Iguanas: A Basic Care Guide
Iguanas: A Basic Care Guide
IGUANAS are a very special pet which require very special care. If an iguana is not taking care of properly then it will became sick, and without proper medical attention, iguanas can and will, dye. No one wants to see that happen. This page was set up to help iguana owners deal with problems their iguanas have, to give iguana owner ideas and tips, and most importantly help iguanas get better care. I have done both research on the web, and from many current books on iguanas. I DO NOT claim to be an expert on Iguanas, I am only a concerned friend of Iguanas, including my own three Iguanas: Larry, Shamrock, and Drago. Click on the picture below to hear stories, see pictures, and to find out general information about our iguanas.
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"What do I feed my Iguana?" is a common question among all first time owners of Iguanas, and many pet store workers haven't a single clue on how to answer this. Most will say "Oh, you can buy Iguana food over there," and point to the dry food section. Others will tell you: "Oh, lettuce..." Although most Iguanas will eat dry Iguana food, and lettuce, that should certainly not be their entire diet. Lettuce hold very little nutrients and therefore should only be used as an OCCASIONAL treat or snack, and SHOULD NEVER be used as the main diet for an iguana. I can not stress that enough.
Like any animal (or humans!) Iguanas enjoy a variety of foods, but you need to be cautious not to feed them extremely fatting foods because they will get sluggish, fat, and unhealthy.
Typical foods that are very easy to find are green beans, carrots, lima beans, broccoli, corns, peas, fresh clover, endive, dandelions (leaves and flower), and spinach as the main diet, but you can include any of the following: tomatoes, cucumbers, bananas, apples, pears, pineapples, peaches, apricots, strawberries, cherries, plums, avocados, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, zucchinis, beans, cabbage, and many others. Always have a fresh bowl of water in your pets dish for drinking and bathing.
Suggested plan for feeding Iguanas a varied and nutritional diet:
Supplies: Two bags of frozen mixed vegetables (peas, green beans, corn, lima beans, and carrots can usually be found together in one bag and one bag of broccoli, cauliflower, and carrot mix or what ever you prefer), one to three different fresh fruits (like apples, bananas etc...), some endive, spinach or other leafy vegetable, formulated Green Iguana Food ( I prefer T-Rex formulas that cost between $9-$11 for 16 oz.), and a Calcium/Vitamins Supplement (range $3-$7 depending on what brand you choose). Most of these supplies will last for some time, and most are relatively inexpensive.
Using a covered container take enough frozen vegetables out for a one day severing an allow to thaw over night (make sure the are varied).
Day One: Cut the thawed vegetables up in small enough piece (no bigger then the Iguana's mouth) place in dish with small amount of dry Iguana food, lightly spray with water, sprinkle with Calcium Supplement, and stir. Make enough for 24 hours and replace after 24 hour or before.
Day two: Cut a slice off of each fruit and place the rest in a seal container for further use (they will be good for a couple of days, depending on what type you use). Cut into pieces and place in dish with a small amount of dry food, lightly spray with water.
Day three: Thoroughly wash your leafy vegetable (endive is what I usually use, but when the weather permits I use clover, dandelions, and grasses from the yard), break it into pieces, add slices fruits, spray with water, sprinkle Calcium Supplement on, and stir together.
Day Four: Repeat any one of these steps to your discretion, but always make sure your iguana get Calcium Supplement, at least three times a week or as the recommended dosage permits. I usually mix dry iguana food with every serving and give them a Calcium Supplement four times a week.
Special Suggestion: I suggest feeding your iguana by hand to strengthen the bond between the two of you, but this should only be done once you are both comfortable with each other so that neither of you receives injuries from the experience.
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Housing can be a problem for many Iguana friends. When buying an iguana you must consider that this Iguana will soon be up to SIX feet long! Therefore, your new friend will need a rather large place to make its home. First it is very necessary to have a terrarium (usually glass or plexiglass substitute) that will hold in the heat. You can buy these in the store, but there is hardly ever one big enough for a full grown Iguana. If you are not able to either make or can't find someone to make a big enough cage for you then you may want to consider a different pet. If an Iguana is in a cage that in not sufficient in size then he will not grow correctly and he will be stressed.
*A proper cage for and Iguana should be, at least, twice as long as the Iguana and allow for comfortable turning. It should also have ample height for climbing.
*Every terrarium should contain certain things. A cover for the bottom such as Terrarium lining (these can be bought in a pet store) which should be able to be washed frequently and easily (for my larger iguana I use a piece of plexiglass that covers the entire bottom and I have rock that are smooth covering it). Iguanas LOVE to climb so it is very important for you to place some sort of climbing device in their cage. I use drift wood, but there are plastic models that you can use. Wood is had to get total clean after waste is on it so you may want to try something else. Rocks are important for shedding purposes, but do not use very small or sharp rocks. Sand is not good for iguanas because it get stuck in their skin and causes bacteria buildup. Artificial plants are a good idea, but real plants are possible but make sure they are not poisonous because your iggy will probably eat it. A hiding place big enough for your iggy to fit into is a must so they can have their privacy.
