i just got a baby iguana two days ago & she dont want to eat, i need help i dont know how to take care of her.

Question

i need help its getting cold and i dont know how to take care of her !its normal for a iguana to be cold or its her skin suppost to fell warm?i put some food (lettuce etc.) but in this 2 days i havent seen her eat .and one more question do i have to take her to the vet for rabbis shot or something?

Answer 1

I know quite a bit about reptiles, and for one, she shouldnt be cold to the touch, do you have a heat source? heat rocks are bad, and can burn your iguana (sometimes being fatal) I recomend an Under Tank Heating Pad, that covers half of your habitat (this goes on the outside, under your tank). These are wonderful, as iguanas (like most reptiles) need heat on their bellies to digest, having heat will also make her feel hungry, if shes cold, she wont die, but she might become very inactive (this is signs of her body wanting to shut down, or hybernate). It is also good to have on the warm side, a basking bulb, igunas come from very warm areas of south america and so on, there fore, she will love to sit on a rock or branch and bask in the warmth coming from below and above. This side (the warm side) should be 95 to 100 degrees F. the cooler side being about 10 to 15 degrees cooler (this is done by havin water on this side, and NO heat source, the heat coming from the warm side is enough to keep that side warm. If you have anymore question, learn more by going on google, and searchin Iguana Care Sheets, read a few of them, some people have different opinions and recomend different things, just try to find out what works for you! Hope I helped you!

Answer 2

Your baby could be under stress from relocating, but usually after the first day, mine always ate. You should never give it lettuce. It can have turnips, shredded carrots, ect, No spinach, a little chopped fruit. It neds a heat lap over it. The only heat their bodies have is the heat they recieve from heat sources. Give it plenty of water, but not deep enough to drown. They love to poop in their water (this is normal) and should be changed often.

You should supliment vitamins and calcium in their diet. Mine love chopped zucinni. You can get the little green cubes at the pet store . They are called iguana bites. They smell really good and may stimulate it's appetite. Maybe you should consider taking it to the vet, he may give it a shot of vitamin B complex with a little cortesone in it that will perk him up and make it hungry. The local petstore should have a good book on iguanas. Please buy one now, and read it as soon as possible. There is a lot of responsibility to owning an iguana. They may live up to 20 years, and can grt to six feet long. If you aren't ready to take on that much responsibility, then find someone who is. The Petshop or your vet might place him for you. I have four, the largest two being three feet long. I run a reptile rescue. The only iguana I have ever lost was a hatchling that the petstore gave me to see if I could save it. It was too far gone when I got it.

Good luck! They really are worth all the trouble they are, and believe me, the bigger, the more trouble they can get into!

Answer 3

First off, it was very irresponcible of you to aquire such a pet without doing research first.



Also, you shouldn't be feeding an iguana lettuce. You need to feed her a mixture of collard greens, kale, carrots, etc. NO lettuce, NO cabbage, NO spinach. Do some research online to see exactly what foods you can and cannot give to her. Make sure all the pieces are bite sized for her. You don't want her to choke trying to eat something too big.



As far as her temperature goes, you need to have a ceramic heat emmitter or basking bulb in a suitable fixture over her cage. Make sure it's at one end or the other so she can move out of it if she gets too hot. The warm end of the tank need to be 85-90 degrees, while to cool end needs to be 75-80 degrees.



Also, remember that you JUST purchased/aquired this animal. Obviously, she's going to be stressed out. She may not eat for as long as a week. Just make sure she has clean fresh water every day, and that her temperature and humidity (at least 70% for an iggy) are perfect. Try not to handle her much for the first week or so, she needs to get used to her new surroundings.



You should take her to the vet for a check-up, and to make sure she hasn't got any parasites or other common petstore diseases, but a rabbies shot isn't needed since she's a reptile.



I hope this was helpful to you, but from now on, show a bit of responcibility before buying your pet and DO THE RESEARCH!!!

