Can my iguana move into a wire cage??

Question

Hi.
Um its carmella again..and as of right now my iguana is in a glass tank with a screen top..but i was wondering if it can move into a wired (non sharp eged) cage.?
thanks.
and its not like chicken wire..it thicker and if the iguana decided to climb on it it wouldnt cut its toes..I was just wondering if this would be okay..and also heat wouldnt be an issue.
thanks again.
much love
Carmella

the cage would have a flooring to it..I wouldnt just leave it wire..and also I have a very hot heat lamp which could keep the cage constantly warm..and I do bath him/her twice each day and i would also mist her..so that wouldnt ba a problem either..but i think im going to go ahead and move her into it when shes a little bit bigger but the cage wont kill her right? thats what i wanna know..If having a cage that air goes through easily (unlike the glass cages) if she would be ok?
thanks again.

Answer 1

Wire cages are very airy and can be safe with the right gauge wire - and as long as you can keep the basking area in the temps it needs - these are fine...however...yes...there's a however...;-)...these are extremely difficult to keep humidity levels up, especially in the winter when the air is so dry anyway. One way you can help an open-air enclosure to keep in humidity is to use something secured to three sides of the enclosure. This can be done with a lot of different materials. Shower curtains (after it's been aired from the plasticy smell), sheets (which can even be misted directly adding humidity), and even cutting panels of removable Plexiglas can work. Using a vaporizer is also a huge plus. You can get them from Walmart pretty inexpensively and run it for a couple of hours during the day and night.

...and kitty litter is not the recommended medium for an iguana litter box, however, water is...:-)

Answer 2

Chicken wire is very dangerous to iguanas, it can cut off toes, tear up face or body, so you should never use chicken wire. There is a great internet site that sales wiring for iguanas cages ... http://www.internetplastic.com/ .. they will send samples. You should only use mesh for airing factor not the whole enclosure.
When you use a wire enclosure your iguana will not have the humidity it needs nor the heat ... I would recommend using shower wall like on the sides and the back, along w/ the flooring if possible. Because you will not have to stain and wait to dry and have fumes left. Will hold heat, humidity in better then using all mesh/wire. Humidity does rise but it should be better to have some closure then totally opened. The front should be covered w/ plexi glass if possible so you can see inside and help hold humidity again. It would be safer for your iguana if you place the heat/uvb on top of the mesh, useing the shower wall on top, and cutting a circle for the heat (basking and or CHE) then for the UVB.
I know ppl who have moved a hatchling into a full grown iguanas cage, so yes your iguana shouldn't have no problem moving in ... what are you going to be using for shelfing? Stairs? If your new cage is big enough, adjustable shelfing closets are great for shelfing/basking along w/ stairs.
Honestly the best thing to do is keep your iguana in it's tank enclosure its in now and build an enclosure that is a good size, that will hold humidity, hold heat, etc and surve a purpose for a few good years ... a 6ft tall x 4/5ft long x 4 ft wide would work for a good number of years, but again think safety for your iguana, or how I like to put it, child proofing your igs new house. There are some woods that are toxic to iguanas (cedar and redwood).
There are some great sites for helping building an enclosure and some great sites to look at enclosures and try and figure out how to build one your own way:
http://www.greenigsociety.org/habitat.htm
http://www.iguanaden.org/housing/index.htm
http://www.anapsid.org/iguana/cagedesign.html
http://www.iguanacageplans.com/
http://www.cagesbydesign.com/

Answer 3

Iguana Cage

Answer 4

Wire cages aren't good for any animal to live in. Even if it is thick wire, it is still hard on their feet and body to be on it all of the time. If an animal has to be kept in a wire cage, the best thing for it would to make sure he has a solid platform so he can get a break from standing or laying on wires. How big is your iguana anyway? My bf had two iguanas that were 2-3 feet long and they had the run of the house. They can be trained to use a litter box too...my bf used a shallow tupperware storage container and filled it with non-perfumed Arm and Hammer clumping litter. He said that was the best kind that worked for them.

Answer 5

No, wire is NOT recommended for Iguanas as they have very long toes and will become injured. Plastic mesh should be used instead. A powder coated steel cage (like for large parrots) can be used as the bars are rounded and will not cut into the feet like wire can. It is important to partially enclose any cage to hold in heat and humidity.

http://www.anapsid.org/iguana/index.html

Answer 6

No matter how thick the wire is, iggies can still injure their feet, and also they rub their noses on the cage and can do some serious damage. Plastic mesh is really the best bet. Another big problem that you will have with an open air cage is that it is going to be really hard to keep heat in the habitat, and humidity as well.
If you are handy with tools, or if you know someone who is. You can build one pretty cheap very easily. Just make a basic frame with 2X4s, then use plywood on 5 sides (back, sides, top, bottom). And plexi-glass on the front. A quick trip to Home depot. Get a lock or some way to close it. Use a table saw to make a hole in the top of the cage for your heat lamp, and put mesh in between the bulb and your ig, so that he/she cannot burn themselves. And then put his UVA/UVB bulb on the inside of the habitat.
You can build a decent sized habitat for under $150

Answer 7

no its not a good idea because it needs 2 be in the heat & by being in a glass take the heat cant be released & in a wire cage theres no where for it 2 warm up

Answer 8

i wouldnt see why not as long as it is going to keep the iguana in and is not going to hurt it i think it would be better than a glass cage.

Answer 9

no it is not a good idea because all of the heat will come out