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 FEEDING & NUTRITION - KEEPING
YOUR IGUANA HEALTHY
Iguanas are vegetarians. They eat leafy
greens, vegetables, and fruits. Baby
iguanas, especially, need to eat greens that
offer a good daily source of calcium. Be
sure to offer your iguana plenty of variety.
If it eats the same thing every day, it will
soon refuse to eat anything but that one
food.
For best results, feed a mixture of
calcium-high foods such as turnip greens, collard greens,
escarole, mustard greens, parsley,
broccoli leaves (NOT the flourettes, which
are low in calcium and dangerously high in
phosphorus), and dandelion leaves & flowers
(make very sure your lawn has not been
fertilized or treated with weed poison
within the past two weeks).
For variety, try feeding your iguana very
small amounts of peas, carrots, corn, lima
beans, zucchini, summer squash, avocado,
sweet potatoes, green beans, eggplant,
radish sprouts, apples, peaches,
strawberries, oranges, blueberries,
raspberries, or pears. These foods have very
low calcium content, and should be treated
as desserts or occasional treats for good
behavior.
Do NOT feed your iguana lettuce, especially
iceberg (salad) lettuce. It offers
absolutely no nutritional content. Your
iguana will starve to death on a steady diet
of iceberg lettuce.
 Baby iguanas need to eat twice each day. Their food should be chopped finely, and
mixed well. As they get older, they can eat
coarsely chopped leaves, and will only need
to be fed once a day. Adults (over 3 years
old) only need to be fed every other day.
Don’t let your iguana (even an adult) chew
on whole leaves--especially large tough
leaves like broccoli or collards--because
iguanas do not have a “gag reflex.” They
will keep biting, and chewing, and trying to
swallow...and if the stem doesn’t break in
their teeth, they will choke on it.
Even healthy iguanas can benefit from
vitamin supplements. Iguanas need large
amounts of calcium to keep their bones
strong and healthy. Phosphorous can be
deadly. If you buy a calcium supplement for
your iguana, make sure no other vitamins or
minerals are included.
HOME SWEET HOME - YOUR
IGUANA’S CAGE
With proper handling, iguanas can be very
gentle and affectionate...but they are not
the world’s smartest animals! ;-) NEVER use
a heat rock in your iguana’s cage. Your
iguana will love the warmth--but it may not
realize that the heat rock is actually
burning and scarring its belly. Iguanas in
the wild lie on branches and soak up the
sun’s heat. If you think your iguana isn’t
getting enough heat, place a heat lamp at a
safe distance from its cage, and shine it
down into the cage. But also provide a
shaded place for your iguana, because too
much heat will kill it.
Never place your iguana’s cage or tank in
front of a window. A little sunlight each
day is good and healthy, but filtered
sunlight is useless. Window glass and
plastic both filter
out the healthy UV rays that will keep your
iguana healthy. Plus, your iguana will
overheat and die if exposed to sunlight for
several hours with no shade.
Do not put aquarium gravel in your iguana’s
tank. It may rub his belly raw. Also avoid
using kitty litter, as it may try to eat it
(did I mention that most iguana’s aren’t
very smart??) and this will cause severe
internal damage. Iguanas will also try to
eat wood chips and newspaper. Cedar chips
are fatal to iguanas, so even though they
look nice...avoid them! Carpet will not hurt
your iguana, and indoor/outdoor carpeting
(like a utility door mat) can be trimmed to
fit your cage with any sharp pair of
scissors. It can be lifted out, washed off,
and placed back in the cage with a minimum
of fuss. Shredded coconut bark is also
a safe substrate, and is easily available at
most reptile-oriented pet stores.
Always make sure your iguana has fresh water
available. Water should be changed every
day, because some iguanas like to bathe (and
defecate!) in
their water bowls. Iguanas are native to
Central and South America, where it rains
constantly, so this is normal and healthy
behavior for them.
Many iguanas also love to be “misted” with
clean water a few times each day. Don’t aim
your sprayer directly at them, aim it above
them and let the mist drift down onto them. Or you can “mist” their food if they don’t
seem to like being sprayed. The important
thing is to make sure your iguana takes in
plenty of water, either through its skin, or
through eating and drinking. Iguanas
(especially baby iguanas) can die rapidly
from dehydration.
As your iguana gets older (and bigger), it
will need a larger enclosure. Iguanas often
grow as much as a foot per year during their
first 4 or 5 years. Plan now where to house
your iguana when it outgrows its current
cage. Many owners buy second-hand
macaw
cages, which allow their iguana to climb
(any solid smooth branch will make a
wonderful basking spot for your iguana), or
they allow their iguana to roam freely
through their house. For its own safety, you
should wait until the iguana is at least
three feet long before allowing it free
access to your home.
WHY DOES IT DO THAT? - BASIC
IGUANA FACTS
Iguanas can live up to 20 years old, but
most live between 12 and 15 years. They will
get between 4½ and 6 feet, depending on sex. (Males are generally bigger, heavier, and
longer.)
As it grows older, you will notice your
iguana losing its brilliant green color. It
may become a gray, yellow, or brownish
color. This is perfectly normal. In the
wild, baby iguanas hide from predators by
blending in with small green leaves. Large
iguanas blend with their basking branches. The change in coloration helps to keep them
alive.
