Iguana Questions?

Question

I am about to purchase to Green Iguanas, I need to know some things before I do.

1. What do they eat?

2. How big do they commonly get?

3. How long do they live?

4. What Size cage do you reccomend?

Thank You

TO GIMMENAMENOW: I am not bying one from a petstore I am buying from a breeder. Plus I own tons of reptiles including full grow monitors and pythons.

TO GIMMENAMENOW: I am not bying one from a petstore I am buying from a breeder. Plus I own tons of reptiles including full grow monitors and pythons.

Answer 1

hi there
iguana's are veggie eaters they can not digest protein ... they can get up to 6 feet full grown with tail will need lots of room they live up to 15 yrs if kept in proper health...adult Iguanas requires at least 6' long x 5'high x 4' wide min.reqirements.bigger is better. if u don't have the room give it a room .. to rome... they love to climb u'll need heavy branches... a heat lamp for basking..they also love to swim ..
please do ur research b4 u buy one i have to many rescues of miss treated iguana's, sick ones do to their cage size they were in... because ppl don't know what they are getting in to when they buy one they don't do their research .. oh ya we do reptile rescues...

come check out our website under the lizard section u will find a basic care sheet for them...food, heat, substrate, min req. cage size etc.

Answer 2

Like what most people are saying, research before buying. Even better yet, if you do your research and still want one, adopt. There are so many surrendered because people didn't research before.
As you can see from the answers, there is still misinformation about the green iguana. Two books that are essential are:
Green Iguana, The Ultimate Owner's Manual and
Iguanas for Dummies by Melissa Kaplan

Iguanas are herbivore. The most recent studies show that their natural diet is 70% leaves 10-15% flowers and the rest soft fruit. Green iguanas are not built to digest bugs or animal protein. Feed dog food to dogs, and monkey bisquits to monkeys.

Thoroughly read those books before getting any iguana. You can even get them at the library.

PROPERLY cared for, the green iguana will reach 5- 6 feet, including the tail, (assuming it's kept all of it) depending on the country of origin. They can live up to 15-20 years, or maybe more. For a hatchling, resist the temptation to house it in an aquarium. For one, it will quickly outgrow it, and another, it will be hard to tame it because you will have to approach it from the top, and this is the way a predator will approach it. Best to custom build a cage that has a side enclosure. One that can be either modified as the ig gets bigger, or keep building bigger enclosures. Eventually, for the adult, the best is a room. An 8'x8' room, or even a 10'x10' room isn't too small.

The websites listed here are valuable too in getting current, accurate info for these marvelous creatures. Please think very carefully before you get one. And two is going to be twice the work.

www.greenigsociety.org
www.anapsid.org

At the greenigsociety, take a look at the iguanas up for adoption. You might find one that's suitable for your situation. And it's an eye opener for someone thinking of getting an iguana.

Answer 3

They eat Iguana food, no joke they need an extruded pellet diet. They kind would buy in a petstore.Just feeding them lettuce will lead to a very very sick and dead lizard. Feeding them other foods like Kale and fruits and veggies occasionally is good. They need UV light or they will not grow and thrive.

They can get up to 6 ft or more. That is including tail.

they can live 15-20 years

I reccomend a HUGE cage. The cheapest way to do this is build it yourself. I have one made from White PVC pipe and joints and 1"x1" hardware cloth. it is 6'x6'x3' and that is whats reccomended for a full grown iguana.

And to let you know Males can be very territorial when they are full grown. I say CAN, but not all of them do. I have also seen peoople requiring stitches when their hards have been laid open by that tail being slapped at them.

Persoanlly I think iguanas are horrible pets because you get them in the stores really cheap and assume they don't need alot to survive and they make super great pets. Unless you handle yours EVERYDAY FOR 2 HOURS at least this is not true. I have seen iguanas that stalk people to whip them with their tails. And become so aggressive that they have to be put to sleep. I do not condone getting one of these guys unless you are prepared for a monster to terrorize your home, because no matter what you do it can happen.

If you want something with a more even temperment I might try a Bearded Dragon. They have the same requirements and some of them like the Sandfires and reds are more colorful than igunanas. They also require much less space than an iguana and eat bugs (though no neccisarry)

Whatever you get read up on it. Its the kindest thing to do before you get an animal.

