Just got my iguana

[oliver]

One more thing, I think that he's skinny for his body, how do I get him fat. He's not a real big eater so how would i do this?

[oliver]

One One more thing he seems not to be eating as much as i would like him to what can i do about this?

[oliver]

One One more thing he seems not to be eating as much as i would like him to what can i do about this?

[camille]

OMG!!! im not gonna freak. calm down camille :P ok. iguana care 101 first of all READ LIKE HELL. here are some sites that are GREAT and when i mean read i mean read EVERYTHING on there and join the iguana den forum their the best. heres the links there melissa kaplans site http://www.anapsid.org theres the green iguana society site http://www.greenigsociety.org and then theres iguana den http://www.iguanaden.com and two books you should buy wich have good information and are considered the BIBLE of iguana care is Iguanas For Dummies bye Melissa Kaplan and green iguana- The ultimate owner’s Manual bye James W. Hatfield III. and no dont use undertank heaters he needs light from above and it has to be away from him so he doesent burn himself. preferable with screen mesh between them and he also needs a big habitat adleast 6 by 5 by 4 feet (when he gets full grown) if you do things right hell outgrow a 75 gallon tank in a year. for lettuce it has no nutritional value read the feeding info on iguana den because it would take forever for me to explain feeding. hell also need a uvb light suspended 6 to 8 inches from him when basking no more no less. hell need branches for climbing something to hide in. hell need daily baths (some even like the shower) for poty training and also for uvb lights it needs to be reptiglow 8.0 or reptisun 5.0. those are accepted uvb lights that are STRONG enough for iguanas. make shure you read those books and that site. iguanas are usually very hard to take care of. make shure you do the right things. if you have other questions you can ask me

[camille]

and by the way i dont want to be mean but from what ive seen you guys havent been giving him much good info. undertank heating sint good for iguanas. its not natural for them. and for feeding giving the iguana too much vitamins isnt good it should be one a week and without uvb lighting he cant digest it. UVB IS A MUST

[oliver]

KK thanks....Ill have to get the book lol

[oliver]

OK I stoped the UTH and just took up the heat at night..And sometimes it get rather hot in the room and i think its over kill to have the heat light on the UVB is ok but the heat lamp....well im going to change that in about one month building him a big cage.

[camille]

ok get a digital thermometer and hygrometer. the temperature of his basking spot should be around 80 to 95 no more, his night temperature should be around 72 and the temperature on his cool side should be around 80. you need to have a temperature gradient wich means a difference of temperature from the hot side to the cool. the bigger the gradient the better. in fact you need a thermometer for the cool and hot side. you can get one thats just a thermometer for around 10 bucks and a thermometer hygrometer in one for around 20 give or take. and the humidity should be around 60. and about the substrate(the stuff on the floor) use newspaper paper towel or an old t-shirt or maybe two strips of carper and switch one to the other when washing. if you use that bark stuff or other stuff like that they can get parasytes. just a couple of things i thought you shold know

[camille]

oh and for the heat if you think its too hot just try to lift the light in the air somehow. i had frigging hangers up in the air and hooks and all sorts of holes in my walls to lift the light my mom nearly killed me

[camille]

ok i know im annoying but i reall care about iguanas and i just want the best for you and your ig. you said he was skinny. first he might have parasytes. bring him to a GOOD iguana vet. and have him checked for metallic bone diease(just regular checkup) and have a fecal(poop) exam done to make shure he doesent have internal parasytes. then since now you have uvb(wich by the way doesent give off any heat) hell get bigger and more lively. now for diet. one thing you should know is about oxalic acides and calcium phosphorus count. i dont know much about it but iguana den that i gave you the site for before has lots on info on it. it means you have to take the list of good foods they have and not only give him one thing all the time. you have to switch from one thing to the other alot. its hard to explain but its like(dont take it as if its true its just a comparison) there would be poison in the iguanas food and if he eats always the same thing hell die but if his food is changed there will be another poison in the other food but your iguana will be able to cleanse itslef of the poison of the other food he had and then cleanse itself of the new poison as you switch it to other foods. you dont have to ALWAYS change his food but try to alternate form one thing to another. and now if i were you id give him collard greens. my iguanna used to love it. and DO NOT give him any bugs or cheese or anything like that its not good for him and he could die. you should also give him calcium supplement once a week and no more unless the vet tells you otherwise. i strongly urge you to read the diet section on the iguana den site its the best ive ever found to explain iguana diets and what they should and shouldnt eat and why. anyways im gonna shut up untill i find something else to explain to you i know im annoying

[camille]

oh and by the way. just wanted to make shure you have your iguana a day and night cycle wich means he needs 12 hours with lights and heat on and 12 hours with them off. in the night though the heat should drop to less than 70 hence why you need a digital thermometer

[oliver]

WOW your really into it I was at school today so sorry for not responding to your posts i know how it feels.LOl...Well thats a lot of info so i'll take it in and do it!

Oliver

[rattie]

Who said he needed an under tank heater? And you linked Melissa Kaplan's site and book Iguanas for Dummies. You should read up on her recommendations concerning vitamins.

[rattie]

It's nice to get into all of it....but when it takes the first 6 posts to explain there should BE NO LETTUCE and that your iguana NEEDS BATHS........the process is slower. The information cannot all be given at once.

[rattie]

And camille what happened to your iguana....you don't have him anymore?