AWJAC 2018

AWJAC 2018

Green Iguana Scenario

Prepared and edited by J. Siegford

AWJAC 2018

Overview—Iguanas Jim• 4 year old male green iguana, 10”

SVL*• Obtained at 2 years of age from

friend who moved away

• Another 6 year old male green iguana (Bones) lives in separate enclosure within sight of Jim

Verde• 7 year old female green iguana, 16”

SVL*• Obtained at 2 months of age from

reputable pet store (who breeds their own iguanas)

• No iguanas or other reptiles owned presently

*SVL = snout to vent length

Dances with Ghosts CC-BY-NC

Nate Agrin CC-BY-NC

AWJAC 2018

Overview—OwnersJim• Owner is in his mid-20s

• Owned 1 previous iguana, another ‘rescue’ from a friend

• Had a fungal infection, s-shaped spine and rubbery bones when obtained, died shortly after adoption

• Has high school degree• Reads online about iguana care• No children in the house• Friends visit frequently in evenings

and on weekends• Stay late—apartment lights (and

sometimes Jim’s lights) are on past midnight

Verde• Owner is in her mid-50s

• Never owned an iguana before• Has a MS in secondary education and

BS in biology• Goes to pet store for guidance and

seminars on reptile care• No children in the house• Friends and family come over regularly

on weekends• No young children, teenagers in family are

mildly interested• Iguana is a conversation topic when

family eats out on the sun porch

AWJAC 2018

Overview—External EnvironmentJim• Lives in enclosure in living room

of an apartment in Pacific Northwest near the coast

• Summer average temp = 67F (19C)• Winter average temp = 35F (2C)• Average humidity = 60-80%

• Other animals• Persian cat who stays near Jim

when he is out of his enclosure

Verde• Lives in enclosure in fenced

backyard of a house in East-Central Florida

• Summer average temp = 89F (32C)• Winter average temp = 59F (15C)• Average humidity = 75-90%

• Other animals• Domestic shorthair cat lives indoors

and watches Verde from the window• Occasionally feral iguanas have been

seen in trees in neighborhood*SVL = snout to vent length

AWJAC 2018

Enclosure—Jim • Enclosure = glass terrarium 3’ tall x 3’ wide x 2’ deep (1 m x 1 m x 0.6m)

• Sides are glass with a wire screen cover with openings of 0.25 in (0.5 cm) • Shallow ceramic food dish, 6” (15 cm) diameter• Metal water bowl, 10” (25 cm) diameter• Cyprus mulch bedding 1’ (2.5 cm) deep on bottom• Artificial plants are draped over branches

• Owner tries to remove excreta every other day• Jim is allowed to wander in living room during cleaning

• Completely cleaned out monthly• All mulch removed• Cage and shelves sprayed with household surface cleaner and wiped down• Jim is placed in bathtub to swim during big cleaning

AWJAC 2018

Enclosure—Jim

F

W

heat lampUV light

wooden shelf 3 ft(90 cm)

3 ft (90 cm)

1.5 ft(46 cm)

W = water dish, F = food dish

Fake plants

AWJAC 2018

Enclosure—Verde• Enclosure = custom made habitat 6’ tall x 8’ wide x 4’ deep (1.8 m x 2.4 m x 1.2 m)

• Floor is sealed concrete Sides and roof are sturdy mesh with 1” (2.5 cm) openings• Roof is covered with grass thatch that lets some light filter through• Owner places solid plexiglass panels around 3 sides of enclosure when winter temps <75F (24C)• 2’ x 3’ (0.6 m x 1 m) pool set into floor, drained and refilled daily• Several floor to ceiling branches, live hibiscus and live nasturtiums are in enclosure• Resting shelves mounted on upper walls, covered in artificial turf that can be removed for cleaning• Large box filled 1.5 ’ (46 cm) deep with sand/organic potting soil mix on floor of enclosure

• Enclosure is cleaned daily to remove excreta• Iguana remains in cage when owner enters to clean

