Pandora's Recipie
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Pandora's Favorite Salad
Pandora's Calcium:Phosphorus Table
Pandora's Favorite Alternatives

Pandora's Favorite Salad

Basic Recipe - copy of Melissa Kaplan's iguana salad recipie

Thoroughly mix all ingredients together. Makes about 3.5-4 cups.

Add in a multivitamin supplement (any multivitamin supplement for birds or reptiles is fine - best, actually, is a crushed Centrum tablet) and a calcium supplement. You do not need to get a calcium supplement that has phosphorous or D3 in it, as the igua na is already getting considerably phosphorous from the plants and multivitamin, and their D3 is best metabolized in their bodies by regular exposure to direct sunlight or special UVB-producing fluorescents.

If you will be freezing any of the food, mix in some Brewer's yeast to replace the thiamin (B1) that will be lost when the green vegetables are thawed.

Serve the salad in the morning. Once the iguana is freely eating the salad, greens (collards, mustards, dandelion, escarole, occasionally some kale and chard) can be served on the side. If the iguana will only eat the greens, stop feeding them greens an d only put down salad, fresh every day. When they start feeding on the salad and are generally clean-platers, you can then start offering greens in the afternoon. Once they assimilate that, you can serve the two together. The salad is actually more nut ritious than the greens, not the least of which because they can fit more of the salad into their guts, and it is more efficiently digested, than the greens. In no event should greens exceed 40-45% of the total diet.

Iguanas have evolved as late morning/early afternoon feeders; if you feed them when convenient for YOU rather than when they need to eat, you end up with an iguana who is not eating as much as it should and who is not digesting as effectively as it could. Iguanas can only extract out 40% of the nutrients in the food they eat, making it imperative that we not only feed them only healthy nutrition-loaded foods, but that we feed them at the proper times, as well.

Kaplan, Melissa. 1995. Iguana Salad. Available online http://www.sonic.net/melissk/ig_diet.html


Pandora's Calcium:Phosphorus Table - copy of Jennifer Swofford's calcium:phosphorus table

Note:
Despite the fact that some of the foods are listed as "boiled" or "baked" in this table, all vegetables are more nutritious when served raw. The information listed in this table is simply the only information available to me at this time.

