Holy cow, found iguana!

[Deleted]

My neighbor was driving down the road and saw an iguana running around! It's about 3 ft from it's nose to the end of it's tail but it looks like it's missing a good 4-6 inches of the end of it's tail because it ends in a stump. No open wounds, but there is some scaring on it's side from what looks like maybe a larger iguana by the looks of the marks. Nice and fat, no palpable eggs... not sure if it's a boy or girl. Looks well fed. Close inspection showed no mites, no obvious broken bones/toes, and it's jaw is pretty solid, no soft spots.

1. How do I tell if it's a boy or girl?
2. What exactly does it need nutrition wise? (I've never dealt with anything other than carniviors and cavy's)
3. What are it's requirements humidity and heat wise, what is the best type of bulb to use to help aquire these requirements?

I know that the Super Pet (yuck) I just loaned to my neighbor for it is really not ideal but it's better than the 30 gal fish tank they have, what are it's cage requirements should we not be able to find it's owners?

Come on Katt....get here faster! I've never dealt with a reptile before!!!!

[miamiferret2]

I have several in my backyard.

[Deleted]

Maybe sign up for herpcenter? Katts a member there.

I know they eat leafy greens ;D that's about it

Humidity should be fine living in FL (I think at least).

They need huge cages. Like gigantic ;D and tall with perches I think

[Deleted]

www.herpcenter.com/green-iguana-caresheet.html

[Deleted]

www.herpcenter.com/single-page-iguana-caresheet.html

[goingpostal]

For food grab some collard, turnip, or mustard greens and some veggies, a squash, some green beans or snap peas, chop or rip them up and keep him warm so he can digest, 80s in the cage and a hot spot under the light above 90. Is there a reptile rescue around you?

[Deleted]

We've got the greens and some hibiscus that it's been munching on. They have a light but I don't think it's the right one... I'm hoping that it's owners show up because I don't think that the family is able to care for it financially. I know I've got my hands full and not sure I could take on a reptile. They had an ig before but they said it died of mites? idk... I may encourage them to contact our local reptile type rescues...

[Deleted]

They can be really expensive from what I understand. Maybe ask them to put up some ads on CL and the paper to find it's owner? If no one shows up maybe put up an ad with a rehoming fee (experienced owners only)?

[miamiferret2]

Do you have those palm trees (tall skinny ones) with the red berries? I'll post a pic of them tomorrow. It'd dark out now. I always see them eating those. They eat bugs & berries out in my yard. Also I have seen them eat the Brazilian cherries but none of those are growing now.

[miamiferret2]

You can always drive to my house in Miami and let him live in my back yard! Right now we have a 4 footer and a few that are about 2 feet long. They like to go swimming.

[lunartwist]

1. How do I tell if it's a boy or girl?

Easiest way to tell is to look at their "butt" aka Cloaca. At the very base of the tail, just behind the cloaca, you'll see a bump. If its a solid single bump all the way from either side, its a girl. If its a bump that divots in the middle to make it seem like it has two bumps, its a male.

2. What exactly does it need nutrition wise? (I've never dealt with anything other than carniviors and cavy's)

Dark, leafy, greens and edible weeds are your best bet. Collar, Turnip, Dandelion, edible flowers, Radicchio, SOME Kale and Romaine. You can also feed them small amounts of vegetables. Cactus pad, and winter squashes are great staples as far as veggies goes. Super high in calcium! Also don't forget your vitamin and calcium powders! Fruit is a great treat.

3. What are it's requirements humidity and heat wise, what is the best type of bulb to use to help aquire these requirements?

Iguanas are tricky in that they need almost 100% humidity. Though that's probably not hard in Florida. 90-95F in the basking spot, High 70's to low 80's in the cool area. And lots of water! A big water dish would suit them. Powersun bulbs, 100-150 watt bulbs are some of the BEST bulbs as far as heat/UVB combos go, and are highly recommended among my tortoise forums.


Iguanas can be expensive to keep. They need very hard to maintain humidity/heat combos. They also need lots of out-of-cage exercise time. And males can be aggressive during the breeding season. BUT, they are very active, intriguing, and rewarding pets that few people keep into their adulthoods. Lots of people take them out in harnesses and walk them outside like dogs! So if you decide to keep it, props for you! It might be hard to find a reptile rescue that will take them...mine doesn't accept iguanas anymore because unfortunately they're so cheap to buy in pet stores, that people impulsive buy them, then abandon them once they get too big...so my rescue is too full of them. :C

Good luck!

[katt]

Wow! Where do you live?

Ok I will be on tomorrow but a quick post before bed.

Diet should be mostly dark leafy greens (NO lettuce) with some veggies, and about 10% or less fruit.
Staples should be: collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, dandelion greens (try to find a minimum of 2 of those, if not 3), then also for variety escarole, watercress, parsnip, a little cilantro is okay. This should make up the majority of their diet, with regular veggies mixed in, and the occasional fruit for treats. Staple veggies are: squash, parsnip, bell peppers, you can also feed snap peas, green beans, (No carrots btw), cucumber (no real nutritional value but good for hydration), etc. Fruits can include Mango, papaya, banana, strawberries, baby food...

