Reptile & Amphibian Forums

This is probably gonna sound like a stupid question, but, I am a new iguana owner, I am doing all the possible reading that I can on them so that I do everything right. Well within the last day there is white stuff all around his nose. I know the that they excrete salt through there nose, but enough to leave a buildup around it? He is being a little tempermental with me and it is basically impossible to pick him up right now to get a closer look at it, but I am working at it so I can clean it off, whatever it is. I was just wondering if anyone else has ever encountered this.

Sounds like "snalt" or the salt they sneeze Good luck with him and the taming issue If you need anything answered let us know
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Heather, Vern, Andy, Router, April And OODLES of fish

Thanks for all of your advice it is really appreciated. This little guy is driving me crazy but I am sticking with it. I finally got a hold of him and the stuff came right off. Well examining him now I found a little orange mite and his tummy feels bloated, just having one problem after the next here. Gonna have to call the vet asap in the morning. I knew it was gonna be a lot of work, but I was expecting all of this!!!

Be sure and get rid of the mites asap. They can really hurt your iggy. Treat his enclosure also, and treat both over and over until they are gone. Then do it again to be sure. I battled with mites for 3 weeks with my smallest iggy. She still has scars that are finaly going away after 5 months. I used provent-a-mite spay and baths to get rid of them. Follow the directions exactly for what ever method you use. the "Green Iguana Society" site has good advice and information for quick reference on all kinds of questions. Here is the web address for provent-a-mite. Good luck with your iggy and don't give up on him. I have 2 green iggys and 1 cuban rock iggy and they are worth every bit of trouble. Actually they aren't that troublesome at all, just a little time consuming.

http://www.pro-products.com/miteandtemp.html

Thanks again for the advice, I will have to look for that mite spray. I tried to check him over real good for the mites, I only saw the one that I got off of him right away, then when checking his belly he got away from me. After about a half hour of chasing him around I finally caught him, yay, didn't find anymore mites, thankfully, but I will give his cage a good cleaning, and another good cleaning thouroughly before I put him back in there again. Im not gonna give up on him, I knew that this was gonna be alot of work, and I am prepared for it, I just want to make sure that I do everything right for the little guy, its only been a week, but I have become really attached to him already. Thanks again, I am so glad I found this site everyone is really helpful!!!

Got him into the vet today and the doc says that he looks good. No parasites, no mites. He said that it was probably just a regular little bug that inhabits every home. Havn't seen one since the first one, which is good news!!!

Thats great!!!! Very good news Congrats and im happy that you took him to the vet for a check up

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Heather, Vern, Andy, Router, April And OODLES of fish

Thanks!! Its a big relief. By the way, that is the cutest picture that you have on here, hopefully I will get my digital camera back so I can take some of my new little guy=)

Thank you That is my oldest child andy taken about11 months ago hehe will tell him u like his pic
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Heather, Vern, Andy, Router, April And OODLES of fish

Since you are new to iguanas i suggest you go to the vet with the iguana and have him recommend something to get rid of them with. This will also give your vet a good time to find out about your husbandry and suggest changes. Your ig needs darkness to sleep. My lights are on a timer and come on at 7:!5am and go off at 7:40pm. they need complete darkness do a CHE ceramic heating element should be gotten to keep him warm. it produces no light just heat. some owners run the che 24/7. I do and I dont have to run a basking bulb the enclosure should be scrubbed with bleach and hot water and air dried until no bleach can be detected by scent! any wood needs to be baked so it can kill off any mites that may be hiding in it.
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Heather, Vern, Andy, Router, April And OODLES of fish

Yuckie poor you. He may just be ready to poop. You can soak him in a tub of warm water up to his shoulders in depth (about the same temp you would bathe a baby in maybe a little warmer but not much until you know how warm he likes it) and he might poop in the water. after he does poop you will need to disinfect the tub he pooped in so it doesnt contaminate everything. Bummer on the mites tho. A vet visit is indeed in order. while you are there get a fecal exam to check for any internal nasties that are as bad as the mites Good Luck
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Heather, Vern, Andy, Router, April And OODLES of fish

With all the reading I have been doing I am not sure if I am doign the lighting right either. The guy at the pet store told me to use a red heated light for warmth and to leave it on all night long and just turn the UVB light off after about 10-12 hours. It said on the box it doesn't interfere with sleeping habits. From most things I have read it says to turn all the lights off at night. When I do that the temp drops to about 65 degrees and I don't know if that is too cold or not. I have a ceramic heater I could run next to the cage all night, but it is pretty loud and I don't want to stress the little guy out anymore that he already is.....

They have bulbs that are specifically made to be left on at night. That is what I use for night time heating. They give off a red glow and it doesn't bother them. That's what it sounds like you have. I have 3 heat lamps in the top cage and 2 in the bottom. Also a uvb in the top and one in the bottom. At night I turn all the lights off except the 1 night time heat lamp in the top and the night time heat lamp in the bottom. I hope this helps.

-make sure to observe your iguana's sleeping habits without the light, to make sure he sleeps as well with or without it. I tried both a red "night" light and a beautiful dim violet "moonlight" bulb with my iguana. He would not settle down and go to sleep at his regular time with either of them on at night, and he would not stay on his perch, and he was ill-tempered in the morning. Both of these product were marketed for night-time use for iguanas. So, with some iguanas, it really doesn't work.

That would be good to make sure the light doesn't bother him. Every iggy is different. If I don't turn the lights off before sleep time, Sam will fall asleep in her basking spot with all the lights on. My little one stays awake until she gets real tired even after I turn the lights out. Their sleep and wake up times are off by about an hour. Sam is awake in the morning and I usually wake up Ed(Ella) when I feed them. Now my new cuban iggy is a real late sleeper. I don't think the lights bother him. I'll have to watch and see.