Winnies Story A rescued juvenile green iguana that was maimed when she picked on a huge male adult ig that was more than a little territorial! When I picked her up and brought her home, undid the bandages, I was met with a horrible sight: a broken hind leg and flesh ripped and torn from her back and thigh. Could I save her? Everything in me told me no. She was in shock, she was dehydrated and extremely injured. I called every vet in the phone book, even the non-reptile ones, pleading for them to help me, I didn't have the money they needed, but I would trade my services as receptionist, secretary, kennel cleaner...anything! Just help her! Every one of them said no. With Winnie now soaking in diluted Betadine and water in the tub, I gathered the supplies I thought I would need to help her. Splinting her leg, tons of Neosporin and gauze later, Winnie was resting in her tank as comfortable as I could make her. The first day she didn't eat. Very common. The second day, she wouldn't eat or drink, hmmm...possible problems, but I continued on with her leg and flesh wound care. Third day, refused food again. It was time for Winnie and I to have a talk. I talked, she listened, then refused food again. Hmpf! After tube feeding her a slurry of EnSure, pedialyte and some mashed bananas a few times a day, Winnie got the hint. If she didn't take food or drink, I would make her eat and drink, she chose to do it on her own, and has been since that day. Her wounds are healed nicely, her leg, while a bit crooked, is fully functional and she's a chow hound! Now to work on taming her, which will take a bit more time, I think because of all I had to put her thru. She is young, she is thru the worst part of her ordeal and I have faith that she will be very tame, sweet and someday, up for adoption!
UPDATE! Winnie has apparently found a friend in Jade, our chinese water dragon.  While both were once the same size, Winnie is fast outgrowing Jade!   These two are very sweet together and very attached to each other, to the point of Winnie searching out Jade if she's out of her sight.  Winnie is also getting a taste of 'free-roaming' lately, roaming around freely for a few hours each day.  While not always so easy to catch, she has settled down tremendously, only sometimes threatening with an open mouth hiss and tail lashing.  (Finally!)