# Green Iguana



## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Hey everyone, today ive just been and collected my new green iguana, it was up for rehoming from someone on here,

Ill post up a couple of pics, hes very under weight, no fat or muscle of him, ive been intouch with salazare slytherin for some great advice, and with the help of you guys and gals on here hopefully i can get him back to full health and nice and fat lol, so he is happy here in his forever home.

He has all of his tale but is missing one little toe well half of it, ive took him to the local reptile shop who have iguanas and they have said he looks in good health apart from the weight issue


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

He really is quite thin... 

I thought so from the first pic mate. He looks gorgeouse but if I was you I would have some screening done.

p.s did you manage to find all those foods?


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Hi mate yea found most one of the plants is now out of season, 

it really doesnt look like the same iguana in the pics i was sent as its so much thinner, i just hope ive got him in time to save him, hes been in his viv for about an hour or so hes moved around but not gone near his food which is expected.


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> Hi mate yea found most one of the plants is now out of season,
> 
> it really doesnt look like the same iguana in the pics i was sent as its so much thinner, i just hope ive got him in time to save him, hes been in his viv for about an hour or so hes moved around but not gone near his food which is expected.


 
Yeah that is worrying... I don't think the previouse owner was aware of this either to be honest, I seriously think something is going on inside iggy and that needs checking first.

Either that or iggy has not been fed as much as he/she should have been.

With any new iguana I recomend feeding the Nasturtium because of its natural anti biotic properties but this may need looked at by a vet.

Butternut squash seeds are probibly the best natural dewormer I can think of. Might be worth attempting to feed him some of that til you get him looked at.

To be honest mate, you would be very suprised at what some iguanas can survive, getting him seen too now I think he will stand a good chance of survival 

Also feed him as much as he can eat too


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

When i go near him with food he is not interested at all, the Nasturtium plant i couldnt get hold of as the garden centre said it was out of season now, im quite worried about his weight, is there anything else i can do till i can get him to a vet?


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> When i go near him with food he is not interested at all, the Nasturtium plant i couldnt get hold of as the garden centre said it was out of season now, im quite worried about his weight, is there anything else i can do till i can get him to a vet?


pmd take away the nasturtium and replace it with 

Rosemary - stimulates the immune system, increasing circulation, and improving digestion. Increase the blood flow to the head and brain, improving concentration.

you might be better off trying the rehydration before offering him food, just make sure it is there for him, even if he does not seem interested for the moment.

They are pretty hardy and he can probibly withstand another day for the vet, he seems to have some stregnth, ofer him the food, cover the enclosure up to give him some privacy, the hope is he will eat the food then.

The seeds should be fed from the butternut in this case.

We used to grow our own Nasturtium so if possible grab some seeds when iggy is sorted: victory:
I would also give him multi vitamin dusts on all feeds for now.


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

well he's just really enjoyed his bath really content in there, ive put some butter nut sqaush seeds in his food bowl


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## kerrithsoden (Dec 6, 2009)

Try some organic grapefruit seed extract in his water, this is a natural parasite and worm killer and only need a few drops per litre, It also encourages appetite, Ive been using it for a few months for all my reps and cant believe how much of a difference it makes in terms of feeding! although as salazare said full parasitology screen should be done


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## kerrithsoden (Dec 6, 2009)

this is the one I (and some others I know) use
https://www.highernature.co.uk/Products/Citricidal&AgentID=422276?gclid=CLjcvvbRmqoCFcVO4QodRkfawQ


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

kerrithsoden said:


> this is the one I (and some others I know) use
> https://www.highernature.co.uk/Products/Citricidal&AgentID=422276?gclid=CLjcvvbRmqoCFcVO4QodRkfawQ


 
Hey thanks for that, I never knew some of that.: victory:


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

kerrithsoden said:


> Try some organic grapefruit seed extract in his water, this is a natural parasite and worm killer and only need a few drops per litre, It also encourages appetite, Ive been using it for a few months for all my reps and cant believe how much of a difference it makes in terms of feeding! although as salazare said full parasitology screen should be done


Thanks for that ill have to try some, 

is there anything i can do to get him eating in the first place, his bowl is full, he's not interested if i put food near his mouth, or is it just coz he's stressed with the move, just thinking the longer he goes without food the weaker he may get


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## kerrithsoden (Dec 6, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> Thanks for that ill have to try some,
> 
> is there anything i can do to get him eating in the first place, his bowl is full, he's not interested if i put food near his mouth, or is it just coz he's stressed with the move, just thinking the longer he goes without food the weaker he may get


 
there are a few threads on the forum about grapefruit seed extract so have a look!


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> Thanks for that ill have to try some,
> 
> is there anything i can do to get him eating in the first place, his bowl is full, he's not interested if i put food near his mouth, or is it just coz he's stressed with the move, just thinking the longer he goes without food the weaker he may get


Probibly stress mate, there is one option but you really don't want to be doing that on his first day, just cover him up and leave him too it, he will eat in his own time. 

Sometimes they need a sence of security to feel comfortible eating.: victory:
They don't understand and he is in a new enviroment with new smells etc

If he is able to climb, he has some stregnth so I am not massively concerned for the moment "stregnth wise" they normally can do a while without food but yours is thin, so leaving him alone and covering him up is probibly the best thing to do for now and hope he will go down and eat.

Some baby iguanas will eat when no one is watching them, hence covering them up: victory: the sooner he eats the better but he still has a little weight on him too so your not out of options

Keep bathing him daily mate and take a deep breath and as a reasurance he is not the healthiest iggy I have seen but he is not the worst either :2thumb: and each one made a full recovery.

Still possibly time to try a few things first before getting overly worried: victory:


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

^^ Thanks mate its like having a baby all worried about him lol , just want the best for him, ive coverd him up now, so will do an update tomorrow to let you know how he's getting on


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> ^^ Thanks mate its like having a baby all worried about him lol , just want the best for him, ive coverd him up now, so will do an update tomorrow to let you know how he's getting on


aye, easier said than done I know lol.

Still mate, in these cases it is better too take a step back after you have done your part, the iguana needs time to settle, otherwise it can result in him declining mentally and physically and you don't want that to happen especially with your first iguana.

If that does happen there is not alot that can really be done.

So to be fair, for now you have done what you can? the iguana needs to meet you half way (which I think it will do) and the best way for it to do that is in peace and quiet: victory:

Well done mate, and keep us updated on the progress: victory:


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Would it be ok to take him to the vets today or will the stress of moving him ect again make things worse? Just don't wanna upset him if he's just starting to settle


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

He's booked in at the vest for later on today, are these temps about right, basking 90-95 
Hot side 85ish?


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## Djlplastering (May 17, 2010)

your doing a good thing here mate hope this little fella gets back into good shape soon :no1:


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## Djlplastering (May 17, 2010)

111mattin111 said:


> He's booked in at the vest for later on today, are these temps about right, basking 90-95
> Hot side 85ish?


oh id say these temps seems pretty good too me : victory:


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## wayakinwolf (Oct 6, 2006)

All credit to you mate for taking this poor little iggy on. It will turn out ok in the end, plus you`re doing everything right so far. Salazare Slytherin is giving you great advice too. nasturtiums can still be got hold of if you check around a bit more, or you could get some seeds & grow your own on indoors & then plant out next year. Mine went awful last year, but has come back great this year giving lots of flowers & foliage. Also try getting a hibiscus shrub, my iggys love it & by the 2nd or 3rd year it should start to flower nicely, plus it looks good in a big planter as a patio decoration to boot. The only thing with hibiscus, is that it is expensive to buy, but well worth it in the end. Please keep us all posted on your lovely little iggy & good luck.


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Cheers for all the advise and comments guys, he's really not moving much at all today spent around 6-7 hours in the same spot, the vets appointment is at 5.30 so will let you know what they say once I'm back


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> Cheers for all the advise and comments guys, he's really not moving much at all today spent around 6-7 hours in the same spot, the vets appointment is at 5.30 so will let you know what they say once I'm back


 yeah let us know how it goes mate.
as the others have said, great credit and my respect, you have rescued this iguana.
I really hope he is okay. Vets are usually pretty good with iggys so keep your chin up 

And on a note, with new iguanas that come home on the same day for future readers yes take them to the vet on that day, they are already stressed you might as well get everything over and done with.


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Great tip salazare, i think it would be best to go to the vets the same day, 

I REALLY hope he pulls through this, my girlfriend isnt that keen on iguana's but little yoda has won her over already, she was checking on him regulary while i was out at work, she said he's definatly a cutie lol


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## JustJack (Apr 19, 2010)

I havn't read through all the pages but I have the first!!
Well done for taking the iggy on.. 
Even though I don't know alot about iggy's he does look a little skinny!
Hope every thing goes ok at the vets!


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## Yorkshire Gator (Oct 16, 2009)

like everyone else as said good on yer for rescuing him, and i hope he is eating soon


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> Great tip salazare, i think it would be best to go to the vets the same day,
> 
> I REALLY hope he pulls through this, my girlfriend isnt that keen on iguana's but little yoda has won her over already, she was checking on him regulary while i was out at work, she said he's definatly a cutie lol


Nice one mate  Yoda is a lovely name, my most recent iguana was called Yoda so I love the choice mate.

They are little heart melters: victory:


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Ok so went to the vets, BUT before that.

i get yoda out of his viv and put him in his clear travel box with a hot water bottle and 2 towels in, straight away he seems more active,i put some food in just to check, he went straight upto it and licked it, great, so we get in the car and in minutes hes tooking into his greens and butternut sqaush, he's been really active in his box, 

The vet said he is very small if he is 8 months? and very underweight but not to the point to where hes concerned, his jaw is a little soft as a result of not enough calcium, other than that just keep trying as i have been doing, ive boosted the temps up a little in his viv just to help things.

I do feel a little bit better now :2thumb:


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## JustJack (Apr 19, 2010)

111mattin111 said:


> Ok so went to the vets, BUT before that.
> 
> i get yoda out of his viv and put him in his clear travel box with a hot water bottle and 2 towels in, straight away he seems more active,i put some food in just to check, he went straight upto it and licked it, great, so we get in the car and in minutes hes tooking into his greens and butternut sqaush, he's been really active in his box,
> 
> ...


Brilliant news mate!!!
:2thumb:


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

oh and he was only 57g in weight, what should his weight be at this age roughly?


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

That is great news, I love animals, they make us all out to be wrong. lol.
57g hmmmm I am thinking that an 8 month old iguana that is fed properly should be hitting the 60 mark considering most iguauans which hit a year old tend to be in 90-s and 100s, maybey the vet is right and the iggy is not 8 months, still though you don't need to be clued up to see he is underweight, as a result probibly under nurished too, meaning he has not grown as big.

Here is Melissa Kaplans weight chart.
http://www.anapsid.org/iguana/agesize.html

It might be absaloutely beneficial to buy her book mate or read through her website.
Iguana Age and Expected Size
I learnt a few things here and there reading this not long back, athough there is some contradiction in it her work does more good than bad so I suppose I can't complain.​ 
Really Yoda has eaten something, at least now you can say he/she has eaten something and you know for definate.
Lack of Calcium eh?​ 
In that case feed him right up : victory: with multivitamins, and calcium, and just make sure the UV is optimal 
Really pleased for you.mate.​


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

when he's in his viv he doesnt go near his food but once in his travel box he is alot more active and content flicks his tongue out and goes straight to the food, how do i get him to feed in his viv? dont wanna have to keep putting him in his travel box as dont wanna handle him to much,

im not convinced he's 8 months old


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> when he's in his viv he doesnt go near his food but once in his travel box he is alot more active and content flicks his tongue out and goes straight to the food, how do i get him to feed in his viv? dont wanna have to keep putting him in his travel box as dont wanna handle him to much,
> 
> im not convinced he's 8 months old


He will get used to it mate, in the travel box, it is smaller and more secure, therfore he probs feels safer. 

He will eventually get used to his new home and give in if you just give him time, new iguanas sometimes wont eat in the enclosure for a few days, just let him deal with it and he will eventually give in.: victory:

one word here "persevere" 

yeah leave him alone for a week or so, dont touch or handle him, just go in do the maintenance and let him adapt.


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

I shal do as you say and just leave him to it now, hopefully he will soon pick up, now his viv temp is that little bit hotter he seems more active yay


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

He's had a little food today just some buternut sqaush thats all he went for, but better than nothing,

he's also done a little poo very little, it was solid little moist with abit of white in it and also a little clear fluid, so hopefully he's starting to settle


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> He's had a little food today just some buternut sqaush thats all he went for, but better than nothing,
> 
> he's also done a little poo very little, it was solid little moist with abit of white in it and also a little clear fluid, so hopefully he's starting to settle


 
FAB:no1: poo sounds normal


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Salazare Slytherin said:


> FAB:no1: poo sounds normal


Great stuff, he's not eaten a deal, but i guess he not beable to manage to much just yet.

Thanks for all the advice so greatfull for it :2thumb:


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> Great stuff, he's not eaten a deal, but i guess he not beable to manage to much just yet.
> 
> Thanks for all the advice so greatfull for it :2thumb:


No worries dude  just pleased iggy is improving.
He will get there in the end : victory:


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## Yorkshire Gator (Oct 16, 2009)

it also sounds to me as if he's turned a corner so to speak


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

I really hope so, how long will it take to notice a difference in his weight once he's eating properly?


