When deciding to get an iguana, many people imagine a calm and undemanding pet. However, the reality is often different. The green iguana is a complex, attention-demanding exotic animal whose needs are very different from those of a cat or dog.
They need not just an aquarium, but a whole specially equipped world — a spacious terrarium with precise temperature and humidity control. Their diet consists of certain vegetables and greens, and their character can be quite capricious. This creature grows to over a meter in length and lives for 15-20 years.
This article will help you understand what you will encounter. We will talk honestly not only about the beauty of these lizards, but also about the difficulties: the time and money involved and the need for regular care. Our goal is to help you weigh all the pros and cons before you bring a new scaly friend into your home.
Choosing a healthy iguana when buying
When buying an animal, you first need to find a place where there is a selection and where you can examine the candidates yourself. If the seller refuses to give you this opportunity, walk away; this is suspicious in itself. Keep in mind that iguanas are prone to a whole range of diseases, which are especially common when they are not cared for properly at a young age, so choosing an animal that is healthy from the outset is an important task.
In addition, it is not recommended to acquire an adult or mature iguana, as these are often animals that have been abandoned by their previous owners (due to boredom, difficult care, “bad” temperament, or illness). The size of a small iguana is 6.5-8 cm. Moreover, raising an animal from infancy (as with dogs, cats, etc.) not only allows you to raise it properly, providing it with the necessary food and living conditions, but also to befriend and bond with it, which guarantees true enjoyment of your future life together.
So, take the iguanas you like one by one, holding them with both hands so that you can gently move their limbs with your fingers, which is important during examination. Pay attention to:
Appearance
- Clean skin and no scars, scratches, or bites (bites and scratches can subsequently lead to infection, especially since it is unknown how they were obtained and how they were treated)
- The absence of burn marks on the belly (burns heal, but the skin in these areas will never fully recover and will be very sensitive to high temperatures)
- No old, stuck-on, or rubbed-in feces on the belly (such dirt indicates either very unsanitary conditions or illness and weakness in the animal)
- The absence of dry fecal residue on the anal opening (its presence indicates either a very weakened animal or a possible infection, including parasites)
- Does the iguana resist when you try to move its limbs (weakness and indifference indicate either a completely exhausted animal or an acute calcium deficiency)
- Absence of bumps, tumors, and nodules on the body, limbs, and tail (except for the joints) (the presence of such marks indicates possible cysts, fractures, and inflammation, which require serious treatment).
- Absence of black, brown, or orange spots on the iguana's body (especially under the armpits, near the ears, and on the neck), which may be mobile (ticks and other parasites)
- Normal shape of the hind legs without large knots on the thighs (one crooked limb indicates a fracture, both indicate a serious calcium deficiency in the body).
- Presence of flesh on the limbs (dried and shriveled limbs, general flabbiness of the skin, indicating dehydration, internal parasites, infection, etc.)
- The base of the tail should be fleshy and rounded (visible or easily palpable bones are evidence of prolonged starvation or serious illness in the animal).
Head, eyes, nose, mouth
- Cloudy, inflamed eyes are a sign of respiratory infection or damage to the surface of the eye.
- The presence of deposits in the nose (other than salt) indicates a possible infection
- the inside of the mouth is pale or grayish-pink, with visible damage to the mucous membrane and small spots of yellow, green, or white deposits — signs of a severe infection requiring long-term treatment.
- uniform “chewing” of the lower jaw may be a sign of bone disease (MBD — Metabolic Bone Disease, see below)
Behavior
A tame, “socialized” iguana may be calm in the presence of strangers, although it may try to climb onto its owner's head or shoulder. It will closely observe its surroundings and may respond positively to being stroked on the back or head.
Healthy young iguanas (as well as untamed adolescents and adults) will be aggressive and try to escape. They may lash their tails, roll over, wriggle in your hands, or refuse to be handled at all.
A sick animal of any age may also resist, but will do so with less persistence and force. If the iguana just lies there and does not react to its surroundings, and especially to your hands, then it is either severely hypothermic or very ill, possibly suffering from a severe parasite infestation or infection. If its bones are visible, this may be a sign of extreme exhaustion caused by improper care.
