Hello one and all!

[Salazar Slytherin]

A high percentage of the iguana diet should consist of dark green, leafy vegetables. Eighty to ninety percent of the diet should be chosen from:
- collard greens
- turnip greens
- mustard greens
- bok choy
- Swiss chard
- clover
- red or green cabbage
- savoy cabbage

Beet greens and spinach contain oxalates that may bind dietary calcium should be offered only occasionally.

The same goes for kale, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower because these bind iodine and may cause thyroid problems. The Green Iguana


But hang on, the list at the top said 80% should be in the cabbage family (brassicas). Confused dot com

There's more reliable-looking info here: Feeding Iguanas

to Yes, I have searched the internet, I have a list of foods that has been observed in the wild (tree leaves which for some reason alot of caresheets miss out on?, speaking and emailing authors, I know what I want to feed and have it planned out, my issues is how I grow what I want, there is still alot of outdated info around on the internet which does not make it all that reliable, I also am a member on the green iguana society and iguana zone, rfuk and reptileforums.netaswell but that food chart basicly has the good idea, personally I don't feed spinach to my iguana, I have seen some nasty effcts of what it can do to iggys good link though

[marchogaeth]

Spring greens are cabbages ...

Yes, got to say we wouldn't feed anything remotely brassica, knowingly. Having said that, I didn't have mustard down as a brassica but our beardies left it anyway when offered it. As a general rule, unless animals have been bred to stupidity, they won't eat fresh foods that are bad for them. (Dried/wilted another matter - witness horses and ragwort.)

Stopping now as this is a gardening forum!

[Salazar Slytherin]

Yes, got to say we wouldn't feed anything remotely brassica, knowingly. Having said that, I didn't have mustard down as a brassica but our beardies left it anyway when offered it. As a general rule, unless animals have been bred to stupidity, they won't eat fresh foods that are bad for them. (Dried/wilted another matter - witness horses and ragwort.)

Stopping now as this is a gardening forum!

This is the kind of difficulty though us reptile keepers face isn't it? there is so much contradiction and open to interpretation because everyone likes using "big words" and confusing everyone lol, and of course many caresheets, books etc are outdated and full of myth, many of my own carebooks say they should be fed livefood ( but they are hindgut fermentors) herbivores, a digestive system made to digest plant matter. Beardies I beleive can eat live food can't they? I did with mine lol.

Mustard greens are one of the best you could feed a beardy? or any other herp for that matter, maybe he didn't like the spicyness? lol.

I really appreciate everyones comments and thoughts.

Okay so to list what seeds I have

Mustard 2 different seeds
Turnip
chicory
plantain
beet
nasturtium
petunia
alfalfa
flowers prev mentioned

I will be looking for other things to grow as time goes on, more greens, and fruits etc so I look forward to learning and getting some input from you guys.

I might even share some of his foods lol.

[Currysniffa]

Hello and welcome to the vine

[Salazar Slytherin]

Hello and welcome to the vine

thankyou

[Glutton4...]

Hello, and welcome to the Madhouse!

[Two_Sheds]

unless animals have been bred to stupidity, they won't eat fresh foods that are bad for them

That's debatable: just as an eg. African Grey parrots LOVE peanuts, but they're bad for them.

We had a dog who ate lightbulbs and tampons (granted though, she WAS stupid).

I really appreciate everyones comments and thoughts.

Okay so to list what seeds I have

Mustard 2 different seeds
Turnip
chicory
plantain
beet
nasturtium
petunia
alfalfa
flowers prev mentioned

I hope you don't think I was trying to teach you to suck eggs? I was simply trying to learn about and understand a diet completely new to me.

So, now you have your list. I've forgotten the question ! ... did you want to know how to grow them?

[Two_Sheds]

No they are not they are considerd closely related to cabbages, but the build up of minerals and and vitamins and nutritional content says otherwise, unlike some cabbages it does not form a head,

Er... spring greens ARE immature cabbages. If you sow Offenham Flower of Spring, for instance, and harvest it young it's called "spring greens". If you leave OFOS to mature, it will have a heart/head, ie a cabbage as you know it, as will Durham.

Perhaps those goity things aren't present in the immature plant though? Just as the lectin in French beans increases with maturity of the plant.