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> I really hope so, how long will it take to notice a difference in his weight once he's eating properly?


When no rinkles show, other than that, just like with anything you might not even relise ontil 7 years down the line and you have a dragon sitting there lmao.


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

When using a humidifier how long do you put it on for and at what times?


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> When using a humidifier how long do you put it on for and at what times?


iguanas can easily thrive at 40% humidity despite what you might read.
Iguanaquinn was the one who gave me this idea, I suppose it varys on the size of the enclosure, maybey you could drop him a pm and I am sure he could help you out with that.

Unfortunately with my own iguanas I never used them, I used the foggers and mistiers for humidity ( a difficult way I know)

It is a recent thing which was pointed out to me only this year: victory:


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Salazare Slytherin said:


> iguanas can easily thrive at 40% humidity despite what you might read.
> Iguanaquinn was the one who gave me this idea, I suppose it varys on the size of the enclosure, maybey you could drop him a pm and I am sure he could help you out with that.
> 
> Unfortunately with my own iguanas I never used them, I used the foggers and mistiers for humidity ( a difficult way I know)
> ...


Oh that's ok then yoda's tank is between 50-60% humidity


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Well he's eaten nothing again today and seems less active aswell, just want him to have a good belly full lol


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> Well he's eaten nothing again today and seems less active aswell, just want him to have a good belly full lol


they don't tend to be very active anyways, they just sit there mate  basking or cooling lol and when older beating the krap out of you.

He is stressed, he will have to give in for food eventually


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Salazare Slytherin said:


> they don't tend to be very active anyways, they just sit there mate  basking or cooling lol and when older beating the krap out of you.
> 
> He is stressed, he will have to give in for food eventually


lol i keep putting 2 fresh bowls in a day so its always fresh for him


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

On the second pic of yoda I've put up what are the little brown spot bits he has all over him? He's got them everywhere??


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> On the second pic of yoda I've put up what are the little brown spot bits he has all over him? He's got them everywhere??


Post a closer pic on here mate?: victory:
When I first seen them I was assuming one of two things, his natural colouring which he may loose as he gets older? or he has been kept on damp bark too much.

Other than that I am unsure? did you mention this to your vet?


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

heres a few 

on his back legs









front legs


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

They look like normal markings to me? Mate that mark on his knee on the frst picture up I think, looks like a graze? or a cut, I can't be 100% on it though.

Keep an eye on that, and if possible get some iodiene povodine dabed onto it, (a temporary alternative would be salt and water)

Other than that mate I would not be concerned unless those markings were moving. A skin disorder I am sure would have shown itself more seriouse by now?

You might very well find, when your iguana gets older and looses its baby colours those markings may very well begin to develop into stripes.


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

The marking on his back leg looks like maybe an old graze i think, just wondered what all the little brown spot things were, i put my hand in today to offer some food he let me put my hand near him and rub the food on his lips but wasnt interested, i rubbed under his chin to then he scatted after a min lol

he then began to head bop at me bless him lol


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Just been into spray him he got real aggressive whipped me and lunged at my hand as if he wanted to bite me lol

so coverd his tank over to let him chill out, still waiting for him to eat aswell lol


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

He won't eat for a few days yet methinks.
Probibly best to cover him up for now to give him a sense of security, take it as a good sign he/she has some stregnth though lol.

I doubt he is aggresive? probibly more defensive, he is probibly petrified.


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

ok so a little update, some good news i think??

so the person i got yoda off said they had never noticed him shed, and today yep he's started shedding on his head,

maybe because now he's beeing kept under the right conditions??

also maybe this is why he still hasnt eaten, although he is still pooing so must be having a little?


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

He still hasn't really eaten anything so I think the next thing is a poo sample to the vets


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> He still hasn't really eaten anything so I think the next thing is a poo sample to the vets


Some can take a while mate some have been known to not eat for a week or two but its his weight I am a little concerned about, but yeah you can get a fecal done methinks.. tbh any iguana owner should get one done asap even if it is just for the peace of mind.


Try handfeeding him?


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

If he wasn't so thin I don't think I'd be as worried, I've tried hand feeding sometimes I can get close and rub it on his lips other times I can't get my hand near him n he jumps all over the viv, either way he's not interested in food, 

I've tried going back to what the other people were feeding him just to see if that would entice him but no luck :-(


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## si_man306 (Jan 6, 2011)

Fascinating story, well done for rescuing him, he looks gorgeous. My iguana was a rescue and was also thin when I got him (although a little older) I had an experienced keeper get him well on the way to health before I picked him up though (he was left on a pet shop door step! )

It's great that he's eaten something in the past week, that's something at least. I was told when looking at viv sizes that despite all the raving about bigger bigger bigger, some lizards, esp when young can be scared of too large a viv and it can stress them out (I heard this about crested geckos but I would think similar could be said for igs..). I would try segregating part of the viv off, or even better, putting the transport container into the viv and letting him eat, then remove 1/4, 1/2 the lid sliding it off, until he's in the container, within the viv. This might help him feel a bit more secure maybe?

I haven't read anything here yet about trying fruit etc to feed? Unless i've missed it, perhaps some strawberries/ kiwi etc would be worth a try- or dandelion flower. My iguana tends to eat those even when I know he's not that hungry! They're also nice and brightly coloured for them so they look yummy..

Iguanas can also be funny about eating around the time of their shed- so this might be complicating things a bit. I'd be very watchful of the graze on his knee, sometimes they can look quite old/ dry but are still healing. If you cotton wool-dab that with iodine daily for a few weeks it will really help. The other marks do indeed look like the regular aging markings and perhaps some shed yep. Proper humidity and diet certainly seem to speed up a shed so wouldn't be surprised if thats whats happened- and he'll be even greener afterwards! (Does seem to have a fantastic colour in the pics)

As some encouragement (and any excuse to post photos :lol here are before/ after pics of Yoshi after he was fed up. 


















And recently (admittedly he's a bit older) after:


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

cheers si man, got bit better news, got home from work and he'd noticably eaten from his food bowl, and he's had a really good sized poo for the first time,

on the way home i picked up some iodine, i took him out of his viv with a fight, i ran him a bath, and he really enjoyed it in there was swimming around he even swam completly underwater head eyes and everything bless him lol. i then dabbed iodine on his leg on cotton wool, i didnt diolute it down though is that ok??

this is how he looks at the min


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## Yorkshire Gator (Oct 16, 2009)

will his rep carrier fit in his viv?, if it does why not put his food in there?


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

No it's to big to fit in there :-(


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## si_man306 (Jan 6, 2011)

I would definitely try a smaller sized container that he's happy in and would fit in the viv if he doesn't eat- but by the sounds of things he's really getting used to his new home so should be fine!

Re the iodine- our vet advises 1 in 5 diltution. I very much doubt the odd application of neat iodine to an non-new wound would do a huge amount of harm so I wouldn't worry but in the future just dilute it (it also means you get 5x the iodine for your money of course!)


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

I diluted it down today as I was dabbing and cleaning his leg he started to whip me so it must of been getting into the graze, 

I've got a really good poo sample now so will be taking them to the vets later, although I don't no if the stress of me putting iodine on his leg yesterday has stressed him again as he has not eaten again today, 

Once he's out of his viv he's lovely and calm and loves having his belly stroked,


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> I diluted it down today as I was dabbing and cleaning his leg he started to whip me so it must of been getting into the graze,
> 
> I've got a really good poo sample now so will be taking them to the vets later, although I don't no if the stress of me putting iodine on his leg yesterday has stressed him again as he has not eaten again today,
> 
> Once he's out of his viv he's lovely and calm and loves having his belly stroked,


Cruel to be kind mate, at the minute I would avoid handling him altogether. Not ontil he begins eating some decent amounts of food, awesome! get that poo sample analysed but I am sure they might ask for 2 more.

Si had a good suggestion of offering some fruit, sometimes they might prefer something sweet. at least he will have some energy and help him put on some weight.

Try placing some hiding spots around the enclosure for him to retreat too.
It is awesome he has went a little whippy because this is showing he has the use of his tail, it was concerning me about the use of his tail an iguana that young should be using it alot tbh.

It will have stressed him out mate, but not to the extent where he will hate you for it, by now he should be starting to familiarise himself so that is an advantage, much like people who are ill like to stay in their own homes rather than go to hospital where-ever possible.

As long as he is eating little bits for now you can't ask any more of him, the good thing is the iguana is not declining his life, take it as a good sign, that was also another one of my concerns.

There is pleanty and I mean pleanty of time to get the taming in later on, the concern is to get him into a reasonible state of health in the mean time.

Let me know how the poo sample goes.
Also I would attempt to contact the previouse owner and see what he was eating before hand. (tell them to be honest with you)

I have a suspicion that this iguana may have been fed meat at one point or another.
The signs are very typical, and when tey went to offer the greens the iguana may not have taken very well to it, hence the loss of weight.

Very typical thing, if this is the case mate drop me a message.


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Cheers salazare always look forward to your replys lol, si also been giving some good advice, 

He's always quick to use his tail lol also moves and jumps about very well, is it normal for them to swim completely under water as I said yesterday, he seem to love it, 

I was thinking the same about not handling him as he's just starting to settle, uve thought about hides ect just didn't wanna go straight in moving his viv around while he's settling, I'll try some fruit anything particular you would try him on?


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> Cheers salazare always look forward to your replys lol, si also been giving some good advice,
> 
> He's always quick to use his tail lol also moves and jumps about very well, is it normal for them to swim completely under water as I said yesterday, he seem to love it,
> 
> I was thinking the same about not handling him as he's just starting to settle, uve thought about hides ect just didn't wanna go straight in moving his viv around while he's settling, I'll try some fruit anything particular you would try him on?


 
Well I do see your concern with moving the viv around at the present but offering him more security he will probibly appreciate you for. Try not to worry about the UV issue either if he spends alot of time in there, it will help him settle, meaning he will eat soon enough.
Okay... hides... give pleanty of plants and foilage, cork bark works a treat at varying places around the viv, once he is settled and gaisn more confidence the hides can be removed and only a one or two left in for the little guy. Meaning he will synthesise the UV easily in that time, it does take a fair while for MBD to set in which is why I am saying this, another reason I get angry when I see cases of it, it does not happen over night.

I am also pleased to see someone posting who cares a great deal for iguanas, kudos SI 

Iguanas depend on colour alot, this is a reason they seem to get confised in rooms like bathrooms that are all the same colour and explains why many panic when placed in the bath, a same colour room acts as a fog to there eye sight (you may notice eventually your iggy becomes confused and bumps into things in the future when you go to bathe him.


They are normally attracted to bright colours.
Not the best fruits to feed but enhance the dish with maybey peeled AND choped peach, strawberries, rasberries? but basicly try and make him work for them by only exposing half of the fruit under a spring green leaf etc.
Enough so he can see it but would have to eat somethign else in order for him to get it. Melon might also be a better option.

It normally is a good method.
Another might consist of hand feeding iggy a grape or other food item and then showing him the food dish with the fruit inside of it.

I do hope all goes well, but what si mentioned about the smaller space is pretty much the same principal as him feeling safe.

When they feel exposed it naturally will put any animal off eating.
Sometimes a few changes can help rather than cause more stress.


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

He's being kept in the spare bedroom so can sit and look out of the window, he does seem to like his baths and after a min settle enough for me to stroke him, 

He loves butternut squash so I grate it and mix it into his greens so he has to eat them to get to it, I'm gonna knock up some hides ect and see how he gets on, I thought more iggy lovers would of posted on here but only seems afew that have, 

I'm off to buy some different fruits now see how he gets on,

I'm willing to do anything and spend as much time as needed to get him back to full health and happy


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> He's being kept in the spare bedroom so can sit and look out of the window, he does seem to like his baths and after a min settle enough for me to stroke him,
> 
> He loves butternut squash so I grate it and mix it into his greens so he has to eat them to get to it, I'm gonna knock up some hides ect and see how he gets on, I thought more iggy lovers would of posted on here but only seems afew that have,
> 
> ...


 
mate to be honest with iguanas and there complex needs not many will post for fear of flaming, I know for a fact that there are iguana keepers out there who know a hell of alot more than me, they are just not very good with the way they word things and the amount of people that would shoot them down, and because of the lack of there posting style it tends to be just one of those things they don't want to deal with.

In a way I can't blame them, I was very much like that when I first joined up, mainly because of certain members.
the problem is on the threads "people want you to say the right things" not nessacerily the best way to deal with it at te time which is where some of the old methods come in, and even I would not dream of posting them up, also more to the point not everyone will use those methods for the right reasons.

Either way good luck mate.: victory:


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

I got some strawberrys, melon and grapes gonna try him with them, 

Forgot to add been intouch with the previous owner and they have said they didn't feed him and meat, insects or anything.


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> I got some strawberrys, melon and grapes gonna try him with them,
> 
> Forgot to add been intouch with the previous owner and they have said they didn't feed him and meat, insects or anything.


 
great  il pm you.


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## G.R/Trooper (Feb 20, 2011)

Salazare Slytherin said:


> great credit and my respect, you have rescued this iguana.


This.

