FEEDING
Iguanas are vegetarians. I once had an Iguana who would eat Anole’s
(the small green reptiles sold as chameleons at times. I have fed
mine crickets, but they are a pain and will keep you up all night.
An all-vegetable diet should be offered daily, preferably
in the morning. (Iguanas use the heat of the day to help digest, so
night feedings are discouraged). Mine usually work off a staple of
spinach and chopped carrots, though I try to keep it interesting and
will occasionally fill their bowls with rose petals, kiwi, bananas,
strawberries, dandelions, etc. In college, Junior would like to eat
macaroni and cheese, though I wouldn’t really encourage this. I am
a firm believer in variety for health. Most books will recommend not
ever giving an iguana cat food, though mine love it as a snack. I
assume they know a little more about what they like than I do.
Always keep frozen green beans around for a last minute meal.
A good diet
consists of variety and nutrition. Iceberg lettuce is one of the
worst things you can feed them. Romaine is a better choice.
Make sure to cut out the good green stuff (avoid the white center). They
love so many different fruits and squash of any kind. They also
enjoy greens (collard, mustard, etc., are good choices). Hibiscus
flowers are a summertime favorite.
Always make
sure to chop food up finely so they can easily chew. Make sure to
sparingly use a good calcium supplement. Keep the meals interesting
for your green friends. Would you want to eat the same thing every
day? I wouldn’t. Also, always make sure to keep clean water in
your tank for them to enjoy. Iguanas enjoy fresh, clean water,
so pay attention to this!
HEATING
& LIGHTING
Iguanas are cold-blooded animals who need to absorb their heat. In
their natural habitat they would do this by lying in the sun.
Unfortunately, they can't do this in your home. Exposure to
unfiltered sunlight or a UVB-producing bulb, is necessary to
facilitate Vitamin D3 production. This is the vitamin that turns
calcium into a usable material for bone and nerve cell building and
repair. So, without it, an iguana will quickly end up with a
condition similar to osteoporosis, and possibly nerve damage.
Sunlight that passes through glass or Plexiglas does NOT transmit
UVB, and cannot be substituted. When using a UVB bulb, it must be
placed 12-18 inches from where your iguana will spend the most time,
and it must NOT have glass or plastic between the bulb and the
iguana. (The glass in the bulb is a special glass for this reason).
BASIC
CARE & HYGIENE
Iguanas like to bathe. An easy way to bathe your iguana is to fill
your tub about half full of room temperature water and let them
loose. This helps with molting as the water will moisten their skin
and aid in the peeling process. Also, because they walk in his food
and waste, a bath will help keep bacteria out from under their nails
and scales. Iguanas carry salmonella, so be sure to use
antibacterial soap after handling your iguana.
When cleaning their home, never use soap, bleach or any other
chemical. The scent alone can kill him. Simply use hot water and a
scrub brush. Soak all plants, sticks, rocks and other climbing
things in hot water also. You should clean at least every other day.
The floor should be changed daily. It is not necessary to
continually remove the shed as young iguanas will eat this. It
provides them with extra protein and calcium and necessary
antibodies.
If you notice your iguana has mites you can soak him to aid in
ridding him of the pests. You can also coat him in olive oil. It is
recommended that you use the olive oil method as it is longer
lasting than a soak and you will rid him of more pests. You can just
use a soft brush and simply "paint" him with the oil.
You should take your iguana to the vet at least twice a year for a
check up. Iguanas in their natural environment will eat the feces of
an adult iguana and receive their immunizations this way. Captive
iguanas do not carry the same micro organisms that prevent disease,
so check-ups are important.
HOUSING
Iguanas require
much more space than your normal caged pet. They are natural
climbers and need space to do just that. You should start off with
the largest cage possible. Many people find that starting with a 55
gallon aquarium saves them the expense of buying another aquarium
later on. By the time your iguana is about 1 year old, however, it
will probably have outgrown even that. Most people ultimately build
cages out of wood, Plexiglas and/or wire. The cage width should be at
least 1 1/2 times the length of your iguana, the depth should be
at least as long as the iguana, and the height should be as tall as
possible. (6 feet is recommended.) So, for a 5 foot long iguana, you
need to plan for a cage that is 7-8 feet wide, 4-5 feet deep, and at
least 6 feet tall
It is not
recommended that you let your iguana run loose unsupervised in your
home, as there are many things the iguana could damage, or could get
injured by. But, its great to be able to watch them run around
SUPERVISED. My iguanas love running around and occasionally scaring
my cat and sneaking a little of his food. You need a way to manage
waste material. I find that newspaper is inexpensive (therefore you
will change it often) and easy. Some people use Astroturf and other
means to line their cage, but this can accumulate waste material and
germs and isn’t the best idea. Newspaper is the easiest and
cost-efficient way to manager your iguana’s waste. By saving your
old newspapers you will have an endless supply of floor coverings.
It is recommended that you place aquarium plants on the walls so
they may climb on them. Also, iguanas like privacy and will hide
in the greens you hang. If using real plants, make sure they are
iguana compatible. They will eat anything green and alive that
you place in their home.
