Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Okay. So I took my old iguana back while I could and was told it had a skin disease. One look from the person working there and that was it. I had a feeling that it had a skin disease, which was what it was. I asked what they'd do for him and said they'd see what they could do for the disease and try to help him out. I dunno if there really is anything.

Now I have a new iguana. I picked him out after being given the opportunity of another one for free as an apology. Anyways, it was the healthiest looking there. It was alittle bigger than the rest and seemed to be the best choice. When I picked him up, he just looked at me. He didn't tail whip or bob his head or hatchet-position or anything. It was awesome. The only bobbing of his head was him looking around curiously at me and sticking out his tongue at me.

Compared to my old iguana, this one seemed legendary. I couldn't believe my eyes. He quickly ran up my arm and stood on my shoulder curiously, and licked my shirt. I was determined to have him, just by this. I knew it was bad to choose the first I picked up but I'd already fell in love with him. After picking him out, I talked to someone who I'd heeded for advice that worked there about what I had and what more I needed. I then proceeded to buy necessary things for an actual heat lamp.

After all this, I finally got him home and everything set up for him. I changed my bedding to paper towels, sometimes with newspaper underneath. I have sort of a pie-bowl or pan or whatever for him that I fill up about less than halfway. It doesn't go up very far on him. I also have a dish I put a few pieces of food in (cantaloupe, tomatoes, lettuce). I boiled two sticks for him to climb on that he loves and put them under the heat lamp. I have the heat lamp laying directly down on the top of the cage so it's concentrated into one corner. The other corner has the food and water bowl/pool. The first day I got him he ate cantaloupe from my hand and seemed to enjoy it, along with a little bit of lettuce. The night I brought him home, he pooped in his water bowl and I cleaned it out and sterilized it, because it seemed he had worms.

Well, another problem, but I refuse to take him back, because I can't part with him. I bought medicine from the vet that I asked whether or not it was okay for a baby iguana. They said of course and I may have foolishly trusted their word. In any case, I tried to get him to poop the next day by giving him more food. He wouldn't eat, so I tried off and on all day. I noticed that he may have ate some chopped up carrot that I had for him because it had been dragged around the cage and a lot of it seemed to be missing. Oh, I'd like to mention that the person who was helping me with the medicine missed his mouth. I got some on my shirt and he had some on his face, but not much. He licked it all off of our fingers and off of my shirt and I rubbed what he had on his face off and he licked that, too. Basically, all that was left was a few smudges of it. Anyways, he pooped that day (in his water, again. The only reason he ever goes there is to poop.) and it had some worms in it. It seemed fairly large, despite that he hadn't ate much (could've only been once that day). I couldn't tel if they were dead or not because of the fact that they were in water. They seemed to still be alive, but I may be being paranoid.

He seems to be acting alittle bit less active, which is easy because of how active he was at first. I figure he's just fighting his ailment. However, I'm unsure whether the medicine is being effective. I'm sorry for bugging all of you with my problems. I'd like to mention that I'd never read anywhere that you should mist them in the summer, but he loves when I do considering that he doesn't get in his water bole to bathe. What can I do for something he can bathe/drink in? Is the reason he doesn't bathe or drink from it that he thinks it's a potty, or that it's too shallow?

i would increase soaks just to be on the safe side. it does not hurt to do it.
did they give you de-worming stuff ?
he might soak or be near the water when you are not around him.
I alaways mist my iguana she loves it. i give soaks too.

my first iguana was really mellow i miss it
i adopted my second one shes a hand full but i love her

good luck ! i wish you the best of luck
if you got questions or i missed any i will try to help you to the best of my ability.

christina

Yeah, the worm medicine was just one dosage. The worms are gone now, which I meant to post today. I think so, at least. I got up this morning and saw what looked like poop on the paper towels. It was just in one spot and was a small poop with nothing in it, but it was dried out from setting out all night. I replaced the paper towels completely and saw that he had gotten in the water by a little black thing in the water. I see these alot, they're probably from the bark of the twigs I have. But now I know he gets in it more often than I think.

You mentioned soaking him? How should I do that?

I'd also like to mention that I got a therm for the cage now and legitimate nutritious food for iguanas and box turtles. I sprinkled some calcium on it, but wasn't sure how much I should. Afterwards, I sprayed the food with my spray bottle to make sure the dust settled in. I think I'm doing good for him. He's acting better still than he did the day before after taking the medicine. I'm pretty sure he's ate alittle bit. The thermometer is only reading about room temperature, too, but it can't really be that temp. under the heat lamp. It's directly under the light. I dunno what to do, and I'm starting to worry about the temp for him because my room has to be cold for the rest of the house to be tolerable.