Shame more people in the world are not like the rest of us and only see pets as toys. Salazare knows their stuff so you are in great hands here, wish you all the best.


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Cheers it's just horrible seeing him so thin and him still not eating properly in 10 days


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

I'd just like to say to any one who reads this and is thinking of getting an iguana, they are a specialist animal and do take alot more looking after than other lizards, you should only really ever get one after doing LOTS of research, otherwise when it comes to getting rid of the iguana which so many people seem to do it then can be a mare for the person picking up the pieces so to speak,

im prepared to do anything in my powers to get yoda back to full health and happyness, it seems to many people rush into getting an animal which shouldnt be the case, im prepared to give yoda a forever home and if your thinking of getting an iguana you need to be in the same frame of mind,


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## G.R/Trooper (Feb 20, 2011)

I think the majority of those that give them away actually comes down to them having a total lack of understanding on how big they actually get. A Green Iguana only needs 5 years to go from hatching to full adult size, and that can be as big as six feet! I have seen the same thing with beardies occuring a lot recently, but thats mostly down to people getting bored of them rather than the size they grow. In all, people that do this to animals should be put in a cage as opposed to putting an animal in the cage.

I'm still in talks with the GF atm to see if we can get an iggy and while i feel i have a substantial amount of knowledge on keeping one (as with all my animals) enough never really is enough. That old saying "you learn something new everyday" plays a huge part in the research. Main thing i found on these forums is people seem to be too afraid to ask, which often ends in disaster. So here i am, scouting your thread before we even get the animals, so that i have even more knowledge at my disposal ready to tackle (hopefully) my next friend. 

PS: I aint nosey, just curious =P


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

im never affraid to ask for advice coz as you say you dont ask you can get in a pickle, i read for hours and months on end with lots of advice from salazare and ruthyg, people can get some great advice if they just ask, the main guy at our local reptile shops said he's seeing more and more people stop breeding iguana's due to people giving up on them so easily, that said you can always find at least a few up for rehoming


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## G.R/Trooper (Feb 20, 2011)

I think if we was to get one it would be from as young as possible. We have done that with all our animals and we enjoy the transition from juve to adult, developing their own little personalities and being able to have tame animals as part of our family that WE tamed. This is one of the most rewarding parts of it in my opinion.


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

It is nice seeing them grow and watching how they develop, I don't think yoda is 8 months as I was told he's so small, I looked at some green iguanas at the reptile shop and the size difference is massive


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## G.R/Trooper (Feb 20, 2011)

Your best bet would be to ask Salaz and get him to approximate it on the measurement. It would give you a better idea of his age but just like us humans; some grow faster than others, and some just get bigger than others.


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

ive been looking on the net and most pics ive seen at around 6 months old look the same size as yoda, he also never shed with the previous owner, since ive had him his head has shed but no signs of his body shedding


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## G.R/Trooper (Feb 20, 2011)

Silly question but have you tried giving him a good soak in the bathtub? I spose since he aint growing all that well he has very little need to actually shed the skin.


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

yea soaked him a few times and mist and spray twice a day, but like you say he's so underweight no need to shed


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Not sure what else to try now, had fruit down for 2 days now not really eaten any, not had nothing today either, he just seems to be getting thinner, he really just doesnt seem interested in food :-(


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> Not sure what else to try now, had fruit down for 2 days now not really eaten any, not had nothing today either, he just seems to be getting thinner, he really just doesnt seem interested in food :-(


 
Okay, this could be going back to what we said at the beginning of the thread, it could be an internal problem, which means he is going to have to go back to the vets.

I would not be comfortible advising any further ontil he has seen one again.

A blood test is likley to be needed along with a fecal test, the vet may even rehydrate him and pump some antibiotics into him.

I know the vet said that he is not concerned, but tell them that this is what you want done! vets can be wrong.

They also have methods to get some fluid and CCF into him.


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## KittyNW (Jul 29, 2011)

Hiya,

I have no expeirience with iguanas what so ever but just wanted to sa Yoda is beautiful and have been following this thread and you have done a fantastic thing trying to get him back to good health. :2thumb:


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

hi thanks kitty,

so went straight down the vets today took a sample, and had a chat to the vet, he has told me to start syringe feeding him, he's also gonna get straight onto the sample and ring me with the results tomorrow, if he doesnt pick up after feeding him he recommends blood samples and x-rays, he said yes it may initialy stress him out but its better for him to get the food into him.

so ive blended his food up, mint, parsley,corriander, mustard greens, and butter nut sqaush so everything thats good for him, and see how this goes, ive also been out and bought some scales so i can keep an eye out on his weight


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> hi thanks kitty,
> 
> so went straight down the vets today took a sample, and had a chat to the vet, he has told me to start syringe feeding him, he's also gonna get straight onto the sample and ring me with the results tomorrow, if he doesnt pick up after feeding him he recommends blood samples and x-rays, he said yes it may initialy stress him out but its better for him to get the food into him.
> 
> so ive blended his food up, mint, parsley,corriander, mustard greens, and butter nut sqaush so everything thats good for him, and see how this goes, ive also been out and bought some scales so i can keep an eye out on his weight


Fab mate... your vet is right really.
fingers crossed on the fecal sample.
I am really hoping there is nothing there.


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

ok just been up and fed him 3ml from the syringe (start on small amounts few times aday), hard at first, i couldnt get his mouth open, but once i did he started licking it up, i then opened his mouth and let him bite on my finger for a while as my partner applied the syringe then just let him eat it up, after a min a seemed a willing participant, seem to like licking it off of his lips aswell, 

ive heard that you can tell how stressed they are by how dialated there pupils are and his remained small so didnt look stressed??

will he get to used to being syringe fed and not eat for himself? or once he gets used to it will he then be willing to eat properly from his bowl?


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> ok just been up and fed him 3ml from the syringe (start on small amounts few times aday), hard at first, i couldnt get his mouth open, but once i did he started licking it up, i then opened his mouth and let him bite on my finger for a while as my partner applied the syringe then just let him eat it up, after a min a seemed a willing participant, seem to like licking it off of his lips aswell,
> 
> ive heard that you can tell how stressed they are by how dialated there pupils are and his remained small so didnt look stressed??
> 
> will he get to used to being syringe fed and not eat for himself? or once he gets used to it will he then be willing to eat properly from his bowl?


That eye thing is a myth mate, but looking into their eyes for periods can cause a territorial reaction, a multitude of things like stress anxiety, fear etc I would not do this even with healthy ones to be honest.

Yet another reason I am against dominance techniques for taming! many people have came away from some nasty bites from such actions.

The idea of syringe feeding is to try and get his appetite going, by itself, just enough to make sure he is getting something inside of him, nutrients that are needed, a chance for his stomach to re-expand.

I am at the moment looking into a few things for you, such as getting micro-flora levels back up etc but I am going back through the entire thread and previouse convos to make sure that nothing previouse will be harmful before I suggest it.

I just need some confirmation from some other keepers, made a couple of phonecalls too 

As soon as I can give a decent over view il drop you a pm mate.
in the mean time just keep doing what you are doing.

Oh if possible get some butternut squash into that diet also, it is a natural de-wormer.
This iguana is going to survive! 
p.s what is his weight currently?


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Salazare your a star, I'm so grateful for all your help and can't believe that your evening doing some more research to help me thank you so much,

I don't look into his eyes for long periods of time just peek lol, I've mixed in butter nut squash and the seeds with the rest and blended it all up

He's now in his hide relaxing with his legs down his side so nice and comfy

He was 57g last week not weighed him yet will do that tommorow


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> Salazare your a star, I'm so grateful for all your help and can't believe that your evening doing some more research to help me thank you so much,
> 
> I don't look into his eyes for long periods of time just peek lol, I've mixed in butter nut squash and the seeds with the rest and blended it all up
> 
> ...


 
Yeah no worries mate and thanks for the weight. He may have put a little on since so we'l soon see. fab with the butternut pal.: victory:

I will do my best mate and I am sure you will too.


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## G.R/Trooper (Feb 20, 2011)

Apparently (according to Mr Attenborough) in the wild a Green Iguana's first meal is normally a local adults shite. As strange (and revolting) as it may seem it gives them their initial appetite and gets their body ready for digestion. Maybe something you will have to take a look at if things dont improve. I didnt read much into it or do a lot of research but thought i would share it with you since its a possibility in treating your iggy.

Salazar is their any truth in the above?


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

G.R/Trooper said:


> Apparently (according to Mr Attenborough) in the wild a Green Iguana's first meal is normally a local adults shite. As strange (and revolting) as it may seem it gives them their initial appetite and gets their body ready for digestion. Maybe something you will have to take a look at if things dont improve. I didnt read much into it or do a lot of research but thought i would share it with you since its a possibility in treating your iggy.
> 
> Salazar is their any truth in the above?


Yes it is true  BUT captive iguanas or Captive farmed iguans will have done this, "before" they were even sold to the pet trade, so I do not think this is the problem, A very good suggestion though, in CF facilities adults are everywhere, check out any youtube video of iguana farms.

But lets just say there is a slight aspect in what you are saying that plays an important part in what I am looking into.  so very well done and a good conclusion that does get overlooked often.

All baby iguans do this regardless mate, if the iguana had not done this, it would not have made it this far on in life.


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Oh that's a very interesting point there, I think over the next couple of weeks I'm gonna study some videos of iguanas in captivity and in the wild


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## cherylrandall2010 (Mar 2, 2011)

hi just a few ideas for you....bannana not to much but has natrual carming effects and soft to mine loves it and also avacordo pear full of the good fats so should help plump him up.... mine used to hate eating infront of us so if you close your eyes slightly so you can see him but he thinks your not looking then you can keep an eye on what he eats that worked for me when mine stoped eating...... i hope these work for you like they did me...good luck:2thumb: p.s he/she is soooooooooooooooooooo cute xx


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

cherylrandall2010 said:


> hi just a few ideas for you....bannana not to much but has natrual carming effects and soft to mine loves it and also avacordo pear full of the good fats so should help plump him up.... mine used to hate eating infront of us so if you close your eyes slightly so you can see him but he thinks your not looking then you can keep an eye on what he eats that worked for me when mine stoped eating...... i hope these work for you like they did me...good luck:2thumb: p.s he/she is soooooooooooooooooooo cute xx


Thank you any help is welcome lol, the thing is he really isn't interested in any food I put in his bowl or try and hand feed him, I could try syringe feeding him them aswell as his greens, I'm open to trying anything,

The previous owner said he was eating 2 big bowls of greens aday and the day before I got him which is hard to believe when he's is the condition he is in, I don't think he's really eaten properly for a while now


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## G.R/Trooper (Feb 20, 2011)

111mattin111 said:


> The previous owner said he was eating 2 big bowls of greens aday and the day before I got him which is hard to believe when he's is the condition he is in, I don't think he's really eaten properly for a while now


Yeah i would have my doubts too. Certainly doesnt look very well. Is it possible to get a female which is a very good feeder? This may encourage your male to eat but the risk is it also might stress him out. Depends what way you want to go, as the owner you have ultimate responsibility.


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

G.R/Trooper said:


> Yeah i would have my doubts too. Certainly doesnt look very well. Is it possible to get a female which is a very good feeder? This may encourage your male to eat but the risk is it also might stress him out. Depends what way you want to go, as the owner you have ultimate responsibility.


I think it wouldn't be fair getting another as yoda needs all my attention and it would also be hard as I'd have to quarantine it first, and also would prob stress him out more but I may be wrong, gonna wait to see what the vets says also I'll weigh him later and see what his current weight is and see if syringe feeding helps him,


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## Yorkshire Gator (Oct 16, 2009)

do you put his food dish on the viv floor or higher up th viv?


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! THE iguana should not even be able to see another animal at all! when in such a vulnerible state, let alone another iguana, the last thing you want is to trigger a breeding response, and for those of you who are unaware, igunas will go off their food at this time regardless.

there is another 100 reasons also, we do not know the exact status of health of the iguana, we don't know if it's illnises can be passed onto other reptiles so in turn the OP could then end up with 2 problems instead of one..

Well done mate, you have the right idea 

If it was that easy it would be great, unfortunately it is not though.


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Yorkshire Gator said:


> do you put his food dish on the viv floor or higher up th viv?


His food is on the floor in his hide.

I totally agree salazare I was thinking all the same reasons, I need to get to the bottom of yoda's problem without any other problems, still waiting to hear back from the vets


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> His food is on the floor in his hide.
> 
> I totally agree salazare I was thinking all the same reasons, I need to get to the bottom of yoda's problem without any other problems, still waiting to hear back from the vets


 
infact I will pm you it  don't want my pm box over flowing.
edit....


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## cherylrandall2010 (Mar 2, 2011)

have you tried putting his food up high behind any folage you have he may feel more secure up high not on the ground.....


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

cherylrandall2010 said:


> have you tried putting his food up high behind any folage you have he may feel more secure up high not on the ground.....


No not tried that yet, 

Ok so syringe fed him again he seems to like the food he's always licking the juice from his lips, how do I know if I'm hurting him when I open his mouth for him, I do it by gently putting my nail between his lips at the side and carefully open it up, got all 5ml syringe down him and he took some solid bits aswell, I can tell he's eaten has his belly is filled out


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Ok little update, 

Been back to the vets he has got a parasite in his sample.

