Hey, it seems that my IG understands somewhat that I want it to poop in the water tub. But I think all it understands is that it should poop with its legs propped on the edge. It doesn't understand that he should poop INSIDE the pan.

Ever since I have switched to the larger pan in the large enclosure, unlike the small one in his old enclosure, he has been pooping with his FRONT legs propped on the water tub. So it ends up pooping always JUST OUTSIDE the water tub. It doesn't understand that the poop is supposed to go on the other side of the fence.

I can't manually place him into the tub while he's started pooping. I've tried. He runs around escaping with half a turd sticking out of its butt, and even when I successfully put him in, he jumps right back out.

I don't know if the water is too cold, (the temp gradients are just right, in the air anyway), or that the water pan is so big that he can't prop all fours on the edges but just the front legs. I don't know if building a piece of wood over the water bowl will help and allow it to prop his hind legs on the edge?

Hello,

If the water is too cool, he may not be comfortable in it. Check the temperature of the water. 85 degrees would be comfortable for him.

You could also place some newspaper under the dish. If he goes on the paper, it will make cleanup a breeze.

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How can I make the water warm? It's obviously on the cool end/floor, not near the basking light. If I put a light there it would mess up the temp gradient. I don't really like those heating pads either.

I used to change Godz water twice a day. First thing in the morning, he would get a nice warm tub of water for him to poop in 9not that he ever did), then he would get his brekky, then in the afternoon, he would get another bowl of warm water which he usually had a lie in for 10 minutes and then just king of flicked his food and stuff in it and would sit ther watching his greens floating round in amazement lol

Well, Liv poops at different times each day, and I want to let her. But is there anyway I can keep the water warm without affecting the temp gradient?

Perhaps a heating pad under the tank? Or is that not safe?

Its actually easier for me to clean if it poops on the newspapers than have me to take out that huge waterbowl, but I just feel like darnit if you guys do it I can too!!

Hello,

With some creativity, you could heat the water using a fishtank heater. You would need to create a "box" around the heater so the ig couldn't get to it. You would also want to conceal the wiring coming from the heater so the iguana can't access that.

Fish tank heaters allow you to set a standard temp that the water should be maintained at. If it falls below that temp, it turns on. If remains off when the water falls within range.

That would keep the water at a constant 85 degrees. It would also aid in humidity. You will need to make sure the water levels stay adequate though. This may entice your iguana to use the water bowl more effectively. lol

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Hee hee. Get used to it. We have 4 iggys and NONE of them will poop in the water. In fact every one of them will put their front feet up on the food bowl and spread their rear legs to form almost a perfect square, do their business and then without moving start chowing down as if they were making room for the food.

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Fran
January 9, 1940 - June 1, 2006 (R.I.P)

Yes but you are overlooking the fact that many of us have had igs for years! You are just starting out. Baby steps!

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

Sorry, but I giggled almost all the way through reading this thread, too funny. Igs have so much personality, and they're just so darn lovable, lol.

Zilla has only pooped in her cage once since I got her and that was when I was late getting home from work. She wasn't happy with it either. She has a litter box outside the cage I put her in and she usually goes right away. Or on nice days she will go outside.