Here is a really good link on diet:
www.greenigsociety.org/foodchart.htm

As for sexing, it depends a LOT on the age of the iguana. Typically males have more pronounced jowls, and a femoral "bulge" near the base of their tail, as well as prominent femoral pores down their back legs - often with waxy protrusions.
www.greenigsociety.org/malefemale.htm

Male: homepage.ntlworld.com/steve.woodward/questions/Pores.JPG
t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQqNhnDqPQFbjGZ_n13wfIRDCEbgT6fKFrt2-SgktKAM7eKg8bC&t=1

Female:
t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRagsETrshbx2NWQ5IgBPfOiaxPSA0Zm0V5EFyA5W48x1sY-JKQ&t=1

Caging, heat, lighting, etc is a bit more complicated.

This is a GREAT resource: www.herpcenter.com/green-iguanas/

And a brief Care Sheet: www.herpcenter.com/single-page-iguana-caresheet.html

Are you planning on keeping the iguana or finding a home for it?

It needs UVB lighting (look for a Mercury Vapor bulb - they are spendy but worth it). I prefer MegaRay Self Ballasted bulbs. They provide the UVB needed, and heat. Saves a lot of money in the long run, plus these bulbs are THE BEST out there for reptiles - esp iguanas.
www.reptileuv.com/megaray-products.php

Caging: An adult iguana requires a min cage size of 6' tall (this is from floor to ceiling, a shorter cage on a stand doesn't count into the height, though it will certainly help the ig feel more comfortable in the meanwhile). So 6' tall, 6-4' wide, 4' deep. They grow FAST so if you do plan on keeping the beastie, I would recommend start building now. You'll just waste time and money building a new cage every year or so if you start smaller. They grow FAST.

Temp wise, the basking spot should be about 95 degrees. They need to be able to thermoregulate by moving around, so any enclosure needs a hot side, cold side, and a basking spot. Cold side should be about 80-85 F, Hot side 85-95 with a basking spot of 95.

Humidity is roughly 60-80%. A humidifier works best as it is hard to keep up with misting. Timers are your best friend. For lighting too. I forget the name of the humidifers but they are sonicating something or other (totally spacing it... but they are made for humans) that work best. I have had luck with a few other types as well though. Being in FL you may not even really need to worry about humidity.

I wish you luck whatever you decide to do with it and thanks for taking it in! They are intriguing animals and fascinating to interact with. They are some of the most intelligent of reptiles, and can be very rewarding to work with. But they are also a LOT of work, and take up a LOT of space. They are certainly not a pet for everyone. I hope that if you rehome him, you are able to find good caring home who know what they are doing, If you decide to keep him, then welcome to iguana slavery and hold on for the wild ride! You will certainly learn a LOT! ;D They really aren't as all-bad as I often make them sound. But unfortunately, like ferrets, most people don't know how to care for them (even if they say they do or have "tons of experience").

Good luck and keep me posted! I will be on again tomorrow. Guess this was a little longer than a "quick post"

[katt]

Jul 4, 2011 21:04:19 GMT -5 @rarnold18 said:

We've got the greens and some hibiscus that it's been munching on. They have a light but I don't think it's the right one... I'm hoping that it's owners show up because I don't think that the family is able to care for it financially. I know I've got my hands full and not sure I could take on a reptile. They had an ig before but they said it died of mites? idk... I may encourage them to contact our local reptile type rescues...

It would have to be ridiculously serious for the iguana to have diet of mites. Iguanas don't die of mites any more often than dogs die from lice or ticks. Yes it could stress them out and affect their eating, etc but like I said, to kill them it would have to have been pretty bad. Chances are they were not caring for it properly, and then the mites just added to the stress the poor thing was already under.
As for finding the owner, don't keep your hopes up. More likely than not, the owners tired of the ig when they realized the care they need, or moved, or something along those lines, and set it free rather than try to find a home for it. That is VERY common in Florida, and sadly a huge contributor to the large population of invasive iguanas.

Jul 5, 2011 2:32:27 GMT -5 @lunartwist said:

Dark, leafy, greens and edible weeds are your best bet. Collar, Turnip, Dandelion, edible flowers, Radicchio, SOME Kale and Romaine. Also don't forget your vitamin and calcium powders!

Actually Romaine should not be fed. Lettuce of any type might as well be cardboard soaked in water for all of the nutritional value it has. Yes it will add some moisture, but so will other things that are also higher in nutrients. And once an ig starts eating lettuce it can be hard to convince them to eat the healthier foods in the bowl (think ferrets and kibble).

Iguanas can be expensive to keep. They need very hard to maintain humidity/heat combos. They also need lots of out-of-cage exercise time.

Definitely! But once you have the basics covered, the daily expenses are really not too bad. Greens are cheap, and the MegaRay bulb only needs to be replaced every 12 months. And the initial costs are definitely a little crazy, but once you have your permanent set up, you are pretty good to go.

And males can be aggressive during the breeding season. BUT, they are very active, intriguing, and rewarding pets that few people keep into their adulthoods. Lots of people take them out in harnesses and walk them outside like dogs! So if you decide to keep it, props for you!
They LOVE getting out and about to explore. They also really like to watch things going on, so put the cage by a window.