Its a Coccidia like organism (Eimeria Opp) The vet said they can be found in healty iguana's and not affect them, but on the other hand if the iguana is ill it can either give them the runs or make them go off there food all together, but he said it may not be the problem what so ever, ive now got to see how he goes over the next 5 days see if he picks up and keep syringe feeding him, if he doesnt pick up take another sample, and if not blood tests are on the cards.

ive give him his medicine so will now see how he gets fingers crossed


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> Ok little update,
> 
> Been back to the vets he has got a parasite in his sample.
> 
> Its a Coccidia like organism (Eimeria Opp) The


Shit...


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

they are pretty nasty... a protozoan parasite. No wander he is not eating.
your vet will probibly perscribe some kind of sulfur and antibiotic medication, they are not often detected so easily so for it to show up it must be pretty bad, alot of vets will treat for it whether it shows up or not just to be on the safe side.

the best thing you can do, is remove any and all poo as and when you see it straight away.

Still it can be treated succesfully, so fingers crossed.

Even still you can still try a few things... il pass this on : victory:

ah I just noticed you edited the above mate, sounds like a plan to syringe feed. 
I hope he is okay...

tbh mate I am not satisfied with waiting 5 days? has he offerd you any medication what so ever?


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Hi mate sorry forgot to add i treated him as soon as i got back with 0.05ml of baycox, he said its used on alot of reptile for this parasite


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> Hi mate sorry forgot to add i treated him as soon as i got back with 0.05ml of baycox, he said its used on alot of reptile for this parasite


 
ah reet, was gonna say lol its like me having a heart attack and 2 paramedics just walking past me lmao.

I have just had the last confirmation so pmd you mate.


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Cheers for the pm salazare. Its very kind of you to put so much time and effort into trying to save yoda, not many people out there that would do such things.


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Been a busy morning, went to the garden centre got a white hibiscus, just need to wait for it to bud, then off to asda got some bottles of powerade and some yoghurt, 

bathed him in the powerade and syringe fed him his concoction with the added yoghurt, im now gonna weigh him so ill let you not what that turns out at


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> Been a busy morning, went to the garden centre got a white hibiscus, just need to wait for it to bud, then off to asda got some bottles of powerade and some yoghurt,
> 
> bathed him in the powerade and syringe fed him his concoction with the added yoghurt, im now gonna weigh him so ill let you not what that turns out at


 
Hi mate, I forgot to mention in the PM that the natural yoghurt does not need to be fed for very long, only for 2-3 days, other than that it would be a vets advice to do it further I think.

Glad he took his bath well mate.
Well done on aquiring the hibiscus.: victory:

Hopefully you will see him improve a little in the next few days.


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Salazare Slytherin said:


> Hi mate, I forgot to mention in the PM that the natural yoghurt does not need to be fed for very long, only for 2-3 days, other than that it would be a vets advice to do it further I think.
> 
> Glad he took his bath well mate.
> Well done on aquiring the hibiscus.: victory:
> ...


 
Cheers pal couldnt of done alot of this without you, ok so a week and a half ago he was 57g he's now 60g dont know if thats a good gain or not but some of his bones are not as visible now :2thumb:


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

here he is:


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> Cheers pal couldnt of done alot of this without you, ok so a week and a half ago he was 57g he's now 60g dont know if thats a good gain or not but some of his bones are not as visible now :2thumb:





111mattin111 said:


> here he is:
> image


 
any weight gain is better than none  
He looks alot better already mate, and to be honest more hydrated, his eyes are not as sunken in... WELL DONE!:no1:
and he does look a little more filled out.


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## shadow girl (Aug 5, 2011)

111mattin111 said:


> well he's just really enjoyed his bath really content in there, ive put some butter nut sqaush seeds in his food bowl


 

he is nice looking i had one and nobody would hold him they were scared of him why i dont know.


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

well hopefully he will respond well to everything and i hope those nasty parasites are gone in a few days, ill just on going with this and hope for the best


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Abit of good new I think, bathed him again today and then airing fed him he took that very well, so after I thought I'd try hand feeding him some greens, I dipped them in his mushed up food had to force it in his mouth at first then after a min he started to willingly hand feed, he even got to the point where if I was holding the food he would snatch it out of my hand, ended up eating quite alot


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> Abit of good new I think, bathed him again today and then airing fed him he took that very well, so after I thought I'd try hand feeding him some greens, I dipped them in his mushed up food had to force it in his mouth at first then after a min he started to willingly hand feed, he even got to the point where if I was holding the food he would snatch it out of my hand, ended up eating quite alot


 
FANTASTIC:no1:


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## JustJack (Apr 19, 2010)

111mattin111 said:


> Abit of good new I think, bathed him again today and then airing fed him he took that very well, so after I thought I'd try hand feeding him some greens, I dipped them in his mushed up food had to force it in his mouth at first then after a min he started to willingly hand feed, he even got to the point where if I was holding the food he would snatch it out of my hand, ended up eating quite alot


Great news!! :2thumb:

Been following the last few pages, and you are doing a fantastic job!

And salazare you certainly know your stuff!


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## Yorkshire Gator (Oct 16, 2009)

great news mate, and he's looking better


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Cheers for the comments guys just hope his weight picks up now


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## JustJack (Apr 19, 2010)

111mattin111 said:


> Cheers for the comments guys just hope his weight picks up now


With all your hard work im sure he will be putting on weight in no time


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## shadow girl (Aug 5, 2011)

Yorkshire Gator said:


> great news mate, and he's looking better


 
that is a big gator.i have never seen a white gator before.:gasp:


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## shadow girl (Aug 5, 2011)

111mattin111 said:


> Cheers for the comments guys just hope his weight picks up now


 

i am sure he is going to start gaining weigh.he looks really good.


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

2 of his nails on his front foot look like they have snapped off, theres nothing there at all, is this something to keep an eye on or will they just grow back in time? 

they were obviously like this before i got him


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## G.R/Trooper (Feb 20, 2011)

Could be signs of MBD. Is it just the nails or some of the toe also? Most lizards have a vein in their "claws" and if damaged they take forever to stop bleeding. Not 100% sure with Iggy's but im just assuming they are the same as other similar species. No wonder this poor bugger is so upset, the previous keeper doesnt seem to have paid enough attention to the animal. Keep up the good work man.


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

I'll take a pic later when I'm home from work, the vet said there's no sign of mbd, no all the toe is there on each one where the nail is missing, I've touched around the area doesn't seem to bother him, 

The people said they didn't even notice he was missing a toe :-(


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> I'll take a pic later when I'm home from work, the vet said there's no sign of mbd, no all the toe is there on each one where the nail is missing, I've touched around the area doesn't seem to bother him,
> 
> The people said they didn't even notice he was missing a toe :-(


Mate, sometimes it happens... I have seen countless iguanas with that problem, I don't know the cause of it though, but the over view is it never caused them any problems.

Iguanas break their toes quite often also.
Once broken there is not alot that can really be done to put it right.


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## Yorkshire Gator (Oct 16, 2009)

shadow girl said:


> that is a big gator.i have never seen a white gator before.:gasp:


 well if you ever visit gatorland in orlando he lives there


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## Chelles_Iggy (Apr 27, 2011)

hope he gets better soon


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## Chelles_Iggy (Apr 27, 2011)

Salazare Slytherin said:


> Cruel to be kind mate, at the minute I would avoid handling him altogether. Not ontil he begins eating some decent amounts of food, awesome! get that poo sample analysed but I am sure they might ask for 2 more.
> 
> Si had a good suggestion of offering some fruit, sometimes they might prefer something sweet. at least he will have some energy and help him put on some weight.
> 
> ...


 
I am the previous owner of Yoda and I had no idea he was so ill or underweight as I have never had an iggy before but I certainly never fed him any meat and have been totally honest about what ive given him n done with him, he seemed perfectly healthy and was very very active all the time so how was I to know without anyone to tell me what I was doing wrong. I dont want anyone thinking I neglected him when I would never do anything like that I love all animals and feel terrible knowing that I was inadvertently hurting this poor iggy through my lack of knowledge and experience.


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## Chelles_Iggy (Apr 27, 2011)

111mattin111 said:


> Thank you any help is welcome lol, the thing is he really isn't interested in any food I put in his bowl or try and hand feed him, I could try syringe feeding him them aswell as his greens, I'm open to trying anything,
> 
> The previous owner said he was eating 2 big bowls of greens aday and the day before I got him which is hard to believe when he's is the condition he is in, I don't think he's really eaten properly for a while now


 
He was eating 2 bowls of greens a day, why would I lie about it when the reason I was rehoming wasnt to get some quick cash it was because I realised I couldnt give him the best care he needs, Im sorry hes not doing well but everything I told you was the truth and I would appreciate it if you please didnt slate me as I did what I thought was correct but I was obviously too inexperienced and that is the reason I rehomed him. If you dont believe that then thats your choice but I would never never harm or neglect any animal on purpose.


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

Chelles_Iggy said:


> I am the previous owner of Yoda and I had no idea he was so ill or underweight as I have never had an iggy before but I certainly never fed him any meat and have been totally honest about what ive given him n done with him, he seemed perfectly healthy and was very very active all the time so how was I to know without anyone to tell me what I was doing wrong. I dont want anyone thinking I neglected him when I would never do anything like that I love all animals and feel terrible knowing that I was inadvertently hurting this poor iggy through my lack of knowledge and experience.


Chelle I know you are the previouse owner, I was not going to mention it on the public forums though for the reason you stated above, if he had been fed meat, he may not nessacerily have been fed it by you, thats why I was hoping for an honest response.

I was very aware you were having trouble with Yoda before you sold him to Mattin, this was as you rightly said the best thing you could do for him at the time, and as you can see alot of effort is going into this guy to get him back to normal.

Iguanas are difficult animals and damn well easy to mis-read you are not the only person this has happned too and I doubt you will be the last, I don't think any less of you because I know you did YOUR BEST for him while you had him, unfortunately our best sometimes is not good enough.

Iguanas no matter how much you care and love for them can still become ill, and just because he "seemed to be fine" does not mean he is, simply because they are difficult animals to mis-read.

All I can suggest to you Chelle, if you ever do get another iguana make sure you read up as much as you can on them, starting with the links in my signature.

As you can see there is already an improvement in Yodas health and with a little more time will make a good recovery.
I have better things to do with my time than sit here moaning about this, my main concern now is the iguana, not to kick or debate someones keeping skills.


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## Chelles_Iggy (Apr 27, 2011)

Salazare Slytherin said:


> Chelle I know you are the previouse owner, I was not going to mention it on the public forums though for the reason you stated above, if he had been fed meat, he may not nessacerily have been fed it by you, thats why I was hoping for an honest response.
> 
> I was very aware you were having trouble with Yoda before you sold him to Mattin, this was as you rightly said the best thing you could do for him at the time, and as you can see alot of effort is going into this guy to get him back to normal.
> 
> ...


 
Thankyou I appreciate you saying that. I feel so awful knowing yoda is suffering and Mattin knows this but from some of the posts Ive read I feel like Im being slagged off. I dont care if people know I am the previous owner, I rescued Yoda off my friend who didnt have a clue (he was bought as a present by a stupid ex boyfriend) and felt I could of given him a decent home but I was wrong and I hope everyone following this thread can see that I did what was best, if I hadnt taken him he would surely be dead and now he has Mattin im confident he will live a long and happy life.

I dont want to debate it either I just dont want to be seen as the terrible previous owner that he had to rescue yoda from.

I am going to keep following this as it is the only way i will be able to see that yoda is getting what he needs and will leave it when I know he is happy and healthy otherwise I will feel guilty for a long time.

Thankyou for all the help you are giving and the time you are sacrificing to mattin.


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

Chelles_Iggy said:


> Thankyou I appreciate you saying that. I feel so awful knowing yoda is suffering and Mattin knows this but from some of the posts Ive read I feel like Im being slagged off. I dont care if people know I am the previous owner, I rescued Yoda off my friend who didnt have a clue (he was bought as a present by a stupid ex boyfriend) and felt I could of given him a decent home but I was wrong and I hope everyone following this thread can see that I did what was best, if I hadnt taken him he would surely be dead and now he has Mattin im confident he will live a long and happy life.
> 
> I dont want to debate it either I just dont want to be seen as the terrible previous owner that he had to rescue yoda from.
> 
> ...


 
That is fine, and of course it is natural to "think" your being slagged off, but if this was the case, previouse threads you created would have been listed, along with the posts if that makes sense, neither has been done and you have bravely came along and shown yourself.

a rescue can be labbelled under alot of things 

finding an animal
taking an animal from someone who can no longer care for it.
Looking after an injured animal before it is released.
Nursing an animal
etc etc all of which can be looked at as rescue, just because someone says rescue does not mean they were in the worst living conditions, as I mentioned previously on the thread, I have seen iguanas in much worse states than this and each one made a full recovery with minimal scars.

It is hard to interpretate what people say on the internet and how it was meant to come across, but unlike other places on the forum, the iguana keepers are not here to slag the previouse owners off, nor are they here to list threads and posts to make you look bad (which could infact easily have been done)

But the main issue is the iguana, anyone who knows me knows I give it my best effort, and I know you created a few help threads before resorting selling Yoda to a more suitble home, I also answerd some of those threads you made.

