Iguana Care - Your Online Source for Information on Iguanas
Proper iguana care is not easy. That’s not to say that once you are used to caring for your iguana, it won’t become routine, but iguanas are not maintenance-free pets. It is important to understand what is involved in iguana care before bringing one home. An iguana can live fifteen to twenty years and is totally dependent on you for his care. You also need to see the iguana not just as the cute, little reptile the pet store salesperson sold you, but as an adult iguana. After all, iguanas grow to be five to seven feet long. That’s feet, not inches!
Iguana housing definitely takes some planning. You will need either a tank or a home-made enclosure that is two to three times longer than your iguana and three times as high. When your iguana is a year old, he will probably be around one foot long. When he is two he will be three feet long, and in another year or two will settle in as an adult at approximately five to six feet long. That means in the beginning you can get by with a tank that is around four feet long and three feet high. In another three years, you will need an enclosure that is ten feet long by eight feet high. If an iguana is going to be an inside pet, many times owners will give the iguana an entire room of its own.
Iguana care means keeping an iguana at just the right temperature. Iguanas are tropical reptiles. That means they need one side of their enclosure to be 85 to 90 degrees for regular living and another side to be at least 95 degrees for basking. Iguanas are cold-blooded and cannot regulate their own body temperature. The humidity level must be kept at 80-percent. A heater and a basking lamp will be needed, as well as UVB lights that need to be set to twelve hours on and twelve hours off.
Iguana houses need furnishings as well. Iguanas are climbers and will have to have some branches set up for climbing. They also need a place to hide which means providing either a hide box or a natural area in which they can crawl under something. Iguana care also means providing fresh water at all times. Some people place a larger basin of water in the cage as well--one that is large enough for the iguana to climb in and out. He may choose to defecate in this water too, which would make the enclosure easier to clean.
Iguanas need appropriate material on the floor, which is known as substrate. Contrary to popular belief--paper towels, newspaper, bark or shavings, sand or dirt are not proper substrate materials. Carpeting is good as is tile. Make sure the carpet is a kind that won’t unravel easily. If you are going to let your iguana wander freely in your home, you will need to take appropriate measures to iguana-proof each room. Iguanas like to eat and are curious so they could ingest many harmful substances.
It is a misconception that iguanas need or should eat any kind of meat or animal protein. These can, in fact, make an iguana ill and even result in death. In spite of the fact that there are sites on the internet and even pet stores that recommend it--they are wrong! Iguanas are vegetarians and must be fed a variety of vegetables and fruits. No iceberg lettuce as it has no nutritional value. An iguana needs real greens--dandelion, turnip, collard, or mustard, to name a few. Iguanas can be given some variety from their salad diet with an occasional serving of asparagus, onions, peppers, mushrooms and squashes--either yellow or green. It would be good to buy a book on iguana diet nutrition to get ideas for meal preparation.
If you plan on getting an iguana, make sure to do your research beforehand--in addition to the topics covered here, you need to find a reptile vet, learn the symptoms of the most common iguana diseases, acquire a good understanding of iguana behavior, and learn how to be safe around your pet as you get to know one another. The more knowledge you obtain about iguana care, the better the chance of your iguana remaining healthy and happy.