Keeping an iguana is by no means an easy task, and raising one is not something that can be done quickly. At first, you will have to work with a wild animal that will react to everything from the perspective of fighting for survival. A healthy little iguana will fight to avoid becoming a predator's dinner. To it, you are someone who wants to eat it. Your mere presence will make it feel uncomfortable. The young iguana will feel exposed and in danger, especially since it will be all alone, without a group of other iguanas to help it sense danger and avoid it.
This is not a recommendation to get a lot of iguanas at once (you will have to struggle with one at first). All this is said for one purpose only — to help you understand why the iguana will be shy at first, why it needs to have a hiding place, and why it will not eat while you are watching it. In natural conditions, trustfulness is a direct path to a predator's stomach.
Brief summary of iguana care
Brief corrections to common misconceptions
- Iguana care is not easy.
- Iguanas grow to a length of 180-200 cm within 4-5 years.
- Iguanas are herbivorous animals and do not need animal protein. no is necessary and should even be avoided (see the section on nutrition).
- Iguanas are not suitable pets for children.
- Iguanas have mouths full of very sharp teeth, which they know how to use.
- Keeping iguanas requires a lot of time, patience, and money.
Minimum necessary equipment
(more details on these points will be provided later in the text)
- Minimum terrarium size is 200 liters (it will become too small after a year)
- Heating the entire terrarium
- Substrate (napkins, coarse gravel, etc.)
- Hiding place
- A sprawling branch with space for heating
- Daytime spot heating source
- A nighttime spot heating source
- Several thermometers
- UV light source (!! Required)
- Lighting control timer (recommended)
- Drinking water source
- Feeding dishes
- Multivitamin supplement
- Calcium source (for food supplementation)
- Disinfectants
- Claw trimming tool
- First aid kit
Keeping conditions
Creating a normal home for an iguana is a much more complex task than simply combining a 20-liter aquarium, an electric heater, and a log (in fact, this is exactly what you should not do). I'll say more, 40 liters will not be enough for you either.
Creating a home
When planning a home for your iguana, it is worth considering that it should meet not only today's needs, but also those of tomorrow's month or year. The terrarium should not only be a safe place for your iguana to stay when you are not around, but rather a completely autonomous area with its own ecology and climate, independent of what is happening in your home. Even if the temperature in your room is only 15 degrees Celsius, the terrarium must be kept at the required 24-31 degrees Celsius during the day (up to 35 degrees Celsius at the heating point) and 20-21 degrees Celsius at night. You will have to take care of the night and day heating system (during the day, an incandescent lamp successfully performs this task, but at night, light is unacceptable — see below). You will have to provide the iguana with normal photoperiods, regardless of whether you need to work at night. Yes, it's even better not to forget Murphy's Law — if something can go wrong, it will. At the most inopportune moment.
Terrarium
To begin with, you will need at least a 200-liter terrarium, not converted from an aquarium. Approximate dimensions: 80 cm high, 80 cm wide, and 40 cm deep. You will also need a lid to prevent escape and to hold the lighting elements. In addition, it is very sensible to have a design in which most of the front glass can be opened (this makes cleaning, disinfection, and handling the animal much easier—it is not so easy to do this through the top).
Terrarium for a young iguana
The terrarium itself should be located in a quiet place in your apartment, protected from running children, barking dogs, loud TV, etc. By the way, in a year and a half, a terrarium of this size will start to become too small. The optimal size of a terrarium for one adult iguana is 2x2x1 meters (height – width – depth). So think carefully – can you provide it with such living conditions?
Another important point that can affect the design of the terrarium is ventilation. Without good ventilation, the animal will die, and simply making holes in the lid is not enough. One of the best options is a ventilation slot (covered with a strong mesh) in the lower part of one of the side walls (preferably above the water basin) and the same vent in the lid on the opposite side, above the heat source (this creates a draft that ventilates the entire terrarium diagonally). In large terrariums, convection alone may not be sufficient — you will need to provide forced ventilation using, for example, a fan.
Soil
Choose a suitable type of substrate (bedding) that is safe for iguanas and easy to clean and disinfect. For example, all types of artificial grass and similar mats (mats must be sewn shut — if the animal can pull threads out of them, it will eat them, which can lead to very sad consequences), paper towels. Some terrarium owners use large gravel (so that it cannot be swallowed), but it is not very easy to clean.
When using artificial grass and similar rugs, make two or three identical patterns. This way, you can easily change them several times a day while the rest are being washed and/or disinfected. Just keep in mind that it is recommended to put dry bedding in the terrarium after washing. It is not recommended to use newspapers — the ink easily transfers to the animal's skin, staining it and causing various chemical reactions that can lead to iguana poisoning.
