How to Care for a Pet Iguana

Most people who decide to buy a pet Iguana need a lot of briefing on the realistic conditions needed to raise the beautiful animal. This animal is one of the most exotic creatures who rule the jungles. At the same time they are vegetarians, kind hearted, live in a royal way, bond well and vulnerable to problems if uncared for. This care taking is an extremely costly and difficult business. So do consider the possible difficulties that you might face before you decide to buy a pet. Talk to someone who has raised an iguana for a significantly long time. After knowing all the intricacies if you decide to get one then go right ahead. Above all they are amazing creatures.

Self experience is extremely important when you want to raise a pet. No pet store can ever give you all the necessary information about how to ensure your pet’s safety. Therefore, go by your feeling. If you feel your Iguana is not happy with a particular thing, feel free to change it. Iguanas are good at building relationships and if you really bond with them your understanding of them will be better. It is just like a relationship with a dog, only most people know very less about Iguanas which leads them to confusion and ultimately harms the poor creature. Here are some important tips on how to take proper care of your pet Iguana:

Preparation Beforehand:

1. Most people start with a 10 Gallon container and a simple heat rock. This is bad for the Iguana and not recommended at all. Iguanas grow very quickly in the initial 3 years of their life. They also continue to grow throughout their lives but at a slower rate after 3 years. Therefore, don’t compromise on the space. Your baby Iguana will become too big for a 55 gallon water tank in a year’s time. Nevertheless buying a tank of this capacity is the safer option initially.

The length of the tank must be at least two times your Iguana’s length and width should be half its size. However the most important factor to consider in a cage is its height. Iguanas are natural climbers. In nature they climb trees and high hills; therefore it is extremely important to give them this elevated seating inside your house. With all the requirements for the Iguana it might be a good idea to reserve an entire room or a place on the terrace for the pet, where the cage can be kept.

2. Ultraviolet Beams producing tube light (fluorescent) on the top where it cannot be touched. You might need a timer to regulate the lighting conditions. Use a 10 hour shift in the lighting as iguanas are as sensitive to light as we are. Leaving a light on for a longer duration will disturb their bio-cycles.

3. A complete heating pan for under the cage is necessary. Iguanas like other cold blooded animals need heat regulation. If you ensure a completely warm cage the iguana can roam freely around the cage. If you replace the pad with a simple rock, the iguana will be crippled and will have to stay at one place to get the warmth.

4.  To ensure the right temperatures inside the cage, install thermometers, at least 2 – one on each end. The best way to distribute the temperatures is to polarize the hot and the cool so that the iguana can find its suitable place.

5. Inside the cage they need something climbable, a basking lamp, regular fresh source of water, some hard and dry branches which can bear their weight and of course an area to serve food dishes.

6. To be able to digest their food, iguanas need the right temperatures around them. Inside the cage these can be divided from 80 F - 90 F between the two ends of the cage.

Proper Diet:

1. First and foremost remember that iguanas are herbivores. They are pure vegetarians and do not consume any insects or other animals. Many people believe that because they appear like lizards, they should be given small insects time to time to satisfy their protein needs. This is totally wrong. Iguanas get all their protein needs from vegetables.

2. The most basic contents should include lots of greens – especially collard (cabbage variety), dandelion (a weed of the daisy family with large yellow flowers), turnip (a round root with white or cream flesh, European variety of cabbage), mustard (not seeds), green salads, peas, beans, sweet potato and spinach in small amounts.

3. If you want to help the iguana toilet train, feed the iguana early in the morning as soon as he/she wakes up. This will give it the whole day to facilitate digestion and will regulate the passing of motions.

4. A lot of people will tell you to supplement it with calcium. While you should try and find out about the most natural supplies of calcium through the right food, it is not always easy to get. In that case ensure that supplement that you get is void of D3. Many labels will have this written on them as D3 is highly toxic for the pets. Make sure the calcium supply is just enough, refrain from multi-vitamins and the container will last a significantly long time.

5. Iguanas do not chew their food. You should know this by knowing common habits of reptiles. Therefore be responsible for the cutting up of the food in small pieces or the iguana will have difficulties in swallowing.

6. You can also feed your pet - fruits and flowers such as grapes, apples, berries, assorted melons, flower petals of safe plants, zucchini, cilantro, wax beans etc.

Other than these, iguanas seem to like music, enjoy a clean environment and lots of caring. They might seem to be huge lizards but they are much different in behavior and adaptation from other lizards. You will experience a lot of new things once you bond with them, so above all be open for this experience.