Iguana Info/Care Sheet **REQUEST**

[Siman]

Hi there,
I'm looking into the possibility of buying an iguana in a few months and i was just curious as to whether anyone could possibly answer a few questions these would be:

What size vivarium could i get for them and at what age would they start needing the full sized ones? (Which i have read must be around 6ft,5ft,6ft))

Do they do adequately, better, or worse singly? (Without a tank mate)

Do they require a lot of experience and knowledge? (All previous knowledge i have would be of a non reptile variety and a few exotic fish, and all new knowledge will be from my two leopard geckos)

How much would i be looking at for the purchase of an entire set up & viv and the iguana? (Not looking for an exact figure just a range if you don't mind)

I should be pretty set for all other information i need as I'm looking around for care sheets and books to buy.

Thanks a lot

[underdog]

Hi there,
I'm looking into the possibility of buying an iguana in a few months and i was just curious as to whether anyone could possibly answer a few questions these would be:

What size vivarium could i get for them and at what age would they start needing the full sized ones? (Which i have read must be around 6ft,5ft,6ft))

To start with, if you're buying something only a few months old, then I would go with 3ft (L) x 3 (H) x 1.5 (D) at a minimum. It's hard with a baby anything too big and it makes taming harder, anything too small and they will be moving to a new cage a few months down the line.

As for a full size home for them you would be looking at about a year to 18 months old for that, I would say the sizes you quote for an adult size home is bare minimum to be honest, and hight is always very important to them.

Do they do adequately, better, or worse singly? (Without a tank mate)

They are best kept single, it doesn't matter too much until they hit breeding age.

Do they require a lot of experience and knowledge? (All previous knowledge i have would be of a non reptile variety and a few exotic fish, and all new knowledge will be from my two leopard geckos)

I don't think they are difficult to care for, their needs are fairly basic to be honest. What it does require is the owner to know about how much effort they can take to tame, how big they grow and just how much time they can take up.

How much would i be looking at for the purchase of an entire set up & viv and the iguana? (Not looking for an exact figure just a range if you don't mind)

To be honest, for an adult viv not much at all if you build it yourself (which is very simple). A few sheets of ply, some cheap perspex from your local builders yard ( the type used for shed windows) and the lighting/heating needs.

I should be pretty set for all other information i need as I'm looking around for care sheets and books to buy.

Thanks a lot

People claim iguanas are hard to look after, can be bad tempered etc, but it was my first lizard when I was 18 years old and he lived a happy 13 years with me. They are amazing pets, but only if you're prepared to accept that it could be 6ft+ in adult hood and that with a bit of luck it will be with you up to 20 years.

There are hundreds of care sheets about for them, as always with care sheets they are not always 100% correct, so read many and pick out the bits they all have in common.

What I would say is, never, under any cercumstances or for any reason, at any age feed them animal protine, so no insects, no cat food, nothing.

I am happy to answer any questions you have.

Good place to start your search Green Iguana Society

[Siman]

Thanks!

Great advice and a cool link too medal for you!

[StewieGriffin]

Hey thats y i cant av an iggy cos of the humongus tank! if you get one can u post pics? i luv um!! but i cant get a big enuf tank for it to fit

[underdog]

Originally Posted by StewieGriffin

Hey thats y i cant av an iggy cos of the humongus tank! if you get one can u post pics? i luv um!! but i cant get a big enuf tank for it to fit

Yip, the biggest issue with having an iggy is the space they take up, I have a spare room set aside for mine, although as a teenager I give up half my bedroom for one.

[the iguana man]

INTRODUCTION:
The Green Iguana,


An arboreal lizard, mainly from the South & Central American rain forests, sometimes seen in captivity in the reptile houses of zoo's and wildlife parks, the Iguana is a large colourful lizard, mostly mottled shades of green in colour with varying black banding on the body and tail. Most Iguanas can learn to become tame with regular handling and petting. Males when adult can be territorial, and usually do better kept separate from other males. Iguanas have been known to show some aggression and for this reason they are not recommended as an ideal reptile purchase for beginners or children.


CAPTIVE ENVIRONMENT:
Use full spectrum 5% "UVB" lighting around 12 hours per day, which mimics natural sunlight, this is a special reptile tube light, (Reptisun, Zoomed, T-Rex etc) and not the cheaper horticultural Gro-Lux type which are of no use for UVB output. (for maximum effect change every 6 months).
Provide a spot-lit basking area with access to a cooler area, (Gradient).
Supply branches and logs for climbing and exploring, making sure there is nothing the Iguana could trap or snag its claws on.
Heating pads can help maintain the required temperature from below, and are a useful supplement especially during cold weather.

Note: experiments are continuing throughout 2005/06 into UVB and which is the best tube/lamp to use, until these investigations are written then the normal 5% UVB tube is recommended.


