One of the first things to be aware of when it comes to iguana care is what type of Iguana you have and what that animal needs. The common Green Iguana is the most popular but for the purposes of the information here, it will be info that can be applied to many types of iguana.
Basic Iguana Care
When it comes to the basics the first thing is heat and lots of it. Iguanas are cold blooded animals by nature and cannot control their own body temperature. Which means, they get warm and cool in nature is by using the sun and the shade.
You won’t find any iguana in environments where the weather gets cold for any length of time. Since most people keep their iguanas in some form of a cage the use of lights is the best way to keep your pet warm. You want to make sure you use a special light bulb in the lamps you use that mimics the sun. For example, the use of a UVB light is a good idea. Most pet stores carry the lights you need for this purpose.
The Iguana Cage
Now that you have the lights covered and your iguana can stay warm it’s time to make sure the cage is right. When it comes to the iguana cage there are so many different types ranging from the standard home-made type to a professional cage. What you want to keep in mind here is that as your iguana grows it’s cage needs to grow with it.
An enclosure that is to small for a large iguana will lead to poor iguana care and could shorten the life of the animal.
So when you have a baby iguana your iguana cage will be much smaller than when it reaches adulthood. You can start out with a small 40 or 50 gallon tank when they are just babies but will need something much lager as they grow.
You can find all kinds of pictures online that show different cages people have made to give you an idea of what you’ll need. There is also the option to buy a professionally made enclosure that is ready to go after a short setup. This option however usually costs a lot more money but will provide an excellent habitat for your iguana.
As far as what goes into the iguana cage you want to make sure there are branches for your iguana to climb as well as a water source, basking area and a place of shade to cool down after being under the lamps. When at all possible get your iguana into real sunlight to warm up and get those beneficial rays, stay away from heat rocks.
Iguana also needs to have high humidity in their environment in order to help shed their skin and keep a clean appearance. This can be achieved by spraying water into the cage with a spray bottle a few times a day. Keep track of the humidity using a hygrometer, these can be bought at a pet store and stuck onto the a wall inside the cage. Try to keep the humidity between 65% to 75%.
Iguana Food
So you have your cage setup and the lights are perfect to keep your iguana warm but now you need to feed it. The right diet is the next step when it comes to proper iguana care. So what do you feed your iguana to make sure it stays healthy and grows to its full size?
Start with leafy greens, cut small for babies and lager for the larger iguana. Some of these greens include Kale, collard greens, escarole, turnip tops, beet greens, mustard greens, dandelion, Chinese cabbage (bok choy), Swiss chard, hibiscus flowers, endive, sprouts, arugula, green cabbage,pea pods and water crest.
When you feed them leafy greens the animal has bacteria and protozoa that live in the intestines which ferments the plant matter into the nutrients it needs. For almost all iguana this is the staple of their diet. Some of the iguana food you give your pet can include grapes and bananas but these types of food should be given in limited quantities.
The store bought, pre-made iguana food may be something you want to stay away from. The more natural the food you feed your iguana the better. The iguana food and diet is important so if you need more information please do your homework to make sure your animal is getting what it needs.
How Long Do Iguanas Live?
This depends on a number of things including where the animal came from, its diet, consistent temperature and amount of sunlight it receives. Most iguanas that are kept in captivity can live between 10 and even 20 years. They can grow up to 5 or 6ft during that time.
This is why when you see the cute little iguana in the pet store you need to keep in mind it will need years of care and love as it grows into a very large animal.
Most people who buy iguanas don’t keep in mind the size they will grow to an when the animal starts to get to big for them they try to get rid of it or even worse neglect it until it dies.
So to answer the question “how long do iguanas live?” The answer is 10 to 20 years of your life so make sure you are willing to commit that time to the animal before you buy it.
In Conclusion
The iguana is an “intermediate” level reptile in terms of care. Proper iguana care is vital to the lifespan of the animal and keeping it healthy. Remember it lives for as long as 20 years and will need a very large area or enclosure when it reaches an adult.
For more information here is a short video on Iguana Care…
