So you want an Iguana?

[Fixx]

"If you are looking for a simple, quick, all-inclusive article on green iguana care on one page or less, you won't find it here. You won't find it anywhere because there is no such thing, not if your intent is to take care of your iguana properly."
Melissa Kaplan


So you want a big, green, mean, eating, pooping, curtain climbing, keyboard trashing, monitor destroying, bookcase ascending, monster that's been described as, "as arboreal as a small puppy", do you?

Well rather than me typing out other peoples work I thought I'd just list the best resources (IMO) available for you to read, research, read and research again.

First off we have Melissa Kaplan's Iguana Care, Feeding and Socialisation PDF available here

"B..b..b..b..but it's 80 pages long!...", I hear you cry, "...I can't read all that".

Well then, if that's the case then do NOT get an Iguana, if you cannot be bothered to read a mere 80 pages of possibly the best Iguana information on the interweb then how do you expect to be able to dedicate the time and effort into keeping a Green Iguana?

Next we have James Hatfield III's 'The Ultimate Iguana Owners Manual', 650 pages of top notch information and anecdotes from loads of Iguana owners, and it's a bargain at under £12 from Amazon.

"B..b..b..but spend money when I can get the info from teh interwebz for free...and 650 pages? You have to be kidding me...no chance can I read that many pages unless it's in txtspch"

If this is your attitude, then do NOT get an Iguana, if you can't be bothered to spend a paltry £12 on one of the best books on the market for Iguana care, what are you going to do when you have a £200 bill for egg retention at the vets?

Next are the forums...we have some very knowledgable people on here when it comes to Iguanas, Weeminx is one name that springs to mind immediately, I personally cannot fault her advice, another is Crow who has had Spike from a young age and has been through several seasons with her now.

The Green Iguana Society is another good online resource, I won't post a link as T-Bo may not like it, but just google it...go on, you know you want to.
There is also two Yahoo groups (and email newsgroups) I would recommend, IguanaMail and AdvancedIguanaCare, both excellent resources with some EXTREMELY knowledgable members..

A very Brief Overview of Digestion in Green Iguanas and other herbivorous lizards.

Nutrient Composition of Foods

Green Iguana Diet: Calcium Oxalate of Selected Iguana Foods

Chemical Analysis of 6 Commercialy available Iguana Diets

Green Iguana Diet: It's not Just a Matter of C:P

The Iguana Way

I could type out loads of stories of mine, Loulou's and other peoples' iguanas highlighting almost every aspect of iguanid behavour, from extremely aggressive iguanas to iguanas with almost 'dog-like' devotion to their owners, about how owning an iguana will make people look at you like you're a self-harmer, how Gibbers failed to destroy my amplifier despite defacating on it 6 times...but I won't, search the internet, talk to people, read the threads on the forums, you'll get the gist of what it's all about.

Have fun!

[calypratus]

gota agree weeminx is one of the most knowledgeable iguana keepers on here.ive had the pleasure of viewing her enclosures and they are awesome and her animals are stunning,shame shes been banned(she will be back) and gets outnumbered by alot of wannabe keepers and so called experts but as fixx says check out kaplans site and im sure you can email weeminx.she wont bite.

[DRACONODON]

Originally Posted by calypratus

gota agree weeminx is one of the most knowledgeable iguana keepers on here.ive had the pleasure of viewing her enclosures and they are awesome and her animals are stunning,shame shes been banned(she will be back) and gets outnumbered by alot of wannabe keepers and so called experts but as fixx says check out kaplans site and im sure you can email weeminx.she wont bite.

weeminx is a good person i have spoken to her a few times and i didnt know she had been banned shame though

[weeminx]

brilliant thread fixx!!

and btw ............im back! ##

im gonna be good

[Fixx]

Originally Posted by weeminx

brilliant thread fixx!!

and btw ............im back! ##

im gonna be good

Welcome back Weeminx

[mahender]

good post fixx.

my local pet shop said i can do a flyer handout thing
i am gonna do a one page plussess and negatives for SPW. not a care sheet but a "seriously think about getting an ig and know what is in store"
sheet.if they can hand them out then people will see they arent a spur of the moment kids pet.