school iguana(important need info A.S.A.P)

I_Love_Iggy · #1 09-18-2004, 01:10 PM

I have a problem. Our student council has bought an iguana as a school pet.They didnt even know anything about iguanas. We had an empty aquarium that can be vued in a hallway and they wanted to buy a pet for the school and put it there( I thought a fish would have been good). They arrived with an iguana.They didnt even know how to take care of it. let alone knew it is capable of getting to 6 feet long and lives even longer.I was reading about needing to get it in a calm place. well...hundreds of students pass the hallways 6 times a day right next to him like an earthquake not to mention the bell. so its impossible for him to be in a quiet place.Ive taken the responsibilities of taking care of him.Since last year(weve had him for a year now) They didnt even know how to take care of him.Last year he burned his head on the heat lamp when he jumped off someone who was cleaning his cage.They didnt even bring him to the vet. And he was getting parasyted because the cage wasnt cleaned enough, they dindt fed him the right food and they didnt spray him enough because he was dehydrated.During the weekends a student was in charge of bringing him home and taking care of him.During the summer one of my fellow school mates brought him to her house. She is probaly the only one eccept for me who ever took interest in his health and that he had to be properly taken care of. When he came back he was perfectly healthy and has grown and was more lively. I was happy to see that untill this week. I went thrue to hall to look at iggy(thats his name) and saw that he had parasytes walking voer him and a line across his stomach that showed he was dehydrated.I went to the classroom where iggy was kept and asked told the teacher who was taking care of him.And he said he was.Its sad because he loves iggy but he has no idea how to take care of him. So i took charge.He didnt even know we had to clean the vage and he wasnt sprayed enough. I cleaned his whole cage washing all his branches and rocks in hot water and cleaning everything the best i could and then sprayed iggy with water during every break after our classes. And then i found out that during the weekend. iggy was left at the school with his hotlamp on and extra food. NO ONE WAS EVEN TKING CARE OF HIM!!! that was the straw that broke my back. Hes currently at my house for the weekend and im making shure hes eating the right food and being sprayed regularly and his hotlamp is on at a surtain time and off at another. and ive also asked and am parying that the school will give in and buy a thermometer and something to msure the humidity in his vivarium. I just wanted to know what i could do to make him more comfterable and reduce the stress hes going thrue even if i cant get him into a quiet place. since its impossible.Anything i could get as advice would be welcome. all i care about is iggys welfare.

thanks
camille

**krazy4birds** · #2 09-18-2004, 01:39 PM

Camille......This is a wonderfull thing you are doing. And I am going to highly encourage you to ask for ownership of Iggy. Where he is at during the school year is extremely stressfull on him and he could very easily die from it

. Are you in a position where you could take him? If not why don't you go to whoever it is that makes decisions like that and at least ask that he be moved to a lower traffic area. Present them with all the facts written on paper about the correct way to care for him and that the conditions he is in right now is very harmfull and to put it in correct text it is "animal abuse" and if someone reports it to the right people the school will lose him anyway. This really needs to be taken care of for Iggys sake and I believe you are the person who can make a difference. Please keep us updated!!!!!

I_Love_Iggy · #3 09-18-2004, 01:44 PM

I would try to get ownership if my mother would agree...shes already getting rid of my cat(to a good home and im refusing anyone unless i get to pic who) . So i could use the "guilt trip" and tell her that im gruaduating next year and hed be coming with me. i know someone who would sell me a big aquarium for 15$. and then when he outgrows it wich will hopefull only be in 2 years *gulps*. ill be able to build or buy him something bigger. but i dont know if my mom would agree... shes scared of iggy.I WILL though tell them what i found out and if they refuse to buy the stuff and put him some where calmer i will PERSONNALLY report them for cruetly to animals

I_Love_Iggy · #4 09-21-2004, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by I_Love_Iggy

I would try to get ownership if my mother would agree...shes already getting rid of my cat(to a good home and im refusing anyone unless i get to pic who) . So i could use the "guilt trip" and tell her that im gruaduating next year and hed be coming with me. i know someone who would sell me a big aquarium for 15$. and then when he outgrows it wich will hopefull only be in 2 years *gulps*. ill be able to build or buy him something bigger. but i dont know if my mom would agree... shes scared of iggy.I WILL though tell them what i found out and if they refuse to buy the stuff and put him some where calmer i will PERSONNALLY report them for cruetly to animals

My mom said I could and shes not getting rid of my cat either but now i dont know if the school will let me...and iggy is getting worse...he hasnt eaten in 2 days and i caught people knocking at his vivarium!!! im like so worried for him i cant even concentrate in class...all i want to do is cry or scream at them to let me take him or bring him to someone else who will take good care of him!

**krazy4birds** · #5 09-21-2004, 07:31 PM

If I were you I would go to the highest ranking person in your school and present the problems then offer the solutions. If they do not take you seriously then report them at once to the people who run the prevention of cruelty to anilmals. This needs to be done now or else Iggy might not live! Good Luck and oh......your mom is great!!!!!