Mattin rescued the iguana from someone who done what was best for him, comming to terms that they could not give Yoda what he needed. (that was you chelle) even the most expireinced keepers sometimes need to come to terms with what they can and can't help with, Some expirienced keepers would not even give the animal up out of pride and principal and allow it to suffer, I don't for one moment beleive anyone has intentionally slagged you off but more to the point you probibly feel awful and have interpretated what has been said slightly differently, either way you are here now.

So feel free and welcome to keep up to date with the thread because I am sure Mattin and the other iguana keepers offering help and support will give it their best efforts for Yoda: victory:


This by the way is a very good example for why iguanas need to be researched.


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Hi like salazare said its hard to put across what you mean and what tone you mean it in over the net, im not slagging you off at all, all i was saying when i text is that i need to know the best of your memory about what yoda had been fed ect so we knew which route was best to take,

im not pointing the blame and am not here seeking help for any other reason than trying to get yoda back upto health.

salazare has been great and with his and others help hopefully i can do enough for this to turn out ok in the long run, as has been said there is a little improvment in his condition, i keep taking pics each day so i can see any progress as little as it may be.

I hope chelle you do follow this and are more than welcome to comment at anytime.

This is him today

















P.S thats not his food bowl it was what i was using to hand feed him before anyone says its to big lol.

He ate quite abit again today both from the syringe and from my hand


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> Hi like salazare said its hard to put across what you mean and what tone you mean it in over the net, im not slagging you off at all, all i was saying when i text is that i need to know the best of your memory about what yoda had been fed ect so we knew which route was best to take,
> 
> im not pointing the blame and am not here seeking help for any other reason than trying to get yoda back upto health.
> 
> ...


 
Fantastic he is eating mate :no1:
and by the way that bowl is too big:Na_Na_Na_Na:

It sounds like his appetitle is slowly being stimulated... a very very good sign.

from the pics you can see the difference, he is not as dehydrated, the skin folds are not so obviouse, the bathing has definately helped and I think the powerade may have had an effect on his appetite too knowing it can help to get none feeders to feed.

He is looking a little more rounded also but it will take a litte time to get him beefed back up, all in all though I can see an immediate difference.

well done.: victory:


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Salazare Slytherin said:


> Fantastic he is eating mate :no1:
> *and by the way that bowl is too big*:Na_Na_Na_Na:
> 
> It sounds like his appetitle is slowly being stimulated... a very very good sign.
> ...


HAHAHA yea i think he looks a little better, he hadnt eaten anything at all, all day but the minute i started feeding him by hand and syringe he was licking and chomping away, i just hope it dont get to use to hand feeding and expect it all the time.

As said with other threads i dont want to handle him to much while he's stressed and ill, so how long should i keep up with the syringe feeding? also should i keep bathing him or just do it every now n then from now on. 

The only concern with syringe feeding him is when putting the syringe into his mouth he bites onto it for a sec and that sometimes makes his mouth bleed abit, and i mean the slightest bit ever and stops after a second or two, only does that the first time of putting it in his mouth


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> HAHAHA yea i think he looks a little better, he hadnt eaten anything at all, all day but the minute i started feeding him by hand and syringe he was licking and chomping away, i just hope it dont get to use to hand feeding and expect it all the time.


 
time will tell, in a positive way my own taming methods consist of handfeeding so maybey that will come in handy in the future?

He may associate that you were the one who helped him? and he got better that way... 

but either way between us all lets just be happy he is eating at all: victory:


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Salazare Slytherin said:


> time will tell, in a positive way my own taming methods consist of handfeeding so maybey that will come in handy in the future?
> 
> *He may associate that you were the one who helped him? and he got better that way... *
> 
> but either way between us all lets just be happy he is eating at all: victory:


 
Funny you should say that he's now very calm in my hand i can even put my hand into clean and he doesnt seem to mind just watches me, may be me but sometimes i get the feeling he knows i'm trying to help him (probably me just me being soft lol) but thats what i like to think


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> Funny you should say that he's now very calm in my hand i can even put my hand into clean and he doesnt seem to mind just watches me, may be me but sometimes i get the feeling he knows i'm trying to help him (probably me just me being soft lol) but thats what i like to think


Mate in the past, and I don't often post these cases on the forums because of the "keyboard warriors" but I have acted very qucikly in some cases where I* could* have initially made a situation worse.

and I can honestly say "although no fact sheet or care sheet could tell you this" but my expirience can, is that simply animals can and do seem to know when your helping them, not long ago I had an egg bound snake and I could not reach a vet straight away, it was 2 weeks after she droped the eggs I noticed a clump. 

Me knowing that this could be dangerouse I messaged a friend on here who offerd some suggestions to me, in the end I decided to take the risk and push the eggs out by myself knowing that she was in pain, when doing this she seemed to know I was helping her by moving her body in such a way that it assisted the movment of the eggs toward the vent.

She never bit me once, can you beleive that? this took 3 hours to do I might add but done it I did.

Don't be so negligent to think animals are compiled of just "instinct" we owe them a little more aknowledgement for some of the behaviors  anyone who has done this may know where I am comming from.

p.s beleive me in these situations it was a literal thing of acting in a life and death situation, it could go either way, and the animals seemed to know this by what seemed to me (helping me to free them or otherwise from situations even a vet could not be prepared for.

One case compiled of an iguana which got its head stuck in between the mesh, the motion it played with me attempting to free it was none aggresive, and normally this iguana was "mental" you could not get any where near it, since that instance the iguana has settled down alot.


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

How is Yoda?


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Salazare Slytherin said:


> How is Yoda?



Hi mate erm he's ok I think lol, he's had 2 poo's today he's in the bath at the min, he also did well with his syringe and hand feed aswell, I don't know wether to try and up his food intake a little now maybe a little more spread out twice aday, 

Also off work at the min due to pulling muscles in my back, so today I've been doing some more research, also tried playing the nature jungle music, he was looking all around and at the laptop from where the noise was coming, 

How much nutrobal would you be putting on his food? Also should I keep using this still or start using calcium on his foods now aswell?


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> Hi mate erm he's ok I think lol, he's had 2 poo's today he's in the bath at the min, he also did well with his syringe and hand feed aswell, I don't know wether to try and up his food intake a little now maybe a little more spread out twice aday,
> 
> Also off work at the min due to pulling muscles in my back, so today I've been doing some more research, also tried playing the nature jungle music, he was looking all around and at the laptop from where the noise was coming,
> 
> How much nutrobal would you be putting on his food? Also should I keep using this still or start using calcium on his foods now aswell?


 
Fantastic mate, jungle music works wanders, I calmed seeming mental iguanas down by doing this in the past, admitedly only twice:blush: it will be good for his stimulation though, it brings the nature from within: victory:

At the moment I would probibly focus on giving him nutrobal 3-4 times a week and offering the pure calcium the following 2-3 days.

the food feeding you mention, smaller quantities are said to be better for us humans too, smaller quantites and more often feeds  so yeah I can go with that.


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Cheers salazare,

A little more good news he's now 66g so slowly gaining weight he was 60 only a few days ago


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> Cheers salazare,
> 
> A little more good news he's now 66g so slowly gaining weight he was 60 only a few days ago


:no1: good signs.


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Oh yea I also measured him he's 5inch not 7, snout to where his tail starts


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

He ate quite abit this morning looks a little podgy lol


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> He ate quite abit this morning looks a little podgy lol
> 
> image


Thats more like it  did he eat by himself?


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

No syringe fed him, today though he let me go into his viv and pick him up, as soon as he was in my hand he started licking as if he knew what was coming, he took all the syringe and they hand fed some grape and butternut sqaush, and he's got fresh food in with him so hopefully coz ive fed him earlier he will be hungry later and eat from his bowl


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## Chelles_Iggy (Apr 27, 2011)

111mattin111 said:


> Hi like salazare said its hard to put across what you mean and what tone you mean it in over the net, im not slagging you off at all, all i was saying when i text is that i need to know the best of your memory about what yoda had been fed ect so we knew which route was best to take,
> 
> im not pointing the blame and am not here seeking help for any other reason than trying to get yoda back upto health.
> 
> ...


Thankyou for saying that it has put my mind at rest cos Ive been feeling so guilty, I have been following this thread and realised that in my inexperience I definately fed him the wrong things and not enough of the good stuff and generally was hurting him by not knowing enough. 

I am glad you are doing so well with him and that he seems settled with you as like I told you when you came, he was very stressed out with me as I am pregnant and I think he sensed my hormone changes as he went from being calm when I went near him to constant whipping and lunging.

He looks so much better already in the pics so I know I definately did the right thing giving him up as this is what he needs, someone who can devote 24/7 to him (whether hes ill or not) and thats something we just couldnt do with a young child and another on the way. I will take this opportunity to say that anyone thinking of getting this kind of pet with a famil, DONT do it it is simply too time consuming and the animal will suffer.

Thankyou again for putting my mind at rest and I am glad so many people are offering their help to getting Yoda back to full health and I look forward to seeing some pics of him all fat and lazy lol


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

That's ok chelle he seems to be picking up a little now, he's had a little out of his food bowl on his own this afternoon not a great deal but it's a start


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> That's ok chelle he seems to be picking up a little now, he's had a little out of his food bowl on his own this afternoon not a great deal but it's a start


I am proud of you mate:no1:


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## mstypical (Feb 16, 2011)

2nd-ing what Dixon said, I don't believe reptiles to be 'instinct-only' creatures. In fact only 2 days ago I was arguing with my OH that we have domesticated our MHD too much, she no longer jumps when you move suddenly, will jump on your arm to get out when you put your arm in the viv, and has recently started sleeping on me. She's more like a dog than a lizard, this concerned me at first but i'm over it :2thumb:


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

So this is my food list for yoda:

Butternut sqaush
Parsley
Thyme
Mint
Spring Greens
Snap Sugar Peas
Swede
Parsnip
Watercress

And this is how it turns out once its blended









Then he has a little 
Strawberries
Melon
Grape


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> So this is my food list for yoda:
> 
> Butternut sqaush
> Parsley
> ...


 
YUK!
I am glad I don't have to do that lmao.
check out the diet mate on my website and the green ig society, vary it as much as possible using the spring greens as the staple and just adding what ever to it from the lists.

Still needs must lol.: victory:


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

ive been putting different things in, then leaving some out, ive printed the green iguana society food list out, so im adding bits from there as i find them


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> ive been putting different things in, then leaving some out, ive printed the green iguana society food list out, so im adding bits from there as i find them


replied to your thread on my forum mate.
 sticky in progress  fantastic idea for the iguana section.


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Salazare Slytherin said:


> replied to your thread on my forum mate.
> sticky in progress  fantastic idea for the iguana section.


Just replied, thought it might help as its so nerve racking the first time, ill get the OH to take some pics as i do it tomorrow :2thumb:


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> Just replied, thought it might help as its so nerve racking the first time, ill get the OH to take some pics as i do it tomorrow :2thumb:


Just relax  take some deep breaths and just do what you normally do  at the end of the day there is only one way it can go in and one way it can be done.


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## wayakinwolf (Oct 6, 2006)

111mattin111 said:


> So this is my food list for yoda:
> 
> Butternut sqaush
> Parsley
> ...


 
I also give sweet potato, coriander, & some rocket. During summer i give dandelion leaves & flowers thoroughly washed, plus coltsfoot which looks like dandelion but leaves are slightly different shape, clovers & trefoils, & nasturtiums, hibiscus, plus anything else different in season. They also have a 1/4 of an orange each twice a week plus pears as this is one of the few fruits with some food value, & mine get onion every feed as they love it, i was told this many years ago by an iggy expert. Hope this helps a bit with the variations for you.:2thumb:


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

I've got rocket aswell, I'm just waiting for my hibiscus to flower, and I've found a local ish fruit and veg shop that sells loads that supermarkets don't so will be going there at the weekend


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> I've got rocket aswell, I'm just waiting for my hibiscus to flower, and I've found a local ish fruit and veg shop that sells loads that supermarkets don't so will be going there at the weekend


 
fantastic mate... 
you should see about growing some mustard greens too, you would have to buy the seeds but Yoda will love it once you get it going, can be included in the staple foods.


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## si_man306 (Jan 6, 2011)

So glad to hear you're getting on so well. Parsley's hight in oxalates (as is spinach but I see you're not feeding that) meaning that it will bind calcium inside the body and can contribute to low calcium issues (although i'm sure you've researched this) so although they will eat it just occasional feed or not at all would be better. The rest looks great!


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

si_man306 said:


> So glad to hear you're getting on so well. Parsley's hight in oxalates (as is spinach but I see you're not feeding that) meaning that it will bind calcium inside the body and can contribute to low calcium issues (although i'm sure you've researched this) so although they will eat it just occasional feed or not at all would be better. The rest looks great!


The amount of messages I get from owners stating their iguana cannot move or they think it is ill and you ask what they have fed and it is normally the same answers everytime.

Tomato, Spinach, Kale, Parsley, normally in large quantities.
Tomato and Spinach being the worst culprit.
Feeding daily> does this actually suprise anyone?:gasp:
Parsley does infact have a good calcium content though, I suppose it depends on what foods you feed and the intention of it.

