I just received 2 iguanas as a gift and I have no idea what to do with them??

Question

I ordered an iguana cage online and I should receive it on Monday (they did come with one but I think it’s to small for them), I am feeding them lettuce and bananas but what do I do from there? I own dogs, birds, fish and snakes but I have never owned a lizard!


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And also, they are not small…I would say just by looking at them that they are each over a foot long not including the tail.

Thanks!

What are all you people 3, get a life!

Answer 1

People on this site are idots (see above stupid answers) to answer your question, Iguanas are great pets, they can live in your home without the need of a cage, but it is good to have a cage for them for when you are unable to watch them. Do not feed them lettuce as this has very low nutritional value. I would go for kale, spinach, bok choy, and other dark green vegetables, bananas are okay as an occasional snack but are very binding for them, I would stick with grapes, apple and pear for fruits. Rembember they are vegetarians. Make sure they have ample water supply, even though they will not drink a great deal. Also, be careful of their bite and of their tail whips when they get annoyed, they can break your finger if they bite you. It is not a regular occurance, but can happen, so just be careful not to upset them.
http://www.2ndchance.info/IguanaCare.htm
above is a very simple page that can give you some more information about feeding requirements, lighting requirements, nail trimming, etc.
Good luck with your new babies, they do make amazing and very social pets filled with character of their own!

Answer 2

okay well for starters...you'll need heat lamps and UVB lamps that simulate the sun. They will get very sick without these. Their diet should consist of collared greens, kale (dark leafy greens) sugar snap peas, shredded carrots, raddishes, a fruit or two at a time (grapes, strawberries, blueberries but just a small amount). They need a good sized cage because they can get upwards of 4 ft long. They need a large container for water because thats where they go to the bathroom so it also needs to be changed frequently. I recommend using a small cat litter box. The bottom should be bark chips availiable at the pet store. They do not eat bugs or bread or anything like that. They are vegetarians. You can fill up the bath tub a couple of inches with luke warm water and let them swim...they'll love it. They do not change colors a lot like a chameleon....anything else? I hope this helps.

Answer 3

I used to have an ignuana that was a little over 4 feet long. He made such an awesome pet.

You should feed them romaine lettuce as that has a high level of vitamin D in them which iguana's need. Also if you go to a local pet store, there is a light you can get. I forget the name, but if you ask someone who works there, they should be able to help you out. Iguana's also really like water. I used to fill my bathtub up with luke warm water and let him swim in it.

Most iguana's go to the bathroom in water but they can be cat litter trained. Just feed them a good variety of lettuce, fruits & veggies and everything should be good.

Hot rocks aren't really advisable as quite a few iguana's have been burned because of them over-heating. Good luck with your iguana's :-D I'd like to get another one day. My iguana, Oscar, also loved being rubbed right in between his eyes. But watch their tails, they can hit hard & you can also clip their nails if they get too sharp, if they are fairly tame.


Good luck

Answer 4

Hey there. I have had an iguana before maby I can help out. It is good that you are getting a bigger cage because trust me they are gonna get alot bigger. They average to about 5-6 feet in length when full grown (including the tail). So as they grow bigger, you may be better off building a cage yourself, because their is no manufactured aquariums on the market today large enough for an adult iguana.
Iguanas are tree dwelling animals and spend the majority of their time as high off of the ground as possible. Large branches that are a bit wider than the animal itself should be provided for them to climb on.
Iguanas are also used to being in a humid environment, so it is reccomended thaty you mist the cage about twice a day. Providing both a cool area and a warm area in tha cage is important. A basking spot under the heat lamp should be kept at about 95-100 degrees fahrenheit. While the cooler part of the cage should be at about 80-85 degreese fahrenheit. At night however the temperature can safely drop to 70-75 degrees.
A branch or shelf should be provided directly under the basking lamp for the iguana to heat itself during the day. However it is important that the heat lamp be screened off or out of the iguanas reach so itwon't burn itself. Aside from the heating lamp, a full spectrum light that contains UVB should be provided. Iguanas need UVB light to create the vitamin D3. They need this vitamin to absorb calcium in their food. Without it they develope a condition called matabolic bone disease, which is a calcium deficiency. A basking branch should be placed 10-12 inches away from the florescent light source. The light should be left on for about 10-12 hours of the day and turned off at night. If it is left on at night the iguanas cannot sleep.
If possible, it is good to take your iguanas out to bask in natural sunlight. Donot take them outside unless the temperature is above 70 degrees fahrenheit.
Iguanas are herbivorous animals, eating entirely plants. 70-80% of their diet should concist of dark greens such as collard greens, endive, mustard greens, watercress and dandilion greens. If possible, mulberry and hibiscus leaves should be included in their diet frequently. Avoid feeding them iceburg lettuce as it has no nutritional value. 20-30% of the diet should be of grated vegetables like carrots, cabbage, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, spineless prickly pear cactus pads, zucchini, kale. And 10-20% should be fruits and flowers like strawberries. kiwi, apple (without seeds), melon, mango, papaya, rasberries, hibiscus, nasturtium, and dandelion flowers. Babanas are a favorite for the iguana but should only be fed as a treat because they have an incorrect calcium to phosphorus ratio.
Calcium powder, which can be purchased at reptile stores should be sprinkles over their food about 3 times a week for juviniles (who should be fed everyday) and about once a week for adults (who are fed every other day).
Water should simpley be offered in a heavy dish so they don't tip it over, and changed when dirty or dry.
My iguana also enjoyed dips in luke-warm bathwater about once a week or so to swim around. I know it sounds like alot of work but once you get the hang of it, it's not that hard. Good luck with your new friends.

Answer 5

I find, rubbed with a little garlic butter and roasted, they make a fine Sunday dinner

Answer 6

I hear the best thing to do with them is to bread them and fry in shortening

Answer 7

go to a bookshop and buy a good book where you can find answer how to take care of them...

Answer 8

I've heard they taste like chicken.

Answer 9

sell them! or put different coloured cardboard behind them and watch them change colour! yay!