Under no circumstances should you use sawdust, sand, any type of cat litter, or other similar types of bedding—no matter how hard you try to keep an eye on your iguana (and you won't be able to do so 24 hours a day anyway), you won't be able to prevent some of this bedding from getting inside your pet. This can lead to damage to the throat, mouth, and intestines at a minimum, and at worst, death from intestinal blockage and torsion. The practice of Western veterinarians shows that owners who are not particularly concerned about the safety of their animals often require surgical intervention due to intestinal blockage. Threads (from poorly sewn rugs), pieces of loose bedding, coins, hairballs (from dogs and humans), and even condoms have been removed from iguanas (which also goes to show that animals cannot be left to roam freely around the room). In terms of eating garbage, iguanas are more like children — they have to try everything new.
In addition, various “toilet” mixtures labeled “suitable for iguanas” often appear on sale, which, however, lead to the above-described methods. It should not be forgotten that many manufacturers are simply interested in selling their products (often these are the same mixtures that are sold for cats). And if we also take into account the fact that there has not yet been a single court case where the owner of a deceased animal has sued the manufacturer for the death or injury of their pet (it is interesting to note the reason for such passivity, since such cases are not uncommon with cats and dogs), the flow of such garbage continues to reach the shelves.
In the West, alfalfa pellets are considered a safe substrate for iguanas. But even with them, it's not that simple. First, they easily become a good environment for the growth and reproduction of bacteria and parasites. Secondly, they cannot be washed and you simply have to regularly throw away part of the substrate. And in addition, if an iguana swallows too many of these pellets, they can also cause blockages in the intestines if they become soggy before they are digested.
By the way, iguanas do not spend much time on the ground — just to eat, drink, and defecate (and even then, they usually do the latter from branches, hanging their hindquarters). In terrariums with wooden bottoms and/or walls, it makes sense to cover these parts with linoleum (with sides), which makes it easier to clean the surfaces.
Privacy
Young iguanas especially need to be able to hide somewhere where they will not feel exposed to the gaze of others. A hiding place should be created in the terrarium, such as a piece of hollow log, an empty box, etc. The hiding place should be large enough for the iguana to fit inside with its body and tail curled up.
Exercise and stress reduction
Iguanas love to climb. In fact, it is their normal way of life. Therefore, it is necessary to equip the terrarium with appropriate fixtures. The best option is one or more thick, spreading branches, securely fastened at different heights in the terrarium. You can add thick ropes. Keep in mind, by the way, that in a glass terrarium, you need to think carefully about how to attach them. The simplest way is to use chains (wire or ropes) running from the top edge, to which they are attached. If you use a decorative back wall (see below), you can provide for fastenings when making it.
In addition, some observations suggest that iguanas like to rest their heads on comfortable elevations while sleeping, so (especially in the West) iguana owners make something like pillows for them in those places on the branches where their pets prefer to sleep.
If you use branches that you found in the forest, don't forget to treat them. Trees are a favorite hiding place for hundreds of different insects. If the branches are small enough, you can put them in the oven after removing the bark and dirt. They should be heated at a temperature of 95-100 degrees for 2-3 hours. If the branches are too large, you can a) boil them in a salt solution, b) soak them in bleach (some sources recommend household bleach) at a ratio of 100 ml per 4 liters of water. After soaking (24 hours) and boiling, be sure to soak the branches in clean, preferably fresh water for at least 2-3 days.
Keep in mind that having good branches in the terrarium makes the iguana feel safer, which is important for the animal, especially at the beginning of its life.
Iguanas are bright and active lizards that are sometimes kept at home, but their care requires a serious approach. They are not just a pet for a terrarium: they need a lot of space, proper lighting, warmth, and a balanced plant-based diet. Without the right conditions, they quickly become ill and lose their activity. If you are willing to invest time, space, and care, an iguana can be an interesting but demanding companion, not just a living decoration.
Lighting
The lighting in the terrarium should be designed to provide the same effects as natural sunlight. In this regard, it is recommended to use at least one good lamp such as Repti Glo, Vita-Lite, ZooMed's Iguana Light, and the like, which provide normal ultraviolet radiation with a frequency of 290-320 nm. The presence of this radiation in the terrarium it is vital for reptiles, as it synthesizes vitamin D3, which is necessary for the normal process of calcium replacement in the body.