The issue with these foods is your iguana can quite literally be okay one day and these problems can catch up quicker than what you think (quite literally over night)

I did feed all our iguanas spinach but they basicly only got it around twice a year, tomato is mentioned on the green iguana society and mentioned as a colour enhancer but to be fair green/yellow and red peppers could probibly accomplish that if needed and in turn tend to be better.
*Parsley*









Good source of calcium. Finely chop.
*Ca* 2.4:1 , *Pro:* 3%, *Fat:* 0.8%, *Water:* 88%, *Fiber:* 3.3% 
*OCCASIONAL* 

*Kale*









High in oxalates and goitrogens, so it should _only_ be fed on occassion. Best when cut into larger pieces or strips. Finely chop, shred, or discard stems. Store cut, dried pieces in plastic storage bag with other greens wrapped in paper towels. Squeeze air out of bag.
*Ca *2.4:1, *Pro:* 3.3%, *Fat:* 0.7%, *Water:* 84%, *Fiber:* 2% 
*OCCASIONAL* 
*Spinach*









High in calcium, but very high in oxalates and goitrogens, so it should _only_ be fed occasionally. Should be finely chopped.
*Ca *2:1, *Pro:* 2.9%, *Fat:* 0.4%, *Water:* 92%, *Fiber:* 2.7% 
*OCCASIONAL* 


*Bell peppers*









Great for adding color and variety. This catagory includes red peppers, green peppers and other bell peppers. Should be cored and then finely chopped or shredded. (Nutritional information based on red peppers, but most other bell peppers are reasonably close to the same.)
*Ca *0.5:1 , *Pro:* 0.9%, *Fat:* 0.2%, *Water:* 92%, *Fiber:* 2% 
*GREAT TASTE/COLOR ENHANCER* 
*Tomatoes*









High in oxalates. Should be finely chopped. Great for adding color to a mixture of food. Can be acidic and some iguanas may not like the taste.
*Ca *0.2:1, *Pro:* 0.9%, *Fat:* 0.3%, *Water:* 94%, *Fiber:* 1.1% 
*COLOR/TASTE ENHANCER* 

ah I love that food chart:notworthy:


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## Chelles_Iggy (Apr 27, 2011)

I have just noticed where I went wrong, I gave him spinach regularly as he liked it and i thought it was ok but reading what hes just been put I should have gave that less, I feel awful but at the same time its good to know where I went wrong and that helps plus knowing so many people are now taking the time to correct all the problems is so lovely to see. 
You are doing a fantastic job I am so glad I made that decision and hes going to be one happy healthy iggy.

Just out of curiosity are you sticking with his name as is or thinking of changing it?


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

Chelles_Iggy said:


> I have just noticed where I went wrong, I gave him spinach regularly as he liked it and i thought it was ok but reading what hes just been put I should have gave that less, I feel awful but at the same time its good to know where I went wrong and that helps plus knowing so many people are now taking the time to correct all the problems is so lovely to see.
> You are doing a fantastic job I am so glad I made that decision and hes going to be one happy healthy iggy.
> 
> Just out of curiosity are you sticking with his name as is or thinking of changing it?


It is a killer Yoda has been pretty fortunate really, I only ever fed my lot spinach twice a year for the vairiety.
The diet is the most complex area I feel in iguana keeping, the green iguana society has a food chart in my signature, but even then with some of those foods I am not entirely convinced they are good.


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

I'll still be keeping his name as yoda, is there long term affect with feeding to much spinach? I've printed the food chart off so will be adding variety to his diet all the time


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> I'll still be keeping his name as yoda, is there long term affect with feeding to much spinach? I've printed the food chart off so will be adding variety to his diet all the time


 
yes mate... il find a pic of an iguana fed primarily spinach at one point, those cases normally do not go well at all.
avoid it for yoda at the moment.

My last iguana was named Yoda, unfortunately I lost him earlier this year due to kidney failure, just one of those things that happens as they get old, as a result he became severly dehydrated.


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Sorry to hear that dude, how old was he?


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> Sorry to hear that dude, how old was he?


He was 14 would have been 15 last month. (I think...)
Zilla
and Zorzoa were 15 when they passed but they went a few years before Yoda.


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Nice long lives then, I bet you can't wait to get another?


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> Nice long lives then, I bet you can't wait to get another?


I am not sure I could get another at the moment mate, I have been offerd a few but thus far after moving I have nowhere to keep them.

still time will tell I might fall in love again... and live around one rather than have one living around me:lol2:


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Feel like I'm back to square one lol he's not eaten a single thing today by himself, tried to syringe feed him he didn't seem bothered at all,

The hibiscus has now flowerd so will give him a few petals in a min


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## Tombo46 (Aug 5, 2010)

111mattin111 said:


> I've got rocket aswell, I'm just waiting for my hibiscus to flower, and I've found a local ish fruit and veg shop that sells loads that supermarkets don't so will be going there at the weekend


Good lad =D wish we had more customer's like you.....


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Tombo46 said:


> Good lad =D wish we had more customer's like you.....


What do you mean? Do you have a fruit n veg shop lol? I'm alway passing Sheffield


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## Tombo46 (Aug 5, 2010)

111mattin111 said:


> What do you mean? Do you have a fruit n veg shop lol? I'm alway passing Sheffield


Yup, In Bradway - S17 =]


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Cool can you get any of the harder to get items like cactus leaves and things like that?


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

As long as his weight is fine dont worry.
if anything and he refuses tomorrow give him another poweade bath.


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Ok, It might be coz I'm back at work so have to syringe feed him after I get back, where as the last few days I've been off so did it in the morning,


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Ok so i tried another Powerade bath and he still seems the same, he wasnt interested in the syringe or hand feeding, and yesterday he spent the whole day and night on the bottom of the viv didnt move even a little


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> Ok so i tried another Powerade bath and he still seems the same, he wasnt interested in the syringe or hand feeding, and yesterday he spent the whole day and night on the bottom of the viv didnt move even a little


 
He needs to go back to the vets.
For a baby iguana to act like that is not normal, and what is more concerning is that he picked up, and went back the way he was, something else is going on I think.


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Well this is him after a powerade bath today, all food around his mouth, he has had a big belly full of food today

And he's now 68g so put on another 2g


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> image
> 
> Well this is him after a powerade bath today, all food around his mouth, he has had a big belly full of food today


 
Mate, wait and see what happens after he digests the food.
Some people don't feed there iguanas every day, some just feed them every other day.

But I am now pretty concerned when you said he stayed at the bottom, that could be a number of things, and not meaning to alarm you but whenever we lost an iguana they done that very exact thing.

Just to make sure what are his temperatures?


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

It's around 33 basking and 29.5 hot end


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

temps are fine mate, maybey a phonecall would be worthwhile to your vet tomorrow, I am assuming yours is out of hours today.


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Yea I'll ring tomorrow, he said if he doesn't pick up take another sample back


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> Yea I'll ring tomorrow, he said if he doesn't pick up take another sample back


the fact is he did pick up, but you have something to go on now, Yoda was fed alot of spinach before you had him, that may have resulted in some permanent damage.

Mention it too your vet.


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## abadi (Jul 25, 2010)

pics.. 

how does he look ? he was in shed and all that grey skin is off now.

sorry for the bad camera



















:2thumb:


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Salazare Slytherin said:


> Yoda was fed alot of spinach before you had him, that may have resulted in some permanent damage.
> 
> Mention it too your vet.


I shal tell him would he still put on weight if there's problems inside as like I said hes put another 2g on, I thought by now I would of done enough to kick start his appetite and him start to feed by himself, 

When hand feeding him his bit and jaw feels stronger that when I first started


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> I shal tell him would he still put on weight if there's problems inside as like I said hes put another 2g on, I thought by now I would of done enough to kick start his appetite and him start to feed by himself,
> 
> When hand feeding him his bit and jaw feels stronger that when I first started


 
well ill iguanas can still put on weight, but looking at the size of him at the beginning of the thread I can say it can only be a good thing really, fantastic his jaw feels stronger mate: victory:


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## abadi (Jul 25, 2010)

Sorry i thought this is the Iguana Thread then noticed only 19 pages :blush: my apologies 111mattin111


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

abadi said:


> Sorry i thought this is the Iguana Thread then noticed only 19 pages :blush: my apologies 111mattin111


That's ok no worries, he/she looks lovely,

The brown patch on his leg has nearly gone now aswell so he's fighting that off, 

And he's just made his first escape lol I opened the glass and he jumped out had a run around then I caught him and put him back in lol

He's also still shedding slowly on his head


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> That's ok no worries, he/she looks lovely,
> 
> The brown patch on his leg has nearly gone now aswell so he's fighting that off,
> 
> And he's just made his first escape lol I opened the glass and he jumped out had a run around then I caught him and put him back in lol


he can still move :2thumb: I am not worried, forget the vets, he is probibly just full, when you said he was on the bottom I was thinking a few things which could restrict movement in the back legs, not good I might add.

Just bathe him daily mate... (without the poweade) it aint nessacery at the moment lol.
:no1:


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

God yea he can move he's like lightening, he was at the bottom yesterday and this morning until I fed him, he's been basking since his escape


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Bit of an update, still hand feeding him, he's still 68g, the thing is we go on holiday in 5 weeks, so really could do with him feeding by himself by then coz if not i fear coming back and him not being here no more.

I gave him some sage and rosemary yesterday, he loves his syringe feed licks away like mad, but still not interested in feeding on his own, im still bathing him everyday aswell.


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> Bit of an update, still hand feeding him, he's still 68g, the thing is we go on holiday in 5 weeks, so really could do with him feeding by himself by then coz if not i fear coming back and him not being here no more.
> 
> I gave him some sage and rosemary yesterday, he loves his syringe feed licks away like mad, but still not interested in feeding on his own, im still bathing him everyday aswell.


If all else fails mate, some rescues may very well take care of him while you are away providing you give them details of your vet etc and what progress he has made.

They charge on a daily rate to help out with the food and electric costs.
Might be worth digging around.

I would not suggest a shop, because they don't always have the time to give individual care when customers are comming in and out all the time.


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

He's just eaten the most food from my hand since ive had him, fed him 3 times today, i also let him have a run around the conservatory, which was red hot in there, he explored it all before sitting at the window on a branch in the sun lol


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Ok so been doing some research into other things that may be affecting yoda,

Could it be the viv itself?









He tends to sit on the branch on the right that goes to the top of the viv, his food is on the floor hid behind the fake plants, he's cleaned out everyday clean water fresh food twice aday

May still be the coccidia? This was treated with Baycox
Could he of swallowed a Foreign object?
May he need a calcium injection from the vets?
I've boosted his temps a little more to see if that helps.

Maybe i should have bloods done just to be safe?


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> Ok so been doing some research into other things that may be affecting yoda,
> 
> Could it be the viv itself?
> image
> ...


 
Okay which side is his basking light on, he should be able to bask at the tallest point of the cage so if the light is on the other side it may need moving to a better place that he can reach, that way he can actually bask.
(looking at the pics I cannot see him being able to thermoregulate appropriately and bask properly)

May I suggest you get a background fitted for his psycological development, they do like colours, if this is not possible for a young iguana a few extra plants and hiding places would not go a miss.

I would also suggest either having a branch going verticalally across the enclosure so the iguana is not consistantly hanging on and it can just rest, preferibly at the top with one going diagonally so he can climb up to the basking spots.

What percentage is the UV and when was it changed?

Blood tests would be good, I don't think he needs any calcium injections because if you have been including supplements there is then a risk of hypercalcemia and this is only ever good for gravid females.

A good thouragh vet examination would be good, I doubt that there would still be a problem with coccidia?

If possible and I know some people do this get a UV tube that will sit horizontally and be within 8" of the iguanas basking spot, although some people have no problems having a vertical UV lamp some people do? this is likley to be a case of the iguana being unable to UV regulate at vairied levels of the enclosure, if it is a problem reaching parts of the enclosure you can easily fit a reflector on top of it, they are very cheap from arcadia products, I was looking at them on ebay today for about £8-9


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

You can just see his basking spot on the left of the pic he is under it in the pic, also its 34.5 under there, on the other side (the right of pic) the tallest branch is on the right and over that side its 29 deg, its an Arcadia 12% uv strip i bought that only a few weeks ago

Im in the process of making a 3D background for him, which i plan to do with lots of different colour running through it.


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> You can just see his basking spot on the left of the pic he is under it in the pic, also its 34.5 under there, on the other side (the right of pic) the tallest branch is on the right and over that side its 29 deg, its an Arcadia 12% uv strip i bought that only a few weeks ago
> 
> Im in the process of making a 3D background for him, which i plan to do with lots of different colour running through it.


 
Nice one, I would make the hottest side also the tallest he can reach mate, if it gets too hot just stat it but the iguana can assocaiate the higherst the hottest if that makes sense and can then thermoreguate on the lower levesl.

Fantastic mate, maybet if you can't put the UV vertical you could place it diagonal? it may help a little, but vertical would be better I think, something to possibly bear in mind when you buy his next one?

Look forward to the back ground mate, but a young iguana should have a few extra things in there like foilage etc to help him feel secure.

a vet check most definately would not go a miss though.: victory:


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Just had a play about with his branches, the highest is now under his basking bulb, one goes the full length across, his food bowl is now off the floor also. im going to Dun Elm at the weekend to buy some more fake plants.










