i want an ijuana but im not quite sure how to raise one or what i need ???
2006-10-19 17:21:02 · 10 answers · asked by scarakm1 1 in Pets ➔ Reptiles
How old are you???
You didn't say how you will pay for everything you will need to buy or provide...
Lizards require special needs...
You must be able and willing to care for it properly knowing to get an aquarium large enough to allow for it to grow...
They need live food and fresh water and tree branches to climb on which means you need a vented top to your aquarium as well...
He also needs equal amounts of light and darkness so he can be awake and asleep..
And he will need his food periodically dusted with vitamins he cannot get in captivity...
I have owned iguanas and bearded dragons with my husband and they need food and water every few days, so you can't plan on a long vacation...
I have also owned and still own 2 bearded dragons and they are very docile and friendly...
They are full grown and as long as it is from my hand to my elbow...
They need the same requirements with heat, lighting, food, cage cleaning, water, and a tank, but they don't grow as much as an Iguana...
Maybe this would be a good idea for you...
I love my beardies...
You never feed a lizard anything bigger than its mouth can open or bigger than the lizard head...
Babies need smaller food and larger grown lizards eat larger crickets and worms..
It is really not so bad to watch them eat...
It is not gruesome if that's what you think...
The lizards strike fast with their tongue and you hardly ever see them eat unless you stand right there and watch...
All you have to do is buy the crickets like every 3 days...
Sometimes lizards eat less often in winter months and more in summer...
They need to be kept warm and you need to create summer like conditions in your tank...
He will need a heat lamp, and a UV lamp for the effects of real daylight...
He will need a tree branch to climb on and water in a bowl he can't turn over...
You might like to put tree bark as litter on the bottom of the tank so when your lizard goes to the potty, it will be absorbed by the litter and not stink...
You wouldn't believe how lizard crap stinks...
It is a lot of work to keep exotic animals like bearded dragons and iguanas...
They are wild animals and depend on real live food where they come from in Australia...
You really need to pay attention to them and keep them on a regular feeding schedule...
Keep their tank clean of their feces and keep clean water in there...
They also sleep at night so make sure you buy a timer for your lights so they will be on in day time and off at night...
A good schedule I found is awake 12 hours and asleep 12 hours...
Like I said, lots of work...
2006-10-19 17:44:24 · answer #1 · answered by aspenkdp2003 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
The most important things you need are patience and dedication.
Iguanas are not domesticated animals and must be handled daily to become socialized. They have very sharp claws, a whip like tail, and will even bite if sufficiently paniced. You have to accept that this is the nature of the beast and not punish it for it. YOu also must realize that if you do not work to socialize the animal you will have a dangerous lizard when it reaches 6 feet.
Iguanas can live 20 years and grow to be 6 feet long. Deciding to raise one should be a carefuly thought out decision. My son's iguana is only 1 year old and is already over 2 feet long. He will probably reach full size within the next 4 years. I have a link below to the enclosure we have built for him. Be sure to understand that it will be getting bigger as the lizard gets bigger.
The remaining requirements are the easy ones and I refer you to Melissa Kaplin for details. Think it through carefully, she also has sections on other lizards, one of which might be more suitable for you.
2006-10-20 02:07:02 · answer #2 · answered by Betty 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Books are a good idea. Read up on what is needed to care for an Iguana. They need space to grow, adequate clean water daily, a specialized diet, lights for heat , and lots of care.
2006-10-19 17:34:16 · answer #3 · answered by Catman81 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
first i dont recomend iguanas i work at a large pet store and talk everyone that asks me for and iguana out of one i also own a small pet store and refuse to carry them for people. out of 100 iguanas that are sold only 3 will properly be taken care of and only 25 will live past 2 years old. these get very big most people dont realise how big a 6 foot lizard is. if you get a male then you are going to also have to deal with it freaking out when he gets older every time your girlfriend or wife goes on her period. but if you absolutely are going to get one anyway get books and do at least 3 months of research on them dont ask on forums like this youll get mixed messages and never enough information on them. no matter what anybody says do not feed an iguana any live food. crickets mice worms all of this is for carnivorous reptiles iguanas are vegitarians they eat vegitables ONLY you may find that they will eat bugs if you give it to them but will result in fatty liver disease
2006-10-20 13:28:10 · answer #4 · answered by reptileking 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
In order for you to properly care for one you need a large cage.Do you realize they can grow up to 6 feet?They are NOT!!! meat eaters.Many people feed them crickets,thinking b/c they are reptiles,they eat meat.Not true.Fruits and veggies.That is there diet.They need alot of humidity.This is hard to do but you can go to any pet store & buy a humidifyer for it's cage.12 hours of daylight.12 hours of nite. You also need to buy an ultra violet light to make up for the sunlight they are suppose to have.Buy a heat lamp you can place on top of it's cage so it can stay warm.I don't recommend a heat rock b/c they tend to lie on it soooo long that they don't realize they are actually burning themselves.i also recommend sprinkling calcium on their food to help them stay healthy.Good luck & as it grows larger,watch that tail.it can hurt you.Oh yeah,let it swim in the tub for atleast an hour a day.They need the moisture.
2006-10-19 22:51:24 · answer #5 · answered by upsrampbitch 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
A book.
You need to read a few books and talk to people who own them.
If you can't spell it, you can't own it.
It's IGUANA!
PLEASE get a book. Librarys will let you borrow one for free or if you get one from a book store you get to keep it. Ask the employees, they will show you a good one.
2006-10-19 17:27:29 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
first of all get it straight its an iguana!!
you need alot of stuff a home a heat lamp and they eat veggies and fruits and a place for them to hide or sleep and you should know how to handle them cuz when they are young they r very jumpy and arent very tame dats why I got baby bearde dragons but yeah IGUANAS r cool!!
2006-10-20 13:10:30 · answer #7 · answered by ~*dis girl*~ 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Please don't raise one unless you are sure you can take care of one....they are not like cats or dogs, they should be banned from households....educate yourself before you make a decision.
2006-10-19 17:30:54 · answer #8 · answered by ~MEEEOW~ 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I am not an animal lover.
2006-10-19 21:20:22 · answer #9 · answered by Madinahbi Binti Abdul Hamid AHM 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
first you should learn how to spell it
2006-10-19 17:25:16 · answer #10 · answered by Nichole G 2 · 4⤊ 0⤋