he'll build up to it, just try to make his cage as safe for him as you can. It sounds like he's ok for the most part, make sure you feed him plenty of fresh dark greens (collards and dandelions are Tempests fav's), fresh veggies, and use a calcium supplement a couple of times a week, as well as a vitamim supplement once a week (personally I swear by Rep-Cal products, I use a pinch of powder twice a week of calcium, and once of vitamin). Tempest was just like your fellow, and now a year later he is strong, more than doubled in weight, and passed his annual vet exam with flying colours.

I felt the same way, I felt out of my league and had no clue. Just do your reading, be observant and caring, and he'll turn around and be fine. Consider wrapping your ramps with sisal twine so he can use his claws to grip better, or any other natural rope, I usually look for 1/4" or 3/8" rope for wrapping things. If he does seem genuinely hurt, take him to the vet, its just part of owning any pet. You want to give your ig a good home, he very badly needs a good home, it just takes time for those two things to be coordinated, you'll get there!

so you dont think i need to go to the vet? i talked to the animal foster home where i got him and they said that he has been a free roamer sice he was little. so i just think he lacks the muscle tone(like bexley said) and my dad thinks he just may not be sure exactly how to climb(except for the screen once he gets on the screen he is a pain to get off!!) but i figure that to be a good thing. also he walks fine. he doesnt have a big apetite yet but i have only had him for 2 days. but he did eat a few greens and grapes with calcium powder. and he lves his baths!

the only thing that has me worried is that his bottom jaw is a tad longer than his top. but i felt his jaw and it does not feel soft and i felt his back and legs and they feel fine. i will post pics this weekend after i find out how to use our new digi cam and get our new computer set-up!!
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1.0.0 water dragon
0.0.1 mali uromastyx
0.1.0 painted turtle
0.0.1 common snapping turtle

then the ussual
2 dogs
6 cats
misc fish
hermit crabs
rat
misc. fish

My Email

ITS NOT ABOUT YOU DIEING FOR YOUR COUNTRY, ITS ABOUT MAKING YOUR ENEMY DIE FOR HIS.

HAPPINESS IS LIKE PEEING ON YOURSELF, EVERYONE CAN SEE IT BUT ONLY YOU CAN FEEL THE WARMTH

If you two are just starting off together, a vet appointment is always a good thing. After having Tempest for over a year, it was a big relief to have all his bloodwork come back improved from his original levels, it tells me that I am doing things right and that he is fine. Getting a preliminary exam and baseline bloodwork done also let me know what problems he had, and might have developed, for example he didn't have MBD but his calcium and phosphorous levels were off, so he was on his way. Its also a good way to find and meet a herp vet, rather than waiting for an emergency or when somethings really wrong, your vet will appreciate it! At the end of the day though, its up to you, but it sounds like they are definately cheaper in the US than up here in Canada, my vet visit cost me close to $200 for an annual exam and basic bloodwork.

I agree that if you're just starting out, a trip to the vet for a basic exam will pay off in the long run. I suspect that Bexley's $200 vet bill had a lot to do with the bloodwork; the lab stuff can get expensive. My last bill for a basic exam for one of my igs (I have two) was $30. If the choice were mine, I'd easily go for a healthy iguana over new paintball equipment. You can always go back and get the latter, but in the event that your ig does have a health issue, time is not a luxury. (Between your ig favoring one side, and the unequal jaws, he just doesn't sound right to me.) And like Bexley said, it's good to have a herp vet that you're familiar with, just in case an emergency arises.
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MichaelB