Please also note that the words “full spectrum” or “natural light” do not necessarily mean that the lamp emits UV radiation. Specialized aquarium lamps are also unsuitable, as they are designed for different lighting requirements. Incandescent lamps do not emit ultraviolet light either — they are only suitable for use as a source of spot heating.
For maximum effectiveness, the terrarium should be arranged so that the UV source is at least 30 cm away from the reptile's favorite spot. In addition, the UV lamp must not be covered with glass (it absorbs UV rays), so it is necessary to use reliable sockets that ensure that the animal cannot pull the lamp out of its mountings or suffer an electric shock. By the way, if you notice that your iguana often tries to reach the lamps, it means that the terrarium is too cold.
The optimal photoperiod for lighting (including UV) is 12 hours of daylight, starting no later than 8 a.m. In summer, of course, lamps can be successfully replaced by sunbathing, but in our conditions this is not so easy to do.
It should be remembered that even expensive, branded lamps (such as Repti Glo) stop emitting UV rays long before they finally fail due to age. These lamps should be replaced as soon as you notice dark edges on their ends. This will be after about 9-12 months of use. Some terrarium owners who can afford the extra expense change them even more often, but that is a matter of preference. (Note from Dr. Vladon: SYLVANIA terrarium lamps, such as ReptiStar, have twice the service life of Hagen's counterparts).
Heating
The growth of a healthy iguana depends on three factors: heat, activity, and food. The warmer the terrarium, the more active the iguana will be (but no more than 35 degrees Celsius, as it is already too hot). In addition, heat ensures the normal functioning of the body and the speed of metabolic processes and food digestion. Under normal conditions, they eat every day. Accordingly, at lower temperatures, iguanas become less active and more susceptible to disease and metabolic disorders.
Each reptile has a maximum and minimum temperature within which normal life functions occur. Naturally, they can tolerate short-term temperature fluctuations outside these limits, but only to a small extent. Prolonged periods of hypothermia and overheating can lead to serious health problems. The fact that iguanas can survive for a long time in improper conditions leads some people to believe that this problem is not serious. But in fact, if you do not create (especially in our climate) a normal terrarium with normal support of the necessary temperature conditions, your pet will a) live significantly less, b) be passive, slow-witted, and difficult to tame. By the way, the need for a nighttime temperature drop should also be taken into account.
Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for iguanas to be kept at temperatures of 26-27 degrees Celsius and below. Often, even terrarium owners can be heard saying, “Come on, they just live in the room…” In fact, for normal life processes, iguanas need a place with local (spot) heating at a temperature of 31-35 degrees for 11-12 hours during the day. The rest of the terrarium should have thermal zones ranging from cool to warm (22-30 degrees). The nighttime temperature should not exceed 29 degrees. Adult iguanas (18 months old) can withstand nighttime temperature drops to 22 degrees in general. For younger and smaller iguanas, it is not recommended to cool the terrarium below 22 degrees.
Incidentally, at such temperatures, iguanas may sometimes snack even at night, especially when young, when they may need to replenish their nervous energy.
Once again, low temperatures may not kill your pet immediately, but they will shorten its life and make it more passive and boring. Iguanas are tropical animals.
Equipment to avoid
In nature, iguanas get their heat mainly from the sun-heated air and directly from the sun's rays. The main method of daytime thermoregulation is the use of shade and water bodies.
Despite all the advertisements showing iguanas happily living on “hot rocks” and other similar heaters, they are by no means suitable. Such heaters do not heat the air very well, and iguanas are poorly adapted to receiving the necessary heat from below. In addition, the use of such items often leads to burns on the belly. The only reason an animal is forced to literally live on such heaters is the low temperature of the rest of the air in the terrarium. Adhesive tray mats are somewhat more convenient for general heating, but they are expensive, especially if you are heating a terrarium for adult animals.
Effective heating methods
In warm climates, a regular electric mat placed under part of the terrarium floor may be sufficient for iguanas. In colder conditions, additional heating must be provided.
First, it will be an incandescent lamp (with mirror coating) that provides spot heating in the terrarium. For large terrariums, there may be several of them. But under certain conditions (and especially in large terrariums), they may not be enough.