Answer 4

First off, you need a heat lamp, iguanas are supposed to be warm during the day. The best kind of heat lamp is a UVB lamp which can be purchased at any pet or reptile store. This is very important if you want the iguana to stay alive. Get a timer for the heat lamp so it will turn off around 7 pm and turn on around 7 am. This is a very proper cycle of light that has worked on my iguana, which is now 6 feet long and weighs 17 pounds after only 4 years. As far as the vegetables, babies are picky and shy eaters, you might not see them eat for a while but as long as the food is disappearing then he's fine, also he won't eat if he's cold. he has to be warm in order to digest the food he takes in. Also, cut up the food into tiny peices that will fit in his mouth. You might try several different types of veggies to find out what he likes best, give him a variety of stuff for the best health. I had to experiment for about 2 months before I found a combination of foods that I can feed mine all at once. I feed mine Romaine lettuce, Kale greens, italian squash, cucumbers, and shredded carrots. For better information, pick up a book for iguana care. I recommend "Iguanas For Dummies". I'm not bagging on you, it is really a book, I have it and it has helped me so much in everything about them. Once you understand them, they are truly fascinating animals and the most intelligent of the reptile species. Oh also, I noticed a lot of people saying to get a heat rock and feed them crickets. They are very wrong. IGUANAS ARE VEGETARIANS. They also rely on the heat from above, not below for proper digestion. Heat rocks are very bad for them.Good luck.

Answer 5

First, get her a heat lamp and/or a heat rock. Her cage needs to be around 85-86 degrees F or she will not be able to digest anything that she does eat. Then, give her some Romaine lettuce, fine shredded carrot, and some sliced apple. Mix it up good. Reptiles CAN NOT get rabies, so no need to worry about that. You may want to take her to a vet anyway. Finding a vet that treats reptiles can be hard, depending on where you live. Buy some reptile De-Wormer. Follow the directions on the bottle. Also, check and see if she has mites. They look like little red specks crawling on her. If she does, buy mite killer. She will need a large cage(a 50 gallon will work when she's a baby). Make sure she has a hide spot too, such as a cave or box. If you keep her warm, fed, and clean, she'll be the best pet you ever had.

Answer 6

Bluntly, if you have to ask here, you SHOULD NOT have an iguana.



They are not reptiles for beginners. Far, far from it.



Iguanas have very specialized feeding and housing requirements. They can't live on lettuce any more than you can, and what they DO need to eat will take a significant amount of time and effort on your part to obtain and prepare properly. They require regular vet checkups, including blood tests for proper calcium/phosphorus balance. They grow huge -- as in up to six feet long. Yes, a lot of that is tail, but you're still talking about a lizard that is going to need a room of its own. Males often become insanely vicious during their mating season, when they think everything they see is a rival male. Females can become eggbound and need surgery or they will die. An iguana bite can be serious; I had one that decided one day to check out whether one of my fingers was edible, and casually gnawed on it; I have scars that go to the bone and after seven years, I still don't have all the feeling back in that finger. Never will.



As a rule of thumb, I'd say that nobody who has been keeping reptiles for less than five years, and who has not kept at least five different species of lizards successfully, should even think about getting an iguana.



Best beginner reference: Iguanas for Dummies.



Worst: anything from T.F.H. They're the folks who were (dunno if they still are) selling books telling you to feed your iguana twice a week.



Note: Iggies are weird -- they have a digestive system more like a cow than like most reptiles -- and they need a steady supply of food passing through to keep it working. In the wild, they eat constantly, since they're basically sitting on their food supply. (plants) They must be fed fresh food DAILY. Getting an iguana-sitter is not easy.



Also, like all the other experts, I have to say: NO HOT ROCKS. They are an option for some animals, but iguanas are NOT one of them. Iguanas are baskers -- they're built to soak up heat through their backs. Their bellies are tough, so they can drag them over rough surfaces such as rocks without harm, and have very little feeling. An iguana can get third-degree burns from sitting on a hot rock. My vet has some nasty pictures of one of his patients hanging up as a warning.

Answer 7

Do NOT get a heat rock. Iguanas can burn themselfes on heat rocks. You need ambient heat and different gradients of it, The way to acheive this is to have a tall tank and something for her to climb on. A reflector bulb in a clamp on light can be used to provide the heat.



