Well, Gandhi sure knows how to pack away the leaves but anything that doesnt come in leaf-form is a mere annoyance on his plate. Does anyone have suggestions on how to broaden an ig's culinary horizons? I have tried coating each leaf in food-processed mush that contains like 15 super-ig ingredients and that works OK but not great....lately I have just been putting the leaves on the bottom and smothering them with the tiny bits of endive, squash, blueberries, zucchini, bell pepper, peas, etc. and this means he has to push the food all over the place to access the prized leaves......Gandhi has never been interested in fruit and he only eats the non-leafy ingredients if he is forced to either by hand feeding or by accident. Collards are the only thing he considers worthy of nosing through the food dish! Do iguanas tend to find variety more appealing when they grow older, like children, or are they picky eaters until you break their fussy habbits? Is it just a matter of time before he breaks down and cleans his plate? I have been limiting the leaves in hopes that he will be forced to try the other ingredients and like them, but this has so far resulted in him eating a very small amount of food every day...
besides-the leaves are important! Help!

Instead of mushing, try finely grating the squash, zucchini, bell peppers and similiar items. Wet the greens then the grated vegetables will stick to the leaves. Later use a larger grater blade. Maybe that might work. I myself am constantly being challenged with my older anorexic igs.

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Jan. 25, 1963 - Sept. 10, 2006 (R.I.P)

Thats pretty much what I've been trying this week, and he does eat the grated bits when they are stuck to the leaves but not any other time.....Do you think I should temporarily adjust the ratio of greens and other ingredients so that he has so few leaves that he is forced to eat the others? I dont want to starve him!!!!

you wont starve him...lol..if hes hungry then he will eat, sometimes its the only way to get them to eat new foods or foods they wont accept at first

So then should I not give him any leaves for a few days? Only other stuff? Because he is waiting it out....every day he picks out the leaves and turns his nose up at the rest. Stubborn little guy! Its my fault though, because I was indulging his leaf addiction by overfeeding with the leaves. Im an enabler!

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"You must be the change you wish to see in the world" ~ Mahatma Gandhi

LOL...yeah in the longrun its whats best for the monster

I think you are looking at this backwards. The vast majority of an iguana's diet are the leafy greens. The veggies and fruits are just a slight addition. What you might try is cutting every thing up into smaller sized peices. That way it will be impossible for him to pick out just one item.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

Well I agree and thats why I initially wasn't concerned and let him indulge himself on the greens. Im glad he loves them! But lately I have been feeling like maybe I am not being a good mommy because he doesnt end up ingesting much other than Collards, Mustards, and Dandilions (I cant find the other leafy items around here) so I began a mission to get him to expand his horizons. The problem is, I add shredded or tiny-chopped veggies and fruits to the leaf pile and he just pushes them away. Leaves are easy to pick out
(unless you think I should shred the leaves?) I really appreciate everyone's advice.

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"You must be the change you wish to see in the world" ~ Mahatma Gandhi

Try shredding up the leaves too..that could do it

That's what I meant. Cut up greens and all and mix it up.

__________________
Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!