I picked up my new iguana today...a hatchling about a few months old, relinquished by the owner who realized she was in over her head. The husband wanted to just release it (OY!), but now I have it. He (she/it) is 4" SVL and 14" STL, weighs just 45g. He's a bit dehydrated, so I started him on oral fluid replacement.

I really don't have a lot of info about his previous care. All I know is that he was kept in an aquarium with a heat lamp and a heat rock and taken outside in a basking cage for natural sunlight. He came from Miami where baby iggies were sold for $5 each, they were cute, so the neighbor bought a few. He's got to be either wild caught in S FL, or farmed in that area from other wild caught iguanas.

As you can see, he has some serious skin issues. My first thought was blister disease, but I've never actually seen it. Plus, I thought blister disease was usually on the belly from sitting in unsuitable conditions. Surely this is bacterial at any rate. His back is crusty, "oozy" around the tail base under the scabs, and has a grayish/black look. He seems to have an abscessed toe. All of his nails are gone from glass dancing in the tank. his dewlap is crusted closed, stiff, and yucky. Even his vent is crusty and yucky. On the good side, he is alert. He's basking and watching me as I type.

I can't get him to the vet until Monday. I've soaked him in a Povidine bath, pulled off the loose wet skin, and then dabbed triple antibiotic cream on the sores. Poor guy, it's like he IS triple antibiotic cream, LOL! If anyone has any other suggestions to get me through the weekend, I'd be very appreciative. He's in a suitably sized cage (not an aquarium), he has three varying height branches to choose from, and the lights he needs. I am quite used to working with tegus and beardies, but I've never seen skin quite like this.

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