PET GREEN IGUANA

General Information

The green iguana is a popular lizard pet. Mature males (2 years and older) are easily distinguished from females as they have larger and more pronounced femoral pores on the inner aspects of the thighs than females. These pores are openings of glands that are used in marking behaviors. Under proper conditions, adults can reach several pounds and grow to 6 feet in length. Therefore, proper provisions must be made for a larger enclosure as the pet ages. Sexual maturity is reached by 2 years of age. Females can lay eggs without a male, although the eggs will be infertile and not hatch. With proper care, your iguana can live 10-15 years. Spaying and neutering can be done for conditions such as chronic egg laying in females or aggressiveness in mature males.

Iguanas do not have diaphragms; they use muscles located between their ribs (intercostal muscles) for breathing.

Iguanas have a three-chambered heart; dogs, cats, and people have four chambers in their hearts.

Iguanas have a renal portal blood system, where blood from the hindlimbs is filtered by the kidneys before reaching the general circulation. This means toxins from the rear limbs (as could occur from wounds on the legs) as well as drugs injected into the rear legs would probably be filtered before entering the general circulation.

Iguanas excrete uric acid as their main waste product of protein metabolism (dogs, cats, and people excrete urea). This allows them to adapt to desert environments where water supply might be restricted.
Males have two reproductive organs called hemipenes.

Iguanas have a cloaca, which receives secretions from the urinary, gastrointestinal, and reproductive systems.

The skin is covered with scales and is usually shed in patches, unlike the situation in snakes where the skin is usually shed in one piece.

Unlike many reptiles, iguanas have a urinary bladder.

Where to start?

Most owners buy iguanas locally from a pet store or often rescued through shelters. Ask about a guarantee if the pet isn't what you want.

Young, captive-raised animals make the best pets. Older imported animals are harder to tame, may harbor internal parasites, and often suffer from the stress of captivity. Avoid sick-looking animals. Start out right with a healthy pet. Avoid lizards that appear skinny, have loose skin or sunken eyes, and appear inactive or lethargic. A healthy iguana is usually bright green, active, and alert. The vent or cloaca should be clean and free of wetness or stool stuck to it. If you can GENTLY open the mouth (tapping lightly on the snout with a finger often works), there should be a small amount of clear saliva present, and a bright pink tongue and oral cavity. Mucus that is cloudy or "cottage cheese" in appearance is a sign of mouth rot, as is redness or pinpoint hemorrhages on the mucus membranes. Always inquire about the guarantee in case the iguana is found to be unhealthy.

First veterinarian visit

Within 48 hours of your purchase, a qualified reptile veterinarian should examine your iguana. The visit includes determining the animal's weight, as well as checking for lumps and bumps. The animal is examined for signs of dehydration and starvation. A fecal test is done to check for internal parasites. Many veterinarians consider all iguanas (even those bred in captivity) to have pinworms, so your iguana may be routinely dewormed for these parasites (these pinworms are not transmissible to people). The oral cavity is examined for signs of infectious stomatitis (mouth rot). No vaccines are required for iguanas. Your doctor may recommend blood tests, cultures, or radiographs (X-rays) to check for other diseases. If all turns out well, your iguana will be given a clean bill of health. Like all pets, iguanas should be examined annually and have their feces tested for parasites annually as well.

What type of housing does my iguana require?

Smaller juvenile pets often do well in a 10 or 20 gallon aquarium. As your iguana grows, he must be moved to more comfortable enclosures. These can often be purchased or built by the pet owner. Your veterinarian or pet store may have examples of these larger enclosures

to give you an idea of the proper habitat for an adult iguana.

What type of bedding?

Substrate, or bedding material, should be easy to clean and nontoxic to the iguana. Newspaper, butcher paper, towels, or preferably Astroturf is recommended. When using Astroturf, buy two pieces and cut them to fit the bottom of the cage. With two pieces, one is placed in the cage and one is kept outside the cage and is always clean. When the turf inside the cage becomes soiled, you'll always have a clean, dry piece to replace it. Clean the soiled turf with ordinary soap and water (avoid harsher products unless your reptile veterinarian approves them), thoroughly rinse it, and hang it to dry to be used at the next cage cleaning.
Alfalfa pellets can also be used for bedding and are often eaten by the iguana, which is acceptable. AVOID sand, gravel, wood shavings, corn cob material, walnut shells, and cat litter, as these are not only difficult to clean but can cause impactions (blockages) if eaten on purpose or accidentally should the food become covered by these substrates. Cedar wood shavings are toxic to reptiles!

What else?

The iguana enjoys natural branches. Make sure they are secure and won't fall onto the lizard and injure it. Ideally, the branch should slope from the bottom of the enclosure to the top and end near a heat source so the iguana can bask. Rocks (large ones) in the cage also allow for basking. A hiding place is appreciated by all reptiles and should be available. Artificial plants can be arranged to provide a hiding place, as can clay pots, cardboard boxes, and other containers that provide a secure area.

A heat source is necessary for all reptiles, which are cold-blooded and need a range of temperatures to regulate their internal body temperature. Ideally, the cage should be set up so that a heat gradient is established, with one area of the tank warmer than the other end. In this way, the iguana can move around its environment and warm or cool itself as needed. Purchase two thermometers and place one at the cooler end of the cage and one at the warmer end near the heat source. The cooler end of the cage should be approximately 70-75 F, while the warmer end should be 90-100 F. An inexpensive way to do this is to supply a focal heat source using a 100-watt incandescent bulb with a reflector hood, although pet stores sell other types of heat lamps. Your heat source should be placed OUTSIDE and above one end of the cage, which should be covered by a screen top to prevent the iguana from escaping or burning itself on the bulb. At night, heat isn't necessary as long as the temperature remains at 65-70 F.

"Hot Rocks" or "Sizzle Rocks" are dangerous, ineffective, and should be avoided!

UV light

UV light is necessary to provide Vitamin D-3. Failure to provide UV light can predispose your iguana to metabolic bone disease, a common condition of pet iguanas.

The UV light should emit light in the UV-B range (290-320 nanometers). Combining a blacklight (such as one from General Electric) with a Vita-Lite, Chroma-50, or Colortone-50 in a two-bulb fixture is an excellent way to provide UV light, although many iguanas do well with just a Vita-Lite. Your veterinarian may recommend other brands of UV light that also provide a source of Vitamin D-3.

The UV output of these lights decreases with age and they should be replaced every six months. For UV light to work, it must reach the pet in an unfiltered form, which means that you must make sure there is no glass or plastic interposed between the pet and the light. Finally, the light should be within 6-12 inches from the iguana in order for the pet to receive any benefit.

Feeding my iguana

Iguanas are mainly herbivorous, meaning they eat a lot of plants. The hindgut of the iguana

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