Foreigners recommend using ceramic elements that screw into a regular incandescent light bulb socket. Unfortunately, however, they are almost impossible to find on the Russian market.
The cheapest way to provide nighttime heating is to use darkened incandescent lamps (painted dark blue or dark green). They provide sufficient heat and their light does not irritate the animal. However, they have several drawbacks. First, if the terrarium is located in a living area, their light can disturb people. Second, they heat the air around them very well, but since they can only be installed at the top of the terrarium, they do not heat the rest of the space very well. In the case of iguanas, it is important that the air is heated, not a specific point in the terrarium (animals can burn themselves on hot walls).
It is also important to remember that when designing a heating system, you need to think in three dimensions. For iguanas, it is important that the local daytime heating zone is closer to the top of the terrarium, where there is a thick branch that is comfortable to sit on. Several thermometers should be installed in the terrarium so that you always have an idea of the temperature in different areas. (Of course, the thermometers must be securely fastened and protected).
In addition, you should consider the usual temperature in the room where the terrarium is located. Obviously, if the temperature stays at 20-21 degrees at night, then night heating is not particularly relevant. And details such as the height from the floor — a terrarium standing on the floor will always be colder than one standing on a table.
It is also highly recommended to use thermostats that turn the heating on and off.
Choosing food
It should be noted right away that there are serious contradictions between Russian and Western schools of thought on the subject of iguana nutrition. For myself, I decided to take the middle ground (i.e., feed them meat, but rarely, and try to add as many different plants from the “Western” list as possible).
Therefore, in the text, I will give both our and their options with the corresponding notes. And you decide for yourself.
WESTERN THEORY
For many years, it was believed that iguanas eat both meat and plant-based food. However, many studies have shown that eating insects and small animals is not typical in natural conditions.
Based on articles by Boer (JSEAM 1(1)), Gordon Rodd (Herpetological Review, 25(2):85) and John Iverson (Adaptation to Herbivory in Iguanine Lizards, in Iguanas of the World: Their Behavior, Ecology and Conservation, GW Burghard and AS Rand, eds., 1992, Noyes Publishing, Park Ridge NJ), it can be concluded that iguanas are strictly herbivorous animals.
Iverson concluded from his observations that in their natural habitat, iguanas feed exclusively on plant food from an early age, and that instances of them eating insects and small animals are rare and often accidental. Their digestive system is designed to process plant fiber and extract a significant amount of necessary fluids from it. It is one of the best systems for digesting vegetation, surpassing even rabbits.
During the 1980s, it was observed that animal protein can significantly accelerate the growth of iguanas, but when used actively, it leads to high mortality at the age of 5-7 years.
In addition, from the early 1990s to 1994, the recommendations of veterinarians (USA) changed from 50-33% animal protein in iguana feed to 0% animal protein.
The main reason for recommending a complete rejection of animal protein is that even small doses can lead to serious problems. Also, iguanas kept on an exclusively vegetarian diet have not been observed to have health problems. Since it is still unknown how much animal protein is safe for the animal, it is not recommended to use it at all.
Incidentally, one of the most frequently reported negative effects of feeding animals protein is kidney failure.
As for protein, Richard Tracy, who studied iguanas for many years, wrote that “it is inconceivable that with a proper and balanced ‘salad’ (with alfalfa) and normal UV lighting, iguanas would receive too little protein” (Iguana Times 1(6):15).
Unfortunately, however, many people have little idea of which plant foods are truly nutritious. For example, zucchini, tomatoes, cucumbers, mushrooms, alfalfa sprouts and other young vegetable shoots, watermelons, etc. are not nutritious foods at all.
Keeping an iguana does not mean that you can feed it only salad or vegetable mixes from the store.
Keeping an iguana at home is a serious and responsible decision. It is not just an exotic decoration, but a living creature with complex needs.
If you are willing to invest the effort, time, and money to create the right conditions, an iguana can be a wonderful pet for many years. You will observe its behavior, growth, and character, which can bring you enormous satisfaction.
However, it is important to honestly assess your capabilities. Without a spacious terrarium, special equipment, proper nutrition, and your attention, the animal will suffer. This is a big long-term project, not an impulse purchase.
Weigh all the pros and cons, talk to experienced owners. If your decision is conscious, you will embark on an exciting journey into the world of terrarium keeping and a unique relationship with one of the most interesting reptiles.