>>You mentioned soaking him? How should I do that?

Soaking is good daily. It gets them in the habit for when they are older and makes keeping a cage clean easier.

>>I'd also like to mention that I got a therm for the cage now and legitimate nutritious food for iguanas and box turtles. I sprinkled some calcium on it, but wasn't sure how much I should. Afterwards, I sprayed the food with my spray bottle to make sure the dust settled in. I think I'm doing good for him. He's acting better still than he did the day before after taking the medicine. I'm pretty sure he's ate alittle bit. The thermometer is only reading about room temperature, too, but it can't really be that temp. under the heat lamp. It's directly under the light. I dunno what to do, and I'm starting to worry about the temp for him because my room has to be cold for the rest of the house to be tolerable.

A few things,

Diet - In all honesty there is very little that is better than a fresh food diet. They are herbivorous, so their natural diet is plant matter.

Thermometers - Get a nice temp gun. You can get them as cheap as $20 and they read the spot you want read and not the outside influences. Thermometers on a glass tank get readings from outside and inside and are never fully reliable. Pro Exotics sells a nice cheap one.

UV Light Tubes do not emit heat. Laura explained in a previous post about this and how to properly mount things. Heat lamps are also needed. Be sure the dome base is Ceramic. That is VERY important. You can get them from Wal-Mart for 3 bucks.

Get a fresh fecal sample into a vet in 2 weeks for a double check on the worms. Might be good to have the iguana examined as well. If the previous iguana really did have a skin issue, its hard to say that protocols from tank to tank at a pet store were strict with hand washing between cages.
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Cindy
PHFaust

Email Cindy

Land of the Outcasts!

First...the worms. Moving to a new location is going to compromise the little guy. Change is stressful to igs and you no for a fact that he has some sort of parasite. So, what did they give you...was it a dewormer, and what kind? Even if you don't take the ig to a vet, at least drop off a stool sample and get an accurate diagnosis and treatment. Make sure you tell them what med you have given. In a new situation, internal parasites can cause lethargy and poor condition.

I'm glad to hear that this little guy is much better than the other. You can offer two water containers...one for pooping and one for drinking. Sounds like you're on your way to potty trained ig, cool!

Along with heat, make sure you have a UV bulb...so, so very important! There are some other posts below regarding diet. Greens like collard, mustard, and turnip with squash, green beans, etc. will serve your ig better in the long run than lettuce and carrots.

I'm not sure what kind of medicine it was, but I'll try to find out. Next time he poops, I'll try to get it in a sample, but I dunno what to put it or anything. I like your idea about the water dish and pooping dish. XD. I think I may have answered some other questions on my reply to the other post, so check that out. Really, he's not even kinda acting lethargic lately. I kinda spent a while away from the house and when I came back I was busy today and when I finally made time for him later after I held him in the morning and he climbed all over me and licked me. I noticed that he loves being petted. That's not very normal, is it?

Oh, whoops, I forgot to mention that I have a black light that's red which I believe is for U.V. I'm not sure, but I know one of them is. I like to take him outside, too, because it's august and it's humid where I live so I figure he enjoys it. I know the normal colored light that I use in the day is for heat. The other one, I thought was for UV. I was told to use one in the day, which is the heat one, and the other at night. I also know that the colored one produces alittle bit of heat. Even if not, it's usually 70-75 degrees in my room at night.

you should have a Uvb light and a heat lamp during the day
the uvb be lights look like floresent lights
but it says uvb on them. make sur its reptisun not repti glow

I have a reptiglo, which I'm assuming isn't good news. Let me guess! It doesn't emit heat? It says it has a high UVB output. The red one, I don't have the container. I had the box for it at my girlfriend's house and she says they threw it away. ;\. All I can say is that it's red...

You don't need a night time heat source unless your room is below 75 at night. They need a nighttime temp drop, but low-mid 70's is about it. You do need a way to measure the temps in the tank accurately, no matter what type of reptile you own. The basking temps should be low-mid 90's. If it's too low, then your little guy won't have a proper metabolism for growth and a healthy immune system.

The UV is so important!!! A long tube is best, I'm not a fan of the T-Rex because of past problems, and I've seen people have problems with coiled compacts as well. The UV works best if it is no farther than 8-12" inches from the primary basking spot. There is also the Mercury Vapor bulb that provides heat and UV. You can research those as well.