Answer 4

You are going to love your Green Iguana. I had one for 5 years before I had to give it to a breeder (went thru a divorce). I started my iguana out in a 10 gal aquarium and slowly moved her up to a larger aquarium. They grow quick, so I would get a larger tank. I handled my Iguana every day and took her everywhere with me, so by the time she was 1 year old she did not have a tank anymore. We set her up in our spare room with a pallet on the ground with the green indoor/outdoor carpet on it, then we got a big branch that we had on the floor and slanted it at a 45 degree angle up towards the ceiling. This branch we had leaning on a corner wall so it wouldn't move. Then we had a light hanging from the ceiling above her branch so she could would get enough light and heat. Her daily diet included veggies (carrots/broccoli) and fresh greens and I would give her crickets 1-2 times per week. Don't forget to get the calcium powder (We use Rep Cal) to sprinkle on the food and crickets. Also they will need fresh water to drink.
Mine was 4'10" when we gave her to the breeder and she was 5 years old.

Hope this helps.

Answer 5

Diet:
Iguanas are herbivores; they do not eat animal protein of any kind. Commercially available Iguana food is not suitable for use as it usually contains animal protein. An Iguana's primary diet should include collard greens, mustard greens, dandelion greens, escarole, green beans, parsnip, winter squash, alfalfa, strawberries, mangos, figs, cantaloupe and a calcium supplement. The greens should make up the majority of the diet.
The Iguana should be feed early every morning. Additional feedings may be made later if the iguana eats them. Water should be provided, preferably in a dish too small for the iguanas to immerse themselves in.

Size:
Iguanas can grow to 6 foot in length.

Age............... head to vent…..total length
Just hatched……...2 in ………….6-8 in
3 months……...….4 in…………..12 in
6 months…………6 in…………..18 in
1 year…………….8 in…………..24 in
18 months…….…10 in…………..30 in
2 years…………..12 in…………..36 in
3 years……….….16 in…………..45 in
4 years……….….18 in…………..54 in
5 years…………..20 in…………..60 in
6 years…………..22 in…………..66 in
7 years…….up to 24 in….....up to 72 in

Housing:
Where x is the length of the iguana, housing should be x tall, x deep and 1.5 x long. Iguanas are arboreal and need to have something to climb on. A bathing area is also desirable. Iguanas instinctually poop in water and they are likely to consistently use the bathing are to do so.

Heat:
Iguanas need a basking area, normally at the top of the climbing area that has a temperature of 95F. The lower areas of the cages should be cooler as a lizard regulates his body temperature by moving to warmer or cooler areas. The lowest temperature, nighttime, should not be less than 75F. Nighttime heat can be provided using ceramic heaters or night bulbs. Never use heat rocks with Iguanas as they can cause burning.

Light:
Iguanas live in equatorial areas. They should have 12 hours of light and 12 hours of dark. They also require high quality UVB lights (such as reptisun 10) to facilitate vitamin D production to allow calcium absorption. Vitamin D drop are not a suitable replacement due to problems with dosing and lack of evidence on their effectiveness. Daily trips outside, in a suitable enclosure, are desirable when temperature permits.

Handling:
Iguanas must be handled daily to socializing them. As they can inflict injury with their tails, teeth, and claws the purchase of protective gear for the forearms is often considered (my son uses a leather jacket and gloves). They are not domesticated animals so this behavior is instinctual on the Iguana's part. The daily handling is to show them that you are a friend rather than a threat. Never punish an iguana, but at the same time do not let them win. If the Iguana learns that tail thrashing will cause you to put them down, they will always tail thrash when you try to pick them up.

Health:
Iguanas require reptile vets. Regular vets do not have the training needed to understand what is happening in an Iguana, or any other reptile. You can find a list of reptile vets in the US at http://www.anapsid.org/vets/index.html.

Lifespan:
In captivity Iguanas given proper care can be expected to live 20 years.



Please be sure to visit anapsid.org. It is the website of Melissa Kaplan, author of Iguanas for Dummies.

Answer 6

1. Greens, veggies and fruit
2. 5-6 feet long
3. Up to 20 years
4. Huge enclosure. Eventually, he will need his own room

Just so you know, caring for an iguana is an expensive venture. Look up a care sheet online. Thousands of Iguanas are dropped off at shelters every year because they get too big. I would rethink getting one.

Answer 7

Alright, I'm blunt so here goes.

If you have to ask these questions, you aren't ready to get an iguana or ANY type of reptile. Learn BEFORE you buy. 80% of iguanas purchased in pet stores die within the first year of purchase because of this little process that is being described on this site DAILY, "I'm getting a such and such" or "I just got a such and such" There is no substitute for research before purchase, and not just a day or two of research. But here goes. You ask a question, I give an answer....

