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#373128
Rtboyle33
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Fatten Up 
Whats the best thing to feed to help fatten up an iguana. Im currently feeding mine collard greens every day. he is in an outdoor cage with the top being half wood and half screen. my yard is mostly shaded so i have an MVB buld on just in case and he does get some sunshine during certain times of day. im just concerned cuz his back leg and base of his tail are rather thin with loose skin. he has been this way since i got him. im just curious what veggies r best for putting on a little more muscle faster. thanx for any advice
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06/16/05 11:30am
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#373148
Ferndalezoo
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Message To: Rtboyle33 In reference to Message Id: 373128
Fatten Up
While collards area great green for an iggie, they need a much more varried diet. collard, turnip, mustard, and dandelion greens; escarole; shredded butternut or acorn squash; small amounts of fruit such as berries, melon, mango, papaya, banana... The best way to "fatten up" a skinny iggy is simply to feed him more, and more often. I found with Julius, who came to us very thin, one good thing was to run his food through a shredder. He ate more if the pieces were smaller. And at first, to entice him to eat more greens, instead of just picking out the friut, which was his favorite thing to do, I ran the fruit through a blender and used it more like salad dressing on his greens.
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06/16/05 12:22pm
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#373177
Rtboyle33
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Message To: Ferndalezoo In reference to Message Id: 373148
Fatten Up
good idea. how is watermelon for an iguana? would that be too much sugar or would it be ok?
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06/16/05 12:59pm
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#373232
Ferndalezoo
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Message To: Rtboyle33 In reference to Message Id: 373177
Fatten Up
It’s mostly water, and not much else, so it’s not a good dietary staple, but once in a while as a treat is fine, especially if your ig dehiydrates easily. It’s one of Julius’s favorite treats. We keep it to once a month or so......
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06/16/05 02:10pm
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#374153
Starcat
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Message To: Ferndalezoo In reference to Message Id: 373232
Fatten Up
Excellent Idea about the salad dressing!! I’m going to try that today. My girl always does the same thing with her fruit!! 
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06/17/05 01:45pm
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#374253
Starcat
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Message To: Starcat In reference to Message Id: 374153
Fatten Up
I did it, I blended up some raspberries, blackberries, and 1 strawberry, (it smelled good!!) I put a little on the top of her salad and kinda mixed it up. She was loving it!! Of course she found the one spot that wasn’t quite mixed up and got it all over the place, messy little girl, that’s OK tho it was worth it she ate alot more then she usually does at one time. Thanks again. 
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06/17/05 03:46pm
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#374267
Ferndalezoo
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Message To: Starcat In reference to Message Id: 374253
Fatten Up
When Julius first came to live with us, he didn’t know what greens were, and we really had to jump through hoops to teach him. That was one trick that worked really well. Glad it works for you!
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06/17/05 04:02pm
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#374301
Starcat
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Message To: Ferndalezoo In reference to Message Id: 374267
Fatten Up
I know what you mean, mine had only ever had frozen mixed veggies, but she liked her greens right away!! I think it’s because they were fresh and crisp instead of all mushy. But as soon as she started getting fruit in with them, she’d eat the fruit first, and then in turn not eat enough greens, so your idea was perfect!! Julius is adorable!! He looks like such a sweetie!
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06/17/05 04:32pm
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#374382
Reptigirl
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Message To: Starcat In reference to Message Id: 374301
Fatten Up
That sounds good enough for me to eat. want to come and cook for me LOL. That is a great idea. My girl was so thin and had the Beginnings of MBD. She would not eat for me. The stupid people that had her were self treating her with shots of steroids with out vet care. I would sprinkle the iggy pellets over the greens and she began to eat and put on good weight and color. I have since weened her off but boy did that help. Next time I think I will try your way although I think the pellets gave her that something extra she needed. They also smelled really good. I must be hungry LOL.
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06/17/05 06:15pm
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#379762
Kannibal_Bowser187
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Message To: Rtboyle33 In reference to Message Id: 373177
 Fatten Up
Yes watermelon is ok but feed it to him once in a while.
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06/23/05 11:38am
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#379922
Meforme
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Message To: Kannibal_Bowser187 In reference to Message Id: 379762
Fatten Up
for the fruit dressing stuff, what fruits do you recommend as being best for blending?
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06/23/05 03:26pm
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#379932
Meforme
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Message To: Meforme In reference to Message Id: 379922
Fatten Up
http://www.drkreger.com/iguanas.html#enclosure also on this site, i read that this guy sometimes hangs a whole collard green leaf or other kinds from the top of the cage so the iguana feels like it is doing the natural thing, have any of you heard of this or done it? and does it work?
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06/23/05 03:31pm
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#380036
Sathane
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Message To: Meforme In reference to Message Id: 379932
Fatten Up
Yes it does work. My young igs have a suction clip in their tank that I usually clip large leafy greens to. They like it and it’s pretty clean too.
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06/23/05 05:03pm
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#380125
Ferndalezoo
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Message To: Sathane In reference to Message Id: 380036
Fatten Up
Our usual fruit salad dressing is mango, appricots, whatever berries I have on hand that day, and sometimes banana. Basically, if it’s soft and can go through a blender, it’s game.
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06/23/05 06:04pm
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#380158
Meforme
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Message To: Ferndalezoo In reference to Message Id: 380125
Fatten Up
ok, do you do that with every feeding or just a couple of different times
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06/23/05 06:27pm
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#380191
Ferndalezoo
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Message To: Meforme In reference to Message Id: 380158
Fatten Up
At first, when Julius was dangerously thin and didn’t know what greens were, it was every feed, and quite a bit of it. Gradually, we worked it down to every 4th or 5th feed, and only about a tablespoon at a time.
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06/23/05 06:49pm
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