Iguanas sneeze. This does not mean they have
a cold. Iguanas have special organs called
“nasal salt glands” in their snouts. They
sneeze to get rid of salt that builds up in
their bodies. You may not actually see them
sneeze, but you may notice a buildup of salt
on your iguana’s cage wall. This is
perfectly normal. Just use a washcloth and
water to scrub it away, so that your tank
walls stay nice and clean.
Nose rubbing is the most common iguana
injury. Nervous iguanas will rub their noses
against their tank tops or wire cages in an
effort to escape. If not stopped, they will
rub the skin right off their snouts. The
most common cause of nose rubbing is a cage
that’s either too small, or too cluttered. Iguanas need space. If you notice swelling
and rawness on your iguana’s snout, gently
treat it with an antibiotic ointment, and
change your iguana’s environment. If
possible, move it to a larger cage. If this
is not possible, remove some of the things
in its current cage. Consult your vet if the
wound doesn’t heal within a few days.
Remember to trim your iguana’s claws! In the
wild, an iguana’s claws are worn down by
climbing trees. An iguana’s claws are
razor-sharp. Your pet may accidentally hurt
you or itself if its claws get too long. They should be clipped every month. Use the
same kind of clippers you’d use for a cat or
bird, hold your iguana securely (or have
someone else hold it while you snip), and
remember only to clip the sharp tips. If you
cut too deeply, the nail will bleed. Any
clotting agent like Kwik Stop or cornstarch
will stop the bleeding quickly.
Iguanas shed as they grow. This is normal
and healthy. If your iguana looks “patchy,”
bathing will help loosen the dead skin. If
at all possible, don’t pull off the dead
skin yourself. This can hurt and frighten
your iguana. It will generally peel off the
dead skin by rubbing against its branch or
anything abrasive in its tank.
An iguana’s tail will grow to 2 or 3 times
its body length. But it can be broken off. So NEVER try to catch your iguana, or pick
it up, by the tail. But don’t panic...if
your iguana does lose its tail, this is not
a fatal wound. And it will grow back
eventually. Just keep it clean, so that no
infection occurs, until it heals.
HENRY OR HENRIETTA?
It’s virtually impossible to determine the
sex of a baby iguana. Males and females are
both the same color and size. A juvenile
(1-2 years old) iguana can sometimes be
identified by the shape of its skull; male
heads are often more square, while females
often have longer, thinner heads.
When your
iguana is about 2½ years old, you can tell
whether it’s a male or female by looking at
the “femoral pores” under its back legs. A
male will have what looks like small white circles
dotting his thighs. A female’s femoral pores
are almost invisible. If you can see them
clearly...you have a male.
Also, the male's sub-tympanic membrane (that
huge jewel-like scale beneath its tympanic
membrane, or ear membrane) will be
streamlined and tucked up against the jaw in
a female, but a male will have heavy "jowls"
which make it look more massive.
WHERE DID IT GO? - SAFETY AND
HANDLING
Iguanas like to climb. They also like to
hide in high, dark places like bookcases and
closets. This makes them feel safe from
possible danger. If your iguana has
disappeared, look in high dark places...and
you will probably spot its tail hanging out
of a cabinet or behind your TV. An iguana's
"body image" does not include its tail, and
it will think itself perfectly well
hidden...never realizing that its tail is
still in full view. (I did mention that
they're not the world's smartest
animal.....)
Always handle your iguana gently and
carefully. This is especially important for
baby iguanas, which have very delicate
bones. Never grab or squeeze your iguana. You can crush its inner organs, and this
will kill it.
And yes, you can take your iguana for a
walk. Most pet stores sell sturdy iguana
harnesses for iguanas that are at least two
feet in length. Just remember one thing: When you take your scaly friend for a
walk...it will go where IT wants to go. You
cannot lead an iguana, or force it to go in
your direction! If you’re willing to let it
lead, and carry it when it gets tired or
cranky, you should have a great time
“walking” your iguana.
DR. JEKYLL OR MR. HYDE?
As your iguana gets older, it will develop a
definite personality. Handle your iguana
every day, spend time with it, carry it
around or let it ride on your shoulder, feed
it by hand whenever possible. This will help
keep your iguana hand-tamed and gentle.
Note: Some iguanas will exhibit hostile
behavior as they reach breeding age (about 5
years old). Patience, persistence, and
gentle handling can eventually calm even the wildest
iguana. Once the mating season
has passed, your iguana should revert to its
normal placid behavior again.
A QUICK WORD ABOUT VETS
Every town has at least one veterinarian.
But many vets do not specialize in exotic
animals. Be sure to ask your vet whether he
treats iguanas before your pet gets sick or
injured. Most vets will refer you to a
colleague who specializes in exotic pets if
they don’t feel confident that they can
treat your iguana themselves.
REFERENCES:
There are many wonderful reference websites
online. In addition, below are some
excellent reference books about iguanas.
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“An Owner’s Guide to The Iguana,”
Karen Rosenthal, DVM; Howell Book House |
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“Care of Green Iguanas,” Richard
Woerpel, MS, DVM & Walter Rosskopf, Jr.,
DVM |
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“The Complete Guide to Reptile
Nutrition,” Reptile News Press,
1991, PP 23-32. |
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“The General Care and Maintenance of
the Green Iguana,” Phillipe De
Vosjoli, Advanced Vivarium Systems,
1990, PP 13-16. |
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Reptile & Amphibian Magazine, "Green
Iguanas their Care and Captive
Husbandry,” Norman Frank, DVM,
Jan./Feb. 1992, PP 30-37. |
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