The Iguana Spot Iguana Don't List

The Iguana Don't List
This page is dedicated to Dharma, our brave little friend who will never be homeless again.

1.) Don't think you know everything about iguana care just because you own an iguana!

With 15 years of experience under our belts we don't know everything! I read between 5 and 8 articles a week or several chapters in a care book, as well as asking questions all the time and I learn something new every day. Talk to other owners, read everything you can get your hands on, compare information and FIND A GOOD VET! Unless you went to school to study iguanas and are currently researching them you don't know everything!

2.) Don't believe everything you hear just because someone from the pet store tells you it is so!
Don't forget that pet stores are in it to make money and will most likely say anything to make sure they have some of your hard earned money in their cash register before you leave the store. Many of the employees who sound like experts aren't experts at all. They may be considered the store expert but only because when they filled out their application they told the manager that they have owned or currently own an iguana (see #1) that does not make them an expert especially if they are not caring for their animal properly. A good example of this is the last time I went to our local pet super store their so called iguana expert told me I should be feeding our iguanas chicken, crickets and cat food.If you have read any information on iguanas you know this is wrong. One care sheet we got from another pet shop told us to feed our iguana dog food - What were they thinking?
see also Pet Trade Issues

3.) Don't believe everything you read on the Internet!

There are many sites on the Internet written by self-proclaimed experts with no qualifications at all or in some cases forged qualifications. A good rule to follow is NOT to believe something is accurate until you have read or seen the same information from at least two other sources that have NO affiliation with that site and aren't linked to that site (often times people will link to information that is the same as theirs -that does not necessarily make it right -what if the person they got their info from was wrong). The same goes for books!

4.) Don't ever feed the following things to an iguana!

               lettuce                          cat food
             dairy products              primate food
             dog food                       crickets or other bugs
             chicken                         tuna fish
flowers/things that grow in your yard unless you know for a FACT that they have NOT been treated with any chemicals
Why? Because these items are not good for your iguana, even if they seem to enjoy eating them.

5.) Don't purchase or use a) heating rocks, b) 10 gallon fish tanks and c) vitamin/calcium supplements from a pet store.

First of all heat rocks aren't meant for iguanas despite the picture on the package. They can result in serious burns and injury to your iguana not to mention the fact they can start a house fire if not used properly.

A 10 gallon fish tank is a waste of money! An iguana will easily outgrow a 10 gallon tank in a matter of weeks despite what the pet store will try to convince you.

Since most vitamin and calcium supplements sold in pet stores DO NOT list their ingredients how do you know what's actually in the bottle? This is another way pet stores and vendors cheat you out of your hard earned money! Talk to your vet about vitamin/calcium supplements, he/she should be able to get you what your iguana really needs!

6.) Don't buy the cute little lizard in the pet store!

Unless, of course, a) you are ready to deal with the six foot lizard it will become, b) you have enough money to care for it including proper housing, proper lighting, vet care and food, c) you realize the special cleaning and sanitization issues that come along with owning an iguana and d) you have lots of spare time on your hands for food preparation, bathing, free roam, cleaning and socialization.

7.) Don't buy an iguana as a pet for your child!

That is unless you as the adult are prepared to do all the work! A child will not be able to properly care for an iguana on their own. We recently heard a chilling story about a family who lost their iguana after their child cut a hole in the top of its enclosure and it escaped out the window.

The photos below are another reason that an iguana is not a good choice as a pet for your child. The scratches on his arm are NOT from an iguana attack, they are scratches from handling Mel. Iguana claws get very, very sharp and need to be trimmed, if they are not always kept trimmed what you see on his arm are the results. All of the iguanas, from tiny Flash to big Mel love to be up high and resting on the head of whomever is holding them is always a favorite pass time. As you can see, they don't care who's head they are on. It's difficult enough as an adult to handle a full grown iguana, a child would have a more difficult time.

8.) Don't be fooled into thinking that an iguana is a cage animal!

An iguana can't be kept in its cage all the time and needs free roam and lots of attention. Unlike birds and tropical fish, an iguana is not an animal that can be kept in its enclosure 24/7 and thrive. Be prepared to iguana proof your home and clean up occasional accidents! If you don't have time in your schedule to give a MINIMUM of one hour per day of free roam, an iguana is not for you.

9.) Don't purchase lighting that is meant for fish, humans or house plants and think that it is appropriate for your iguana.

Iguanas require UVB lighting (in addition to basking and heat sources). Flourscent lighting for humans and aquariums DO NOT have the essential UVA/UVB that an iguana needs to properly digest their food.

10.) Don't trust a person just because they are a breeder!

I've run across more than one dishonest breeder, especially over the Internet! Just like anything else research, research and research some more! You have to remember that a breeder is in business to make money and not all breeders are created equal. Always check with your/a herp society to see of they have ever heard of them. If you can't find any info on them there, try the better business bureau. When in doubt, move on, and find someone else who the herp society will give a reference for. Don't go on what the breeders tell you alone, the reference they are giving you might be a fake!

11.) Don't trust a person just because they are posting to a message board or have an iguana related website!

Okay, I know this sounds funny to many of you but have I steered you in the wrong direction so far? There are tons of "igsperts" out there, folks who think they know it all because they have an iguana, or even worse, folks that are new to having an iguana, see your question, send email to someone who is more knowledgable get their info and send it to you. This is bad for a few reasons, not the least of which is they may mess up that information when giving it to you or not understand what they are trying to teach you. The flip side is that when they are asking someone else for the answer, you may not end up getting the whole picture -look around and if you're not sure after getting several opinions, research it yourself with your vet or in a book.

I've said it before and I will say it again, we are not experts and I don't know any experts other than those people who have dubbed themselves as such. What we at The Iguana Spot are, is a couple with 15 years experience and a whole lotta iggys in their house some of whom they are trying to place with new families. We try to help people the best we can but sometimes the best help we can offer may seem like no help at all. We do not offer advice in the area of medical procedures, no matter how small and suggest that no one take any medical advice from any Internet source other than if someone tells you to take your iguana to the vet. Be smart, be safe and treat your iguana like you would your own children (ie. -doctor first, email to Aunt Velma later).

12) Do not go to a message board or chat room if your iguana is or appears to be in medical distress!!!

See # 11
Even if you were to find a qualified herp vet on such a forum, in most states by law, they are prohibited from making a diagnosis or perscribing treatment without seeing the animal. Please use common sense and if you are or think you having a medical emergency or issue with your iguana, call a vet ASAP!

13) Don't breed your iguana and think you are going to make lots and lots of money!

The companion animal market is already so over-run with Green Iguana that theaverage wholesale price is $1.00 per animal. In fact, I have seen pet stores giving Green Iguanas away for free with the purchase of an "Iguana Set-up" and selling them as feeders for other reptiles.