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 #1875888


Jmusclegirl
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 NOTHING IS WORKING!!!!!

i’ve tried grapes, melons, apples, bananas, kale, turnip (used to be his fav), dandelion, mango, hand-feeding, begging, threats...donatello hasn’t eaten AT ALL in at least 5 days. he’s not pooping anymore. his eyes are bright, his skin is soft, and he is somehow managing not to get dehydrated. i mean, except for the minor little fact that he refuses to eat, he seems perfectly healthy. (i obviously have operator-error going on w/posting pics--i’ll try again sometime today.) he’s warm enough and not too warm. that’s not a guess. i put a thermometer in his cage.

i think it’s his cage. it’s a 40-gallon tank, and it was fine when i got him, but i think maybe he’s outgrown it and hates it--he spends all his time trying to dig his way out. he hasn’t acted that way for a long time. i mentioned that i rescued this big dog? i’m afraid to trust him w/tello yet, so he hasn’t gotten to spend much time out. i need to build a bigger cage, but until i get it done i need to keep him happy.

his head, always dark, is nearly black--is that stress? he’s been sitting w/me for about an hour now. for the first 20 min. i just stroked him, and he sat on my chest with (both) eyes closed and enjoyed it. now he’s sitting quietly on my shoulder. he feels a little bit cool, but it’s cooler in the house than it is in his cage, and he’s sitting on his nice, warm mommy.

i’m so worried about him! i feel like an idiot. what’s the matter? is it the change of seasons? even texas does eventually cool off. i added a heating pad to my bathroom counter so he doesn’t get a chill after our shower. is he just intimidated by beowulf (dog)? is he on a hunger strike because of less play time? i’m working on teaching beowulf that the other pets are to love, and he’s catching on quick. tello is used to living in a house full of animals. i’ll keep offering him different things.
10/06/08  08:38am

 #1875898


Jmusclegirl
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   Message To: Jmusclegirl   In reference to Message Id: 1875888


 NOTHING IS WORKING!!!!!

it finally let me upload a pic:


this is my baby. he’s bigger now--this was about july.
10/06/08  09:12am

 #1875900


Jmusclegirl
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   Message To: Jmusclegirl   In reference to Message Id: 1875898


 NOTHING IS WORKING!!!!!

he’s on top of the entertainment center now and looking content. he ate two entire bites of kale. i put his dish up there. maybe he’ll decide he’s hungry. he loves the e.c. i have a purple crocheted horse up there that he crawls up on and looks like he’s riding it.
10/06/08  09:20am

 #1875911


Birdfever69
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   Message To: Jmusclegirl   In reference to Message Id: 1875900


 NOTHING IS WORKING!!!!!

he may have an upset belly. i would put him in the bath tub in warm water for about 15 mins...water is like a laxative to iggys (ive noticed...lol). i would also stay away from to much kale. try some collards, mustard, or turnip greens.

if he contuines like this...id say get him into a vet.

you may have to put your dog in another room and shut him in there for a while when you have your iggy out.

hope it all gets better. good luck.
10/06/08  10:18am

 #1876018


Jmusclegirl
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   Message To: Birdfever69   In reference to Message Id: 1875911


 NOTHING IS WORKING!!!!!

he’s better now that he’s had his great escape...
i never tried kale before; it was a desperation thing. you could be right about the bath. the last couple days, i’ve been movng too fast to share our usual shower.
10/06/08  02:57pm

 #1876070


Tone102
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   Message To: Jmusclegirl   In reference to Message Id: 1876018


 NOTHING IS WORKING!!!!!

You really need to get him to a vet just to be safe and not to be sorry.

Good luck
Tone~
10/06/08  04:12pm

 #1876097


Jmusclegirl
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   Message To: Tone102   In reference to Message Id: 1876070


 NOTHING IS WORKING!!!!!

thank you--you’re right.
10/06/08  04:45pm

 #1876109


Tone102
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   Message To: Jmusclegirl   In reference to Message Id: 1876097


 NOTHING IS WORKING!!!!!