Lettuce is not an appropriate food for Iguanas. They need collard greens, mustard greens, parsnip, alfalfa, winter squash, all chopped up small enough for the Iguana to eat, In the wild the Iguana strips the leaves while they are attached to the plants. It is not possible to do that in a bowl, so she depends on you to make them small enough to eat.



Yes take your Iguana to the vet. Most Iguanas have parasites and having your vet treat your Iguana for them will give her a better chance at life.



You MUST read the site below, Melissa Kaplin is a noted expert and author of Iguana for Dummies. What I told you is only a small start.



I hope you realized that with proper care your Iguana can grow to 6 feet in length. At a year old mine is over 2 feet. The second link is to my Iguana.

Answer 8

I would recommend taking the iguana back to where you got it and not getting another one until you have done some reading and have learned how to take care of one. It's not fair to make an animal suffer because you haven't prepared yourself to take care of it.



And for all who mentioned heat rocks, they are BAD for reptiles!!! Lizards and snakes have very few nerve endings on their stomach and can't tell that they're burned until it's too late. In the wild they might lay on a rock that's been heated by the sun, but as their body absorbs the heat, the rock loses heat and becomes cooler. This doesn't happen with commercial heat rocks. They get hot and stay hot. I've worked in reptile rescue for 8 years and have seen some horrible burns on iguanas, bearded dragons, and geckos because of heat rocks.



If you can't take the iguana back to the pet store, please find a reptile rescue in your area that can either temporarily house it for you or can come to your house and show you exactly how to set up for an iguana.



Check out Iguanas for Dummies for everything a beginning iguana keeper should know and more!

Answer 9

Iguanas are cold blooded so you need to provide a heat source for her. Her skin will not be warm to the touch unless she is on a heat source. A heat rock is needed and a special thermal pad that sticks under her aquarium would be good, too. Lettuce has no nutritional value. You iguana needs variety in her diet. When I had iguanas I used to give them a "salad" of shredded veggies and fruit. Kale is one of the best things you can give her, along with carrots, apples, etc. Try different things, they can be picky eaters sometimes. She may be too cold to eat or could also be a little traumatized by the move to a new place and need time to adjust. Make sure she is warm and make sure she has access to food. Some iguanas will eat insects like soft shell crickets. You might try one and see if she will eat it. Good luck with your iguana!

Answer 10

Have you checked him for mites or to see if he has any sores on his body? These two things can be evasive to your eye but can drive him nuts. Are you SURE he is male? Do you know how to check? Sometimes when you get a baby iguana the pet shop does not really know for sure what gender they are. If he has mites you will see black STUFF around his eyes and mouth. These are easy but not pleasant to get rid of. They have sprays that are made for removal and are safe for reptiles at your pet supply store. The spray will kill the mites, but you will have to remove them. Usually a thin piece of cardboard works best to flick them off. Tweezers can pinch you lizard because the mites are microscopic and hard to grab onto. If you find sores, (look in his mouth, on his body) they can look like brown spots, or white spots. You will need to get the meds for this. Some pet stores that specialize in reptiles carry what you will need. Are you giving him calcium supplements? This is also found with reptile supplies. Is the temp in his cage right? Does he have a full spectrum sun light? If the answers to this are all yes, then it could be that he is planning on hibernating for awhile. They will do this. HOWEVER, he needs to be healthy before he does this. So check for the mites and sores and if you don't find anything you may want to contact a vet that knows iguanas if this behaviour continues to worry you.

Answer 11

I use to hand feed iguanas baby food fruits and veggies until they were big enough to eat regular fruits and veggies. She did really well. To keep her warm you need to get a heat rock or use a heating pad with a towel wrapped around it. Put it on the lowest setting. This will keep him/her warm. Shedding is a natural process. They regrow skin all the time. No iguanas don't require rabies shots. For the most part she needs you to hand feed her. I used a very small spoon and fed her baby food until she was a few months old. Then she ate on her own. Try this it should help alot.

Answer 12

I suggest you go to http://www.greenigsociety.org/. They will have all the info you need. The iguana is probably just stressed. Make sure you aren't feeding it romaine or iceburg lettuce, its no good for them. Just print the list on the website above and go to the grocery store.