And with in a min of putting him back in he's right under the basking lamp


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> Just had a play about with his branches, the highest is now under his basking bulb, one goes the full length across, his food bowl is now off the floor also. im going to Dun Elm at the weekend to buy some more fake plants.
> 
> image
> 
> And with in a min of putting him back in he's right under the basking lamp


awesome, and mate check around some regular (sell everything shops) I bought loads of plants which are bigger and better for £2.50 each not long back and the rep shops sell em for £8 a peice, have a good hunt around.

but if anything most babies have loads of foilage to hide in.

Well done mate, that looks much better already to me


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Ive taken some pics of some spots on Yoda, they look black to me, the ones on the tail some of the scales are damaged, could this be black spot?


















and this one is a weird looking mark im pointed at.









If it is black spot could this be the problem, he has been more active since moving his viv about.


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

that very well could be mate.... is Yoda on any substrate at the moment?
and bear with me il gather some information up for you.
that one further down could be a fungal infection.


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

Also you might want to check Blackening skin syndrome?
and vesicular Dermatitis (sometimes called blister disease) which is why I ask about the substrate, you might want to give that a look up, on the whole though I am concerned about that big black spot so it could be your right mate.

The problem you have is because iguanas colouring spots are sometimes the same it is difficult to differentiate which spots are infection and which ones are normal.

I would definately get that mark checked out at your vet though, I would be pretty concerned about that? How long has he had it for?


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

He's been on paper since i got him but last night put some bark stuff in the bottom,

The reason i ask about the spots is like ive said ive been doing my research, and some on the spot the scales look rotten.

The big black spot has been there since ive had him and the vet didnt say nothing about it whilst checking him over, im gonna ring the vets and book him back in and write a list of things i wanna ask about


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> He's been on paper since i got him but last night put some bark stuff in the bottom,
> 
> The reason i ask about the spots is like ive said ive been doing my research, and some on the spot the scales look rotten.
> 
> The big black spot has been there since ive had him and the vet didnt say nothing about it whilst checking him over, im gonna ring the vets and book him back in and write a list of things i wanna ask about


Hi mate, I personally don't have a problem with people using bark, BUT I do emphasise to people with ill iguanas to remove it, I would probibly just give him newspaper for now mate.

Sometimes these things can be started from the likes of dirty substrate etc and even though it is probibly clean it might not do him any favours down the line.

Sometimes mate you have to point things out to vets, they don't always know everything, I have had to tell my vet exacly what I have wanted doing before and some of the things the vet had never tried before or even herd of (Kaplan quotes that you sometimes need to point these things out and explain)  and this included stitching the stump up on a tail... you should point out anything your unsure of, it does sound like your vet may be a little inexpirienced with iguanas (many are I might add) tell him what you have been researching and your concern, he should give it a throuragh look and possibly take some samples to be analyesd.

Fortunately for me I have never had this problem so I don't know a great deal on what treatments to expect.

One thing is for certain though mate, don't try and clean it with anything in any way shape or form, it could potentially make things worse and make it spred.

Kaplan does state you can try antifungal cream? but states it is not 100% personally I am not comfortible doing that though, it might be something completely different.

I think your right though, that does look like black spot pics I have seen before.


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Salazare Slytherin said:


> *Hi mate, I personally don't have a problem with people using bark, BUT I do emphasise to people with ill iguanas to remove it, I would probibly just give him newspaper for now mate.*
> 
> Sometimes these things can be started from the likes of dirty substrate etc and even though it is probibly clean it might not do him any favours down the line.
> 
> ...


Hi mate already taken it out and cleaned the viv up lol, put newspaper back down,

im gonna ring the vets and get an appointment and in the mean time do some more reading


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> Hi mate already taken it out and cleaned the viv up lol, put newspaper back down,
> 
> im gonna ring the vets and get an appointment and in the mean time do some more reading


 
fab mate, let me know how it goes? poor little thing.


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

He's booked in for friday at the vets, i plan on telling about the black spots and the bigger spot, im requesting blood samples are taken aswell,

His feet, head and dewlap have shed but still no sign of his body shedding,


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> He's booked in for friday at the vets, i plan on telling about the black spots and the bigger spot, im requesting blood samples are taken aswell,
> 
> His feet, head and dewlap have shed but still no sign of his body shedding,


 
If that is a fungal infection I have no idea what will happen with the shedding? maybey its a good thing for the moment mate.

Fantastic mate, and I hope they sort the little guy out, you never know we could both be entirely wrong?

I remember you showing it at the beginning of the thread but the pics were not that clear, so it did just look like ordinary iguana markings to me.

Still sincerely hoping he is okay, fingers crossed for you mate.


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

I hope so, its horrible knowing he only feeds if i shove it in his mouth,

What originaly was a cheap iggy has turned out to be rather expensive with the vet trips ect lol, still he's worth it, just cant see an end result at the min :-(


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> I hope so, its horrible knowing he only feeds if i shove it in his mouth,
> 
> What originaly was a cheap iggy has turned out to be rather expensive with the vet trips ect lol, still he's worth it, just cant see an end result at the min :-(


 
Your doing a great job mate, and this is the problem many people tend to face with cheap animals.

I dread to think if he went to someone elses home who could not manage a vet at the moment.

I am sure he can be brought back to a reasonible amount of health but this depends alot on your vet now in honesty, you have exhausted alot of the avenues I would have went down.

If the worst does come to the worst and your not satisfied with your vet? I advise you if you can make the journey to cheshire pet medical center, to have him checked out.

Or at least a vet who knows iguanas.


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

OK after some more research i think the big spot on Yoda's underside is a fungal infection, ive rubbed some Clotrimazole cream onto it (a antifungal cream) and it seems to have gone down a little, now i also rubbed some on the black scales on his tale and with in about 10min the scales had already gone a little greener,

Now the thing is i know you can treat black spot with either Neosporin or Bacitracin but both of these are prescription only?

The thing with black spot if its left to long the bacteria can go through the skin and into the body, so this could also be a problem, 

Im going to keep a close eye on where ive rubbed the cream so far and carry on if no side affects pop up. I can order the 2 creams off of the net but that means they wont be here for a few days and he's booked into the vets before then anyway.

Is there any other creams i could try that i can get hold of in the mean time??


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## Tehanu (Nov 12, 2006)

Phew. I just spent an hour reading this topic from the start.

Now, this is just my opinion but;


I think this Iguana has been overfussed to the absolute max. 
He's been caught up for bathing, powerading, presumably for handling in some of the photos, vets three times, given baycox, given yoghurt, had food waved at him, had a syringe poked in his face, had treatment for suspicious dots on his skin... you name it he's had it 

The first ten days of your ownership of him is charted on this thread; because of the belief that he was drastically underweight he was immediately interferred with. In my opinion this is where it all started to go wrong.


Yoda doesn't look underweight to me at all in the first pics, he looks at the lower end of normal for a baby ig of that size. 
I would categorise an Iguana of that physical size as seriously underweight at around 40g, not 57g.
To me he looked/looks like a typical CF Iguana shipped in with a dose of coccidia, a couple of scrapes and a lot of stress.

What he needed was an optimum environment and minimal stress and interaction.
Unfortunately the focus was all on his weight and his feeding instead of his enclosure being perfect from the start.

Through the first ten days from what I have read it sounds like despite not eating, he maintained his weight around 57g until finally increasing it a week after? 
When an animal refuses to eat but maintains it's weight, you look for an environmental or psychological cause for it to _choose_ not to eat rather than assuming illness or disease.


The first and most crucial mistake was that the food bowl remained on the floor and apparently underneath a hide!!! Until 24/8/11 when the setup was moved around to be much more suitable.

Think like an iguana.
He would forage leaves directly off trees, off the ground. Food hiding in a bowl on the floor underneath a hide makes completely no sense to this animal. Why would he go in search of food there???


We needed to be asking questions about the setup before we ran off to the vets or did anything else.
- How high up is the viv? Off the floor? Relative to a person coming to view it?
- Is there much traffic in the room where it was placed?
- Where is the food dish and how deep/shallow is it?
- Are you measuring the temperature on the basking log or just the ambient temperatures? (Stick on dial thermometers tell you ambient only and have not given you the real temps here at all.)
- How many hours of light are you providing per day? Does the animal have a nighttime temp drop?
- How close can he get to the basking spot/the uv tube?
- How much cover does he have? Does he have plenty of things to hide from view behind without being forced to choose between hot or cold for instance?


I made a bunch of other notes in general on what I've read in this topic;
- Chelle did not yet have him on March 27th. I think some dates and ages have been muddled up, he could have been a freshly imported CF hatchling as little as a month before that.
http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/lizards/683276-new-iggy-owner.html

- Buy a proper thermometer and use an out probe to accurately measure temps in areas where he actually sits. 
http://thermometer.co.uk/670-indoor-outdoor-thermometer.html

- Scrapes such as the one on his knee, don't constantly iodine things over and over. New cuts or wounds should be cleaned with iodine and then allowed to dry and heal, keeping the area wet and abraded with the daily wiping/cleaning, damages or softens the healing tissues and slows healing!

- Ten days of poor appetite following a move is not even close to a good reason to start syringe feeding and loading more stress on the animal. Even a small iguana like that could manage a month or so without food, solving the underlying issues is much more productive.

- There is no need to handle your iguana multiple times per week in order to bathe it. Your Iguana might later learn to enjoy baths, but it does not need them at all.

- Eimeria are not great but not the end of the world either, the crucial information that was not shared (possibly the vet didn't even tell you?) was how abundant the Eimeria were in the sample. A standard lab report will give an average abundance within each field of view e.g: +3. and this is how it is decided whether treatment is needed or not for naturally occurring gut fauna.

- High levels of stress such as a move followed by weeks of intense handling, moving, syringe feeding and bathing, is exactly how naturally occurring gut fauna get out of hand and become a health problem where there wasn't one before. 

- I'm guessing yoghurt was offered in an attempt to give Yoda "good bacteria" for his gut to encourage him to eat. There couldn't be a more counter-productive action I'm afraid!!! Reptiles are lactose intolerant, the potential upset to the delicate gut of your herbivorous pet may well outweigh any possible benefit. What you should have been told is that you can buy a reptile suitable probiotic...
Vetark Avipro Plus 100g

- If you want to attract your Iguana to food using totally healthy fruits and flowers try;
Pink or blue hibiscus flowers, mango, papaya and prickly pear (Opuntia)

- 2-3g could be the difference between a syringe feed, a normal feed or a good poo. Don't worry about your animal's weight in such small units, you would worry once your Iguana loses 10% or more of it's body weight in a month.

- Chelle never said she fed Yoda loads of spinach, she said she fed it regularly, which could mean anything from weekly to daily. Spinach is not significantly worse than the Parsley you've been blending into his syringe feeds.
http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html

- The black dots and greyish spot aswell as the knee "scrape" are all likely to be left over from his time as a CF baby or in the petshop originally. These damaged scales or burns (the grey spot under his leg looks like an old fluorescent tube burn to me.) take months to shed out, successively improving as the scales form better each time.

- If it was a genuine fungal infection, guaranteed you wouldn't see an improvement in minutes or hours!


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

I have the stick on thermometer, and a dial probe with in and out temps, the cool end is around 29.5 hot end around 33 and basking is about 35.

Ive just been out and bought loads of plants for him, cover and hiding.

So you think i should put these plant in then just leave him well alone just go into feed and clean ect? 

He can get with in about 9in of his basking bulb and the logs and branches weave all around his uv tube so he can get close enough to that.

His viv is on a table about 2 foot off of the floor.

His lights are on 7am-8pm so 13/11 cycle

Im stopped feeding parsley after about the second time i made his mix up.

The vet didnt say how much of coccidia were there just said alot.

How old would you say he was? He's 5in snout to vent?

His food bowl isnt very deep at all,

His humidity is around 40-60% all the time 

I let the temps drop at night to around 24deg


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> I have the stick on thermometer, and a dial probe with in and out temps, the cool end is around 29.5 hot end around 33 and basking is about 35.
> 
> Ive just been out and bought loads of plants for him, cover and hiding.
> 
> ...


 
It would actually make alot of sense mate, to be fair S is right, our focus has been taken away from the settling in period? having just read through this entire thread again, but; I do have to slightly disagree with some of it.

In regards to some of the comments above this one I would like to hear S's comments on somethings (I do have to be careful with what I put) which have been pointed out to me before but I will post a little later because I now have to get up off my backside and go and clean and water the snakes.

all in all an awesome reply.


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## Tehanu (Nov 12, 2006)

111mattin111 said:


> I have the stick on thermometer, and a dial probe with in and out temps, the cool end is around 29.5 hot end around 33 and basking is about 35.
> 
> Ive just been out and bought loads of plants for him, cover and hiding.
> 
> ...



Sounds like the thermometer with a probe is ok, just couldn't see it around, have you been using this to take the basking temp exactly where he sits?

If it's at all possible to put the viv more like at waist or chest height, his perspective on you and the rest of the world would be more comfortable 

The lighting period is fine, the only thing I would suggest investing in is a combined heat/UV bulb, you just won't believe how much it will change his behaviour and activity.
Arcadia the leaders in pet-care lighting technology - D3 UV BASKING LAMP

If Chelle got him at the start of April and her friend got him as an unwanted present so probably didn't keep him long, he's certainly a 2010 baby, my guess could be a young as six months. They don't hang about on the CF farms and the wholesalers pack them off to shops at rockbottom prices as fast as possible.
Even if he is 8 month old, I don't think he is an unreasonable size for this age anyway.


