Rescue of a rescue, Iguana advice needed

[Wippit Guud]

So, problem number two... and this is a bigger one. Behold, the enclosure that was included.

Now, again, I'm not an expert or anything... but if a reptile requires high humidity and high heat, a wood frame covered in mesh (with a chicken wire roof) is NOT the way to do it.

So, now I have an iguana with a 5x3x5 mesh cage, in January, in Canada, in a house which has wood-fired baseboard radiators as heat (meaning it gets really cold at night in the house).

Anyways...

The plans for the moment:

Remove the ramps, put in a 5 ft long tree trunk that was in my basement (you'd be amazed what's down there, really you would). That gets him something to climb and will help with the claws.

Cover the mesh sides with water-resistant cloth. That will help hold in the humidity and the heat.


---

Tried him out on a few foods this morning. He took just 2 nibbles of some tofu we had, left the rest. Gonna pick up some grapes this evening and see how it goes...

 

[varanio]

So, problem number two... and this is a bigger one. Behold, the enclosure that was included.

Now, again, I'm not an expert or anything... but if a reptile requires high humidity and high heat, a wood frame covered in mesh (with a chicken wire roof) is NOT the way to do it.

So, now I have an iguana with a 5x3x5 mesh cage, in January, in Canada, in a house which has wood-fired baseboard radiators as heat (meaning it gets really cold at night in the house).

Anyways...

The plans for the moment:

Remove the ramps, put in a 5 ft long tree trunk that was in my basement (you'd be amazed what's down there, really you would). That gets him something to climb and will help with the claws.

Cover the mesh sides with water-resistant cloth. That will help hold in the humidity and the heat.


---

Tried him out on a few foods this morning. He took just 2 nibbles of some tofu we had, left the rest. Gonna pick up some grapes this evening and see how it goes...

Good ideas, but to cover the mest with cloth isnt going to solve the problem of the temperature flucuations at night, what you can do it buy some plastic sheeting that painters use and cover the enclosure with that at night, while you build a more suitable terraria. I would suggest something 5 foot tall 3 wide 6-7 long as a minimum for an iguana. And you make these cages fairly cheap. Just make a skeleton out of 2x4's and nail some plywood to it or some tileboard to make it water resistant. Then buy a second hand window and youre set..... well under a 150 budget I would think.

 

[Vicious_Fish]

That iguana looks in better shape then I thought it would be in. Good job with the rescue and I hope everything works out for him and you guys. Definitely keep us updated!

 

[passiontiger]

(you'd be amazed what's down there, really you would).

You know those days that your spouce berates you for being a packrat?

Or those times that they tell you that you are a complete nutter for buying a portion of the supplies for a project that is no where near ready to be started?

In the basement I had stashed an unopened roll of 2000 sq ft heavy grade construction plastic that was going to be used when we cement the basement in the next 10 yrs.... it was on sale.

So now we have plastic all over the sides.



on a side note the univerity here has a vetrinary college. The doctor that is supposed to be teaching the students all about herps talked with me today and he suggested superworms. WHAT???

 

[varanio]

I wouldnt offer super worms until the immune system has the proper jolt it needs to digest them, maybe off something softer that still adds to the calcium and protein intake it needs.

 

[Vicious_Fish]

I wouldnt offer super worms until the immune system has the proper jolt it needs to digest them, maybe off something softer that still adds to the calcium and protein intake it needs.

I agree. I've had great results in the past getting sick iguanas to eat baby food/applesauce mixed with calcium and vitamins.

 

[coura]

I second what Vicious said when I herd what he´s been true I espected to see a way worse ig (beleave me it aint the worse ig Ive seen Ive had way worse) I also dont think you should give him superworms. When i had my bigger group(lost the last of them 7 years ago before getting my pair) I used to feed a small amout of protein to my igs, like every single book I had said...result some developed articular goutI have at the moment the 2 more beautifull, big and healty igs Ive ever had and never gave them a single pinch of animal protein. As for dry food you can try soaked zoomed and mazuri ig pellets but defenetly the main corse should be leafy greens suplemented with some other veggys and fruit. Mustard greens ,water cress, dandilions, chicory greens, turnip greens, green kale, butternut squash, green beans, lima beans, collard greens, mango, papaya, hibiscus, banana, grapes and grape vine leafs,rucula, carrots, pumpkin and (even) red peper wich most igs love and there is nothing against it if you use it as a complement. Your ig may need help to start eating. I often hand feed newcomers and allways obtained good results. As for the cage, you should keep the platforms wich most igs use alot, but yes that cage needs to be cleaned,isolated, bigger stronger logs, stronger platforms and some big plastic plants for security More stuff: uv ligth 5.0, some basking ligths and a ceramic bulb with termostat for nigth time heat. Here´s a idea to keep your ig warm during the nigth wille your duing cage repairs. Get a big glass tank, and instal a zoomeds or other good brand heat pad in one corner, put some news paper, remove the ig each nigth and put it in there making shure its not to hot or cold and that will do it Or a old trick: sleep with your ig in your begI also ask you a thing: can you post a pic of your igs tail and specialy tail tip. The thing is as you said, the tail can be damaged and that can start a horrible process called dry or wet gangrene or tail necrosis. The tail dies slowly but progressively faster from the tip and if not atended can spread infection and kill your iguana. That will need veterinary atencion if confirmed

 

[passiontiger]

Yeah that is where I am heading tonight.
Oh and on that note of being a packrat...
Tonight I remembered that upstairs beneath the baby's bed (that he isn't using yet) there were 2 still in the boxes 48" gro-lamps and a new still in the box fixture to go with it.
Guess where it is now

 

[coura]

But how do you plan on using thouse lamps

 

[CTU2fan]

The gro lamps ought to work but you'll want to replace the bulbs with some iguana UVB bulbs. Jury's out on how effective those are but you're in PEI, he's not going to be able to get the real thing anytime soon.

Lots of things covered already but something to think about...if/when you do build him a permanent enclosure keep that old one around if you have the space. Throw some wheels/casters on it and when you do get some warm days wheel him out in it for some natural sun. You may not have that many good months for this (how are the summer temps up there?) but it's good for them.

Applesauce or baby applesauce is a treat they usually go for, see if you can fatten him up some on that. I had a rescue ig who was in much worse shape that yours and I actually got him on the right track with applesauce with iguana pellets mixed in, mixed with calcium every other day. Once he'd recovered pretty well we moved him on to a more natural diet, mostly collard/mustard greens...though he did still get the occasional pellets which he liked.