HANDLING:
Both sexes can benefit from frequent handling to help with taming, they will sometimes initially struggle to get free, but are also known to actually enjoy being stroked or rubbed on the body and will sometimes sit still for a while and accept this petting, care should be taken during breeding season when behaviour (in particular of males) can be erratic, and so common sense would be to avoid the facial area, avoid leaving Iguanas with unsupervised children and generally keep your eyes on them at all times especially around fingers arms legs or feet.



NATURAL HABITATION:
Green Iguanas are arboreal lizards (tree dwelling) they inhabit the Tropical rain forests of South and Central America at reasonably low altitudes of up to 1,000 metres, (High altitudes being too cold).
In captivity adult Iguana's require a habitat, compound, den, vivarium, call it what you will, of at least 6' x 5' x 4'.
more space is always better whenever possible.



TEMPERATURE:
Daytime temperatures should be:
Basking area around 85-95 degrees F.
Cool area 75-85 degrees F.
Night temperatures can fall to around 70 degrees, even perhaps lower, as long as they are able to warm up in the morning.
Extra care should be taken during times of power cuts / failure, try to give this some thought so you are prepared if need be.
Basking area temp may be a little higher, as long as the Iguana is able to move to a cooler spot to thermoregulate.



HUMIDITY:
Iguana's require moderate to high levels of humidity.
You can help achieve this by misting the vivarium every other day, spray misting the Iguana himself and frequent bathing.
A large dish of water in his habitat will also help with this process through evaporation.
Humidity also helps considerably with the shedding process of Iguanas.



WATER REQUIREMENTS:
Supply a large fairly deep water dish for drinking, with fresh water provided daily.
Note: If the Iguana also uses this for bathing, then be aware that they have a strong tendency to defecate in water, it seems to have a laxative effect on them, therefore it will need replacing on a more regular basis. .



ANATOMY:
Two very important anatomical features.
First, Thermoregulation.
An Iguana (as with all cold blooded species) cannot generate its own body heat, and so must thermoregulate, by moving in and out of hot and cooler spots (gradients) to maintain the correct body temperature.
Hence the different temperature zones indicated in TEMPERATURE above.
Secondly, Metabolism.
Iguanas need UVB light (in the absence of natural sunlight) to convert Vitamin D into its active form, in this active form it can then assist in the absorption of calcium into the body.
So sunlight or in the absence of it, at least 12 hours of full spectrum light (UVB) is required daily to ensure your Iguana remains healthy.
This together with a good calcium intake and the required warmth will prevent the occurrence of MBD (Metabolic Bone Disease).
A good varied diet should ensure the required calcium levels are taken up, but if in any doubt then a commercial calcium / vitamin supplement (sprinkled on food) may be given occasionally as a top up, or at times such as, when females are gravid, if you have a picky eater, or if the Iguana has a loss of appetite due to breeding condition, change of surroundings etc.
Further more detailed anatomy information is available on the Ignatomy page.



NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
Iguanas are herbivores and so require a good varied vegetarian diet, some outdated information crops up now and again mainly in old books, that says they can eat crickets, mice or cat & dog food, thankfully this information now tends to be disappearing fast, all experts are now in agreement on the herbivore status.
The diet below gives a good example of foods that can be offered and doesn't need to be adhered to 100% but is supplied for guidance purposes, I find in winter time when fresh food can be scarce, a good substitute is the pre-packed mixed bags of salad greens available in all supermarkets, try to avoid the ones containing lettuce which is practically water and nil nutrition, these can be further supplemented with dandelion leaves.


DIET: Feed up to 50% of,
Leafy greens, Collards, Mustard greens, Turnip greens, Nasturtiums (leaves & flowers), Dandelions (leaves & flowers), Escarole, Rocket, Hibiscus leaves and flowers, Watercress, Land cress, fresh Alfalfa and Carrot tops.

Up to 35% of,
Green beans, Zucchini, Squash, Bean sprouts, Okra, Parsley, Grated carrot Red Yellow or Green bell peppers (Sweet peppers), Leeks, Peas, Cucurbits, Parsnips alfalfa pellets, Vine leaves, Chinese greens and Celery.

Around 10% of,
Fruits such as Papayas, Blackberries, Kiwi, Peach, Banana, Grapes, Plums, Apricots, Oranges, Clementines, Satsuma's, Mango's, Apples, Figs, Strawberries, Pear, Cherry, Melons, Fuchsia fruits and Rose hips.

Up to 5% from the occasional foods below,

The following contain "Oxalates" which binds with calcium and hampers absorption, and should not be fed in large quantities, Chard, Spinach, Rhubarb stems only (beware rhubarb leaves are very toxic), Dock, Sorrel, Beets and Beet greens.

These contain "Goitrogens", so same as above feed in small quantities only, Cabbage, Broccoli, Kale, Cauliflower, Brussel sprouts and Bok choy.

Finally, Bread, Pasta, and Rice are grain foods and may be offered once or twice a week as treats.

[Siman]

WoW, very well written and informative caresheet thanks!

[Fixx]

The Ultimate Iguana Owners Handbook - James Hatfield III an invaluable resource for iguana knowledge, also Melissa Kaplan's Herp and Green Iguana Information Collection