Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I could especially use help from Brian who does Coruscia work in Florida, or anyone who knows SPECIFICALLY what plants iguanas in the wild tropics eat. I know it ain't parsnip! Anybody from Florida or other Southern locales? Flavia?

Here's the background: When I was in the Carribean this spring, I helped park rangers rescue a wild iguana. Since then, they have been writing to me with questions that I try to answer the best I can. Of course I tell them that I am by no means a vet, but some vets in the USVI are not very knowledgeable. Even if they know what to do, unfortunately, the park service does not pay for much veterinary care for reptiles. For example, they do not generally do x-rays or fecal tests.

Here are some letters I received this weekend. They arrived on Sunday when I was traveling, and I just wrote back. I will post my letter in another post. Please add suggestions???

1) "Good Day Erin,

How are you doing? I hope you are enjoying your summer weather.
On the way in to work this morning one of my co-workers was stopped to "please" help an iguana. She was able to get it into a cardboard box and carried to our offices. She talked to the doctor who will see it in the morning. We are keeping
it in the box for now, quiet, and with some hibuscus flower to eat. We are hoping that by keeping it calm it will be OK overnight in the Visitor Center (no A/C). It doesn't seem to have use of its hind legs. The legs do not appear damaged, but it wasn't using them. Any ideas? Your help is appreciated. "

2) "Good News,
Our iguana is much improved. We got a better cage (an old wire fish trap)and put it outside for the Vitamin D and sunshine. It's eaten a half a dozen hibiscus flowers and some lettuce. It's moving around and drinking water. We'd still love to hear from you."

Thanks.

"Hi Deanna,

Sorry- I was not near a computer this weekend. Sounds
like it's doing better.

I'm not a vet, so you'll really only know that's wrong
if you get an x-ray. Iguanas are very good at hiding
injury, and this one may have hairline fractures that
aren't apparent from just feeling the legs.

But here are some guesses in the meantime...

Sometimes when iguanas are really constipated from
eating something they shouldn't have, they don't or
won't use their back legs. Extreme constipation also
causes lethargy and bloating. Has the iguana gone to
the bathroom yet? If not, you might try putting it in
a tub of warm water, which might induce it to go. You
can also gently massage its belly.

Males will drag their back legs over the ground and
tree branches to mark their territory using the waxy
secretions from large pores on their thighs. Maybe
somebody just saw this iguana dragging its back legs
marking its territory?

Females who are having egg problems may drag their
legs, as may iguanas who have Metabolic Bone Disease
(extreme calcium deficiency- the body starts digesting
the bones. The human form of this is rickets.)

Again, an x-ray will determine whether there is
insufficient bone density or egg laying problems. Is
this the same vet that the other iguana went to?

Here are a few tips to help your iguana along-

-Make sure the temperature is no cooler than 85 and no
warmer than 100 in the hottest area of the cage. A
human heating pad placed under the iguana on a low
setting is the easiest way to adjust the temperature.

-Don't put the iguana in direct sunlight for too long.
Iguanas can easily become overheated. Signs of this
are panting and a wide open mouth.

-If the temperatures are right, mist the iguana with
water periodically to aleviate dehydration. (But
don't mist a cold iguana! This will just make it
colder)

-Try berries, mango, papaya, cantaloupe, butternut or
acorn squash, green beans, or parsnip, chopped up in
rice-sized pieces.

-Try dark greens like chicory, watercress, dandelion
greens, escarole, turnip greens, or mustard greens
instead of or in addition to lettuce. (Lettuce has no
nutrients in it, only water.) Dole makes a great
ready-made salad in a bag called "Spring Mix" that
lots of people use for their iguanas.

I will try to get some advice from others- thanks for
writing! I hope he gets better- let me know?

Here is an excellent care sheet:
http://www.anapsid.org/pdf/onepageigcare.pdf

-Erin"

The hibiscus leaves and flowers are good for now and as part of the diet, I know that much. I dont think theyre a good staple?but I am not sure. This is off Anapsid.org

'Hibiscus rosa-sinensis (Chinese hibiscus; shoebankplant; Hibiscus)

Flowers (Fresh weight)
Water: 89.8 Protein: 0.06 Fat: 0.4 Fibre: 1.56 Calcium: 4 Phosphorus: 27 Iron: 1.7 Thiamine: 0.03 Riboflavin: 0.05 Niacin: 0.6 Vitamin C: 4.2 Source: [218]

Fruit (Dry weight)
Water: 0 Calories: 353 Protein: 3.9 Fat: 3.9 Carbohydrate: 86.3 Fibre: 15.7 Ash: 5.9 Calcium: 39 Phosphorus: 265 Iron: 17 Thiamine: 0.29 Riboflavin: 0.49 Niacin: 5.9 Vitamin C: 39 Source: [218]

Leaves (Dry weight)
Water: 0 Protein: 15.4 Fat: 3.5 Carbohydrate: 69.7 Fibre: 15.5 Ash: 11.4 Calcium: 1670 Phosphorus: 520 Source: [218]"

http://www.anapsid.org/resources/ediblenutrients.html
-----
Sarah
IgWhippedInFlorida
groups.yahoo.com/group/IgWhippedInFlorida/

I have often wondered about the calcium to phosphorus ratio of hibiscus leaves as my iguana loves them and my garden is full of organically grown hibiscus. I've heard that in some areas here in south florida where iguanas have become established it is difficult to keep hibiscus alive due to heavy foraging by the iguanas. I tried to plant some in my outdoor enclosure and Maya stripped them to bare branches within 2 days in addition to eating her collards.