Care Sheet for IguanasAverage Rating Given To This Care Sheet Is 4.48 (1=lowest, 5=highest) Last Updated: 03/14/2003 |
Main Category: | Lizards |
Sub Category: | Iguanas |
Care Sheet Submitted By: | Anonymous |
Years Experience: | 10 to 15 Years |
Species: | Green Iguana |
Other Species or Phases this Care Sheet May Cover: | Green Iguanas |
Sexing and Characteristics: | Sexing can be difficult when they are young. When I bought mine from the petshop the lady told me HE was a female. WRONG! So sexing when young is tuff and probing is not recommended.
After about a year and a half I was able to determine whether my iguana was a male or female. The most clearest way I knew was because of a large bulge on the base of his tail. Soon after I started noticing two fat pockets on the back on his head and around the same time noticing femoral pores, which are located on the underside of their thighs. One most males these pores will be more pronounced then on a female.
My iguana stayed mostly green for the first couple of years, but by the end of his 3rd year he started getting some orange.
During in the breeding season(s) some iguanas become aggressive, then again some don’t. |
Mostly Active During: | Day |
Substrate and Water Needs: | I use no substrates because my iguana is free roaming in a bedroom. I bath him weekly, which he doesnt mind anymore, but was a task in the beginning.
My iguana gets a good amount of water from the plants he eats, but I still keep a small bowl of water at his basking site. I also spray him down a couple of times a day providing he is under his basking light. |
Lighting and UVB: | I used to use a florescent bulbs, but switched over a year ago to a T-rex UV Active bulb. I honestly haven’t seen no difference in him between the bulbs, except that the UV Active provides heat and uvb and elimates using two bulbs or an extra heat source. My iguana never liked being under the florescent bulbs in the first place anyway. |
Temperatures and Humidity: | I have a large gradiant for tempatures in the room. The room generally during the day stays at about 78 degrees.
His basking spot area is between 85-110. His other hangout spot is about 90-100 degrees. Note that he is also not contained to either heat source against his will. |
Heating and Equipment: | For my free roaming setup I just use a heat lamp in his basking spot. I used to use a heating mat there too, but removed it recently because he hangs out alot on my bearded dragons metal strip light(the ones for incandescent bulbs, not florescent). |
Caging Provided: | My iguana has never been in a cage since he left the pet shop. He adjusted, or I should say I have adjusted well for this setup.
Being free roaming he will wonder around knocking things over, so if you choose this method...kiss your valuables good-bye. I have my iguana trained to deficate in one spot by the window. I set up a long flower bin (that you put outside your house) and put metal bars(far enough apart to allow things to fall inbetween, but small enought that he can’t play in there!) for him stand on as he goes as well as just take in some natural sun in the warmer months. Under the bars I have industrial plastic wrap to catch the crap, then just remove the bars and roll it up and throw it away. He very rarely misses and it can’t take a while to get them trained to go in one spot. There are many methods. Me?...every time he started to goto the bathroom somewhere else I would pick him up in mid stream and put him where he was suppose to be.
Other then that...if you choose free roaming the room has to be iguana proof..no leaving change or candy around, or anything that can fit in his mouth or poisonous plants. Iguanas love to taste EVERYTHING! |
Diet: | Herbivorous |
Description of Diet: | I keep pretty basic with feeding. I usually pick 3-4 different greens per week. The leaves I feed him are collard greens, dandilion greens, chickory, escarole, turnip greens, mustard greens, chards, spinach, and kale. I use spinach, chards, kale, and mustard greens usually when there aren’t any of the first few leaves. Use collard greens as a staple in my iguanas diet because I believe it has more nutrients then most of the others and it lasts alot longer then the other leaves as far as decomposing.
2 or 3 times a week I will throw in some vegetables such as zuchini, summer squash, frozen butternut squash, sweet potatos(yams), tomatos, cooked carrots, and peas.
2-3 times a week or for a quick snack I give my iguana fruits such as a few thin slices or apple or pear, an occasional slice of my orange, and a couple of slices of mango. |
Supplements, Nutrition and Usage: | I get very confused with the vitamin and calcium area because there are so much controversy and no real staple for this area. Currently I use 2:1 calcium and Reptive vitamins, I’m not sure if I like this arrangement because I feel forced into giving my iguana the extra vitamins that he is already getting from the vitamin. Plus I dont care much about the instructions on the bottles, seems like too much overkill. I’m thinking of using more natural means of providing vitamin and calcium. I’ll update that on here when I see the results.
Anyway...I give him calicum powder once or twice a week and viatmins once a week. |
Maintenance: | Maintenance in cludes spraying and bathing your iguana. Making sure his diet is correct. Also taking them to the vet atleast once a year for a check up is a good idea. Just make sure they look and act healthy, other then that enjoy the many years you will have with your pet. |
Some Words on this Species: | This is an excellent lizard to own, they have alot of personality and are fun to watch and hold. Some require more attention or do not want attention, but thats all part of owning an iguana.
I suggest if you are interested in getting an iguana to get one from a rescue. If you choose to get one from the local pet shop, make sure your get a FECAL EXAM done as soon as possible. My iguana did have parasites when I got him and it costs me an extra $100. So even if your iguana cost $15, it can actually end up costing more, which is another reason to get a rescue. Some rescuers may have these problems resolved for you.
So before you get a green iguana make sure you have plenty of time for feeding, bathing, and some handling. Feeding usually costs about $5-$10 a week. Sometimes less.
Most important enjoy your iguana! |
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