I would add the plants in, maybe some cork bark tubes to climb/bask on or hide in at different heights, then yes, leave him well alone and see how he does.
If you're going away in five weeks, now is the time to test the water, I would stop syringe feeding as at his weight and overall body condition it is just unnecessary. 
I would place his food in first thing give him a chance to get to it himself and if by later afternoon he hasn't bothered offer him some but don't force him or stress him out with trying for too long. 

Even reptiles can learn helplessness and the more you interfere with normal feeding behaviour the less likely he is to go back to normal patterns. You can help feed an animal while you think it is sick or emaciated but after that there has to be a line where it relearns to deal with the basics itself


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

This is his viv now with lots of plants, his food bowl is now on a ledge ive built right at the back on the right behind all the plant, im sure he will still find his food bowl ok wont he??

Would i still use the uv tube aswell as a Arcadia D3 UV BASKING LAMP???


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## MartinMc (May 19, 2011)

Looking good mate. Ive just finished putting my new Iggy viv together 2:2thumb:


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

MartinMc said:


> Looking good mate. Ive just finished putting my new Iggy viv together 2:2thumb:


Cheers mate, i plan on making him a viv once bigger which will be fully kitted out,

you got any pics of yours?


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## MartinMc (May 19, 2011)

Here is 1 of the 4x4x2. Mite get some more plants at the weekend 2. Where did you get yours?









And ! of the work in progress: victory:









And 1 of the little guy


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Looks good dude, he looks great too, I got my plants from Dun Elm Mill they were about £3 each and 50p for the smaller ones, alot cheaper than the pet shops


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Well went to put yoda's food in this morning and he was sound asleep on his new feeding shelve lol looks so cute, just opened his eyes as I took the pic


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Yoda is choosing to sleep on the bottom of his viv, surely this isn't right as he's got plenty of branches and shelves high up with cover, they wouldn't do this in the wild


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## ruthyg (Oct 15, 2010)

111mattin111 said:


> Yoda is choosing to sleep on the bottom of his viv, surely this isn't right as he's got plenty of branches and shelves high up with cover, they wouldn't do this in the wild


Hmm, I always understood that they slept up high as well. Is there a horizontal branch / ledge up there? Iggies don't like sleeping on a diagonal - might fall off in their sleep I guess! Maybe he needs a couple of different potential sleeping spots so he can choose his favourite? I know how contrary Stan is - everything has to be perfect!


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Hi ruthy yea he's got a large shelf under his basking spot, a small shelf at the back of the viv covered by plants for hiding (big enough to get his whole body on comfortably) he's also got a large branch horizontal right across the viv, all with plant coverage, but he's decided to go to the bottom n squeezed up against his water bowl


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## ruthyg (Oct 15, 2010)

111mattin111 said:


> Hi ruthy yea he's got a large shelf under his basking spot, a small shelf at the back of the viv covered by plants for hiding (big enough to get his whole body on comfortably) he's also got a large branch horizontal right across the viv, all with plant coverage, but he's decided to go to the bottom n squeezed up against his water bowl


Hmm, I've just read somewhere that iggies have been known to sleep on floors if ill with trapped urates etc., or if they've been kept in a flat cage () - which yours obviously isn't! 
Other than that I don't know hun. Have you tried placing him higher up at lights out? Maybe he's just not quite got the message that iggies sleep up trees! Obviously in the wild he'd learn this pretty quickly!  I don't know. Maybe phone your vet and ask advice? They should be able to tell you whether it's worth stressing him out by bringing him in, or whether you could just send in a poo sample that they can test for something? My vet took a faecal sample from Stan by injecting water up his bum! He was NOT impressed! Lol. Kids thought it was hilarious though


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

He's been pooing regulary so wouldn't of thought that, I tried placing him back further up, maybe this little guy has just had so much stress ect and still not eating that maybe he not pull through all this, 

The vet had to cancel my appointment on Friday due to an emergency operation, so will have to rebook 

Kinda feel we've exhausted all avenues at the min, I've been leaving him alone n he just doesn't seem active at all :-(


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## ruthyg (Oct 15, 2010)

111mattin111 said:


> He's been pooing regulary so wouldn't of thought that, I tried placing him back further up, maybe this little guy has just had so much stress ect and still not eating that maybe he not pull through all this,
> 
> The vet had to cancel my appointment on Friday due to an emergency operation, so will have to rebook
> 
> Kinda feel we've exhausted all avenues at the min, I've been leaving him alone n he just doesn't seem active at all :-(


Oh hun  Don't give up yet  You never know, keep your chin up  Re-book the vet and take it from there. I really hope he pulls through. And remember, iggies aren't always the most active of creatures....sunbathing is pretty much top of their list of priorities.... Good luck, and I really hope he improves  Oh, and yeah, keep popping him back up at night - if handling him doesn't stress him out too much, I can't see that it would do any harm for him to sleep up high


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

I'm not giving up I never will, just hate seeing him like this,

I'll ring the vets and see if I can get him in


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## Tehanu (Nov 12, 2006)

111mattin111 said:


> He's been pooing regulary so wouldn't of thought that, I tried placing him back further up, maybe this little guy has just had so much stress ect and still not eating that maybe he not pull through all this,


He's pooing regularly so what makes you think he might be on his way out?

How much is he eating now? It must be more than you think for him to be pooing regularly.

Have you weighed him again recently?

Seriously think about getting him a combined UVB and heat bulb like the Arcadia one I linked, I would bet it would change his behaviour completely.


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## Tehanu (Nov 12, 2006)

Our animals don't read caresheets or natural history books. They don't know they're only supposed to sleep upstairs!

All animals will change their habits or vary their behaviour sometimes, sleeping on the floor is no great concern unless it is accompanied by other abnormal signs and behaviour.


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

If he's eating it's minimal his poops are very small, I've not weighed him as I don't wanna keep handling him, 

I think I'm gonna get one of them bulbs, do I still run the uv tube with the bulb?


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## Tehanu (Nov 12, 2006)

111mattin111 said:


> If he's eating it's minimal his poops are very small, I've not weighed him as I don't wanna keep handling him,
> 
> I think I'm gonna get one of them bulbs, do I still run the uv tube with the bulb?


You can do, but it might be worth trying it without for a week or so to check that the vertically placed bulb isn't messing with his head! 

If he's pooing at all he's still eating and if he's still eating he's not on deaths door.


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## Tehanu (Nov 12, 2006)

And you know what Mattin, I don't blame you at all for being worried sick about your Iguana, you've had 24 pages of people panicking on your behalf, providing you with scare stories and worst case scenarios when if they all just looked at the bigger picture, calmed down and gave you sensible advice, you and your Ig might not have gone through the majority of this stress.


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

.....


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## EddieLizard (Aug 29, 2011)

Hows it all going? is he eating yet? x


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

EddieLizard said:


> Hows it all going? is he eating yet? x


Not that ive noticed, if he has its the slightest bit, i arrange the dish so i can tell if he's eaten and it never seems to go down


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## cherylrandall2010 (Mar 2, 2011)

you are brill mate have you put is food bowl high and not on the floor and how are you keeping the humidity right when at work. my stopped eating and was not moving much i got a rain system now he eat loads and when shedding skin fall straight off keep up the good work:no1:


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

The OH mists the viv in the day, his humidity at the min is around 60-70% so quite good really


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## cherylrandall2010 (Mar 2, 2011)

do you use cold water when spraying


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

cherylrandall2010 said:


> do you use cold water when spraying


I use a slightly warm water, sometimes it's a little cooler


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> I use a slightly warm water, sometimes it's a little cooler


Try using hot, by the time the water has worked its way up the spray bottle with the pressure cooling it down, by the time it comes out, it will be warm, frankly using cool or warm water will only result in cool water comming out.: victory:

To put in perspective, iguanas bodies in "theory" can become shocked by the immediate temperature difference.
Some people on the green ig society even go as far as letting the food stand a while so its still fresh for an hour before feeding it so that the coolness does not shock the iguanas temperature of 28c (which in turn is needed to activate the gut flora)


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Well a really sad morning came down to yoda's tank this morning n he wasn't moving or anything, no response what so ever, put him udder his basking lamp just to see if he was to cold but still nothing,

I think the little guy just gave up in the end, feel so so so sad, I tried my best to get him back to health but with no luck, really gonna miss this beautiful little chap 


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## Tehanu (Nov 12, 2006)

Really sorry to hear this Mattin  

Please think about getting a pm done on him if you can, you will at least have the peace of mind of knowing what it was down to in the end.


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> Well a really sad morning came down to yoda's tank this morning n he wasn't moving or anything, no response what so ever, put him udder his basking lamp just to see if he was to cold but still nothing,
> 
> I think the little guy just gave up in the end, feel so so so sad, I tried my best to get him back to health but with no luck, really gonna miss this beautiful little chap 


 
ah dude  I ditto said above.
sorry about that mate.

on msn if you want a chat. 
speak soon dude.


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Salazare Slytherin said:


> ah dude  I ditto said above.
> sorry about that mate.
> 
> on msn if you want a chat.
> speak soon dude.


Cheers dude I've not got msn chat, feels so empty in the room without him,It's broke my heart, 

How's ur new one getting on


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> Cheers dude I've not got msn chat, feels so empty in the room without him,It's broke my heart,
> 
> How's ur new one getting on


 it is truly heart breaking.

My new one arrived today very healthy and nasty and hates me and everything:lol2: will soon get that out of him however.

Thanks for asking.

Mate I am truly sorry for your loss, I know how it feels to loose an iguana you become attatched too.  I really really am.

Do you think you will ever look into rehoming another? For the most part they are hardy animals and if anything this expirience will have taught you ALOT! not many keepers can say they have expirienced what you have and many have kept iguanas for years and years.

Anyways RIP Yoda.


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Thanks mate,

Gonna go on holiday in 4 weeks then see about another after that, I'd have to think long and hard wether to rehome or buy a baby.

Even my gf said it feels empty in the house with out him, 

Gonna buy a new viv and improve the setup ext before getting another,

You will have to post some pics of ur new iggy


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## jcarty33 (May 1, 2010)

sorry for your iguana loss, i chose to put mine downstairs recently instead of my room and i still find myself just going downstairs for no reason and walking past slowly to look at him, they really are a big part of there owners life


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> Thanks mate,
> 
> Gonna go on holiday in 4 weeks then see about another after that, I'd have to think long and hard wether to rehome or buy a baby.
> 
> ...


Yeah sounds like a plan mate.

I will get some pics up in a few days, he is a little stressed after the journey today so I don't want to stress him out futher than need be: victory:



jcarty33 said:


> sorry for your iguana loss, i chose to put mine downstairs recently instead of my room and i still find myself just going downstairs for no reason and walking past slowly to look at him, they really are a big part of there owners life


they are mate, they become part of your rotines, your life, a reason for waking up and going home when out with friends, they are not just a pet in my house, they are part of the family, and will receive the same amount of care as any other member of the family.


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## cherylrandall2010 (Mar 2, 2011)

i dont know what to say ...but im really sorry... but as long as there are people like you and others who will do anything to look after these amazing animals then there are gonna be a lot of happy iggi's in the world (even if they are with us for only a short time) he was 1 lucky iggi to have been loved so much by you....my deepest sympathy....R.I.P YODA....xxx


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Thanks for the comments it's true they do become part of the family, miss him like mad already, I've still got borris my beardie, and he keeps me amused, 

But I'll get another, my gf keeps going on about getting another once were back from our holiday, and she wasn't Keen on having yoda in the first place lol


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> Thanks for the comments it's true they do become part of the family, miss him like mad already, I've still got borris my beardie, and he keeps me amused,
> 
> But I'll get another, my gf keeps going on about getting another once were back from our holiday, and she wasn't Keen on having yoda in the first place lol


hahahah its sad but as horrible as this sounds, don't buy or rehome one on impulse, one thing I have learnt is when the time is right the iguana will find you.

It took months and months of debating with myself on getting another before I seen the charming young chap advertised for me and I automaticly knew he was for me 

Sometimes impulse can make you regret doing what you did knowing that another month or so another one was there you could have offerd a careing and loving home too...

dont want that to seem like I am telling you what to do  It is of couse just my suggestion, glad your gf is getting into reps, always room for more iggy enthusiasts: victory:

friendship accepted mate.


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

I wouldn't buy one out of instinct the next one I want to be just right, I'll hold out till I find one that really catches my eye


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

111mattin111 said:


> I wouldn't buy one out of instinct the next one I want to be just right, I'll hold out till I find one that really catches my eye


 best of luck mate.
Deffo wish you the best of luck and in the mean time look forward too and enjoy your holiday.: victory:


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## scorp25 (May 10, 2009)

well done martin you shoud be proud of yourself, you tried your best must of been hard, one day a lucky iggy is gone have brilliant owner :notworthy:


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## 111mattin111 (Mar 9, 2011)

Thanks can't wait for my hols thinks it's just what we need, thanks scorp25


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