Iguana growing slowly?

Vegetatoboaotaku · #1 (**permalink**) 03-08-2004, 06:44 PM

What's the normal size for a yearling iguana?

How many ounces should a 2fter (including tail) be eating?

My iggy's appetite and growth isn't matching my expectations... But she seems active and is mantaining weight. So I'm curious as to what "normal" is?

Setup: cage size (guesstimated) 3 1/2 ft tall, 2ft wide, 3ft long, reptisun 5.0, plus ceramic heat emitter, humidity 50%-70%, hotspot 90, cool spot 78, fake plants and hides all over the place, weekly bath, misted morning and night,
daily diet---main green switches every week between collard mustard and turnip, added in are carrots, occasional apples, squash, peas, etc, suplemented with calcium mixed with baby food 2-3 times a month...
i do not include any insect protein...

opinions?

NicoleRussell · #2 (**permalink**) 03-09-2004, 01:15 AM

I would invest in a MVB with basking totems...mesq greens (baby spring greens) are nice to add because of the variety---all my animals just love them.
But back to a bulb---buy either a westron mvb or a Trex spot with the correct wattage for your cage...I feel you will see a difference within a 10 day period.....I say this because you have not stated any problems with the animal's health, and visually, he seems ok--although he could use some fattening up. But I would not for a second say he was thin either.
Anyone who has made the switch, has noticed a difference.

Vegetatoboaotaku · #3 (**permalink**) 03-09-2004, 01:25 AM

Thanks for your reply... I'll look into those bulbs...
Will the spot 100 watt overheat this size cage? Would I need to remove the ceramic heat emitter?

NicoleRussell · #4 (**permalink**) 03-09-2004, 02:03 AM

I see you have a reptarium--what size is it 65? do you have the softtrays?
I have a 65 for my baby igs and I have 2 basking sites (one each)...2 MVB--2 100's/ at night the CHE comes on along with an UTH...in the summer the CHE gets turned off.
The size of the cage and the softrays matter before I can be sure of an answer.

NicoleRussell · #5 (**permalink**) 03-09-2004, 02:06 AM

also try replacing 3 meals a week with MONSTER DIET for juvies. That will bulk him up with stuff you didn't know existed :") Seriously it's all taken from the place they came from and balaced perfectly....

Vegetatoboaotaku · #6 (**permalink**) 03-10-2004, 11:54 AM

sorry for being a little late in getting back to this thread...
it is the 65 gallon and im not using a soft tray... just newspaper....
i have tried various prepared diets and this guy hasn't been interested in any of them... i've tried sorta mixing it in with the stuff he does like to eat but he avoids it like the plague... *shrugs*

NicoleRussell · #7 (**permalink**) 03-10-2004, 06:23 PM

I'm using the 65 for my cyclura igs right now too---I have 2/ 100 watt MV bulbs (there are 2 babies) on opposite ends of the cage---a 160 noc bulb comes on at night along with a heat pad---so in answer to your question --no it won't heat up the cage too much. It's a screened cage so the heat does not build---in fact you need extra heat with these cages. They have choices with basking spots and always pick the hottest possible branch (the one closest to the heat source).
Yeah they either love the pellest or they hate them. Mine love them---but the beardy hates them so....
Have you tried Mesq greens?

Vegetatoboaotaku · #8 (**permalink**) 03-10-2004, 08:25 PM

I haven't tried Mesq greens but I'll look into them as well...
i'll get back to the forum with any changes... asap

NicoleRussell · #9 (**permalink**) 03-10-2004, 10:21 PM

hey let us know---keep posting progress pics

Advertisement