• The Month of the Iguana  
• Case History  
• Iguanas and Vets  
• How to sex an Iguana  
• What is Herpetology?  
• Hints and Tips  
• Common Iguana Conditions 
• Iguanas on the Internet  
• Tail End  

Interest in herpetology as a hobby has grown dramatically over the last few years. The interest in reptiles and amphibians is being fuelled by TV programmes about vets and pets and the increased availability of these exotic pets through the "Pet Super Stores". This in turn has resulted in an increased number of Snakes, Iguanas, etc etc turning up in the veterinary surgery and an increased number of reptile samples being submitted to the laboratory. 

This months issue of the newsletter is dedicated to the Iguana. The Iguana may not be everyone's idea of a cuddly pet but is an increasingly popular choice for many people. Unfortunately Iguanas require considerable skill, knowledge and dedication from their owners if they are to survive and thrive in their captive environment. Many problems finding their way into the surgery will be the result of the owners inadequate skills and or dedication. 

The most common problems you are likely to encounter will be related to nutrition, environment or inadequate husbandry, probably all three. 

This issue includes: general information about Iguanas, common diseases, a case history nutritional information, environmental hints and tips, internet sites and sources of additional information. 

The case of the shaking Iguana 
Case History 

Blood samples were submitted from an Iguana with symptoms of anorexia and chorea. Tests revealed normal haematology. The biochemistry showed low calcium (1.16 mmol/l) high phosphorus (10.0 nmol/l), a calcium phosphorus ratio of 0.1:1, a high creatine kinase (51500iu/l), high LDH (2490 iu/l), low alkaline phosphatase (12 iu/l). 

The history and findings are characteristic of secondary nutritional hyperparathyroidism. The underlying cause is usually inadequate or unbalanced nutrition. Young Iguanas triple their weight in the first 12 months and require a high quality balanced diet and adequate exposure to ultra violet light other wise nutritional related disease is inevitable. An abnormal calcium phosphorus ratio in the diet, often the result of excessive phosphorus is a common situation. Acute symptoms include anorexia and twitching or paralysis as in this case. In the more chronic form often described as MBD or Metabolic Bone Disease, skeletal abnormalities may develop with bone deformities or increased brittleness. 

Calcium borogluconate may help to relieve the acute symptoms. For long term resolution attention to husbandry and nutrition is essential. However once bone deformities have developed resolution is most unlikely. 

Iguanas and Vets 
Pain or Gain 

Iguanas need vets, unfortunately not all Iguana owners know this. 

One problem with Iguanas is that they are very good at disguising the fact that they may have only minutes to live. It is a natural protective instinct to avoid looking sick. So when you notice they are ill fast action is required. This is something which can catch out the inexperienced owner. 

Over 50% of Iguanas die in the first year of ownership yet properly cared for they can survive for 15-20 years. Sound veterinary care and advice is an essential part of ensuring a long and happy life for an Iguana as with any pet. However the casual owner would probably prefer to spend another £30 on a new one rather than take a sick iguana to the vet. This attitude is not helped by the opinions circulated by the more informed owners. The word in the iguana world is that "vets" don't know anything about Iguanas. If you take you sick iggy to see a vet you are likely to be spoken down to and given the run around. 

However serious herpetologists are far from anti-vet, although many may seek help and advice elsewhere due to an absence of suitable local veterinary expertise. The general advice in herpetology circles is to seek out a vet who is knowledgeable about the subject. But where do you find one? One internet site lists 16 UK vets with an interest in herpetology and gives their names and addresses. http://www.sonic.net/%7Emelissk/uk_herp.html

For those who seek to expand their knowledge of Iguanas in particular and reptiles in general the internet is a vast resource of information on the subject. See elsewhere in this issue for interesting web site links.

It is a general recommendation that iggy owners should visit the vet with a new acquisition and then at least once a year to check for internal parasites and Salmonella. For interested practices this could be a good marketing opportunity. Owners could be contacted through posters and or leaflets in the surgery or possibly through a bit of PR aimed at the local paper, radio station or local TV news spot. They always seem to be interested in a new angle on veterinary matters. 

Male or Female 
How do you sex an Iguana? 

With difficulty! One of the problems with Iguanas is that they are almost impossible to sex, unless you happen to be an iguana that is. This results in a lot of embarrassment as they get older when "Big Daddy" suddenly lays an egg, "Big Mummy" just doesn't have the same ring to it. (Big Daddy is one of the most popular names for Iguanas). 

