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01-27-2007, 01:43 PM

Thank you so much Seamus for explaining to me all the the reasons behind your answers. They make a lot of sense. I think my iguana must have been a one of a kind fluke or something. He was definitely a boy, two years before he passed away (from renal failure, the previous owners fed him dog food) he developed an abscess in one of his hemipenes and it had to be removed.

It was actually reccommended to me by three separate herp vets that I let him free roam. He had a walk in cage that was 10x10x6 feet at first, but refused to eat, ever no matter the temps, lighting, humidity. All three of the vets said it seemed almost like he had chronic depression, and said to let him free roam if possible. So we changed the setup of our house to accomodate him and he began eating again. In the winter he would also stop eating, and I noticed that after taking him to the vet he would eat for a few days and then stop. Then I just started taking him for a ten minute drive two or three times a week, and he would start eating either in the car or once we got home. Taking him for walks was also reccommend by the vet because when we got him he had severe MBD and a broken leg. He seemed to respond well to excursions outside and our vet felt it was important for him to be getting at least three hours of real sunshine weekly, vs. UV lightbulb rays (back in the day when they had to lay 12 inches from the bulb to get any UV light.

Sorry for the comment about scaring people at stoplights. Mostly I think they were startled when he stuck his tongue out. He actually had visited many schools and helped with educational talks about iguanas, and why they don't make good pets. (seagull poop the size of a dinner plate daily always convinced children it was a bad idea)

Anyway, thank you for your input. I am starting to think a monitor probably wouldn't be a good fit, and that my iguana was probably a special case. We will probably just comb the rescues until we can find another iguana that would be a good match for us. If anybody else wants to chip in please do! I don't know much about monitors and at least would like to learn more about them.

01-27-2007, 01:43 PM	#7
sisuitl	Thank you so much Seamus for explaining to me all the the reasons behind your answers. They make a lot of sense. I think my iguana must have been a one of a kind fluke or something. He was definitely a boy, two years before he passed away (from renal failure, the previous owners fed him dog food) he developed an abscess in one of his hemipenes and it had to be removed. It was actually reccommended to me by three separate herp vets that I let him free roam. He had a walk in cage that was 10x10x6 feet at first, but refused to eat, ever no matter the temps, lighting, humidity. All three of the vets said it seemed almost like he had chronic depression, and said to let him free roam if possible. So we changed the setup of our house to accomodate him and he began eating again. In the winter he would also stop eating, and I noticed that after taking him to the vet he would eat for a few days and then stop. Then I just started taking him for a ten minute drive two or three times a week, and he would start eating either in the car or once we got home. Taking him for walks was also reccommend by the vet because when we got him he had severe MBD and a broken leg. He seemed to respond well to excursions outside and our vet felt it was important for him to be getting at least three hours of real sunshine weekly, vs. UV lightbulb rays (back in the day when they had to lay 12 inches from the bulb to get any UV light. Sorry for the comment about scaring people at stoplights. Mostly I think they were startled when he stuck his tongue out. He actually had visited many schools and helped with educational talks about iguanas, and why they don't make good pets. (seagull poop the size of a dinner plate daily always convinced children it was a bad idea) Anyway, thank you for your input. I am starting to think a monitor probably wouldn't be a good fit, and that my iguana was probably a special case. We will probably just comb the rescues until we can find another iguana that would be a good match for us. If anybody else wants to chip in please do! I don't know much about monitors and at least would like to learn more about them.