6/21/03

If you're considering getting an iguanas, but haven't done so yet, please read the following to see what items you need and what you might be getting into.

If you are considering getting an iguana with the idea that you can easily find it a new home once it's too big, or you're bored with it, or you have to go to college and they don't permit pets, or decide you want to have a baby and are suddenly scared to death about the Salmonella concerns...think again.

It's not as easy as you'd think to find your iguana a new home. Even tame, healthy iguanas are difficult to place. Zoos won't take them, most rescue groups are full. Most people that love iguanas and have taken some in that needed to find a new home, are also at their maximum capacity (myself included). Turning an iguana loose, especially in climates that get seasonable cold is cruel and irresponsible. Turning one loose where it is warm year round may not kill the iguana, but can cause problems with indiginous species.

They do get large - that is a fact - They grow to 6'. Putting an iguana in a small cage will NOT stunt its growth, it will only make it miserable.

They have special needs and are more work than dogs or cats. They require special UV lighting which usually needs to be replaced every 6 months to ensure the proper output of UV. Natural sunlight, unobstructed by glass, i.e. a window is even better. The UV they need cannot be obtained through glass, so letting your iguana sit at the window will not work.  This is essential!  Without it they cannot absorb calcium and will most likely end up with MBD (Metabolic Bone Disease).  MBD can cause all sorts of problems if not treated, including deformities and even death. They require a varied diet of vegetables and some fruit, and preparing their food is time consuming. It's not as simple as dumping some food from a bag into a bowl. There are some commercial diets on the market for iguanas, though they are not very healthy for iguanas (higher protein content and fiber content is low)

They are not disposable pets, though often their price tags would suggest this. Many, but not all pet stores sell iguanas dirt cheap without any accurate information.  Either they don't know they're giving out bad information, or they just don't care, and will tell a customer anything to make a quick buck.  They can, with proper care, outlive most dogs, and even some cats, by living into their teens. The oldest recorded iguana died at age 29!!! My little one-eyed Igor, who has been through hell and back, is 14 years old now and really shows no signs of slowing down.

Iguanas, as any pet, can have health problems and require treatment by a qualified reptile veterinarian. Can you afford it? If not, don't get an iguana. There's nothing worse than those that get an iguana and decide it's cheaper to get a new one and let the one they currently have die, than pay to take it to a vet.

Not all iguanas are, but they can be aggressive. Aggression in males can be triggered by breeding season. Some females get on the aggressive side when gravid (equivalent to pregnant) and they also run the risk of becoming egg bound.  In younger iguanas and iguanas that have never really interacted much with humans, the aggression is often that they're afraid. If you don't bother to handle them them on a regular basis that leave you with one scared and skittish iguana.

People often become afraid of their iguana after it tail whips or bites them when it's still small, and then they no longer handle the iguana. The biting and whipping is is how they defend themselves, as in the wild they would fall prey to a various number of predators. If you keep working with an iguana that is afraid, it should eventually learn not all people are so bad and mellow out. This takes time.

Most iguanas take time to tame.  If you don't have the patience, don't get an iguana.  Helmut, who didn't come from the greatest of situations, did not tame down for about a year, and he's just beginning to trust me.  Trust takes time, sometimes years.  They obviously are not the pet for young children or a household where the parents aren't willing to take over when the child gets bored.  Their care is very time consuming.

 

I have actually heard that some people want an iguana because it doesn't have teeth. They do have teeth, lots of them, serated like a knife, and they can do some considerable damage. This is not saying that all iguanas are dangerous, but that you should know what you're getting into. Iguanas are not suitable pets for children.

If you want a lizard that is tame & stays smaller (also better and safer around children), look into getting a bearded dragon. I would bet those are easier to place than an iguana, especially with they friendly temperment and their smaller size. See Dr. Tosney's site for more information on bearded dragons.

They don't tell you that iguanas can get to be 6 feet in length, regardless on how small of a cage you keep them in. 

Iguanas often carry Salmonella which won't always show up in a fecal exam, even if the iguana has it.  It should never be treated because new resistant strains of salmonella can be the result.  Assume an iguana has salmonella and take the necessary precautions to prevent getting sick.  Many are now suggesting probiotics which may possibly crowd out out the salmonella using good bacterias like L. acidophillus.  It may also be benefitial to the iguana's health, but I don't know how much research has been done on that. I use a very light dusting of NutriBAC on my iguanas' food daily.

Finding a vet for an exotic animal such as an iguana is not that simple.  Not all vets specialize in exotics, and not all vets that work with exotics are good.  Check ARAV to see if your vet is listed.  This won't tell you if your vet is good or not, but you can see if your vet is getting the most up to date reptile and amphibian medical information.

Now after all you've just read about what is needed to raise a healthy green iguana and you are still interested in getting one, read the information at Melissa Kaplan's Giant Green Iguana Information Collection & Should I get an Iguana? , or get these books - Iguanas For Dummies & Green Iguana, The Ultimate Owner's Manual and really do research on what you're getting into...

You might seriously consider adopting one from many of the reptile rescue rehabbers.  There are so many in need of homes.  Many are already tame, but the owners no longer felt they could properly care for them.  It's very easy to find iguanas for a minimal adoption fee or free to a good home.  By adopting an iguana from a rehabber, you would not be supporting the pet stores that exploit iguanas.  Here are some sites for more iguana adoption & herpetological societies information...

WiGY
Colorado Reptile Rescue
Also Melissa Kaplan has a list of rescues & herpetological socities listed by state.  

Herpetological societies often have adoption programs, so you could also check with your local herp society to see what iguanas are available.

If you already have your iguana, consider these sources as well for more information on them and their care...

These books - Iguanas For Dummies & Green Iguana, The Ultimate Owner's Manual

E-Groups-

Iguana Mailing List - This is the new home of the original "Iguanas Mailing List," started by Liza Daly. It remains "the" place to discuss green and other iguanas, to learn about their care and behavior, and to share information about what has worked for you.

Advanced IML - An advanced iguana mailing list in cooperation with IguanaMail. This list is designed for more in-depth and scientific discussions about green iguanas, as well as a place to discuss unconventional and/or controversial ideas regarding iguanas and their care. Medical discussions also very welcome. We strongly encourage different opinions and views, based on scientific research and/or experience. Anecdotal evidence as well as scientific research will be equally respected.