My Iguana needs help!

Discussion in 'Iguanas' started by dragonfiend, Sep 9, 2004.

  1. dragonfiend

    dragonfiend Embryo

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    Hi everyone. I recently adopted a green iguana. He was said to be about 2 1/2 years old and he is around 50 inches in length. At first he was very aggressive and not accepting food. I have had him for about 3 months and now he eats from my hand and allows me to rub him (most of the time) He has never bitten me (yet) However My question is this: All of the spines that run down his back are very deteriorated. Some of them are gone completely and some are weak and broken and bent over. I was wondering if this is a sign of metabolic bone disease. He wasn't treated well under his previous care however now he has a room sized cage and tons of food, heat, and uvb. If you have any ideas what this is please let me know. Thanks

    Pete
     
  2. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  3. KLiK

    KLiK Well-Known Member

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    increase the amount of calcium in his diet and he should be fine. also try taking him outside and let him soak in the sun light
     
  4. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  5. Hummingbird

    Hummingbird Well-Known Member

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    i have never heard of them losing spines like that.

    i notice you say that he has plenty of uvb - he also needs tons of uva as well as the proper diet.

    please check out anapsid.com and make sure you've got the right diet for him.
     
  6. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  7. dragonfiend

    dragonfiend Embryo

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    Well he doesn't exibit any of the bone lumps or disfiguration of metabolic bone disorder yet. He is supplemented with reptivite and rep-cal each week. I won't up his calcium dosage because too much will land me with a hypercalcemic iguana. His previous owner kept him in a too small enclosure which I believe is where he developed his attitude. He wasn't even able to turn around in it! I have donated that cage to a smaller iguana who needed it and now he has a cage that I can enter through a door and walk around in with big tall perches and uva plus uvb lighting all over the place. Ill post a pic later. anyway is it possible for these spines to regrow or are they gone??

    Pete
     
  8. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  9. Hummingbird

    Hummingbird Well-Known Member

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    sounds like you have a great set up, there! and yeah i definately wouldn't increase his calcium if you're already giving him vite's.

    whether the spines grow back or not depends upon why/how they are falling off. i wouldn't bet on them growing back, but since he's in good care now they might actually come back. i honestly don't know.

    keep up the great work!
     

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