Iguana Ate Rubber Band . . . Maybe

Question
QUESTION: Hi Tracie,

I just got home from school and saw a bundle of rubber bands in the bottom of my iguana's cage and scattered in her bathing pond.  I'm concerned that she may have eaten one or more of them.  Should I take her into an after-hours emergency veterinary clinic immediately, or is this something that can wait until morning for me to make an appointment with my vet?

Thanks!
-Jess

ANSWER: Hello Jessie,

Oh no, that is too bad!  This is something that can wait until the morning, but definitely get her in to see the vet for an x-ray.  She may be able to pass it successfully but it could also get bound up somewhere in the tummy or intestines area.  
How is she doing?  Is she acting any different right now?

Tracie



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I took her to the vet and he said she did not swallow a rubber band, but she is actually gravid!  I've never had a gravid iguana so I'm not quite sure what to expect.  She's apparently, pretty far along (the vet can't tell when she will lay though).  I've had a nest box in her habitat for a month or so (two medium-sized black tubs filled with moist Eco Earth fine coconut bark substrate and a heating pad on top) . . . ever since I noticed her appetite declining, but she just ignores it.

Yesterday I stayed home from school sick.  I was trying to sleep, but the whole time Ursula is scratching and climbing all over her cage like a crazy ig!  She was climbing up, down, and all around her cage practically non-stop all day long until she finally collapsed around 6pm.  Is this normal behavior for a gravid iguana?  It's certainly not normal for Ursula.  

Thanks so much for the quick response!  I'm relieved that she just knocked the rubber bands into her cage and didn't eat any!  Now I'm on to worrying about dystocia instead, lol. =)

-Jess

ANSWER: Hello Jess,

Oh my you have a gravid iguana, infertile eggs, right?  
At least she did not swallow any rubberbands though, that is good news.  :-))
Yes, that actually is relatively normal behavior for gravid reptiles, in general.  They become very restless & manic.  
The laybox should be ok for her.  Make sure it stays fairly damp, so she can dig a burrow if she wants to.
Are you giving her extra calcium, daily since the eggs really zap the calcium out of her body.
What type of UVB light do you use, a fluorescent tube bulb or a compact/coil light?  How old is the UVB light?
If she is that far along, her eggs have probably gotten close to dropping down for her to get ready to lay soon.  A decreased appetite is normal, as she is running out of room in her body to eat right now.  She will probably lay pretty soon then.  Give extra calcium that will help Ursula out.
Let me know how she is doing!

Tracie

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I can see the shapes of the eggs when I look at her belly straight down.  What I'm worried about is that she completely ignores the nest box.  I don't care where she lays her eggs as long as she can get them out of her.  When should I start to worry about her not being able to pass them?

I can give her some extra calcium, but I'm feeding her primarily turnip greens and collards and I thought they had enough calcium in them.  My light is a ReptiSun 10.0 uvb fluorescent tube bulb.  I put this new one in about two months ago.  I also have a uva basking lamp for her.

She was with a male iguana in late May (when I purchased her), but not since then so I'm assuming (hoping) that the eggs are infertile.  

Thanks so much, Tracie!
-Jess


Answer
Hello Jess,

She doesn't have any interest in her laybox at all?  Hm, you could try switching it out & putting soil & vermiculite in it instead to see if she prefers that.  Sometimes, they can get quite picky about what their nesting area is like.
Hm, well, if she was with a male, it is likely that they will be fertile if it was a successful mating that is.  They do retain sperm for long periods of time!!
Ok, the Reptisun 10 tube bulb should be fine for another 4 or so months.  The greens are great sources of calcium, but she needs extra supplemental calcium at least 4 maybe 5 times per week right now.  I would say give her a few more weeks or so.  If she doesn't lay them inside of another month, I would definitely be very concerned.  So, do increase her calcium, that may help her.
If she is low in calcium, she is going to have a very hard time laying the eggs & could retain them, or severly prolapse trying to lay them.
Let me know how she is doing.

Tracie