Thinning Iggy

[HAZARD]

Ok I have recently noticed my Iguana, Jax, has gotten a whole lot thinner since I bought him. I started a sort of force feeding to where I gave him some blended foods and some calcium powder and water in a little tube. Im afraid he is ignoring his food or something. He spends most of his time on his little lizard ladder and in the canopy of his cage. I checked his food and it doesn't seem like he has been eating anything. Does anyone have any suggestions on to how I can make him a fat and happy little iggy? :eatsmiley

[Glenn Bartley]

Fiurst of all check the environmental conditions. Are the temps correct for a Green Iguana? Is the lighting cycle correct? Are you feeding it the correct foods? Is water available? Is the animal stressed by something nearby its cage? Is the tank big enough, and so on...

If all conditions are ok, then have the animal checked. Is it ill, or injured? Does it have parasites? These may require a visit to a vet to determine.

If any of the conditions are incorrect, or if the animal is sickly or infested with parasites, then force feeding it may be doing more harm than good until things are corrected.

If the iguana has thinned rapidly (you say since you bought it but don't say how long ago was that) then it may well be parasitized or diseased.

Once the iggy is eating properly and gaining some weight, make surenot to get it fat! Obesity among reptiles is not a good thing just like in humans. Rather than getting it fat, get it healthy.