what do u know about takin care of pet iguanas?

Question

could you tell me everything i need to know before i adopt an iguana from my cousin?

Answer 1

Iguanas are very high maintenance reptiles. they are prone to dehydration, calcium deficiency, and can also be very aggressive. If you are not prepared to take care of it you should look into possibly finding an iguana rescue they are all over and are dedicated to saving iguanas and placing them in homes that have the means to take care of them. Iguanas are strictly vegetarians, do not feed them live food it will cause problems. Also if it is a female it can very easily become egg bound which is where the female produces eggs and will not lay them due to non fertilization. this is very common with iguanas. My best recommendation would be to find a iguana rescue.



*******DO NOT BRING HIM TO A HUMANE SOCIETY************

the humane society will put it to sleep they do not believe reptiles to be pets and lobby very heavily for the passing of laws making it illegal to own reptiles.



i hope this helps it is a link to the iguana rescue network, they are a 501c non profit organization





Hey Greg S go eat a celery stick and marry a tree.



Source(s):



http://www.iguanarelocationnetwork.org/...

Answer 2

I'll be totally honest with you, and I am not trying to be mean. If you have to ask, please don't get one! They are VERY delicate. I owned, handled and bred them and they are NOT good for a first time handler. Find something that will have less requirements such as a leopard gecko. Really.



Iguanas are seldom these friendly little critters that people seem to think. The majority cannot be handled. They may tolerate you working around them, but that's about as far as it usually goes. I've had some exceptions to that...but only a couple.



They need to have everything just so. You need proper lighting, proper temps, proper humidity, proper gradients in temp...and eventually, a REALLY big enclosure. We had an entire bedroom for our largest! The slightest thing can cause them to stop eating. I've lost some to being egg bound, taken in some with mites, calcium deficiency, etc. They really are a lot of work.



And for heaven's sake...if you DO adopt it, PLEASE do not get a heating rock! Iguanas sense heat from the top of their bodies and ambient temp. If they are warmed from the belly up, they will suffer MASSIVE burns! I cannot stress this enough. Way too many people think that heating rocks and an iguana are a good mix...and nothing could be farther from the truth. If you must put a heating rock in with an iguana, cut the cord!!!

Answer 3

I had two iguanas. One died because we had sand in his tank. DO NOT USE SAND. Use wood chips. It's better because it's more natural to their normal habitat. Give them something to climb on as well. Also, DO NOT FEED THEM ICEBERG LETTUCE. They get addicted to it, and it gives them no nutritional value. I would suggest romaine lettuce and maybe pick up something from a pet store. They look like miniature Fruity Pebbles. It's fruit for iguanas. Also, there is a calcium spray you can buy to spray over their food. Instead of a water bowl, give them something they can swim in as well. One more thing... you will need a day lamp and a night lamp, and a spray bottle to keep it humid. A pet store can really help. It seems like a lot, but honestly, it's really easy work to take care of.



Just keep an eye on their health. If their lower jaw starts to get puffy, read up on them to see if they're tank's too hot or too cold. Or even take it to a vet. The pet experts told me that the fat jaw could be something internal, so that's why I say a vet. GOOD LUCK! I love my lizard!



RESPONSES TO OTHERS ANSWERS.....



ANIMAL CRUELTY? Just one person not buying an iguana is going to stop animal cruelty. How about buying an iguana and giving it the best treatment you can? Or is that animal cruelty?



ALSO, the other person that says don't get one because you're asking. That's ignorant. I'm just glad that you're asking. I didn't ask and I tried to do it myself and lost an iguana. If you're willing to take care of it, you can! I think it's wonderful that more people are wanting reptiles.

Answer 4

If you've got a good relationship with this teacher, I would recommend just talking with her first. But do your research before hand. There are lots of good sources on line that will teach you all about reptile care. Or you can contact the local zoo or exotics vet to get some information too. If you've got the info, then talk to the teacher. You may find that they may welcome the suggestions. However, if you are met with resistance, then the only thing you can do is report it to the authorities. This person should not be teaching children how to care for animals if they are not going to do it properly and as there are enough cases of neglect/abuse due to ignorance when it comes to exotic species already (anything other than a dog or cat), we don't need to raise anymore.

Answer 5

if not tamed do not adopt!!!!! iguanas are very high maintenance and can be very hostile!!! not the best pet for a beginner. feed only fresh fruit and veggies and crush a calicum pill every other week and sprinkle over the food. give fresh food and water every day. feed twice a day. keep proper light or warming device and living space(look on the net for details) as well as proper attention to keep gentle

Answer 6

Don't buy an iguana, they are wild, they belong in the wild in their natural habitat. They carry salmonella, it's poison.

DOn't buy pets from pet stores because when you do, you continue to support the wild animal trade, it's animal cruelty.

Do some research and see how these wild animals are transported, see how they are bred and check the conditions they come from

Then ask yourself if you wish to support this wild animal trade.

Answer 7

I totally agree with doesnt matter and jasmine...I owned one and I had to adopt him out because i work 40 hrs a week, go to school and have a daughter who plays every sport under the sun...They are very high maintenance...require proper diet, lighting, habitat etc... unless you plan on treating it like a child, i would say dont adopt...