They are a bit of work and initially expensive. Mine is litter trained and lives in a 5'Hx4'Wx2'Deep enclosure that my dad built. I love my iggy, she is about 9 years old now.



I've never brought mine to the vet, but no vets around me do exotic pets.

Answer 13

your iguana needs to be warm which means you need to have lighting for warmth and also for her health meaning, she needs to have a UV light. if they do not have heat AND a UV light, she will die. she needs the UV to digest food. reptiles will be very still if they are cold. because of what you said, it is very important that you get her warm. if you go somewhere like petsmart or most pet stores, they can tell you what kind of lights you need. you can get the bulbs there, but if you get that thing that looks like a dome and sits on your cage, it will cost you a fortune. you can get them for only a few dollars at places like home depot.



please, please, please make sure you get her the proper lighting. she will die if you do not. do you also know how big iguanas can get and that they can live for a very long time? just type in iguana care in google and you will find a lot to give you advice.



ighting: Iguanas must have a source of UVA and UVB light! UVA stimulates natural behaviors by providing a component of natural sunlight. UVB is important to iguanas for another reason. Without it, their bodies cannot manufacture vitamin D3 or properly metabolize calcium. Iguanas that are deprived of proper UV lighting suffer from a disease called Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD) which is unfortunately very common in captive iguanas. MBD causes weak bones, jaw and bone deformities and early death.

Answer 14

You need to make sure you have a heating rock for the iguana. Live crickets are good too. But the heating rock is a MUST.



Take the iguana to a vet anyway for a check up. She should eat. Also, you should always do research on an animal before you buy one, especially if you have never cared for one.

Answer 15

You really should have done your research!!!! Buy some iguana food, crickets, and also check the temp of the cage. It might not be warm enough. Do you have a heat rock? I suggest taking it to the vet and doing some extinsive research!! Good luck to you and most of all your lizzard.

Answer 16

Ours loved tomatoes and romaine lettuce. Be sure to have a hot rock for it to lay on. Mine didn't like regular lettuce, just romaine. A checkup occsionally would be good. Not all vets take care of iguanas. Call around. Don't forget the hot rock. Very important.

Answer 17

Provided that she isn't sick (they can get human illnesses easily), then it sounds like she needs to be warmer than she is. Get a Hot Rock, or a low-wattage lamp, and put it in there. Once she's warmed-up, her appetite may return. Iguanas are cold-blooded reptiles. That means that their temperature is the same as their surrounding environment. If it's cold, they'll be sluggish, and not very interested in food. If it's warm, they'll be more energetic, and more hungry.

Answer 18

You need a "sizzle stone" heat rock appliance from the pet store. A black light will also aid the heat issue. Without adequate heat iguanas can't digest their food. Also feed the lizard grated squash and they particularly like spinach and other green leafy vegetables. Sprinkle their food with a calcium powder supplement for their bone health.

Answer 19

OMG! YOU NEED TO SALE THAT IGUANA YOU DONT NEED ONE 1ST OF ALL DONT FEED HIM LETTUCE!!!!!! THEY DONT EAT LETTUCE U NEED A HEAT LAMP FOR NIGHT AND DAY! AND A FLORECENT(SP) LIGHT ALSO IGUANA'S EAT COLLARD GREENS MUSTARD GREENS AND DIFFERENT KINDS OF FRUITS THEY NEEED ALOT OF CARE YOU ABVIOUSLY DONT NEED ONE YOUR GUNNA KILL IT!!!!!YOUR AN IDIOT IM SORRY BUT U ARE!

Answer 20

As mentioned in the post directly above mine, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, do not use a heat rock as a heat source! they are bad news for every reptile! if you have one, cut the cord and use it as a decorative rock.



Please go to the links provided, which is Melissa Kaplin's site. She has done much good for Iguanas and reptiles in general. She really knows what she is doing.

Answer 21

You should have reserched on this animal before you bought it!



Its not fair to the lizard if you dont know how to take care of her.

Answer 22

dont keep exotic pets.hard time taking care of them as they need tons of TLC and it drains your money too.some reptiles must live in certain temperature or eat only certain food.that im not too sure

Answer 23

just chek her in front of the doctor