IGUANAS

A QUICK FACT SHEET

BY: JILL M. PATT, DVM

NATURAL ENVIRONMENT: Rain forests of South and Central America

LIFESPAN: 15-20 years

SEXING: Males will have a large dewlap, large femoral pores, and hemipenes

HOUSING: Realize that these animals get very large and will need an appropriately sized enclosure. A six foot cage is typically the smallest that can be used.

LIGHTING: Full spectrum UVB fluorescent lighting and a basking bulb

TEMPERATURE: Basking area in the 90’s, daytime temps in the 80’s and nighttime temps in the 70’s

WATER/HUMIDITY: Clean water bowl should be present at all time in the cage. These guys live in the rain forest and therefore require high humidity levels of ~70%. You can’t go wrong by soaking your iguana daily in shallow warm water.

DIET: Iguanas are herbivores: they eat veggies

Variety is Important! A large variety of fresh leafy and solid green vegetables should be offered every day. Only a small percent of the diet should be fruits and animal protein should never be provided. A phosphorus free calcium supplement should be dusted over veggies and a multivitamin should be provided twice weekly. Alfalfa is an excellent source of both protein and calcium and can be provided in capsules, pellets or hay.

Example vegetables include: green beans, parsley, collard greens, mustard greens turnip greens, , dandelion greens, , green peppers, escarole, leeks, snow peas, radish, okra, prickly pear, parsnip

SUPPLEMENTS: Calcium, multivitamin, alfalfa capsules

MEDICAL CONCERNS: Many! Often related to poor nutrition.

Malnutrition – metabolic bone disease

Parasites

Egg bound

Abscess/infection

Kidney Failure

Tail Trauma

FURTHER INFORMATION: Green Iguana Society: http://www.greenigsociety.org/home.html

Melissa Kaplan’s web site: http://www.anapsid.org/

Dr. Jill M. Patt’s web site: www.littlecrittersvet.com