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Green Iguana Care

by Joyce E. Davis

THESE ARE THE BASICS YOU MUST PROVIDE TO ALL IGS:

1. HEAT. Igs need a base source of heat at night which does not go below 75°F Heat rocks (on rheostats) or under cage heating pads do well. Periodic checks of temperature are necessary on these items. Black heat lamps are best, though. Some people use regular heat lamps day and night, but igs need dark at night as they sleep at night when it is dark. THEY NEED THEIR NIGHT TIME JUST LIKE WE DO! Their systems go haywire in constant daylight.

2. SPOTLIGHT AND FULL SPECTRUM LIGHTING. A spotlight set up on a favorite basking site is ideal. Igs like to hang out on logs or shelves. I have a basking light situated so the temperature does not exceed 100°F. Have enough area so the animal can move around to different degrees of heat and still be comfortable. You also need to add full spectrum lighting for the animal. There are many good ones available on the market just for reptiles. In the summer you can eliminate these lights by having a basking site at a window that gets good sunlight throughout the day. The window needs a good HEAVY DUTY SCREEN in it. The sunlight is not effective if it comes through glass; the UV rays essential to your ig's health are filtered out through the glass. They love natural sunlight, so if you can do this, it will be great for your ig.

3. HUMIDITY. In the cage this is easy. Daily misting can get you the level of humidity they need. A large water pan in the cage is essential, too. They will defecate in the water so it will have to be changed often, and disinfected. Animals left loose in the room can be misted before going to the basking site in the morning and a water pan on the floor is usually sufficient. DO NOT MIST YOUR IG AT BEDTIME! They must be dry when their "sun" goes down or they might become chilled if the temperature goes down.

4. FOOD. There are many things you can feed your ig to insure proper nutrition. They like a variety of foods more than a steady diet of a few things. They get bored very easily and tend to fast when you least expect it. Farther in this article there will be a very large list of foods that are nutritious for your ig. The most important thing is to feed your ig in the morning as the heat from basking aids in the digestion. They can have an afternoon snack with no ill effects.

5. HANDLING. Most igs will respond nicely to being handled. They do get to know their owners and respond to voice. Most like to be petted on the head, but not for a long period of time. A few igs just will not tolerate human contact. They make nice display animals, but there will be no bond there. As these animals mature they will often settle down and accept you. Don't be too quick to get rid of an animal with an attitude. A little patience goes a long way here. A room where you can turn the lizard loose in the daytime can work wonders, too. The longer the two of you are together the easier it is to Find a way to live together. DON'T GIVE UP!

   Just a few notes on the ig getting adjusted:

   • After purchasing your new iguana, let it rest in its new home for about a week. It will be nervous at first, and all attempts at handling will only make matters worse.
   • Start your interaction with your ig by talking to it. It will get to know your voice.
   • Try to keep your ig on a schedule. Feed in the morning, bask for a while to digest the food, then comes the handling. Go slowly at first. Get to know the ig as well as you want him or her to know you.
   • Start letting your ig run loose in a room. If it hides at first, it won't hurt anything. Their hiding places are easy to find, and they always go to the same one. As it gets used to the room, there will be less hiding. You can at some time give the ig total freedom in the daytime. Shelves or large branches located in sunny spots will be appreciated.
   • A water pan left on the floor will turn into a bathroom. This makes for less work for you and a cleaner place for your ig. You just have to keep the water clean.
   • Soon your ig will stay with you and sit with you and I even have one that will come when I call his name. But NEVER take one outside without a leash. It doesn't matter how tame your ig gets, one sniff of the great outdoors and it will be gone.

6. VITAMIN AND CALCIUM ADDITIVES. Young igs need vitamins and calcium added to every meal. Older ones 2-3 times a week. This is very important since some of the foods are deficient in some vitamins they need or the lighting isn't what it should be to help them absorb everything they need from the food they eat. The best source of calcium that I have found is a cuttle bone scraped into a powder. It has no odor or taste. There are many kinds of reptile vitamins on the market but the one my igs like best is Nekton Rep. It is water soluble and smells like fruit.

It is critical that a wide variety of the above foods be given, to provide all necessary nutrients.

I have written this article on how to keep an iguana healthy assuming you're beginning with a healthy one. Igs are just like all other animals; once in a while you run across one that appears to be healthy but has a hidden problem or one that hasn't developed as yet. There are some symptoms to watch out for and ALL will need medical assistance.

1. Listlessness; wanting to sleep all the time; no interest in anything in the surroundings
2. Swollen limbs
3. Lumps or abrasions anywhere on the body
4. Redness or swelling in the mouth
5. Runny stool
6. Swollen ankles
7. Broken bones
8. Hand, foot, and/or body tremors

All of these symptoms could be due completely to a lack of vitamins, calcium, or the presence of internal parasites. The sooner these problems are corrected the better for the animal.

Hopefully you will not encounter many of these, but if any do show up, I hope I've given you enough information to go on to help. These little guys need us all to pay attention to them and keep them well, since they are giving us so much.

If you pick a healthy animal to start with and follow the guidelines I've provided, you and your ig are in for a long and healthy life together. There is one more thing, though. When you get your new pet home, make an appointment with a vet who is known for successfully treating reptiles and have your ig checked for internal parasites. They're easy to treat and it is inexpensive to do so. If left untreated, your ig could pay for it with its life. This first check up could save you both a lot of grief.

There is no greater reward than to have a 5-6 foot iguana walk across the floor to you and not be afraid. They are one of the best pets one can have. They don't bark or shed and you can pen them up if you have to go away. To know that you have brought one to this point healthy, is one of the best feelings you can have. I wish you and your ig all the luck in the world. You won't be sorry. GOOD LUCK TO YOU BOTH!

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