Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I've an iguana and it's showing signs of sickness or. . .? It's got motley, brownish skin, although I don't know if this is because it's in the midst of shedding. Main thing is, it's not eating well.

I just wonder. Is it fact that wood and branches should be sterilized and could it have caught some kind of fungus as a result of me not doing this? I don't know what's wrong with it. BUT PLEASE DON'T SAY "TAKE IT TO THE VET?" I'm looking for some help on this website, otherwise I would go to a vet.

Need more info.....

1) how old is your ig?

2) how big?

3) how long have you had him/her?

4) any other symptoms besides color and not eating?

And the only reason people here say "take it to the vet" is because they want the best for the igs.. Sometimes it´s hard to help just by reading and guessing how it looks like.. So in that case, the best ans smartest thing for us to say is "take it to the vet"..
About your ig.. it could be because it is shedding.. Tania, one of my females, always loose her apettite while shedding.. it COULD be it... but give us some more info..
Later,
Dan

.

Awwwwww DanielP
what a gorgeous baby you have there. Beautiful Markings. How old?
-----
Indigo's Zooventory

3 Green Iguanas
1 Nile Monitor
1 Black-Throat Monitor
1 Leopard Lizard
2 Alligator Lizards
1 Armadillo Lizard
1 Brown Anole
1 Dove
1 Ferret Baby sitting him
5 Albino Clawed Frogs
1 African Clawed Frog
1 Solid White Koi
1 Eel
2 Pearl Gouramies
1 African Peacock Cichlid
2 Irridescent Sharks
3 Gold Fish

Thanks!! She is a female and is called Tania.. that´s an old picture.. she is now 2 years old... That pic was taken like 1 year ago I think..
But she thanks you for the complement!!
Take care,
Later,
Dan

First of all, don't get this wrong. I'm just taking care of the iguana for a family member who had bought it without realizing the responsibility. I'm now learning, but really just want to help the iguana survive.

Today, fortunately, it ate a heapful of lettuce and some apple. I'll see if it eats tomorrow. I just want to ask how you sterilize branches?

To answer your questions, the iguana is definitely a juvenile, no more than six months old to a year. It's about ten inches in length. I feed it a good variety of veggies, have bought a heat lamp for it but used to place it in the sun before it got cold out(with shade, of course,)and IT DOESN'T HAVE ANY OTHER SYMPTOMS. IT'S ONLY SYMPTOMS ARE WHAT APPEAR TO BE BROWN SPOTS FROM SHEDDING. I've got it in a rubbermaid for now, because I can't afford a big cage and this one was better than the 10gal tank my family member kept it in.

I think, perhaps, it wasn't exactly fit when my family member bought it. I can't, however, afford to take it to a vet. Tips and advice would be much appreciated.

First of all, might I suggest visiting Melissa Kaplan's site to get a better idea on more correct iguana nutrition (assuming you haven't already visited this site) at www.anapsid.org
Because, like most critters, iguanas won't act sick until they're VERY sick, and it is impossible to get anything more than an educated guess at best (from this forum or any other online type of message board) as to what is actually going on with this animal, and it is imparitive to get it to the veterinarian now.
Even a licensed veterinarian cannot and will not diagnose an animal without examining it first...there are just too many variables as to what could actually be going on with him for you to rely on just a guess. If you truly want to help this ig, then please take it to a herp-savvy veterinarian, or try to find a home for him with someone who can get him looked at. If there's truly something more than just shedding going on, then the longer you wait to get this ig diagnosed and treated potentially puts him one step closer to permanent, irreparable damage or death.
Please understand, I mean no disrespect...only concern for the animal's well-being.
-----
Meredith
***********
"What will people think when they hear that I'm a Jesus freak; What will people do when they find that it's true?
I don't really care if they label me a Jesus freak; There ain't no disguising the truth!"
(DC Talk: Jesus Freak; 1995 Virgin Records)

Hey.. i didn´t mean to be rude or anything!! Sorry!! I just wanted the best for your ig.. When I red your post it seemed that you didn´t want to read "Take it to the vet".. but that´s the best advice we can give since we don´t get to see the ig... I´m sorry.. But, like the others said, you really should take it to the vet if you truly want it to be healthy. I know it takes time, it costs money.. but hey.. these guys depend on us to live.. But I didn´t mean to be rude.. really sorry.
And you said that tips would be aprecciated, well, here is one: don´t feed it lettuce..
Later,
Dan

Number one

Loose the lettuce. Empty nutrition. The base of the diet should be green leafy hearty veggies. Collard greens, Kale, dandelion greens, swiss chard, squashes, tomatoes, carrots, rinsed smashed green peas or beans. Very little fruit. Maybe once or twice/week. No spinach, no brocolli, no lettuce. Calcium/d3 powder too.

sterilize branches in a tub witha chlorine bleach/water solution 1/2 cup bleach to 1 gallon water. Leave in soak for 24 hours then soak for another 24 hours in plain water to get rid of the chlorine traces and then let them COMPLETELY dry out

Good Luck
-----
Indigo's Zooventory

3 Green Iguanas
1 Nile Monitor
1 Black-Throat Monitor
1 Leopard Lizard
2 Alligator Lizards
1 Armadillo Lizard
1 Brown Anole
1 Dove
1 Ferret Baby sitting him
5 Albino Clawed Frogs
1 African Clawed Frog
1 Solid White Koi
1 Eel
2 Pearl Gouramies
1 African Peacock Cichlid
2 Irridescent Sharks
3 Gold Fish

Brown color could mean a serious illness if the whole body became brown.A few years ago i saw a baby ig dying in a PET EXPO.He was completely brown.

If you want your iglet to be saved dont wait only for our help, take it to the vet for a bacterial exam. Its very easy, the vet only take some fecal material from the vent with the help of a swab.

Flavia