Heating/Lighting
NEVER use a heat rock because they are very dangerous. Heating is very important because Iguanas are natural from warm places and they are cold blooded. An Iguana's cage should be varied in temperature. There should be a basting spot that has an average temperature of 90-95 degrees F. The rest of the cage should be of various temperatures so that you Iguana can determine for himself what his temperature needs to be. At night the temperature should be decreased slightly to 80-85 degrees F. You should have a thermometer to measure these temperatures. How do you get these temperatures? Well the first necessary thing is a heat lamp and a special bulb that stimulates the sun (these can be found in a local pet store). Use this during the day and use a black light at night to maintain, but reduce heat. As stated above, never use a heat rock. A good alternative is an under the tank heater (I use a heating pad under the propped up cage).
Ventilation
Ventilation or having a fresh stream of air is necessary because stagnant air and high amounts of carbon dioxide produce good conditions for bacteria and stresses your pet. Adequate air holes in the top and sides of your cage will provide fresh air for your pet.
Humidity
Humidity helps your Iguana to proper digest his food, therefore, it is important to keep levels between 60-95%. A humidity gauge, found in most pet stores, will allow you to monitor the humidity. The simplest way to increase humidity is to spray the cage several times daily. You can also increase humidity by placing your iggy's water dish directly over the under-the-tank heater. You can also use an aerator in the water.
***Special Note***
Wire mesh on the sides of you cage are impractical because they allow too much heat to escape and can cause damage to iguanas claws, but can be used for the top.
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Handling
The proper way to handle an Iguana is to place your hand under his stomach and allow his paws to be on your finger. You can use the other hand to stroke and pet your Iguana. We like to allow our iggies to walk around on our arms, shoulders, and our legs (when sitting down), but if you do this be sure to pick them back up in a gentle manner. Once your Iguana get to large to hold like this without straining yourself you may want to allow them to
rid on your shoulders and to sit in you lap. ***IMPORTANT: Female Iguanas that are carring eggs should only be handled when absolutely necessary, and then should be handled with the greatest of care.
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GIANT GREEN IGUANAS can have many serious problem in a captive state, as well as out in the wild, but being captive seems to increase the chance that an iguana will die without reaching their full potential lifespan. In fact, one source said that 97% of captive breed Iguanas die within the first year of their life which is a very sad reality, but is mainly due to improper care of Iguanas. Below is a brief description of several illnesses and preventative measure that an owner can take to ensure the wellness of your reptile before he develops theses, and measure to take once symptom occur. The best advice is to find a trusted Veterinarian and use him/her to answer questions. CLICK HERE to see sick Iguanas.
Common Problems (in normally healthy Iguanas)
Cuts, Scraps, Minor Wounds, and Injuries: If your normal healthy Iguana has a small cut, scrap, wound, or injury caused by escape attempts, fighting, lamp burns, and many other causes can USUALLY (not always) be treated at home with a few simple items. You'll need Hydrogen Peroxide (a bottle especially for your Iguanas DO NOT LET HUMAN USE THE SAME BOTTLE; ranges from $.50 to $1.50), a special infectious bacteria medicine (I prefer Zoo Meds brand) that can be found in your local pet store (ranges from $4-$7), and a clean cotton swab. First get you supplies ready, then get you iggy calm by petting (putting medicines on can be tricky especially if this is a first for both of you so you may want to ask someone to help), next simple dab one end of your cotton swap into the peroxide and gentle apply to the effected area. You will need to allow ample time for the peroxide to dry and disinfect (it will bubble and became foamy if there are germs in the wound). Next use the other side of the cotton swab and apply medicine to it and gentle rub this on the wound. This process should be done 2-3 times a day for best results. You should see a difference in the wound within three days, but if the wound does not seem to be healing after one week (and you are treating your pet the correctly) SEEK PROFESSIONAL HELP IMMEDIATELY!
Ectoparasites or tick/mites
Ticks can be removed from your iguana by rubbing alcohol on the tick and allowing time for the mouth parts to relax. Then simple twist and turn to remove with tweezers. Mites are very small and multiple quickly. The are smaller then a pin head, have a round body, are grayish in color, and can be seen at night. If you iguana is infected place a proprietary plastic insecticidal strip ( the kind used to kill house flies) in the cage for two to three days. Since the strip does not kill mite eggs, this process needs to be repeated ten days later to prevent reinfestation.
Bacterial Diseases
These type of diseases are usual avoided by maintain a clean, proper ventilated terrarium for your iguana.
Salmonella can be transmitted to human, but can be avoided by thoroughly hand washing. This disease shows itself in unhealthy, watery, green-colored, foul-odored feces. A vet will carry out antibiotic treatment if you iguana suffers from this.
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My Iguanas: Larry, Drago, and Shamrock
Iguana Town
Love My Iguana
Mellisa Kaplan's Page
Iguana Care
Wong's Green Iguana Heavan
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Please E-Mail me with any questions, comments, or ideas.
People have visited this site since March 17, 2000
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