Help need with an iguana?

Question

I have just purchased an iguana from someone who did not want him anymore. I know nothing about these creatures but the man told me to feed him on locust etc.. I have just read on the net that they should have a vegetarian diet. Can anyone give me some information and recommend a good book for him.

Answer 1

They should be feed:



45% leafy greens such as escarole, dandelions, endive, mustard, and collards, NO lettuces or spinach! They aren't good for him.

45% hard mixed veggies such as an orange flesh squash the harder the better(acorn,pumpkin,butternut... fresh green beans, fresh peas, parsnip, and green bell peppers, NO broccoli or cauliflower, or avocado!

10% fruit such as figs, papaya, mango, pear, and berries. NO bananas, only very rarely as a treat.

NO ANIMAL PROTEIN such as bugs, meat, eggs, or cheese!



Temperature:



They need a basking area of 95-100 and normal temps of 75-85. NO heat rocks!



Lights:



They need a 5.0 UV light.



Hydration



They should also get baths everyday or so. And should have a water bowl in their cage.



Vet:



You should take Your Iguana for regular vet checkups to make sure it is in good health. Reptiles can have internal parasites that can harm them so you should make sure the vet checks that.



Here are some good sites, the first one was recomended by my vet.



If you have any other questions feel free to e-mail me.



http://www.anapsid.org/iguana/index.html

www.greenigsociety.org

www.triciaswaterdragon.com/igcare.htm

http://www.baskingspot.com/iguanas/igbook/

http://www.reptilecare.com/IgCare.htm

Answer 2

There is a lot of misinformation about Iguana's, and the diet depends of their size.

There is a very good book on keeping them, which costs around £20.00, it's name evades me.

But if the lizard is smaller that 3 feet, I would suggest a diet of waxworms, locusts, crickets and plenty of cos lettuce, Alfalfa sticks, a little pear, no tomato or cabbage, or orange tangerine or lemon.

Apples are OK, always remove the pips from all friut, a small amount of strawberries.

But please get a good on them.

They require a tall vivarium especailly if they are full grown around 5.5 ft, nose to tail and a basking Temperature of around 90 degrees F.

A big water bowl, changed daily.

Iguana's are a poor pet to have because they get so big and can get aggresive.

The adults are entirely vegetarian, but the diet must be controlled in regards to the calcium levels.

The insects should be dusted with Nutrabol a calcium and multivitamin supplement.

I hope that this helps.



Wesley

Answer 3

Young iguanas will eat locusts or crickets or mealworms but as they get older and larger they will turn more to a vegetarian diet. Any kind of fruit and veg really, try them out, if he doesnt like it he wont eat it. You can feed them regular lettuce but not too much iceberg because they will develop a taste for it and not want anything else. You will find he will probably eat anything really but it is best to use common sense and stick with the healthier stuff. Buy yourself a good iguana book or even borrow one from the library, a good book will give you all the information you want.

Answer 4

1) ONLY veggies, if you feed them bugs it will shorten their lifespan. Mine loves greens, squash, and carrots, and sweet fruits. Never, ever, ever, feed it iceberg lettuce, it's too fibrous and it will clog up their digestive tract. With leafy vegetables, you can leave the pieces pretty big (about the size you would eat in a salad), but if it's a harder veggie, like a carrot, make sure you cut it into small pieces. I use a vegetable peeler to make small, thin pieces that he can easily swallow.

2) Keep their heat lamps where they can't knock them over. I have a metal screen over my enclosure, and I keep the heat lamps on top of that.

3) They usually love baths, mine also loves being sprayed with a water bottle.

4) I have a book called "The Iguana Handbook" by Patricia Bartlett and R. D. Bartlett, it tells you pretty much everything you need to know about raising an iguana, and it has a comprehensive list of good and bad foods for them. I got it at the pet store.

5) Iguanas are not dumb!! Mine will actually crawl back into his enclosure when he has to go to the bathroom. They do like to poop in their water, though, so make sure to change it a lot.

6) The more you handle them, the less aggressive they will be. If it's a male, it will occasionally act a little snippy. If this happens, make sure you limit their UV light exposure to 8-10 hours a day, and reinforce your dominance by holding him below eye level. Also, when your iguana gets big, so will his teeth!! But the tail is what you have to watch out for, they can hurt you by whipping it around.

Hope this helps!!

