Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hi thank you very much for answering my questions. just wondering if you have any ideas what i should feed my desert iguana. he wont eat i have tried all i can think of

Here's what I got:

Leafy dark greens (collards, mustards, dandelions, escarole, parsley, grasses (pesticide free!), shredded green and orange vegetables, soft fruits, flowers such as hibiscus, roses, dandelions, nasturtium, geranium (leaves and flower heads). Cactus pads (trimmed) and prickly pear. Supplement with multivitamin and calcium supplement

It is mentioned also that to induce appetite, some protein is introduced in their diet, such as crickets or mealworms. However, there is a risk that they can grow fond of these, and ignore vegetables altogether.

Mixing any of the above mentioned vegetables with soft/canned baby food, such as Gerber, can also help increasing appetite.

An old trick of mine, to boost nutrition, is to crush Kellogg's TOTAL cereal. It as "100%" in everything, and once crushed into fine pieces, it can be sprinkled on the food, moistened for easy swallowing and preventing scratches.
A friend of mine once used Froot Loops sprinkled on the food, and successfully got the animal to eat.

Lack of appetite may be a health warning, so make sure they have been checked for worms, parasites, etc by a vet.

If you just got the animal recently, the new environment can be stressful, therefore the iguana may need some time to adjust to captivity. Full-spectrum lighting and heating should be correct.
Hiding places, space to move and explore, desert-like arrangement, all should be as best as possible to help the animal feel "at home" and act naturally.
If the enclosure is exposed to loud noises daily, it can stress the animal, so make sure that there are no dogs, small children, or loud machinery to stress it.

Exotic animals are never easy, and are fairly delicate when first acquired. Lots of patience and dedication is needed.

Keep a close eye on it, make sure food is ALWAYS fresh and clean, keep an eye on feces, and overall activity/health of the animal. But also give it privacy to adjust.

Hope this helps. Let me know how it goes!

-IJ

...ask around at the Chuckwalla forum, since they share very similar husbandry and food requirements.

-IJ

Alot of DI posts on chuck forum also. Mine always liked dandelion flowers. DI's need to be hot to eat, if they are not atleast 80 degrees, they will not be able to digest properly.