I'm not looking to argue with you, I'm just checking that we're talking about the same plant (and we are) and I'm saying therefore you CAN grow it yourself, and cheaply (OFOS is just one variety).

[Salazar Slytherin]

Hi 2 sheds, I have used forums for nearly 6 years now, one thing I have learnt is that taking what people say on the internet negatively to heart results in too much conflict and it is something I don't intend especially when I wish to share common ground with you so no I didn't think you were arguing with me I appreciate your input, it does frustrate me slightly but it is the internet and disagreement is fine, this is how we learn so when i say frustrated I use the term loosely because it is the internet and I am never really angry about anyone. I respect the fact that you went out of your way to learn a little more that is great, but for the record no I didn't think you were arguing with me, not compared to some I have seen on the internet lol.

Those sites you listed are great for the novice and expirienced keeper, a good starting point into their research, the problem is there is easily bad information spouted on the internet, copied, spread to other websites and the myths become a vicous circle, for example the iguana is a herbovore arboreal, who eats tree leaves in the wild? no caresheet I have ever read has mentioned anything about which tree leaves? I know of a few but that is through gaining much info and looking for real scientific info observed by herpetologists, so I will be asking for help on that one nearer down the line

I asked the exact same questions you did when I done some proper research into their diets.
But spring greens are cabbages? every reply I got was they are not? perhaps I have been misled, but I would never learn unless I pointed out my thoughts and what I learnt on the matter, so I am greatful for that, even though I still stand by what I beleive in the mean time.

With regards to animals eating the wrong stuff, you are right, that is very debatible, but there are many reasons for why an animal might eat something it might otherwise leave alone.
I am willing to talk about that if anyone is interested in the reasoninga behind it, and alot of it is not what you might think

So I am going to plant some more mustard tomorrow and leave it to stand on the window sills ontil I get it the way I want, what about chicory and plantain? can that just be grown in pots?

Goitrogens are present in many of our daily foods, the problems arise when they are fed in large quantities, and my intention on this forum is to focus on the good stuff and not the foods I can already buy

[Salazar Slytherin]

Hello, and welcome to the Madhouse!

thankyou

[cardiffsteve]

Hi and welcome
Watch out for the nutters!

I know nothing about reptiles and even less about growing but this is a nice forum and I'm sure you will get all the information you require.

[donnakebab]

Pot marigold is easy to grow and self seeds (or you can collect them at the end of the season for next year). Don't know what nationality it is though. Lol. Nasturtiums the same. Dead easy to grow, self seed and you can collect the seeds to dry and use next year. Also as a bonus we can eat them too!

[veggiechicken]

Welcome to Salazar Slytherin and Albus the Iguana. Albus is going to be the best fed iguana in the country by the time us lot have finished advising you. Hope you can share some of his food!

[Salazar Slytherin]

Hi and welcome
Watch out for the nutters! [ATTACH=CONFIG]27092[/ATTACH]


I know nothing about reptiles and even less about growing but this is a nice forum and I'm sure you will get all the information you require.

Haha thanks for the welcome

Pot marigold is easy to grow and self seeds (or you can collect them at the end of the season for next year). Don't know what nationality it is though. Lol. Nasturtiums the same. Dead easy to grow, self seed and you can collect the seeds to dry and use next year. Also as a bonus we can eat them too!

Thanks for the advice, that is useful to know

Welcome to Salazar Slytherin and Albus the Iguana. Albus is going to be the best fed iguana in the country by the time us lot have finished advising you. Hope you can share some of his food!

awwwwwwwwwwwwwww thanks veggie I like the sound of that! I think he does too lol.

[Helgalush]

Hi Salazar and welcome.

I'm not sure if it will be the same, but the marigold you might be after is the pot marigold (also known as calendula) - this is the type of marigold that is safe for rabbits (herbivores also - I have several living here with me). I understand that French marigolds and African marigolds are NOT safe for rabbits so I assume that therefore it might be the same for your iguna, but obviously you will need to satisfy yourself of that.

I've found nasturtiums really easy to grow well, and the great thing is that its really easy to save the seed from them. The seeds will become obvious as they mature later in the season and all you need to do is go round collecting the seeds and allowing them to dry thoroughly. Then you are self-sufficient in nasturtium seeds!

I've also found plantain really easy to grow from seed, so hope you do too.