Read the label on the box turtle/ig combo food to make sure it is vegetarian. I've seen ig foods with animal protein listed as ingredient. Make sure there's no poultry by-product, fish meal, or anything that sounds like animal protein.

As for handling, maybe you just have a mellow ig. Soaks can be done by giving your ig a bath each morning for 20 mins or so in lukewarm water.

I'm slowly, ever so slowly figuring things out. I have two lights. I need to have them both on in the day, and then turn them off at night when I want him to sleep. The red one generates heat. The other one generates UV rays, which is a clear one. I don't have a box for the red one, but I know that it increased the temp by 10 degrees last night, which was way too hot. This morning, I turned them on, next to each other, above the therm and it's not going above 80 despite that that it's 77 in my room. After I turned them on I got some coffee and a donut and the next thing I know my friend's telling me to check on my iguana, because he was hanging upside down on his cage. And surely enough, he was. So I turned the bulbs around in order, realizing that I had the red bulb further away and that it also still wasn't hot enough. I'm going to keep an eye on it and take him outside more often. I've been hesitant to do that in fear that he'll run away. I'm going to try to give him a bath. Should I was it out before I do that? I know I should afterwards. What should I use to wash it out? Just a dilute of bleach?

I'm going to keep an eye on it and take him outside more often. I've been hesitant to do that in fear that he'll run away. I'm going to try to give him a bath. Should I was it out before I do that? I know I should afterwards. What should I use to wash it out? Just a dilute of bleach?
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I just dump a little bleach down my tub once a week. We do iguana baths here before people showers, so the tub gets cleaned by us. I also do not have children in my home and it is my husband and I.

As for lighting get regular 100 and 60 watt light bulbs (old kind, not new energy savings ones). Once you figure out which of the two you need (starting with the 60 watt), you are gravy. I have never really liked the heat out put of any colored bulbs. For some reason, what I have noticed, is that the heat doesnt disperse as good with the colored bulbs.
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Cindy
PHFaust

Email Cindy

Land of the Outcasts!

Alright. I'll start with a sixty watt light bulb and buy one of those thermometer guns. Those sound really neat, I wish I would've considered that before getting someone to go get my a normal thermometer. Here, our bath doesn't work but we have a tub so we take showers. My mom insisted that I not bathe him in the actual tub, which I couldn't say much against. So I put a tub..In the tub..And had him sit in there for a good while 'til the water got cold a few times. He didn't like it 'til he actually sat in it and realized it wasn't that bad. But he started to climb and jump out so I went ahead and had my friend watch him while I cleaned his cage. He didn't poop or anything, so I dunno if we really need to clean it. Either way, I'm going to put some bleach through it tonight.

Also, I'm having trouble getting him to eat. I know that the food I'm giving him is just for herbivores. I read the description and is says it even has an alluring scent for them. He doesn't seem slightly interested in it and it doesn't look like he's even ate in a few days. I switch food out every day, of course.

Since I got the lights and heat in order, my iguana's been acting extremely active. Today he's been climbing all over me, up until he gets to my head, where he sometimes tries to jump off. I watch him in his cage and he always wants out and to play and spend time together but I've been busy kinda busy. In any case, he's aways running around in his cage. I got him something to hide in today. It's in the middle of his cage but he can go through it both ways or stand on top of it. One weird thing is that he's no longer pooping in his water. But I can still tell he's been in i.

"Alright. I'll start with a sixty watt light bulb and buy one of those thermometer guns. Those sound really neat, I wish I would've considered that before getting someone to go get my a normal thermometer."

They make life so much easier! I just use plain bulbs for heat. I don't use a gun, but I do have a digital temp/humidity probe for accurate readings.

" But he started to climb and jump out so I went ahead and had my friend watch him while I cleaned his cage. "

I put mine in a cheap Rubbermaid container with a lid. I just close the lid and he's kinda stuck in there.

"Also, I'm having trouble getting him to eat. I know that the food I'm giving him is just for herbivores. I read the description and is says it even has an alluring scent for them. He doesn't seem slightly interested in it and it doesn't look like he's even ate in a few days. I switch food out every day, of course."

Like Cindy said, whole, fresh food is best. There are great posts below on good ig diets. Fresh greens like mustard, collard, turnip are best, mixed with veggies like green beans, squash, etc, and a little fruit. I do use commercial food, but not every day. I use it for when I'm going to be on vacation and have a pet sitter, if I'm out for a long day and I'm going to miss the second feeding, or just as a treat. The ig's main diet is whole, fresh foods. Dry foods should also by moistened, by the way, so they aren't dehydrating to the ig.

