Anyone experienced with Ig's here?

[TeguPuppy]

I just rescued a baby iguana...mild mbd, broken tail. Was a classroom pet, but was being mishandled by the kids and, in a lesson of responsibility, the iguana was removed into another teacher's care. Problem is, teacher doesn't understand proper iguana care and feels as though she's in over her head. I'm not set up for it, it was impulsive of me to accept the animal...but they begged me to take it and I just happen to be a sucker. I just ordered an appropriate cage last night and in the meantime the little thing is in the largest spare cage I own, with my newest uvb lamp. I've ordered a Mercury bulb to ensure highest possible output to take care of the mbd.

I've posted a pic of the vent so you guys can give me your thoughts on the sex. I'm thinking it's a female, but it's hard at this age...she's only 5inches from snout to vent. Anyone have any advice?

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[Walter1]

It may be a male.

I kept green iggies nearly continuously for 25 years. I like them a lot.

However, you have his enclosure, you want him to be eye-level with you at mid-top perch. Feed him LOTS of dandelions, collards, mustards, and turnip greens. He'll see you put the food in, and eventually you can feed him by hand.

Like your tegu, he should have a temperature gradient to get away from his basking spot. He will and should grow fast.

 

[TeguPuppy]

It may be a male.

I kept green iggies nearly continuously for 25 years. I like them a lot.

However, you have his enclosure, you want him to be eye-level with you at mid-top perch. Feed him LOTS of dandelions, collards, mustards, and turnip greens. He'll see you put the food in, and eventually you can feed him by hand.

Like your tegu, he should have a temperature gradient to get away from his basking spot. He will and should grow fast.

Thanks Walter. I have been hand feeding from a syringe a paste I made of collard greens (that's all I had in the fridge) and calcium powder. So far it's been gobbled up eagerly. He/She does not walk well due to the mbd, and mainly is staying squarely under the uvb lamp in the 50 gallon I have as a temporary setup. Cage is due to arrive Wednesday.

I'm expecting the temperament to change as he/she becomes healthier.

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[TeguPuppy]

Day two: Still eating well and refusing to sit anywhere but directly under the uvb light... except after eating. After eating, she falls asleep on my chest. Like this. It's pretty cute...I'm enjoying it while it lasts, I know how Igs can be. Praying you're mistaken and it's a female, Walter...I'm calling her Libby until I start seeing some head bobs.

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[Walter1]

No sweat, Tegupuppy. Only could be a male. A few months more of your tender care and I’ll be able to sex Libby for sure. Either way, you have a buddy. I love Green Iguanas and that’s why!!!

 

[TeguPuppy]

Thanks Walter! I'm looking forward to having something that doesn't hibernate. I just hope she's young enough to recover from the mbd. I love my tegus but knowing I won't have them back until March was wearing on me... I'm the world's biggest sucker for sick herps to begin with, so of course I took the first rescue sent my way, haha.

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[TeguPuppy]

Update:

Energy is up. Poking around, still walking awkwardly but at least she's trying. Appetite not quite as voracious...maybe just not in starvation mode anymore? Mashed some organic cloudberry jam (yes, I am a hipster) into the collard/calcium/water slurry to sweeten it and she gobbled it up then. Even took a little solid food. Hoping I see a bowel movement soon with all this food she's eating. Abdomen is soft, seems normal.

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[TeguPuppy]

Photo cropped for your viewing safety.

But...I got her to poop! By taking her in the shower with me. Luckily she didn't go ON me, but I was just happy to know the plumbing works. She really seemed to like being in there (I don't take very hot showers). Maybe I'll try taking all my reptiles in occasionally.

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[Walter1]

Actually, in the wild they typically poop in the rain. Must stimulate them. Also rain keeps poop off of potential food!

 

[TeguPuppy]

Ahhhhhh!!!

Ok, before I come off as frantic, I work from home. Which means I can keep an eye on my herps all day long. Which means I check on them frequently.

