Care Sheet for IguanasAverage Rating Given To This Care Sheet Is 4.17 (1=lowest, 5=highest) Last Updated: 03/12/2003 |
Main Category: | Lizards |
Sub Category: | Iguanas |
Care Sheet Submitted By: | Marisa |
Years Experience: | 3 to 5 Years |
Species: | Green Iguana |
Other Species or Phases this Care Sheet May Cover: | N/A |
Sexing and Characteristics: | Roxy was easy for us to sex. She had just laid eggs for her previous owner! :) But aside from that her physical characteristics are very male looking. She has a very large dewlap, bright orange colors during breeding season, and large pores. This is why its very important to be patient before making any final sexing choices. Its hard because you want to know if your baby is a "he" or a "she" but if you can wait a few years they will tell you themselves. :) |
Mostly Active During: | N/A |
Substrate and Water Needs: | Roxy has newspaper on her cage floor. Using wood shavings, forest floor or anything made of "pieces" is NOT a good idea. Roxy and all iguanas are like babys. They love to put things in their mouths and they really love to swallow them. If I put wood shavings in Roxys cage I know she would have a bucketful in her stomach in no time. She has even eaten a piece of foam before. So just because its not tasty doesn’t mean they won’t eat it.
Newspaper is cheap, and easy to keep clean.
Water is a hard thing for iguanas, and Roxy is no different. They don’t normally drink directly from a water source, and they also love to deficate in water. Roxy gets her water from diet and from spraying with a spray bottle.
But its important to have a water source available. Unfortunatly your iguana will most likely deficate in this no matter what you do, but cleaning it often is just another part of my adeventure with Roxy. |
Lighting and UVB: | Essential!!!
Roxy has two four foot UVB 5.0 tubes over her at all times. They are changed every six months. The tubes will continue working for light for quite some time but the UVB output goes lower with time and after 6 months your iguana might as well be under a normal bulb.
If this seems crazy to you, I have found using the "leftover" tubes in other places helps me justify (aside from my iguanas health) the cost. In your garage if you use flouresent tubes you can use the Iguana 5.0 after their 6 months. They still put out light that’s decent for us humans but the iguana needs fresh bulbs.
I do try to get Roxy sunlight but she is VERY scared outside and normally this does nothing but stress her out. So her bulbs are important. |
Temperatures and Humidity: | Well I have personally found so many different recommendations about different gradients to be achieved, basking temp sites, etc that I jsut provide Roxy with a very high maximum and a low cool side. Some disagree saying ambient needs to be higher in my enclosure but for Roxy she uses both sides heavily.
Her actual BASKING site is kept at 95-100F. She spends the bulk of her time under the light, but especially after a meal.
The area around the light and the warm side of the cage is normally anywhere from 80-85.
She is also offered room temp. Her "cool" side is anywhere from 70-80 at all times. She sleeps in this area, and on hot days spends almost 100% of her time here.
Humidity I have found to be even harder. I try and keep her above 60, but anymore than that and she seems to seek dry areas in my house if she is out. I normally achieve a more moist enviroment by spraying her a few times per week, and allowing her to dry out a bit as well. Its nearly impossible for me to keep her humidity at 80% without damage and mildew growing in her cage. Which is also dangerous. So I try and keep a happy medium, with spraying and bathing. |
Heating and Equipment: | I use two four foot UVB tubes for UV light.
I also use two 150 watt basking bulbs. Roxy is over 5 feet long and one bulb doesn’t provide a large enough spot for her to properly regulate her temp. Mnay people over look this if the temp under the bulb is correct. But if the head and half the body aren’t under it I don’t see how it makes much sense.
I make sure to provide a basking site that is large enough at the temp I provide to cover her head, all the way to her butt. :) |
Caging Provided: | Roxy lives in a custom wood and plexi glass enclosure.
I believe its 6 tall, 6 long and 5 wide. This is quickly becoming to small and soon I hope to give her a room to herself. Mnay people don’t realize that even the biggest of cages like mine can and will be out grown. |
Diet: | Herbivorous |
Description of Diet: | 70% Leafy calcium rich Greens these include: Collard Greens, Dandelion Greens, and extras of Mustard Greens and anything else I pick up. But mostly Collards and Dandelions.
20% Veggies. This includes a variety of winter squash, which makes up the bulk of this percent. Also snow peas, green beans, and leftovers from my salads!!!
10% this is my bad area. *LOL* Roxy loves her treats. I try to keep it to a minimum but its difficult when she begs for a bite of my roomates toast, or pizza. So as long as she is eating her collards and veggies I allow her to have a treat of bread (wheat normally) or anything else she would like in SMALL amounts. I don’t want to say it actually makes up 10% of her total diet but she does get a bite her and there at the most twice per week. Two bread treats in a week is a lucky week for her. The other part is fruits. I give her fruits as a treat from me to her on a regular basis. Strawberries and melon are a favorite. |
Supplements, Nutrition and Usage: | I give Roxy calcium during Dec, January, March and April as she is normally gravid during this time. I like to depend on her diet for much of her vitamins and only supplement here and there at other times of the year. So far her blood work is 100% !!! |
Maintenance: | TONS!
Roxy is literally filthy. She poos and pees in a certain spot but even the best method this is a hard job to clean. On a bad day she will spread her feces everywhere.
The glass is CONSTANTLY covered in salt she has excreted (sp) from her nose. This is normal but you do have to clean the glass at least once per month if not more. |
Some Words on this Species: | The Green Iguana is a HUGE commitment. If you don’t think you could handle a small croc, you can’t handle a iguana. They are time consuming, money sucking and a huge part of your life once you have them. Its very difficult to achieve a schedual at times but in the end if you are willing, its worth it.
If you want a lizard that looks cool, and is easy to care for check out the Green Anole. Not the Green Iguana. |
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