1. What do they eat?
Iguanas for the most part are vegetarian, they need greens: romaine lettuce, red leaf lettuce, green leaf, fresh spinach, try a handful of fresh parsley might like that too, etc, NO iceberg or cabbage as mentioned. Fruits: mango, strawberries, grapes, apples, bananas, etc. I've found that mine aren't too big on citrus, and I've heard melons aren't great for them. Veggies: shredded carrots, zuchini, squash, celery tops not the stalks, etc.
The protien/calcium paradox: Oh, iggys are vegetarians, but they need protien and calcium. Hm. Interesting. Iguanas AREN'T strict vegetarians, in the wild they will eat nestling birds, etc to get the nutrients that leaves and flowers won't give them. You can buy monkey biscuits in most pet stores, they're a protien food, soak a few in warm water for a while, they'll puff up and get soft, for a baby iggy I'd say no more than one or two a week or better yet for little guys offer them some crickets dusted with calcium powder, you might be suprised. EVERY meal an iguana eats should have a smidge of calcium powder in it. Not a lot, but a little. An Iguana that doesn't get calcium/protien AND full-spectrum light, cannot metabolize vitamin D3. You end up with osteodystrophy. Your ig's jaw will start to warp, and his bones get weak, and he breaks every time he's picked up. This is NOT pretty, and it is NOT quick, and it's a VERY common cause of death for igs.
A side-note on food: Iguanas LOVE hibiscus flowers. Unless you are 100% absolutely sure that the hibiscus has no pesticides/fertilizers/etc. you should not feed them to your iggy. If it's a plant in your own yard and you know you have never poisoned anything around it, offer him a few of those, he'll go nuts.

2. How big do they commonly get? Commonly? not over two feet, as I mentioned 80% or so die in their first year because of uneducated buyers. If you take care of it, a female will usually max out somewhere in the 5 foot range, our first iguana was a male, and he reached 6 1/2 feet long or so. Remember, reptiles never stop growing, just because your ig has reached "average adult size" doesn't mean it's done. Fred was amazing, super-friendly and all, but when you have a lizard that big with sharp claws and all that weight.... Iguanas like to be at the highest point possible, and when they're being held, that means your head. This is not pleasant.

3. How long do they live? I think this should be "how long CAN they live" Take care of them, and yes, 20 years is possible, I believe I met someone once who claimed theirs was 25 when he finally died.

4. What size cage? I read somewhere that 8x8x8 per iguana is sufficient, but that seems a bit cramped to me. Ours have an outdoor cage made of 4x4s and hardware cloth, it's about 14 feet long, eight feet deep, and probably around 9 feet tall, the two we have in it now seem to be pretty happy. Do NOT let your ig run loose in the yard. He goes up a tree and you can't get him back down. If you're here in Florida, all you've done is added to the large supply of wild iguanas, but anywhere cold, and if you can't catch your ig before it freezes, he's dead. Giving them free roam of the house, although good for scaring the bejeebers out of guests, isn't best for the lizard. Poisoning from househole chemicals and being stepped on in the middle of the night are only two of his problems. If he has his own room...... glass cuts uv radiation from sunlight, so you'd STILL need a full-spec. light... or replace your screens with hardware cloth.......

Buying more than one ig? Think again. Unless you are SURE that you have one male and however many females there will be violence. Two males in the same territory that are unable to retreat from each other will do horrific damage to themselves.

Pleasepleasepleasepleaseplease..... Get a book on iguana care and maintenance BEFORE you get one or more, not only so you don't have to rely on everyone here if something comes up, but for your ig.

Answer 8

a friend at work was moving and giving one away and i thought it would be cool to have one so i told her i would take it. boy was i in over my head. they take a lot of work. i wasnt even able to touch it. unless u have tons of space and time at that. i would say look into something different. they eat leafy dark green veggies, get six feet long, live about 20 years and need tons of space, so the bigger the better. the one i had was over 4ft by the time i found a proper home for him. good luck.

Answer 9

DO NOT FEED AN IGUANA ICEBERG LETTUCE OR CABBAGE! Iceberg lettuce is mostly water and has no nutrional value and cabbage robs the iguana of calcium. My iguanas ate grapes, brocolli, cantaloupe, green beans....all most any kind of vegetable or fruit.
Try out this website....http://www.iguana-reptiles.com/
And good luck.

Answer 10

My granpa used to have one and this is what i know,

- They eat lettuce
- They biggest they can get is probable the size of a grown up arm (from shoulder to middle finger large)
- I think they live up to 10 or 15 years
- If you're buying a cage it has to be the size of your bath tub because they need space, but if you have a fenced backyard that would be even better, they usually like to climb up the trees and walk around.

They're really nice pets.