Table 2: Calcium to Phosphorus Ratios

Food Item               Prep    Serving wt      Ca      P       Ca:P
collards                boiled  1 cup   190     148     19      7.79
mustard spinach         raw     1/2 cup 75      158     21      7.52
roselle                 raw     1 cup   57      123     21      5.86
lambsquarters           boiled  1/2 cup 90      232     41      5.66
papaya                  raw     1 med   304     72      16      4.50
turnip greens           raw     1/2 cup 28      53      12      4.42
coriander               raw     1/4 cup 4       4       1       4.00
rose apple              raw     3.5 oz  100     29      8       3.63
parsley                 raw     1/2 cup 30      39      12      3.25
amaranth                boiled  1/2 cup 66      138     47      2.94
jute, potherb           boiled  1/2 cup 43      91      31      2.94
dandelion greens        raw     1/2 cup 28      52      18      2.89
cabbage, chinese        raw     1/2 cup 35      37      13      2.85
beet greens             boiled  1/2 cup 72      82      29      2.83
lettuce, looseleaf      raw     1/2 cup 28      19      7       2.71
kale                    boiled  1/2 cup 65      47      18      2.61
kale, scotch            boiled  1/2 cup 65      47      18      2.61
figs                    raw     1 med   50      18      7       2.57
pricklypear             raw     1 med   103     58      25      2.32
orange, valencia        raw     1 med   121     48      21      2.29
chickory greens         raw     1/2 cup 90      90      42      2.14
figs                    dried   10 figs 187     269     128     2.10
orange, navel           raw     1 med   140     56      27      2.07
cabbage, green          raw     1/2 cup 35      16      8       2.00
carissa                 raw     1 med   20      2       1       2.00
kumquats                raw     1 med   19      8       4       2.00
new zealand spinach     raw     1/2 cup 28      16      8       2.00
spinach                 raw     1/2 cup 28      28      14      2.00
watercress              raw     1/2 cup 17      20      10      2.00
onions, spring          raw     1/2 cup 50      30      16      1.88
onions, spring          raw     1/2 cup 50      30      16      1.88
endive                  raw     1/2 cup 25      13      7       1.86
lime                    raw     1 med   67      22      12      1.83
raspberries             raw     1 cup   123     27      15      1.80
sapodilla               raw     1 med   170     36      20      1.80
mustard greens          boiled  1/2 cup 70      52      29      1.79
chard, swiss            boiled  1/2 cup 88      51      29      1.76
leeks                   raw     1/4 cup 26      15      9       1.67
lemon                   raw     1 med   58      15      9       1.67
grapefruit              raw     1/2 med 118     14      9       1.56
blackberries            raw     1/2 cup 72      23      15      1.53
tangerine               raw     1 med   84      12      8       1.50
grapes (slip skin)      raw     1 cup   92      13      9       1.44
celery                  raw     1 stlk  40      14      10      1.40
sapote                  raw     1 med   225     88      63      1.40
tofu                    okara   1/2 cup 61      49      37      1.32
green beans             boiled  1/2 cup 62      29      24      1.21
cabbage, red            raw     1/2 cup 35      18      15      1.20
turnip                  boiled  1/2 cup 78      18      15      1.20
grapefruit (pink)       raw     1/2 med 123     13      11      1.18
crabapple               raw     1 cup   110     20      17      1.18
eggplant                raw     1/2 cup 41      15      13      1.15
garlic                  raw     3 clves 9       16      14      1.14
jew's ear (pepeao)      raw     1 cup   99      16      14      1.14
radish                  raw     10 rdsh 45      9       8       1.13
okra                    boiled  1/2 cup 80      50      45      1.11
acerola                 raw     1 cup   98      12      11      1.09
java plum               raw     1 cup   135     25      23      1.09
tofu                    raw     1/2 cup 124     130     120     1.08
pear                    raw     1 med   166     19      18      1.06
mulberries              raw     1 cup   140     55      53      1.04
apple, w/skin           raw     1 med,  138     10      10      1.00
chives                  raw     1 T     3       2       2       1.00
lettuce, iceberg        raw     1 leaf  20      4       4       1.00
mammy apple             raw     1/8 med 100     11      11      1.00
persimmon               raw     1 med   25      7       7       1.00
pineapple               raw     1 cup   155     11      11      1.00
elderberries            raw     1 cup   145     55      57      0.96
mango                   raw     1 med   207     21      22      0.95
gooseberries            raw     1 cup   150     38      40      0.95
jackfruit               raw     3.5 oz  100     34      36      0.94
currants, euro black    raw     1/2 cup 56      31      33      0.94
watermelon              raw     1 cup   160     13      14      0.93
soybeans, green         boiled  1/2 cup 90      131     142     0.92
jujube                  raw     3.5 oz  100     21      23      0.91
cranberry               raw     1 cup   95      7       8       0.88
honeydew mellon         raw     1/4 cup 100     14      16      0.88
onoins                  raw     1/2 cup 80      20      23      0.87
rutabaga                boiled  1/2 cup 85      36      42      0.86
pitanga                 raw     1 cup   173     16      19      0.84
dates                   dried   10 dtes 83      27      33      0.82
grapes (adherent skin)  raw     1 cup   160     17      21      0.81
cabbage, savoy          raw     1/2 cup 35      12      15      0.80
guava                   raw     1 med   90      18      23      0.78
cucumber                raw     1/2 cup 52      7       9       0.78
guava, strawberry       raw     1 cup   244     52      67      0.78
cherry                  raw     10 chrs 68      10      13      0.77
lettuce, romaine        raw     1/2 cup 28      10      13      0.77
casaba melon            raw     1 cup   170     9       12      0.75
currants, red & white   raw     1/2 cup 56      18      24      0.75
strawberries            raw     1 cup   159     21      28      0.75
sugar apple             raw     1 med   155     37      50      0.74
broccoli                raw     1/2 cup 44      21      29      0.72
apricot                 raw     3 med   106     15      21      0.71
oheloberries            raw     1 cup   140     10      14      0.71
dock                    raw     1/2 cup 67      29      42      0.69
shallots                raw     1 T     10      4       6       0.67
artichoke hearts        boiled  1/2 cup 84      33      50      0.66
tamarind                raw     1 cup   120     89      136     0.65
artichoke               boiled  1 med   300     47      72      0.65
prunes                  dried   10 prns 84      43      66      0.65
kiwifruit               raw     1 med   76      20      31      0.65
brussels sprouts        boiled  1/2 cup 78      28      44      0.64
quince                  raw     1 med   92      10      16      0.63
french beans            boiled  1 cup   177     111     181     0.61
cauliflower             raw     1/2 cup 50      14      23      0.61
blueberries             raw     1 cup   145     9       15      0.60
carrots                 raw     1 med   72      19      32      0.59
loquats                 raw     10 med  100     16      27      0.59
breadfruit              raw     1/4 sm  96      17      29      0.59
cantaloupe              raw     1 cup   160     17      29      0.59
cherimoya               raw     1 med   547     126     219     0.58
fruit cocktail          canned  1/2 cup 128     8       14      0.57
ginger root             raw     1/4 cup 24      4       7       0.57
squash, summer          raw     1/2 cup 65      13      23      0.57
apple, w/o skin         raw     1 med   128     5       9       0.56
kohlrabi                boiled  1/2 cup 82      20      37      0.54
parsnips                boiled  1/2 cup 78      29      54      0.54
burdock root            boiled  1 cup   125     62      116     0.53
soursop                 raw     1 cup   225     32      61      0.52
sweet potato            baked   1 potto 114     32      62      0.52
raisins, seedless       raw     2/3 cup 100     49      97      0.51
zucchini                raw     1/2 cup 65      10      21      0.48
persimmon, japanese     raw     1 med   168     13      28      0.46
raisins, gold seedless  raw     2/3 cup 100     53      115     0.46
tomato, green           raw     1 tomto 123     16      35      0.46
peach                   raw     1 med   87      5       11      0.45
navy beans              boiled  1 cup   182     128     285     0.45
alfalfa sprouts         raw     1 cup   33      10      23      0.43
pomegranate             raw     1 med   154     5       12      0.42
soybeans, mature        boiled  1 cup   172     175     421     0.42
great northern beans    boiled  1 cup   177     121     293     0.41
asparagus               boiled  1/2 cup 90      22      54      0.41
lupins                  boiled  1 cup   166     85      212     0.40
peppers, hot chili      raw     1 peppr 45      8       20      0.40
raisins, seeded         raw     2/3 cup 100     28      75      0.37
rice, white, enriched   cooked  1 cup   205     21      57      0.37
black turtle beans      boiled  1 cup   185     103     282     0.37
beets                   boiled  1/2 cup 85      9       26      0.35
mungo beans             boiled  1 cup   180     95      280     0.34
hyacinth beans          boiled  1 cup   194     77      233     0.33
banana                  raw     1 med   114     7       22      0.32
pink beans              boiled  1 cup   169     88      279     0.32
pinto beans             boiled  1 cup   171     82      273     0.30
carambola               raw     1 med   127     6       20      0.30
broadbeans              boiled  1 cup   171     62      212     0.29
chickpeas (garbanzos)   boiled  1 cup   164     80      275     0.29
plum                    raw     1 med   66      2       7       0.29
avocado, Fla            raw     1 med   304     33      119     0.28
tomato, red             raw     1 tomto 123     8       29      0.28
nectarine               raw     1 med   136     6       22      0.27
peppers, sweet          raw     1/2 cup 50      3       11      0.27
avocado, California     raw     1 med   173     19      73      0.26
mung beans, sprouted    raw     1/2 cup 52      7       28      0.25
peas, green             boiled  1/2 cup 80      22      94      0.23
peas, green             raw     1/2 cup 78      19      84      0.23
lima beans              boiled  1 cup   188     52      231     0.23
bamboo shoots           raw     1/2 cup 76      10      45      0.22
pummelo                 raw     1 cup   190     7       32      0.22
kidney beans, red       boiled  1 cup   177     50      252     0.20
black beans             boiled  1 cup   172     47      241     0.20
water chestnuts, chin.  raw     1/2 cup 62      7       39      0.18
jerusalem artichoke     raw     1/2 cup 75      10      58      0.17
passion fruit           raw     1 med   18      2       12      0.17
adzuki beans            boiled  1 cup   230     63      385     0.16
rice, brown             cooked  1 cup   195     23      142     0.16
lychees                 raw     10 med  100     5       31      0.16
cowpeas (blackeyes)     boiled  1 cup   171     42      266     0.16
potato (no skin)        raw     1 potto 112     8       52      0.15
peas, split             boiled  1 cup   196     26      195     0.13
lentils                 boiled  1 cup   198     37      356     0.10
mushrooms               raw     1/2 cup 35      2       36      0.06
longans                 raw     31 lngn 100     1       21      0.05
arrowhead               boiled  1 med   12      1       24      0.04
mung beans              boiled  1 cup   202     55      2041    0.03
corn, yellow            boiled  1/2 cup 82      2       84      0.02
mothbeans               boiled  1 cup   177     6       265     0.02