The 60 watt lightbulb didn't seem to make any difference, so I switched it out with the one I used for UVB lighting, which I had to exchange 'cause I only had two lamps.

As for food, I've tried giving him softened green beans and cantaloupe and lettuce. I know that the last two aren't great for him, but I think that my mission should be to even get him to start eating. He didn't poop last night, which isn't very normal. I'm going give him a bath and he'll probably poop in that, so yeah. Is there anything I can do to make him interested in food? All he does is lick stuff and act like he doesn't want it. I tried hand feeding him but he doesn't care for it then. And it doesn't seem like he eats the food I put in his bowl. I'm not so much concerned about a great diet as I am just getting him to eat.

>>Also, I'm having trouble getting him to eat. I know that the food I'm giving him is just for herbivores. I read the description and is says it even has an alluring scent for them. He doesn't seem slightly interested in it and it doesn't look like he's even ate in a few days. I switch food out every day, of course.
>>

Since it is natural for them to eat plant matter, they will often not associate a dried or pelleted food. Which is why feeding fresh veggies is the best manner.
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Cindy
PHFaust

Email Cindy

Land of the Outcasts!

Yeah, but he wouldn't even eat the green beans or lettuce...Eh. He ate alittle today. He's been jumping around everywhere. Today, he jumped off my head to the refrigerator and just hit the ground. Then, he jumped off my bed to the ground...And he jumped off his cage to a poster on my wall. He's always moving, but he's not skittish or nothing. Is he gonna hurt himself like this? Is there anything I can do to stop him?

By the way, I'm taking him to a vet in Louisville soon hopefully. I'm always feeling bad as if I'm not helping him but just making things worse and guilt trip myself a lot. I almost want to get rid of him so he'll be happy 'cause I feel like I'm hurting him, which is why I get him out so much to let him run around. Is there anything I can do for him to play with? He loves climbing and jumping and running, but every time I get him out I don't want him to get hurt or get lost in my room. Sometimes I think he's trying to run away and hide, but he doesn't show any dislike or defense or aggression towards me at all.

Well, in the minds of the little iguanas, everything bigger than him is going to eat him! He actually might be trying to run away and hide. No offense meant, just the nature of things. It is my understanding that the defensive behavior comes a little later when they have some size to stand their ground. Of course, the idea is to have worked with by then so they are a bit more socialized.

Yes, he can hurt himself by falling from the height of your head. How about keeping him in a smaller area when you take him out, like a bathroom? It might give him a bit more security in a smaller place, too (maybe).

To give you some confidence with him, check out the book Iguana for Dummies by Melissa Kaplan. It's a great manual, available at pet stores or maybe even the library.

As for eating, you just got the little guy, and he's being handled now when he probably wasn't at the pet store. Just offer the fresh food in little pieces and give him some time. Make sure he's hot enough to have a proper metabolism and he should come around if he's otherwise healthy.

I find iguanas to be rather high maintenance reptile pets for new keepers. Out of all the lizards I own (iguana, tegus, uromastyx, bearded dragons, amevia) the iguana and the uro are the pickiest when it comes to care. And it's a shame because they are cute and inexpensive at pet stores, which lures people in getting them. They are great, but a lot of work, in my opinion.

I'm glad you mentioned the library having that book, 'cause I go to libraries often and there's at least 3 around here that I can check. It's alot better than me trying to buy the book because with school expenses money's alittle tight. I understand that they're the most demanding, which is why I'm so nervous about treating him right. I want the best for him, but then again it seems that anyone else that would've bought him probably wouldn't have a clue what they were doing, so that makes me feel better to think.

I noticed him eating alittle yesterday afternoon, and then after we went to sleep I woke up really late and he had eaten almost all of his food. So he's adjusted to what I'm giving him, and he's starting to eat. I'm still concerned about the temperature being a few degrees under what it should be. Someone recommended a heating pad, but I know that they're not used to heat from below so I'm not so sure I want to get him that. The only thing I can see myself doing is buying a new heat lamp entirely when I get the time.

If I remember correctly, you have the uv and heat, two different bulbs in one fixture, right? If that's the case, I'd take it back. The reason being that only a coil UV bulb will fit in there and they are just no good. It's not that they are not good enough, they are made with a coating that causes UVC to be produced, which is harmful to eyes and skin. If by chance, the eyes and skin are not harmed, then the lizard doesn't receive proper amounts of UVB. I have seen cases of both, albeit in young bearded dragons.

