I just took in an iguana about 1 hour ago that is about 18 in snout to tail length. Here is the one thing that I have never come across he has NO TEETH. He does show beginning signs of Metabolic Bone Disease with the crooked toes and such and slightly swollen in the upper rear thighs. They say he is 5 years old but he is the same size as some I have hear that are roughly 10 months old. I know his diet was iceburg lettuce and whatever else they could scrounge (leftover hamburger, etc). Can the calcium defeciencies cause all the teeth to fall out? I tend to lead to yes but I thoughT I would see if anyone else has come across this.

Hello,

Yes is the simple answer. lol Advanced metabolic bone disease can, as can an advanced case of ulcerative stomatitis (mouth rot).

I just started writing it recently, but check out the "rubber jaw": http://reptileguides.herpcenter.com/...-t55.html?t=55

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Wow, I have had some pretty bad ones in here but never missing all the teeth, I guess it is a baby food diet as he cannot chew anything. He is trying so hard to eat the collards but he cant. So how long before they grow back? The jaw is not rubber like which is amazing! Shoot, even Grizzly had teeth, which is amazing!

I've never run across it, but i'd still try to offer him fresh greens. Try chopping them finely or into little strips that he would be better able to pick up without the aid of teeth.
Iguanas don't really use their teeth to chew so much as to orientate the food properly for swallowing so if it's finely chopped it hopefully wont give him trouble.

I thought you were already full to the rafters with rescues

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Those who say it can't be done should get out of the way of those who are doing it.

~*~Lacey~*~

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Yes I am, we are now moving from the rafters to the roof, lol. I actually have adopted a couple of igs out in the last month, Namely two of the big boys that resided in my old shop. That left me with a little space and there is adoption pending on the remaining two BIG boys that were in the shop. I have taken Baby Dragon back though as her new home did not work out I now have a 5 bedroom house, so it will all be okay. I am not taking in just anything and everything though. It also looks like one of the red tails will finally be ready to go in about three weeks but the other one is not. They already have homes I am just trying to get them stable. I also have adoption pending on two of the small green meanies I have in. I am not counting on that one though, lol. I really just made an exception for this one, lol. I really wanted to get my iguanas to under 10 before I took in any more.
He however has a hideous sob story. He was fed as often as you would feed a snake Offered no uvb whatso ever, and the list goes on.

Yeah, I know that story...So do you rehome through word of mouth or do you advertise?

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Those who say it can't be done should get out of the way of those who are doing it.

~*~Lacey~*~

My Photos

Geez you would never think mouthrot would make all their teeth fall out by looking at Wing and as many times as he has bit me he has a full set of teeth, lol! oh he is a red tail boa. His mouthrot was so bad that he is permanantly deformed .

no I do not advertise, I would just end up with more being dumped! it is by word of mouth. The pet store here gives out my number and I am the local snake handler now with the sheriff and local police dept, lol. What a big bunch of wimps! I am also referred by the two animal shelters here. I stopped telling people where I live because they were just being dumped om my doorstep. I just picked up a russian tortoise that was found wandering in the garden at my old house, obviously dumped I actually had to give my number and address to the people who bought my old house so they wouldnt open any unwanted packages and have a heart attack at what they find! They are the ones who found the tortoise in the garden! I can say she was well fed though in that garden and thank god it was not too cold here!

I am not saying it was mouth rot or Metabolic Bone Disease. I am just saying "yes", it can happen.

It could be something completely unrelated, or a combination of ailments like gum disease that caused the teeth to fall out, or perhaps never grow in at all.

You asked how long before the teeth would grow back, and the truth is, I don't know that one. I do know that some tooth loss could be permanent if the damage below the gumline is severe enough.

Like Lacey said, the teeth don't play a huge role in "chewing". Their primary purposes are for ripping bite size pieces of food in the wild, and to use for defense.

Iguanas swallow their food whole like snakes do. If you rip the pieces up in a salad before being offered to the ig, and they are not large, he will be able to eat them without the teeth.

If you can, please get some pics of the igs mouth, and some of the inside of the mouth.

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That's horrifying. I can't believe someone could let their pet get to that point.

I was going to say that you could try cooking the collards (which turns them mushy) first. Or you can use a blender and blend all the greens into mush if he really can't eat the greens raw.

I hope he at least has a decent life from here on out.

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