Another Pale Iguana

Trex005 · #1 (**permalink**) 07-31-2008, 04:57 AM

For about 8 months my Iggy was eating really REALLY poorly... occasionally he'd have a good day, but I was starting to get concerned. I went with the green iguana society's recommendations for foods and everything.... durring my rotation, I found a 4lb bag of frozen "Fresh" Cut Italian beans. Well... he absolutely loved them! He was eating them like crazy and gaining weight again really fast, I was really excited. Since then, he has been quite happy with any green beans I have gotten him, so much so that I eventually gave up on adding the greens and fruits since he would just snub them. Occasionally I was not giving him any beans in a day and just some fruits so I could get them in him... but he would not really do more than pick at them.

Well.... now in the past week or so, he really slowed down his eating again. I was not too horribly concerned as he was still eating more than in the past. Today however he got suddenly REALLY pale.... almost white... and even more lethargic than usual. I'm afraid that this could be malnutrition catching up with him and getting sick. He is about 5 years old... Should I be worried? Should I start refusing to feed him green beans? What if he goes back to hardly eating at all?

Thank you all for your help!

spike06 · #2 (**permalink**) 07-31-2008, 04:59 AM

green beans arent good as a main staple. its ok to throw in a few with each salad. i would say its malnutrition.

devine* · #3 (**permalink**) 07-31-2008, 05:02 AM

This sounds like more than a "I don't want to eat those veggies" problem...

your iggy sounds sick

I would get him to a vet asap. until then I'd give him what he wants. what kinds of things are you feeding him? what does he refuse?

sometimes my iggy wont eat from her dish/plate... so I chop up the veggies right in front of her. I don't know why but this promotes a huge excited response in her and she climbs down from her post (she has a room to herself) super fast just to get to me and those fresh cut veggies.

really hope you figure it all out, I've never seen my iggy go pale :S pictures perhaps? best of luck!

mongoose5971 · #4 (**permalink**) 07-31-2008, 05:02 AM

Are you putting any vitamin supplement on the beans? If anything, that would help. But this doesn't sound good. Drastic change to a light color and lethargy are no good...if this doesn't change in a day or two I'd take him to a vet quick!

mongoose5971 · #5 (**permalink**) 07-31-2008, 05:04 AM

Also, dark leafy greens and veggies are much more important than fruits

Trex005 · #6 (**permalink**) 07-31-2008, 05:20 AM

Wow,
With the little traffic that the Iguana board gets I'm shocked that I got so many replies so fast... My digital camera is MIA at the moment so I can't help with pictures.
I used to give him mostly collard, mustard and dandy lion greens and throw in some apples or mangoes occasionally. Then this past fall it seemed near impossible to get mustard or dandy lion anywhere near fresh (When I bought them already about 25% of the bunch would be rotting and the rest would be waste over the next day or two) so he was going on almost all collard greens for a few weeks and then just stopped eating them all together. Then I tried mustard and dandy lion, but he would just ignore those too.
I think quite frankly he just developed a disdain for all of those. I have since rotated through many things... I was trying to stay away from frozen as much as possible, but when suddenly he started eating those beans like crazy I was so excited that I just had to keep giving them to him.
No I have not used any vitamin dust, do you think that would make me feeding him this "junk food" more acceptable? Also, I have noticed that he eats much better when I cut them (usually tare) and hand feed him every bite (yes he is very spoiled, but he is very loving in exchange) but I don't have time to do that every day.

spike06 · #7 (**permalink**) 07-31-2008, 05:22 AM

vitamins will definaly help especially since he is only eating 1 thing. Repcal Herptivite is the best stuff to use

devine* · #8 (**permalink**) 07-31-2008, 05:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trex005

Wow,
With the little traffic that the Iguana board gets I'm shocked that I got so many replies so fast... My digital camera is MIA at the moment so I can't help with pictures.
I used to give him mostly collard, mustard and dandy lion greens and throw in some apples or mangoes occasionally. Then this past fall it seemed near impossible to get mustard or dandy lion anywhere near fresh (When I bought them already about 25% of the bunch would be rotting and the rest would be waste over the next day or two) so he was going on almost all collard greens for a few weeks and then just stopped eating them all together. Then I tried mustard and dandy lion, but he would just ignore those too.
I think quite frankly he just developed a disdain for all of those. I have since rotated through many things... I was trying to stay away from frozen as much as possible, but when suddenly he started eating those beans like crazy I was so excited that I just had to keep giving them to him.
No I have not used any vitamin dust, do you think that would make me feeding him this "junk food" more acceptable? Also, I have noticed that he eats much better when I cut them (usually tare) and hand feed him every bite (yes he is very spoiled, but he is very loving in exchange) but I don't have time to do that every day.

when it comes to iggys, they always have a priority in my heart

I've got a cranky little girl here who acts more like a cat then a lizard, expecially since she has the run of the house and is litter trained (most of the time lol)
she loves me sometimes tho

I can always get frog eyes outa her, no matter how grumpy she is at first.

anyways, I really think you should try endive if you havn't before. It's in the same group as dandilions (not sure exactly the details) but I use it as a staple for my iggy and she loves it.

It's strange how the fresh cut/fresh feeding response works with them hey?

perhaps also try a mix of shredded carrots, raddishes, raddish leaves and carrot tops. use the shredder side of the grater if you can! my iggy doesn't like mangos, apples or bannanas.
hope you find something that works for him! prepare it in front of him if you can

maybe that will get his spirirts back. good luck!

Trex005 · #9 (**permalink**) 07-31-2008, 05:29 AM

so, buy one of these :
Rep-Cal Rep-Cal Herptivite 3.2oz
it says to add supplement Herptivite... should I do that as well?
About how long does one of these last? know of any cheap suppliers?

Trex005 · #10 (**permalink**) 07-31-2008, 05:31 AM

The only place I have been able to find these things is at one single local grocery store (and it is not the one we shop at for the human food either) has anyone had any luck growing these staples inside?

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