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| BRING ON THE VEGGIES Iguana's are vegetarians and love fresh vegetables.Favorites with mine are squash; yellow or green. Slice very thin as big chunks can choke a lizard. Green Peas (fresh or canned) any Green Leafy Vegetable.'s such as Mustard Greens, Turnip Greens, and Fresh Spinach, go easy on lettuce since it lacks vitamins and nutrients. Canned or Frozen (thawed first) Mixed Vegetables are a good choices for easy feeding.Canned vegetables are easy for iguanas to chew, these should never replace fresh fruits and vegetables which have more nutritious value. NEVER give an iguana meat. These animals are not carnivorous and should only eat fruits and vegetables. Another food source is Dry Iguana Pellets. You can find them in fruit or vegetable supplements.The smaller the pellets, the easier it is to digest. You can also wet these for easier palatability. The larger your Iguana gets the bigger chunks of food you can give him. Remember to, keep a fresh bowl of water in the cage for drinking. Alot of people are mistaken when they say iguanas don't drink water or don't need it, because of the water they get from their vegetables. This is NOT true. ALWAYS HAVE A BOWL OF WATER EXCESSIBLE. HEALTH WATCH Iguana's if fed nutritious foods, should remain healthy and colorful. If you notice your iguana becoming sluggish, weak, and unable to walk properly It could be a symptom he is not getting enough calcium. This is a serious life threatening condition called Metabolic Bone Disease. From the outside your iguana appears as if his tummy is dragging while his legs are flat on the floor. He can walk, however you will notice he is not using his legs efficiently and his body is flat to ground. (note photo) From the outside your reptile veterinarian can see that there is no skeletal development and only muscle where bone should be.If this occurs, you will need to supply him with a calcium supplement. (Rep-CaL is a good brand) Make sure it is non-phosphorus, since the phosphorus in calcium can actually work against what you are trying to do for your iguana.Sprinkle the calcium over his food at each feeding until you see that his bones are strong enough and that he walks and runs normally. Proper feeding of your Iguana will prevent this from happening.Maintaining a regular dosage of the calcium,as a preventive measure, using Perhaps two to three times per week after you see improvement in his movement. TEMPERATURE You must make sure that your Iguana is kept warm. These animals are used to living naturally in warm tropical climates. What seems very warm to you, is comfortable to your pet. A heat rock is safer than a heat pad as heat pads can severely burn your pet. ( |
| PERSONALITY The more you hold and handle your iguanna,the more friendly he will become.Iguannas are not as uncaring as most people think. It is true that they wont purr,rub up against you,or run to the door to greet you when you get home. Like most animals,they love to be held securely and given a good rub on the head. As long as they feel safe, they will remain calm Grasp them securely with both hands when holding them. Dont let them feel as though they may be dropped,they will not settle down if they feel insecure. IGUANNA LANGUAGE Most of the time Iguannas will be content being held,if they truly want to be left alone you will notice the pouch in the front of their throat open up. If your iguanna sticks this pouch out,it is fairly safe to assume they are not feeling too sociable. It's Best to let him relax on his own for awhile. This is a territorial act he performs in his natural habitat if another animal invades his space. It is his territory all other animals must stay away or face the consequences. COMPATIBILITY WITH PETS Iguannas are more fearful of Dogs,than of cats.If you have a dog or another very curious animal,keep them separated from your iguanna until you know how they will react to each other. Iguannas can live very comfortably with other family pets. Remember they aren't totally defenseless.If your pet gets too curious about your iguanna, causing him to feel threatened, they will be met with a strong tail-whipin the face,an extended pouch,a warning hiss or a bite on the nose. That's enough most times for your other pet to realize that he needs to keep his distance. NAIL AND TAIL CARE NEVER, EVER pick him up by the tail. To do so will result in a lizard without a tail. An iguanna can "release" his tail if he feels it is a way to get away from danger, it can fall off easily if you try to grasp him in this way. Though his tail will regrow it will not look as it did before it was intact. (note picture) Your iguanna will be left with a permanent dark brown ball tipped tail not the slender tapered tail he had before his injury. Also you need to keep his claws clipped to keep him from scratching you. be careful when doing this. If you clip the claws too close to the iguanna's fingers, you will cause bleeding and pain. Pay close attention to where you are clipping, if you are not sure how far down to clip, start just past the very sharp point of his claw. At the tip is the sharpest point, it gets thicker as it-gets closer to It's finger.Clip to dull it (as clipping a cat's claw) If you are still not sure, please consult a vet. With Love and good nutrition,and grooming your Iguana will grow strong and healthy. |
| CONTENTS NEW Doctor Jeckyl Mister Hyde pitfalls of alcohol To Love An Iguana health and care Once Upon A Serenade Home A Fish Tale comical look at divorce Honoring a Princess for my first born Winter Dreams a bit of fantasy CREDITS |
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| new tail growth after injury |
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