Green Iguana Care

How to Take Care of a Green Iguana

When people talk about getting an iguana for a pet, they usually refer to the most common species, the "Iguana Iguana" or the green iguana.

The green iguana is to be found in South and Central America, as well as other parts of the Pacific and has become very popular amongst pet owners in the United States and Europe in the previous few years.

Young iguanas are usually bright green in color, which aids them in hiding from predators in the green vegetation of the forest and they are usually energetic during the daytime The green iguana avoids capture quite easily as it has an excellent eyesight and is capable or moving very quickly when it becomes necessary. As the iguana grows older, its color changes from bright green to a muted green.

An iguana that lives in the wild spends its day trying to find a sunny spot to lie on, feeding, and trying to escape from predators.

It is a completely different situation for a iguana living as a pet. Although the iguana does not need to have any concerns about predators as it would have in the wild it still needs to be well looked after by its owner. Just because it has become a popular pet nowadays in no way means that it is a easy pet to care for.

There are a number of things that must be taken into consideration when one is taking care of an iguana.

1. You need to provide a large enclosed enclosure for your iguana.

Since a green iguana may grow as large as seven feet, the pet’s enclosure should be any owner’s top priority.

It might appear that the iguana is contented with a small pen; however, if it does not have enough space, it will soon grow listless and will be stressed which could result in sickness and even vulnerability to infections.

The enclosure should be a few times the iguana’s length in either depth or width or one and a half times in height since the animal needs to move around or even climb.

At a later date, the pet iguana should be allowed to roam around the house, as long as the owner makes certain that it will not be able to get out or feed on important stuff around the house.

2. You must provide big branches or synthetic structures for your pet’s enclosure.

Not only will the enclosure be more pleasant to look at with the addition of the things previously mentioned, but they will also make the pen a more comfortable place for the green iguana to live in. It will be a good habitat as it will provide a venue for climbing and basking - two activities that will contribute to the iguana’s emotional and psychological growth.

For the flooring of the enclosure, one could use mulch (a material designed to keep hold of moisture, prevent weeds from growing, and keep the earth from being eroded) or simply sheets of your daily newspaper.

3. You need to make sure to provide the enclosure with a good heating device.

This should not be overlooked as an iguana which is not properly heated will not be able to digest its food properly.

An owner needs to provide a good source of UV light for the iguana. The enclosure should not have any part with a temperature lower than 26°C while at least one part should have a temperature as high as 35°C. A spotlight is good for this purpose.

4. While heating and light are important, you need to provide darkness as well.

There should be 6 to 10 hours of darkness each night in order to enhance the iguana’s well-being. The enclosure should be shielded from streetlights or lights from appliances.

5. It is necessary to pay attention and watch over your pet iguana.

Any pet animal deserves care and interaction from its owner. Similiar to regular cats or dogs, the green iguana deserves love and affection. If not given the attention it deserves, an iguana may grow listless, sick, and eventually die.

The tips mentioned above are just some of the things that have to be considered in taking care of an iguana. These are not to be used as a substitute for a consultation with a qualified veterinarian. Professional help is still needed in order to make sure that your iguana will live for a very long time.

Green Iguana Care