iguana bit me! 4x! and wierd bump, plz read

02SXViper · #1 (**permalink**) 07-02-2005, 08:08 PM

ok, my iguana is sort of a little chunky, like a wide abdomen...probably because he eats a lot now, but anyways, he ate a bunch of greens and then when i picked him up i noticed on the LEFT SIDE of his body...(if you were looking down on him) about 3/4 the way down he had this quite noticable bump...like soft because i pushed on it but a bump anyways. it did not seem to bother or hurt him.

i went camping and when i came back today it was gone...or just a lot smaller...anyone know what it could be...

iguana is 11" nose to tail tip and is very green, seems to be healthy

p.s. LOL, my ig bit me 4 times...sort of...yesterday, i was trying to pick himup and startled him, he turned and niped my finger....today i was holding him and he licked my ring then bit it and licked my fingers and bit em 2x...lol

then i gave him some food, HE WAS HUNGRY! lol

Alika · #2 (**permalink**) 07-03-2005, 12:46 AM

Lumps: iguanas, like cows, are hind-gut fermenters. This means they have more than one 'stomach'. They're not really stomachs, of course. They're just pockets or pouches along the digestive tract. This is because plant material is hard to digest and it takes several rounds of digestion to get all the nutrients out of it. When a young iguana is eating well and stuffing himself full, his entire digestive tract will be full of plant matter, including those 'stomach' pouches. More than likely, what you are seeing as lumps are just those pouches full of food.

The only reason I know that is because I, too, freaked out the first time I saw it in my iguana. It's perfectly natural, and you'll notice it less as he gets older. However, if you start noticing that your iguana is not eating or defacating normally and/or the lumps become hard, larger, or don't go away after a period of time (as in, several hours after the last meal) that is cause for concern and you should see a vet.

Bites: It will happen. The way you described it, though, (the biting the ring part) I doubt it was an aggressive bite. Did you possibly have the smell of some yummy food on your hands before you picked him up? Or did they maybe smell like anything interesting at all? I've noticed that my iguana will do what we call a 'lick-chomp' when there is something tastey on our hands, like fruit or salad or even human food. It's like he licks it to get a better idea of how it smells AND tastes, then, when he decides it might be good to eat, he tries to eat it.

Of course, if he was posturing, head-bobbing, squirming, or tail-whipping before he bit then, yeah, it was probably aggressive. But, in my meager experience, the 'lick-chomp' is completely unagressive.

And you can't blame him for snapping if you startle him

02SXViper · #3 (**permalink**) 07-03-2005, 02:39 AM

ok awesome, i know he is eating good, woo hoo..i was really worried...

not anymore, yah its gone today and he ate a crap load and it came back, a little smaller though....but im sure its gone again if i went and checked it now...

yah, i don't blame him when i scared him....and the others was prolly plant smell on my hands because i took some from the bag and set in his bowl and then picked him up...lol he lick-chomped by ring then each finger tip down the row, lol....he is so cute! ihe has never tail whiped yet i dont think and is not too squirmy, just at 1st for about 2 or 3 seconds, then once i sit down on the couch he just licks and walks....lol

i spent about 1.5hrs chopping 2 cups of collards, 1 cup of mustard, and 1 cup of escrole into the right size pieces and then bagging and getting air out of the one bag i froze...he seems to eat more now that i give him mixed greens...and

anyways, do you know how i calculate the Ca

(2:1) lvl? the collards are 14.6:1

the escarole is 1.8:1 and the mustard green is 2.4:1

i calculate it out to be like 6.2:1 but thats not right....hmm i wonder how

ann0306 · #4 (**permalink**) 07-03-2005, 04:00 AM

Well, you'd have to count the collards twice since you have twice as much of them.

Alika · #5 (**permalink**) 07-03-2005, 02:23 PM

Considering that most commercially grown veggies are grown in mineral depleted soil, they don't really have the nutrients they should, anyway. That's why it's important to also use a calcium supplement and a good vitamin.

As far as the ca : ph, the listed ca : ph of any plant is only a guideline and not an absolute. I don't think you can calculate it out exactly. Most people just try to offer a lot of plants with a positive ca : ph ratio (2:1 or higher) and very few with a negative ratio (anything less than 2:1). Supplementing calcium a few times a week will help keep things balanced, since most foods have a lot of phosporous in them.

eddie · #6 (**permalink**) 07-03-2005, 03:17 PM

Don't forget.. no amount of supplements or really good food is going to be usefull without a good source of UV lighting

The sun is best as it is also free

02SXViper · #7 (**permalink**) 07-03-2005, 06:07 PM

i have like...a top notch uva and uvb bulb....also the powder reptical stuff...but what about a vitamin???

Alika · #8 (**permalink**) 07-04-2005, 02:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eddie

Don't forget.. no amount of supplements or really good food is going to be usefull without a good source of UV lighting

The sun is best as it is also free

Excellent point!

If it doesn't say 'UVB' right on the packaging, and/or if the UVB output isn't at least 5%, and/or if your lights are not any farther than 6" away from your iguana, and/or if there is any kind of mesh or glass between the lights and your iguana... then they aren't doing you ANY good!

Even with lights, it's best to get them out for some real sun several hours a week whenever possible.

As far as vitamin supplements, I use Herptivite, made by RepCal. Some people don't agree with the use of supplements, so make sure you research all opinions throroughly before deciding to use one at all. And remember that it is possible to over supplement, so only offer a tiny amount a couple of times a week. Mix it into the food. If you can still see it, you added too much.

It's a pity that there is not a more accurate way to do it than that. I use just a pinch of both calcium and herptivite twice a week (on different days, calcium on one, vitamins on the other).

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