Answer 5

My father had an iguana for years, he built a special enclosure with the right kind of lights to keep it warm enough as they need warmer than what the usual house is. He also fed it primarily veggies, certain kinds of lettuce, cilantro lots of green stuff. As far as iguanas being stupid and untrainable I know that we had ours trained to use a certain place when she went to the bathroom etc. Now granted the fact that we had the special enclosure probably helped and this was a HUGE thing as well big enough for a grown man to go in and walk around in comfortably. She was probably 4 or 5 feet long when my father could no longer take care of her and we gave her to another iguana lover.

Answer 6

Buy the idiots guide... it's a good book. They can't have anything that is gassy (cucumbers, Kale, etc.) I believe they are sopossed to have 60-70% Greens (Collard) 20-30% Veggies (squash, carrots) and 10-15% fruits. The one I had loved fresh berries. BUT I would get the book b/c it listed stuff they shouldn't have. One trick to them is they like to use the bathroom in water. This is also easier to clean... make sure you change the water several times per day... but they should have a water dish big enough to climb into. Also... they only get moisure from thier skin so mist him lots with a spray bottle. DONT get a heating rock, they will burn themselves. Use a human heating pad instead and light bulbs. Try www.peteducation.com. It's a great site.



Oh, yeah, DONT give him lettuce either. Make sure you wash his food really well. Small animals are more sensitive to pesticides.



AND you might want to invest in a good chopper, it makes things easier. You have to cut up thier food really small so they eat and digest properly.

Answer 7

I owned an iguana once earlier. i'd not advise letting it roam loose. they must have truly some warmth and basking parts. you would not be in a position to get your residing house to the right temperature. and they could fairly be harm by the different animals. or you would no longer see it and step on it on coincidence. there are truly some issues that ought to pass incorrect. and they don't look to be one among those puppy that you'll potty prepare or some thing so it is going to easily potty the position ever it sounds like it. I strongly advise that you save it in a tank. or you could construct your own cage for it. Use %pipe and cord mesh. That way it ought to climb and characteristic truly some room to roam round in. in simple terms make positive you provide it one cool area and one warmth and a shelf to bask on.

Answer 8

Iguanas are vegetarians they need greens, they also love dandy lions and some fruits like kiwi, mango,canalope.My iguana loved cucumber quite a bit. As for a book you should check the library they have an assortment of good books on iguanas. good luck with your new pet! p/s ineract as much as possible with your iguana.

Answer 9

feed the a good balanced diet

spinach, cucumber, broccoli,avocado, carrots, try not to feed too much lettuce



the more variety the better, no one vegetable has everything an iguana needs



one of the big miss conceptions in iguanas is that a head of lettuce and they are good to go, lettuce is mostly water and has almost no nutritional value, your iguana will love it and wither away,

Answer 10

veggies only is what I have always heard. to much protein is bad for them no live food. I disagree with greg n you accepted the responsability to care for him you are learning and will continue to do so. lizard girl gave you great advice very informative and instructive follow it and in no time you will be a proud owner of insert name here.

Answer 11

What?No Iguanas eat plants not insects!



Why did you buy a pet you know nothing about?



Rehome it with someone who has a clue!

Answer 12

my husband brought me home one 8' long one time. I learned alot about them.

1. They are stupid. Don't think you will train it or stuff. It is a dumb animal. The most you can hope for is recognition at feeding time.

2. Their ambient temperature must be at least 74 degrees. That means your house is probably to cold for him to digest his food properly. Watch getting a heat rock, they burn. So do heat lamps. Mine was so stupid he burned one half his body cause he wouldn't get out from under the light!

3. If you feed them meat of any kind, they become more aggressive, no locust or other bugs. Mine LOVED french cut green beans nuked to just take off the cold(luke warm) and bananas, he'd tear em up and have half all over his face.

4. They can bite, but their best defense is their tales. They are a whip in motion, be careful. it will come off if it feels threatened, or you try to pick it up by its tail. Its gross!!!!

best of luck. I kept mine in a big-dog cage in front of my picture window under a lamp (monitored).

he loved to take a bath( it helped him defecate and its the warmest room in the house)

Answer 13

try to put him on green leafy veggies my iguana loves eating cabbage and other green stuff and put a clean source of water for dringking and bathing of your iguana

Answer 14

i dont know much about them but i hope this website helps, we have a tortoise and when we bought him they said not to give him lettuce but everyone else seems to feed theirs lettuce and he loves it.

Answer 15

if you dont feel like chopping a bunch of stuff i have heard that if you buy single ingredient baby foods like banana, peas, green beans, applesauce, and thing like that they will eat it that way