Femoral Pores: What are They? And How To Take Care Of Your Pet Iguanas
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Many people like to keep reptiles as pets.
Iguanas and bearded dragons are popular pets. It is important to know how to take care of them as they are special reptiles.
Femoral pores are the main body part that can help you determine the sex of an iguana or a bearded dragon. In a normal iguana, there will be a vent to secrete on warm rocks and logs of wood should be kept in an enclosure for an iguana to sit on.
If an iguana rubs on a rough surface while walking, the secretions will be cleared on their own.
Reptiles are not like dogs or cats because they are not particularly cuddly! However, they too have male and female parts that need proper inspection and care. One body part of iguanas that can create problems and needs a regular check-up is the femoral pore.
This body part has many different purposes. It is a gland that releases secretions at various times. These pores can become clogged and lead to an infection or other health problems.
These secretion glands can become clogged. The substance becomes thick and secretions do not ooze out and the inside begins to appear swollen.
Clogged femoral pores need to be treated immediately. Bearded dragons mostly have problems with their femoral pores throughout their lives. You must seek proper training from a vet to keep them clean so that secretion is not interrupted.
If you enjoyed this article, why not also read about Fiji banded iguanas or find out about scorpions right here on Kidadl?
What are femoral pores?
There are secretion glands on the underside of a bearded dragon and an iguana.
Bearded dragons have these pores on their bodies for many different purposes. Due to hard surfaces or chemical reactions, these pores can become plugged which can cause health issues. These glands can help you determine the sex of a reptile. However, the actual aim of this secretion is still a mystery that is currently being studied by scientists.
Femoral pores can be found in the anal opening of reptiles. They are known as follicular glands and can be found on the inner part of the thighs. The shape formed by femoral pores is just like a V mark, also called preanal pores for this reason.
The size of these pores increases with age in the male iguanas. However, these pores remain very small in female iguanas. It is possible to observe changes in these glands on a seasonal basis.
This reflects that there is participation of these pores in the reproduction process as well. A theory suggests that these pores may be used to attract mates by releasing pheromones.
Bearded dragons leave secretions on rocks or rough surfaces for a female to be attracted, resulting in mating. Another theory states that these secretions are used by various species of male lizards to mark territory. The chemical analysis of this secretion can be used to determine the age and species of a lizard.
Iguanas or geckos that are in captivity are more likely to suffer from the problem of blocked pores. In the wild, the substance in these secretions released is typically rubbed off on rough surfaces or tree branches.
However, this does not happen in a cage. If the substance is not released but remains inside femoral pores, it will swell.
This can cause pain in a male lizard. Each femoral pore appears visually protruding in males on the underside. Iguanas like to stay in warm weather and high humidity.
When you take care of a lizard you must clean it in a normal routine. Make sure to remove any secretions from the pore so that there are is no risk of infection.
Maintain humidity and heat at levels recommended by the veterinarian. Provide water for soaking and bathing and clean the enclosure at regular intervals to have a healthy reptile pet. You must take proper care of your iguana.
The humidity level must be high and the temperature must be as recommended. You should provide a water bath to soften secretion by daily soaking. Provide a few tree logs, rocks, and branches for an iguana to shed off its pore secretion. This secretion does not fall off on its own.
Reptiles need help cleaning their pores. A gecko may also experience a plug problem due to secretions. .
When do femoral pores develop in iguanas?
Femoral pores are a sign of maturing in an iguana.
When an iguana is at least a year old, then the sex starts to develop and is clearer to see. This is when you can actually tell the sex. When you buy a baby iguana with an age of less than one year, it is hard to be able to determine the sex.
When theaniguana is around two years old, you will see femoral pores appear. The first breeding season is around the age of one and a half years. Femoral pores also show if your iguana is malnourised if femoral pores have not developed after three years of age.
In males, femoral pores expand and there is a keratin plug that is visible. While in females, these pores do not grow big in size. Males leave a waxy secretion on rough surfaces.
What causes clogged femoral pores?
When a lizard is kept in a closed enclosure and there is not much space to move around, it is possible the owner will see clogged femoral pores.
If a bearded dragon does not have a log of wood or trees to rub on then this problem can arise. The loose waxy substance remains inside until the male rubs it off.
It does not fall off on its own. If there is loose gravel in the tank then the chances of clogged pores are even higher. You must add a rock or two and a few logs of wood.
Clogged pores will lead to severe infection. Do not let the problem get so severe that surgery is needed.
It is important to groom an iguana regularly. If you think that secretions are dry and have got stuck please do not squeeze because this will cause an iguana pain and cause harm to an iguana. Let a vet do it because they need to drain out the secretions in a sterile manner.
A bearded dragon must be soaked in warm water daily, or a number of times if needed, so that there is no build-up in its femoral pores. It is important to ask a vet if it is ok to use a soft brush to clean the pores of your bearded dragon.
Otherwise, there are solutions specially designed for cleaning pores.
A bath antibiotic can be prescribed for a bearded dragon, so that there is no reinfection in the pores.
It is vital to have branches and logs in a tank for the bearded dragon to laze around and move on. These reptiles like to sunbathe on them and help to remove secretion from their pores naturally.
Even after the problem has been solved, owners should check every week and clean femoral pores with a soft toothbrush. This must be included in the routine cleaning of your pet bearded dragon.
Do females have femoral pores?
In females, these femoral pores are present but they are very small.
In males lizards, like bearded dragons, the pores become large. In a female bearded dragon you may not even notice these pores until you look closely. Femoral pores are present on the inside of thighs in most lizards species like bearded dragons. Depending on the species, they may vary in size.
It is important to ask a vet for training on how to groom and maintain a pet iguana.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked reading about femoral pores, then why not take a look at clams vs oysters showdown, or pangolin vs armadillo faceoff.
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