Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi Everyone,

I took my new Cyclura nubila hybrid to the vet today for an initial visit. I adopted her (him?) two weeks ago and just had this "feeling" like we needed to go to the vet. Now, supposedly, Kismet has never had any animal protein in her life, (she is 18 months old), but her calcium was high and her phosphorus level was more than *twice* what it was supposed to be. She's starting on a phosphorus binding agent tomorrow and so far it looks like her kidneys are okay. I've been careful not to feed any high phosphorus foods, so I'm wondering how this could have happen and how long it would take for phosphorus to build up to such high levels?

Anyway, I'm sooooo glad we went to the vet today, but if anyone with more experienceehas any ideas on how to help Kismet recover, I'm open to suggestions.

Thanks,

Susan (and Kismet)

Hi
It would be easy to get a high phospherous level with out eating proteins. Many greens and almost all fruit are hi in phospherous compared to the calcium they contain. She was probably fed a high fruit diet by someone not very knoledgable in reptile husbandry. You want at least a 2:1 ratio of calcium to phos. in the food. The best diet is natural forage-- go into your yard and clip grass, weeds, flowers, cactus, mullberry leaves etc.. This is the best diet along with real sunshine and lots of room. Try and stay away from store bought greens. I have never seen a wild iguana shopping at safe-way or piggly wiggly's for dinner, so it probably would not benifit your pet either. Good luck.

I like the idea of "natural forage" but I live in Michigan. How would I know what was safe to feed?
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Spinys are just children with scales and long tails.

Try checking with your local vet,herpetologists society, or turtle and tortoise club and see if they have a list of the poisonous plants that grow in your area. I am sure many people reading this can supply a link to poisonous plants in the mid west. Probably 99% of the weeds in your yard are fine. My experience with cyclura and tortoises shows me that they have a very high tolerance to otherwise toxic plants, and they tend to avoid plants that would do them harm. I am sure in their natural habitat that there many toxic plants also.

Interestlingly a favorite food of the mona iguana was found to be deadly posionous to man and other animals. Try looking at some of the bigger green iguana and tortoise sites for lists of non-toxic plants.

email me off line if you would rather

Thanks. I don't think it's a good idea for me to use much from my
yard though -- too many pesticides in our neighborhood and lots of
spraying for West Nile. The igs do get time outside in basking cages
though, early during the day. Spraying is done at sunset and they
are inside long before then. When possible, I get to the
Organic grocery, but meantimes I just wash everything from the
grocery thoroughly.

Susan

Most cyclura love bananas. They are very in phosphorus and may have been part of your adopted igs previous diet.