Just looked at Libby...she's gone all dark?! See photo. I pulled her out and examined her, she didn't feel cold. Her basking spot is 95, ambient temps are 80. Just took a shower with her again a few hours ago and she pooped again.

Btw, I know tegus and monitors are eating machines, but how much are igs supposed to eat? She's only eating about 5ml of food a day (except for the first day where she ate and ate and ate).

Edit: she was in her basking spot when I noticed her... maybe she was too hot, and stressed? She doesn't walk well, maybe she didn't feel able to walk out of the heat? The light is off now (it's only on for 10hrs a day).

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[Zyn]

Not as much but they can be pigs ours always loved Roman lettuce

 

[TeguPuppy]

Not as much but they can be pigs ours always loved Roman lettuce

Do you know of any reason an ig might go dark like this, or is it always stress?

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[Walter1]

Do you know of any reason an ig might go dark like this, or is it always stress?

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Hard to say. Dark is often stress. Could be he saw something that scard him. He should eat some every day. 95-100f basking center is good. He’ll move in and out of it, especially after eating. As long as he can get away from it and is at a level where nothing above him can make him think hawk, he should be fine.

 

[Zyn]

How tall is the enclosure, height and things to climb /bask on are king

 

[TeguPuppy]

Hard to say. Dark is often stress. Could be he saw something that scard him. He should eat some every day. 95-100f basking center is good. He’ll move in and out of it, especially after eating. As long as he can get away from it and is at a level where nothing above him can make him think hawk, he should be fine.

Thanks Walter. Ugh...I am wondering if it was that damn dog. The dog is super gentle and is friendly to herps, but he's pretty dense...he doesn't understand that herps don't usually want to be friends with him. He spends a good chunk of the day laying near the tegu enclosures and watching for signs of movement... while he and Hatch are buds, the girls don't interact with him at all.

The cage has been moved to a higher place.

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[TeguPuppy]

How tall is the enclosure, height and things to climb /bask on are king

Currently she's in a 50gal...that was all I had. My spacious, tall, iguana-suitable cage was supposed to arrive yesterday but has been delayed until the weekend.

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[Zyn]

Knowing you I'm sure he'll be fine and happy. just needs time to adjust and get his body right.

 

[TeguPuppy]

Oh wow!

I changed the mvb bulb from a zoomed to a mega ray and she is waaaay more interested in her surroundings. The zoomed bulb was bothering my eyes (her new spot for her enclosure is near my desk) so I figured it was hurting her eyes as well.

She's not dark, she's moving around (still kind of awkwardly) and she seems just generally happier. She ate a lot this morning too!

I feel like mbd doesn't resolve that quickly, so maybe this is a mvb brand to stick with? Again, it's a mega ray.

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[TeguPuppy]

This makes me sad...

So, I cobbled together that enclosure that just arrived. It's pathetic. I hate it. It's too small. I am watching Libby climb around in it and it's clear that this just won't do for more than a few weeks. I have grapewood for climbing (to replace the junk!) being shipped to me, but I think I just need to buy something for a full sized Ig.

Only upside is her appetite is growing more and more, and she enjoys the humidity from the substrate. But I don't even know if I want it in there necessarily after spending time on some Ig forums...do Ig's eat their substrate? It's moss and cypress mulch.

Temps and humidity are good. I'm just being picky and second guessing myself.

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[Walter1]

This makes me sad...

So, I cobbled together that enclosure that just arrived. It's pathetic. I hate it. It's too small. I am watching Libby climb around in it and it's clear that this just won't do for more than a few weeks. I have grapewood for climbing (to replace the junk!) being shipped to me, but I think I just need to buy something for a full sized Ig.

Only upside is her appetite is growing more and more, and she enjoys the humidity from the substrate. But I don't even know if I want it in there necessarily after spending time on some Ig forums...do Ig's eat their substrate? It's moss and cypress mulch.

Temps and humidity are good. I'm just being picky and second guessing myself.

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They may incidentally eat it, and then you have a whole new set of problems.