Key:
A listing of "2.00" represents a ratio of 2:1, etc.


Pandora's Favorite Alternatives

NOTE: These are alternative food items and are not necessarily meant to be fed to iguanas on a regular basis unless noted.

  1. Dandelion Greens - well washed greens free of herbicides are safe for regular treats
  2. Figs - high in fiber and calcium, not recommended for daily feeding
  3. Mustard Greens - treats, recommended as regular portion of the diet
  4. Green Peas - taste really good, but not recommended as a staple
  5. Okra - strange substance, slimy, not real high in calcium
  6. Nasturtium (leaves and flowers) - tangy, green, great treats when available
  7. Strawberries - great treats, not recommended as a staple
  8. Blackberries - messy, juicy, great when fresh off the vine and well washed, as a treat only

NOTE: The treats listed above can be mixed in the iguana salad on a semi-regular basis. They should not be fed as a staple (where that's all the iguana eats all the time). As with all animals, a healthy variety of good foods is recommended for iguana s.

These all make good treats and will not harm the iguana. Mellissa Kaplan's basic diet is the best thing to use as a staple diet with these as treats only. The above chart on Calcium:Phosphorus levels should be observed when choosing alternative dieta ry supplements. Iguanas need a 2:1 Calcium:Phosphorus ratio to maintain their systems (skeletal, digestive) in good health. Both too high (hypercalcemia) and too low (hypocalcemia) calcium levels in the system can be fatal to iguanas (and humans for tha t matter).

Also, when selecting alternative dietary supplements, be aware that the Brassica (cabbages, kales, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach) family contains calcium binders that will not allow the iguana to properly process the existing calcium in the diet. Calc ium processing is very important in the prevention of Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD) in which the calcium is taken from the bones to maintain the systemic functions. This results in weakened bones, swollen jaws, eventaul paralysis and death. For more info rmation on MBD, see Melissa Kaplan's Iguana Health documents.