Reptile & Amphibian Forums

can someone send me in the right direction to get some information on rhino and cuban iguanas? i need to know what kind of a cage they need LxWxH basically
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1.0.0 adopted iguana
0.0.1 rescued iguana
0.0.1 mali uromastyx
0.1.0 painted turtle
0.0.1 common snapping turtle

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

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try this
http://images.cyclura.com/download/pdf/WestIndianRockIguanas.PDF
Link

There is a lot of info out there regarding their care, however, in a nutshell, here is how we keep our rhinos (realizing, though, that there are a lot of blanks to fill in between the lines):

Cage: We keep our trio in a custom made habitat systems cage that measures 12' wide x 4' deep x 5' high complete with natural rockwork basking ledges, fake trees including a long horizontal above ground fake palm tree for additional basking/climbing areas, large boulder for another basking spot (this allows each lizard to have its own basking area). Substrate consists of a combination of pea gravel, torpedo sand, dirt/moss mix, and ESU jungle litter mix....great combination that looks real nice too. For lighting we use Power Sun bulbs which provide both bright light basking spots and important UV rays. Additionally, we have several banks of 48" uv bulbs. A misting system is incorporated to keep the animals hydrated while also boosting ambient humidity levels. We also provide a large, shallow water pan which the iguanas love to soak in.

At night, when the power sun bulbs go off, a large pro product radiant heat panel turns on which is connected to a thermostat (to provide the optimal night temps).

Diet consists of Marion Reptile and Leafeater Diet, various dark leafy greens including mustard, endive, romaine, bok choy and lots of other stuff, various mixed veggies, a little fruit, and a little protein in the form of small quail, mice and super worms (animals are a small percentage of their diet but we feel it is an important component). We also provide a quality vitamin/mineral supplement.

The dimensions of the cage we described is the bare minimum and we are already planning on building a much larger exhibit in the near future....just something to keep in mind.

Hope this helps. Rob

Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm
City of Lake Forest Parks & Recreation (IL)

do you do blood work on your animals on a yearly basis or more frequently? I'd like to see a study done on blood values comparing Cyclura fed animal protein on a regular basis and those that are not. I know that there is some controversy about feeding animal protein...some folks do and many others don't. I've heard of disastrous results in animals fed moderate amounts and also heard of animals that were fed animal protein frequently that were very healthy. I prefer not to feed it but my Cyclura do snitch an occasional kibble of dog food once in a great while when I forget to pick up the bowl.

BTW, it was good to see you again in Chicago and I enjoyed watching the Croc monitor just digging away! I was disappointed that I didn't get to meet your BRN but maybe some other time.
Jane

Yes, we do annual full blood work ups and so far, nothing has jumped out from the charts. I will admit that the animal protein intake is a very small percentage of our rhino's overall diet now that they are over a year in age (probably less than 5%) and knowing their foraging tendencies in the wild would indicate that they are somewhat opportunistic and most likely, consume a fair amount of various animal items. Other factors such as adequate exercise and room to roam along with good hydration, proper heat and light are critical to their overall health....duh, as if I need to tell you!

It was good seeing you too. Speaking of our croc monitor, that little devil girl sent one of my keepers to the hospital last week; nearly took his finger right off!

Next up...North American Reptile Breeders in Tinley (October). We are planning on doing a venomous herp display and should be a lot of fun. Rob

Rob, can't wait to see your display in Tinley Park! You had some beautiful critters there last year. I'm not sure if I'll be there just as a spectator or if the herp society will want Azul back for their conservation tables. He did attract alot of attention last year and it was fun.
I'll contact you privately about the blood work results. I'd like to start putting together some data.