An Iguana of less than 2 years old is virtually impossible to sex. Over that age males do start to develop recognisable clues as to their sex. On the inner surface of the Iguanas' thighs look for enlarged pores or scales called "femoral pores". In the male the pores become enlarged and almost protrude. The function of these features is so the male can grip the female more securely during the mating process. In the male you may also be able to observe lumps or bumps (hemipenes bulge) near the vent. It may be possible to evert the hemipenes by applying slight pressure, distal to the cloaca in a cranial direction, confirming the sex as male. Older Males tend to have a squarer head than the female, with larger jowls. They look more male, particularly if you have a comparison. 

What is Herpetology 
her-pe-tol-o-gy : The branch of zoology that deals with reptiles and amphibians. 
There are over 700 species of Iguana spread across 12 genera, there is some dispute about certain aspects of the classification. The family Iguanidae contains the large (giant), strictly herbivorous iguanids. They may start small but they grow to a large size,. The Green Iguana can grow to 5-6 feet in length in 4-5 years. Probably the most popular choice of Iguana is the Green Iguana (Common Green Iguana or Giant Green Iguana). 

HINTS and TIPS 
Q - What do you do if an Iguana clamps its teeth on your finger? 

A - First thing is never try to pull your finger out. To encourage the Iguana to open its' mouth drip alcohol into its mouth or apply with a cotton swab. (Keep a bottle of best malt handy). 

Q - Is the white crust around my Iguanas nose a sign of illness? 

A - No, Iguanas excrete excess salts through the nose. They often sneeze to dislodge any build up. Excess can be removed with a cotton swab and some warm water. 

Q - Should I feed my Iguana on dog food? 

A - In a word no. There are varying opinions on how best to feed Iguanas. They are herbivorous or as herpetologists would prefer, folivores. That is they are plant eaters but more particularly leaf eaters. They are observed to supplement their diet with insects and other sources of protein in the wild but they thrive on a varied herbivorous diet. They however cannot survive on a diet of iceberg lettuce apparently. Anyone needing specific advice on nutrition would be well advised to visit the internet. 

Q - Do Iguanas need light 24hrs a day? 

A - They are diurnal (active during daylight). They need light during the day but darkness at night. They need ultra violet light 24hrs a day and a constant temperature 24hrs a day. The lighting and heating set-up should be able to provide these requirements. To provide the accuracy required a timer should be used. 

Common Iguana Conditions 
First a word of caution. Iguana require careful handling. Not only can they inflict a nasty bite (see elsewhere for release tip), they can shed their tail if roughly handled. A practice known as autotomy. 

Anorexia 
Possibly one of the most common presenting conditions, particularly with young or recently acquired Iguana with an novice owner. Check day length, type of UV lamp used, temperature control, and humidity. Feeding should also be checked, diet, frequency of feeding and method of presentation also availability of water. 

Metabolic Bone Disease 
Also known as Nutritional Osteodystrophy and Secondary Nutritional Hyper-parathyroidism 
Problems relating to mineral balance are common in the Iguana. Calcium deficiency usually associated with an excess of phosphorus is caused by a combination of inadequate or inappropriate nutrition often exacerbated by poor environmental conditions particularly available UV light. The condition may be chronic with gross skeletal deformities, stunting etc or more acute when hypocalcaemic tetany may be the only indication of a problem. 

IGGY WEB 
Interesting links on the Internet 

The internet is a vast repository of information for those interested in reptiles or particularly Iguanas. Two web sites that I found particularly helpful were:- 

• http://www.sonic.net/~melissk/ig_care.htmlMelissa Kaplans Giant Green Iguana Information Collection This site has an enormous number of links to other Iguana sites.
• http://m2.aol.com/ignews/The Iguana Iguana Newsletter. A very responsive e-mail service.
• http://www.sonic.net/%7Emelissk/uk_herp.html This site lists 16 UK vets with an interest in herpetology and gives their names and addresses.

Tail End 
Kiss of Life 

A California Animal Rescue officer was called to a house to rescue an Iguana which had fallen into a swimming pool after being chased by a dog. 

On arrival the officer was informed that the Iguana had been swimming around quite happily but was now floating limp in the centre of the pool. 

It was a cold day and the water in the pool was very cold, something Iguanas do not like 

The Officer soon scooped the supposedly dead Iguana out of the pool and without hesitation started mouth to mouth resuscitation. Within minutes the Iguana was as frisky as ever. When asked later why he had given the Iguana mouth to mouth resuscitation. He said " It was only after I had finished I realised how ugly it was otherwise I might have had second thoughts". The Iguana didn't comment.