• Completely cleaned out every week • Cage floor, wire, branches and shelves washed down using the garden hose• Dirty spots scrubbed with vinegar and water solution (1 : 1 ratio) and rinsed thoroughly• Verde is encouraged to go up to a shelf during deep cleaning

AWJAC 2018

Encl

osur

e—Ve

rde

Water

heat lamp UV light

heat lamp

UV light

Sand Box

Hibiscus

Thatch (covers entire roof, cut away to show interior)

F

Nasturtium

F = food dish

AWJAC 2018

TemperatureJim• Heat mat placed under half of

enclosure and water bowl• 75W black heat incandescent bulb

located at cage top near UV light• Shines down onto the top shelf• Owner didn’t notice for a week when the

last bulb burned out

• Temp range of entire cage = 75-85F (24-29C)

• Temp over heat mat = 85F (29C)• Temp on shelf under bulb = 90F (32C)

Verde• Most of enclosure reflects ambient

temperature• 2 100W infrared heat lamps are located

in various areas of the enclosure• Iguana cannot contact bulbs• Linked to thermostats that turned lamps on

when <75F (24C)

• Temp 1’ (30 cm) under heat lamps = ~100F (38C)

• Owner check lamps and thermostats daily

AWJAC 2018

HumidityJim• Owner uses squirt bottle to mist

iguana • Generally does this after replacing Jim

in cage each day

• Humidity in enclosure = 60-75%

Verde• Owner uses hose to gently mist

enclosure and iguana each day after cleaning

• Humidity in summer is the same as ambient humidity

• In winter, humidity in enclosure ranges from 70-90%

AWJAC 2018

LightJim• One 100W UV-A, UV-B bulb located

at cage top near heat lamp• Shines down onto the top

shelf/branch ~1’ (30 cm) away

• Light turned on ~14-16 h • Owner turns on in the morning and off

before bed• Occasionally forgets to switch on or off

(happens once a week or so)

• Bulb replaced when it burns out

Verde• Enclosure receives direct and

indirect natural light• Various parts of enclosure are always

in sun

• 100W UV-A, UV-B bulbs located near heat lamps

• On timer with 12 h light : 12 h dark schedule

• Owner checks bulbs each morning and evening, replaces bulbs every 6 months

AWJAC 2018

Time Out of EnclosureJim• Allowed out daily after the owner

returns from work (rotated with Bones)

• Supervision is intermittent as the owner moves to and fro between rooms

• Jim likes to sit on windowsill in the living room (faces north)

• Sometimes window is open to allow air into the apartment through the screen

• Once Jim pushed through the screen and fell 2 floors to the awning over the building entrance. He was recovered with no apparent injuries

Verde• Verde is not let out of her enclosure in

the yard

• Verde is not brought into the house

AWJAC 2018

Nutrition—Jim • Fed once a day after owner returns from work around 6pm

• Owner removes uneaten food before putting new food in cage• There is usually some uneaten food every day• Most food is placed in dish on cage floor• Some is put on shelves or branches. Greens close to lamps rapidly wilt

• Diet = mostly leafy greens (romaine lettuce, collard greens, kale, and spinach)

• Sometimes given vegetables and fruit including squash, sweet potatoes, corn, apple, banana, orange segments, and berries of different types

• Fed 2-3 different types of food at each meal• When roaming loose, Jim sometimes finds stray pieces of cat kibble or joins

the cat at the food dish and eats some wet food

AWJAC 2018

Nutrition—Verde • Fed once a day in the morning

• Uneaten food is removed before new food is added• Food is chopped and mixed together• Food is placed in dish on floor of enclosure • A wide variety of foods are offered at each meal• Owner offers more if everything is eaten before she leaves for work

• Diet = variety of dark, leafy greens + smaller portion of vegetables and fruit • Most common greens = collard greens, dandelions, endive, turnip greens, cactus pads (~60%

of diet)• Green beans, peas, okra, orange squashes, and asparagus are main vegetables (~30% of diet)• Mango, figs, melon, papaya, and berries are main fruits (~10% of diet)

