Not to jump back, but this is one area where it pays to be a total marine bio geek. The Galapagos Island iguanas are a marine species, if you want to get technical green igs are more aquatic than they are. Generally aquatic is fresh and marine is salt, but there are shades of grey.

They have adapted to the marine environment and eating sea grass through adaptations in the kidneys as well the gastrointestinal system, green igs have similar less specialized systems that allow them to "snalt," just to a much lesser degree, I don't know if you have ever seen a G. Island Iguana snalt, but it is much more productive than a green ig.

Sorry for the bio geek moment.

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“The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not ‘Eureka!’ (I found it!) but ‘That’s funny…'"
- Isaac Asimov



TKE:TT:118

No, THANK YOU for the bio geek moment!!

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~~Steph

"This I believe: That the free, exploring mind of the individual human is the most valuable thing in the world." John Steinbeck

I only interjected this because so many people don't understand that bay grass, seaweed, algae, and SAVs are not the same stuff. I have seen people try to use them interchangeably which leads to animals and people being killed or sickened.

For those who weren't aware, SAVs (submerged aquatic vegetation) are found in fresh water areas such as ponds and streams. Bay grass is a brackish water species that does store small amounts of salt; unfortunately even in the scientific community SAVs and bay grasses are often labeled interchangeably which is very wrong when it comes to introducing species or attempting to establish captive species in "natural" environments.

Sea grass is NOT algae and stores a lot of salt. Sea grass is also more rigid as a result of the environment. Sea grass is a marine species found only in salt water. Sea weed is a sea grass.

Algae is my biggest pet peeve. Algae is entirely photo-trophic, meaning it grows as a direct correlation of the amount of light it receives. The type of algae is determined by the dissolved oxygen and nutrient concentration of water. Algae is rarely rooted, generally it grows on a surface, but not into a substrate. Algae can grow anywhere there is water, and the coloration as well as the size of the individual groupings depends upon water constituents. Algae is full of nutrition some good, some bad, but it is a great food source for both aquatic animals and terrestrial animals.. IF YOU GET THE RIGHT KIND, if you don't know, don't feed or eat it.

So next time you hear someone at an exhibition or speech rant about SAVs, keep in mind they are more than likely generalizing or just wrong. I hear it all the time in seminars and in aquarium facilities, some people genuinely don't know the difference and call everything plant-like underwater an SAV or Sea grass, unfortunately some of these people are educating future educators and perpetuating wrong information.

Again, sorry for going on a tangent.

This does relate to any food source for any animal, only believe 10% of what you hear, and 20% of what you see. Do your homework before you try changing something. There are so many generic statements out there that are at best half truths used to make explanation easier for less educated people. (Less educated does not mean stupid so don't be offended.)

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“The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not ‘Eureka!’ (I found it!) but ‘That’s funny…'"
- Isaac Asimov



TKE:TT:118

I'm going to see what I can dig up about the cow thistle, it's very popular in europe and I'm sure if I hunt I can find a nutrition breakdown but I don't know what a goitrogen or a oxylate is but I'll see what I can find. I was at busch gardens in tampa on sunday and noticed some lovely green iggies in the park so I wrote them and asked them how they feed their charges (outdoor enclosures) this is what I got back from the park:

The amounts are for a single animal per day.
Veggie mix chopped small 35 grams
Fruit mix chopped small 60 grams
Squash chopped small 17 grams
Papaya Chopped small 25 grams
Canned Marmoset diet chopped small 25 grams
Greens, lettuce Romaine chopped small 65 grams
Carrot chopped small 65 grams (Monday only)
Greens Spinach, leaves, chopped small 17 grams (Tuesday only)
Mango chopped small 65 grams (Wednesday only)
Sweet Potato chopped small 65 grams (Thursday only)
Watermelon chopped small 165 grams (Friday only)
Tomato chopped small 50 grams (Saturday only)
Pear chopped small 55 grams (Sunday only)

then I asked them to define veggie mix and if they give extra uvb, this was the response:

Our veggie mix comprises corn, peas, carrots, Lima Beans and Green Beans, chopped up small. We only provide sunlight, no uvb lights.


They seem to be awfully heavy on the fruit, heavier than I would go based on research here and other places anyway.

how many iggs are in one cage? or isn't that alot of food? i don't know grams well.

I think they look like they go light on the dark greens, and what is in marmaset food?

I was just thinking the same thing Kendalle, lol . What is marmaset food. I will now have to google that. Curiousity is getting me.

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I have sucker tattood on my forehead

gotta look at that too nicole...what would I do witho google?!

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Just because you have an animal that isnt dead doesnt mean you know how to take care of it

on a side note, a show on the galapagos iguanas is on Animal Planet right now

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My name is Liz
Do what's best for the animal, not what's best for you.

Common Marmoset - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Note the diet of a Marmoset... the "Marmoset Diet" probably contains animal protein.

__________________
~~Steph

"This I believe: That the free, exploring mind of the individual human is the most valuable thing in the world." John Steinbeck

a few of the one's I found said was ground up bugs and canned mixed bugs fruit and things