Iguanas are cold-blooded reptiles. They are not easy to care for and often die in captivity. They should never be purchased without careful consideration. Their care is very expensive and it is necessary to ensure that they have the proper conditions of heat and lighting, that they are fed the correct foods and that the reptile house offers them enough space to reach the maximum size which is 10-15 cm. If you are thinking of buying an iguana, remember how much you will have to spend to ensure proper care. It is not a pet to throw away!
Steps
Step 1. Give it plenty of sunlight
Iguanas need lots of natural light so they can absorb UVB and UVA rays. The UVA rays keep the iguana good and happy. UVB rays allow it to digest food and absorb vitamin D, which in turn helps it absorb the calcium it needs in the prevention of metabolic bone diseases. The best source of UVA rays is the sun or room lights in your home. UVB rays are harder to find. Major pet stores supply fluorescent bulbs that have been specifically designed to emit UVB rays. You need to get one of these bulbs to keep your iguana healthy. The bulb should be replaced every 6 months.
Step 2. It is also very important to ensure sufficient heat for her
This reptile is native to hot climates such as Central and South America and is not used to lower temperatures. If you want to have an iguana as a pet, you need to get a heating lamp to keep it warm. The average temperature needed during the day is between 26.7 ° C and 32.2 ° C. When you have the heat lamp on, be sure to monitor your iguana to see how it reacts to heat. If you constantly put it under the lamp it means that it must have more heat, if it never goes under the heating lamp, you need to ensure a cooler environment. The night temperature must not drop below 23 ° C while the daytime temperatures should be in the range of 29.4 ° C - 35 ° C, and in any case never exceed 36 ° C - 37 ° C. Keep temperatures under control. You can achieve these temperatures by using heating lamps connected to a dimmer. Iguanas are cold-blooded animals and cannot regulate their temperature like humans. Therefore, when it is too hot or cold they move to the most suitable area for them. Don't allow your iguana to have direct access to the heat lamps. It could get burned. An electrically heated rock terrarium, while aesthetically pleasing, is potentially dangerous and should not be used.
Step 3. Prepare the habitat for the iguana
It is necessary to provide her with a large environment. An aquarium that you can find in a pet store is not large enough, even for an iguana baby. A good size for an adult cage is 90cm deep x 180cm wide and 180cm high. This will also give an adult iguana some space to move around.
Step 4. You should also consider getting branches, as these reptiles love to climb, as well as regulate the humidity inside the cage
Consider purchasing a humidifier to create adequate humidity. The most important thing to remember when buying or building a cage for these animals is that iguanas grow very fast.
Step 5. Feed her properly
These animals are vegetarians and a variety of green leafy vegetables will keep your reptile healthy. The recommended vegetables are green cabbage, Indian mustard, alfalfa, dandelion, watercress. Iguanas do not eat lettuce head, while romaine lettuce is acceptable. Iguanas also need a large variety of other fruits and vegetables to maintain a healthy diet. These include yucca root, peas, parsnips, papaya, okra, mango, pumpkin and green beans. You can also give your pet dahlias, hibiscus, grapes, raspberries, strawberries and whole pieces of bread as delicacies. Do not be afraid to give her ready-made foods available on the market suitable for her diet. These provide all the nutrients it needs. However, it is highly recommended that you also feed her with the vegetables and fruits listed above to ensure she has a vast source of vitamins and nutrients needed to keep her healthy. Iguanas also need a constant supply of fresh, clean water to drink!
Step 6. It is not a good idea to keep multiple iguanas
These are very territorial animals by nature, typically living alone and only coming together to mate. Keeping two or more iguanas in the same cage usually causes them to become aggressive towards each other, resulting in clashes and injuries. And this can cause diseases such as mouth rot, which can occur if two iguanas fight and injure each other. For some time you may not notice the problem, but if the iguana tends to stop eating, it could be a sign of MOUTH PUTREFACTION. The disease can also be caused by bacteria, viruses and parasites. Another cause could also be the wrong cage temperature, or poor nutrition. You can immediately notice if your pet is suffering from mouth rot just by looking at it. If you see pus in your mouth or swollen jaws, it is probably this. There are several diseases that your iguana can suffer from, but mouth rot is the most common. Thankfully it is treatable, but don't wait for the reptile to get too weak before treating it, otherwise it may be too late and it may die.
Advice
- It makes sense to create a large environment for your iguana. Set a warm zone and a cooler zone when the day is hot and your reptile needs to cool off.
- Reptiles are quite delicate. When handling the iguana, make sure all other pets, such as the dog, do not try to attack it.
- Iguanas are very sensitive to environmental changes, if you change the habitat of your pet too often, you only cause him stress.
- Keep the cage clean. This is crucial for preventing disease.
- If you handle the iguana every day, it will eventually be domesticated.
- Don't leave her unattended with other large animals like dogs, while cats would tend to leave her alone.
- You can put other animals with the iguana in the same cage, but do some research to find out if they can get along well.
Warnings
- Children under 12 must be closely supervised when handling iguanas, especially large ones. A face scratch could be very painful, and could leave a scar.
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Iguanas need a lot of care. It is important that you get all the tools you need to know how to manage it before buying it.
If you are not willing to care for it properly DO NOT BUY IT!
- Any iguana that appears deaf or discolored, or does not eat for more than 24 hours, should be examined.
- It is highly not recommended to house male iguana together, as they are very territorial and can become aggressive. They can get stressed out and get sick.