J,

Nothing personal to you hon. I just advocate vets since I have been through an illness with Sam and I knew right away that something was not right. In our case though he awoke one day and had not defecated but by day two, he was lethargic. Sam is very HYPER so this was a sign for us anyway. The next day he was taken to a vet and in a few days bloodwork came back showing he had an infection,

Hopefully Donatello is just in season but a vet check will not hurt and will give some peace of mind,

Hugs,
Tone~
10/06/08  04:58pm

 #1876198


Jmusclegirl
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   Message To: Tone102   In reference to Message Id: 1876109


 NOTHING IS WORKING!!!!!

oh, i meant the thank you--i was just distracted. i appreciate you guys so much. i’m sure so would ’tello if he realized just how uninformed i am. i’m fighting for a paycheck i earned right now. the second i win, ’tello is first on the list (and if i don’t win w/i another day or two, i have a mastercard). it’s jesse, by the way, don’t know if i mentioned before.



10/06/08  06:53pm

 #1876247


Gone green
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   Message To: Jmusclegirl   In reference to Message Id: 1876198


 NOTHING IS WORKING!!!!!

my ig stopped eating for a while and showed a lot of the signs you mentioned. i went to vet and found out he had parasites.
10/06/08  07:57pm

 #1876257


Tone102
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   Message To: Gone green   In reference to Message Id: 1876247


 NOTHING IS WORKING!!!!!

Jesse,

I somehow missed the part where you said he was in a 40 gallon. Definitely way too small and yes, he will want to get out of there.
Be careful with the dog. That is a major stressor right there.
And as Miss Green said above, parasites are a definite possibility so when you can and as soon as you can, take him in for a checkup as well as working on a bigger enclosure. Not sure if you mentioned you were doing that or not. You have to excuse me, I have tons on my oldish brain haha

I wish you the best
as always
Toni~
10/06/08  08:08pm

 #1876811


Jmusclegirl
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   Message To: Tone102   In reference to Message Id: 1876257


 NOTHING IS WORKING!!!!!

i understand completely. i can’t keep a thought for more than a minute, myself. yes, he’s in a 40 (it might be a 50). i’m deeply ashamed, but it is a vast improvement over what he had when i got him. normally i just leave the top off, and he comes and goes--or just stays in, as long as he knows he could get out if he wanted. a bigger enclusure is high on the priority list. he’s going to the vet tomorrow if all goes well. i get out of work at 1:00. do you know what i might need to be prepared for, costwise? i’ve never taken a lizard to a vet before.
10/07/08  07:34pm

 #1876956


Tone102
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   Message To: Jmusclegirl   In reference to Message Id: 1876811


 NOTHING IS WORKING!!!!!

Jesse,

Vet costs vary on where you are, the vet and what might need to be done, Our vet here is 65.00 for the initial appt. Tack on another 42.00 for the fecal...bloodwork 150..medication 40.00,,nails..15 Sam’s illness last winter cost almost 700.00 after 2.5 visits and a couple of rounds of bloodwork plus the medication, That is here. NJ is the rip off state anyway. You will probably just need the initial checkup and fecal. Bring a fresh sample of Donatello’s feces with you, Just put it in a clean bag without letting anything else touch it if possible and fridge it if you have to until you go. Talk to the vets to make sure they know reptiles and ask about payments. Don’t be afraid to ask about payment plans if that is needed. It really is important for ALL Iguana owners to take their Iggys in for an initial checkup. Sam was clearly unwell so the blood tests in our case was necessary and not routine.

Good luck with it all and keep us posted
Tone~
10/07/08  11:25pm

 #1877227


Beedee
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   Message To: Tone102   In reference to Message Id: 1876956


 NOTHING IS WORKING!!!!!

even though he can come and go as he pleases in 40/50 gallon (undersized) home, do you have anything for him to climb on or anything that remotely resembles his natural habitat? maybe he is feeling stressed from not having any of that stuff if you dont have it?

hopefully he recovers and you get him a larger enclosure for him to feel safe and secure in soon.
10/08/08  05:52pm

 #1877385


Jmusclegirl
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   Message To: Beedee   In reference to Message Id: 1877227


 NOTHING IS WORKING!!!!!

he climbs and plays on the entertainment center and the curtains and little shelves behind it. i’m doing the rest as fast as i can, honest!! we went to the vet today--he’s okay, just stressed by some changes. i just started working again, so i’m not around all day any more, and then there’s the giant dog. a bigger, better enclosure is high on the priority list. i know there are some good instructions on here about building one. thank you for your concern and caring input.
10/08/08  09:07pm


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