• A small amount of commercially available adult iguana diet is provided (1x/day)• Reptile vitamin and mineral mix sprinkled on food (1x/week)

AWJAC 2018

Health CareJim• No routine vet care

• Went to vet 2 months after first obtained with swollen forelimbs

• Diagnosed with metabolic bone disorder

• Vet recommended increased exposure to sunlight, weekly vitamin D supplement and more dark greens

• Owner checks and trims nails ~ 1x/month

Verde• Taken to local exotics vet yearly for

check up• Placed in cat carrier for the trip with

towel draped over it

• Taken in when damaged skin near vent and excess scratching observed

• Diagnosed with mites• Treated by smothering with petroleum

jelly, cage thoroughly cleaned

AWJAC 2018

Health OutcomesJim• He continues to have somewhat puffy

forelimbs

• Jim sometimes has difficulty shedding skin

• Once retained skin restricted blood flow to several of his toes and dorsal spines

• The problem was not detected until 2 toe tips came off with skin

Verde• She has broken several toes over the

years

• Verde lost the tip of her tail to a stray cat last year

©dimzel©salazreslytherin

AWJAC 2018

Human-Animal Interactions—Jim • Owner hand feeds Jim regularly• Owner handles Jim several times a day when letting him out of or

returning to cage, putting Jim in tub or picking him up to hold• Slides hand under Jim and scoops him forward • Fingers wrap around head/forelegs, body and back legs drape over arm

• Jim likes to sit on owner’s shoulder and walk around house• Climbs onto owner’s recliner and perches on armrest when owner and cat

are sitting on it watching TV

• Jim is calm but alert when approached and reached for by owner• Does not head bob or tail lash• Allows his feet to be handled and nails trimmed

• He hides among branches and leaves when visitors come over

Dances with Ghosts CC-BY-NC

Samir CC-BY-NC

AWJAC 2018

Human-Animal Interactions—Verde • Verde is rarely handled by her owner

• Verde tries to move away• If cornered, she will tail lash and adopt a tall stance with dewlap

flared

• Owner reaches down and grasps Verde from above behind shoulders with one hand. She grips Verde’s hips and base of tail with the other hand.

• Verde struggles when held, lashes tail and tries to bite• She does not allow owner to trim her nails

• Verde sometimes strikes owner with tail when owner catches her go to vet

• Owner now wears protective gloves and tries to put a towel over Verde before picking her up

Elephantissimo CC-BY-SA

AWJAC 2018

Behavior – Jim • In his enclosure, Jim normally rests on the shelf or upper part of the branch

• Spends some time partially in water dish or on floor in that half of the enclosure

• When out in the apartment, Jim…• Climbs on all types of furniture, including table• Goes into bathroom and eliminates in tub (even if

tub is empty)

• When Jim sees Bones, he…• Sometimes head bobs, extends dewlap and stands tall• Has bitten owner’s ear when walking by Bones• Sometimes he moves away and hides behind furniture• May become rigid on all 4 legs, showing his side and tail to Bones

Dances with Ghosts CC-BY-NC

Dances with Ghosts CC-BY-NC

AWJAC 2018

Behavior – Verde• In addition to eating her prepared meals, Verde grazes regularly on the hibiscus

and nasturtium leaves and flowers in her enclosure

• In her enclosure, Verde…• Spends more time on shelves on cool days• Basks in sunny spots on the floor and branches• Spends the hottest part of the day in the pool or up in

the shade under the thatch and leaves• Bathes frequently in the pool• Retreats to highest branches in center when startled

• Verde lays eggs each spring in the sand box• Verde laid her first clutch at 3 years old• Clutch size ranges from 28-42 eggs• She goes off food for ~1 month before starting to lay• She has never had difficulty laying eggs

Nate Argin CC-BY-NC

Serge Melki CC-BY