Answer 8

They like to poop in a tray full of water, like a warming rock, eat lots of veggies and lettuce and their cages need to be 2 times as high as they are and at LEAST as long maybe more. Hope that helps. You can get more info via internet.

Answer 9

I would not get a heat rock because they tend to get burns easy. A heat lamp works good and that is what I would recommend using.

Answer 10

feed it crickets about four twice a day and get a heat rock that will give it heat it needs cause it is a cold blooded animal, u will also need a water dish.

Answer 11

A few things you should know about your iguana



NEVER FEED YOUR IGUANA CRICKETS!!!!! IT MAKES THEM AGRESSIVE!



- There's a lot of things you'll need to do to take care of your iguana properly. To get you started, here's some stuff you may not know about your iguana....



- Iguanas are arboreal, which means that in the wild, they live in trees. This means that your iguana will want some stuff to climb around on.



- Iguanas are herbivores, which means that in the wild, they eat plants. This also means that you should try to avoid feeding them stuff like meat, dog food, cat food, eggs, cheese, and other foods that are bad for your iguana. (You'll learn more about the right foods later.)



- Iguanas need special ultraviolet lighting, which is also called UV lighting. They can get this with special light bulbs and by sitting in direct sunlight.



- Pet iguanas and their cages should be properly cleaned on a regular basis.



- Pet iguanas that are kept in a cage, need to be in a cage that is VERY big. Your iguana will not be happy or healthy in a cage that is too small.



- Iguanas are cold blooded, which means they need to be in a warm environment. This means you'll need to provide heat for your iguana. (You'll learn more about providing heat later.)



- Iguanas need to have proper humidity to help them shed and help them stay healthy. You can give your iguana proper humidity several ways, which we'll talk about later.



- Iguanas should see a good veterinarian at least once a year. Just like people, iguanas should get a check up every once in a while, to make sure they're healthy.



Taking care of your iguana - Okay, so here we go! It's time to learn how to take care of your iguana. This is just the basic stuff you'll need to know, so it's important that you keep learning as much as you can about iguanas and iguana care.





The first thing to keep in mind is that green iguanas, if taken care of properly. will grow rather large. Many people buy a baby iguana on impulse, and then when it starts to grow larger than they were prepared to handle, they don't want it anymore. In our experience, these iguanas usually end up for sale in the papers, or pawned off onto local herp societies, who already have their hands full trying to find suitable homes for some of the lesser known, harder-to-care for reptiles. Remember that iguanas do not only grow as large as their tank. When they get older, they will usually either need a large, custom-built cage, their own "iguana" room, or, if you choose, free roam of the house with a well-heated basking spot.



A good size tank to start out with for a baby iguana is a standard 30 to 50 gallon tank. As your iguana grows, it will probably be necessary to build or have built a custom cage. The standard for deciding on cage size is one and one half times the length of the lizard in length, two thirds the length of the lizard in width, and the length of the lizard in height. We have found higher is better. Iguanas love to climb and love to be up high.



There are several things that can be used for cage bottom cover. Orchid bark, artificial turf, indoor/outdoor carpeting, newspaper, and alfalfa pellets are all useful for this. Bark or wood chips can tend to attract mites and other insects, so keep this in mind. Cedar chips can be toxic, so avoid using these.



Branches set up for climbing are a necessity. Iguanas are arboreal (tree-dwelling) lizards. The branches should be chosen according to the size of your lizard, and easy for your them to climb and lay on. We do not recommend hot rocks. They are not a natural way for the iguana to absorb heat and they can cause serious burns. Hot rocks should never be used as a replacement for adequate lighting.









PROPER NUTRITION:

Iguanas are herbivores or folivores, which means that they are plant eaters. They eat leafy greens, fruit, and fresh, uncooked vegetables that are grated and chopped to a size appropriate to the size and age of the iguana.



The most important thing, however, is to feed your iguana a VARIED diet using the following, well-rinsed foods:



Greens (40%-50% of the daily mixture):

Mustard Greens - Collard Greens - Dandelion Greens - Turnip Greens - Rapini - Mulberry Leaves - Grape Leaves - Hibiscus - Escarole (outer, dark green leaves only - do not feed pale, bleached leaves).



Vegetables (40%):

Green Beans - Peas - Turnip - Rutabaga - Parsnip - Butternut Squash - Acorn Squash - Sweet Potato - Zucchini - Carrot - Lima Beans - Cassava - Jicama - Chayote



Fruit and Flowers (10-20%):

Papaya - Pear - Strawberries - Raspberries - Mango - Grapes - Apricot - Peach - Cantaloupe - Casaba and Honeydew Melon - Kiwi - Figs - Nasturtium - Hibiscus - Rose Petals (no pesticides)



Occasional Foods and Treats (10%):

Kale - Parsley - Beets/Beet Greens - Banana - Apple - Rose Petals - Spinach - Pasta - Bok Choy - Broccoli - Cauliflower



Do not feed your iguana large quantities of broccoli flowerettes, corn, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, bananas, grapes, carrot, or tomatoes because they contain higher amounts of phosphorous, oxylates, phytates and other components that can hamper your iguana's healthy growth processes.

Answer 12

Nothing

Answer 13

they get salamounella or w/e