You should be able to achieve proper heat with just plain old light bulbs. Even if you don't have any special thermometer right now, get a digital thermometer or glass mercury-type thermometer and try to get a reading on the warm side, the cool side, and the basking spot.

Okay. I have the kind built specifically for cages, which is often used for reptiles. It doesn't exceed 89-90 degrees for some reason. I have my lamp sitting face down on my wire top so that there's not any heat lost. As for the uv source, I should switch out the 26w repti glo that I have with a normal 60w non coiled?

I'm not sure that you have a UV light, or if you do, you have a coil/compact. UV lights are not clear, they are white because they are coated. I'll post some links to show what I am talking about so we are on the same wavelength. HA! No pun intended!

UV coil/compact (not very good)
I'm not a brand/business basher, but the fact remains that it has been documented that some of these bulbs use a coating that produces UVC. UVC is harmful and causes photokeratosis. One company even had a compact strip that was recalled a couple of years ago because of the incidence of photokeratosis and death in beardies and chameleons. Photokeratosis is like snow blindness in people. A friend used a bad light on two baby beardies a couple years back and they had severe photokeratosis. I thought the one would die, it looked horrible, but they both made it.
http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/group/1422/product.web

UV fluorescent (a better choice)
http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/group/13010/product.web

Mercury Vapor Bulb (another option)
This one combines heat and Uv output. It is high output, so has special precautions. This is just one brand, just as an example.
http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/group/16259/product.web

If you aren't getting the temps the ig needs with the heat, you need a higher wattage bulb for daytime heat, or you need to move the heat source closer to the ig, or move the basking spot closer to the heat source (be careful of burns). I don't recommend using a heating pad, but that's just my opinion. Since lizards are designed to receive heat from above for the most part, they do not have strong thermo receptors on their undersides and can burn easily.

That's why I didn't wanna use a heating pad. This weekend, I'm apparently not going to be able to take him to the vet but I'll at least be able to get him a higher wattage bulb for the heat and a different UV bulb. I still have the package of the coiled one so I know what it is, and it's for UVB, so I'm going to look for a different kind of that. It's Repti Glo so I'm going to try to get ReptiSun this time. As for having a closer heat source, it's laying directly on the top of the cage, and sticks I gave him to climb on are directly under it. He's been climbing onto th wiring of the top I use to get closer to the bulb, I think. Or maybe he's just trying to entertain himself. The other day, he climbed upside down and then let go halfway just to look at me. It was like he was saying "Look what I can do!". It was so funny.

>>Yeah, but he wouldn't even eat the green beans or lettuce...Eh. He ate alittle today. He's been jumping around everywhere. Today, he jumped off my head to the refrigerator and just hit the ground. Then, he jumped off my bed to the ground...And he jumped off his cage to a poster on my wall. He's always moving, but he's not skittish or nothing. Is he gonna hurt himself like this? Is there anything I can do to stop him?
>>>>>>

What I always suggest for anyone when introducing an animal is for the first 2 weeks let them settle in. In my house with my rescue, I dont worry unless it is over two weeks and the lizard hasnt eaten yet. Its an adjustment period. I restrict all handling and just let the animal settle in. The only time I am really in their cage is to feed and clean and water. Another thing that is helpful is offering the same food items daily and at same time. Baby Iguanas need fresh food daily. Reptiles react well to scheduling and routine. It is an important thing for them. Right now I would cut down on handling and let him adjust. Get him eating and then worry about playing with him.

Offering fresh greens daily chopped up smaller for him is best. Lettuce is basically water and fiber and nothing else. There is also no diet regulation on processed food diets for reptiles. There are no guidelines that say this needs to be this way to be considered healthy and well rounded, so anything can be marketed as a freeze dried food and be called specifically for reptiles. Which is why fresh diets are so very important.

He can hurt himself bouncing off things. That is possible, but assuming he has had proper nutrition, it is rare.
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Cindy
PHFaust

Email Cindy

Land of the Outcasts!

I don't have freeze dried food for him, it's something like a gel that smells very fruity. He started eating though, so I was pretty much just freaking out and over reacting. As for playing with him, it seems he wants me to. If I walk buy, he follows me with his head and starts crawling around and sometimes jumping right into the cage. When I take him out, he likes to adventure around my bed if I let him. I know that you're not supposed to play with them much when you first get them but it seems like he loves it. Maybe he doesn't. I'll try to not play with him so much today.