Iguanas are becoming more popular as pets. Before getting an iguana, however, there are several things you need to seriously think about:

As with any pet, proper feeding, housing, and caring for your iguana is going to take time and money. Many diseases in iguanas are due to improper nutrition and environment. Do you know how to supply their basic needs?

Even with proper nutrition and housing, iguanas may develop health problems or become injured. Are you willing and able to provide the necessary health care for your iguana?

Iguanas grow. You may think the hatchling is cute, and easily housed in a terrarium. But, what are you going to do when the iguana reaches several feet in length, and needs a cage the size of a small room?

Origin of Green Iguanas

Green iguanas originate from the rain forests of northern Mexico to southeastern Brazil where the temperatures and humidity are high. Iguanas live in the trees and bask in the sun. They eat only vegetation: up to 50 different kinds of leaves, flowers, and fruits. Their captive environment must duplicate this as much as possible.

Green iguanas are egg layers. Like many turtles, the eggs are buried in the sand by the mother and once the eggs hatch, the hatchlings are on their own. They can grow up to 6 feet in length and weigh 18 pounds. With proper care, they may live 15 years or more.

Heat

Iguanas are cold-blooded and require supplemental heat for proper digestion. They prefer 84-90°F during the day and 70-77° at night. If a reptile is cold, it cannot properly digest its food and is more likely to become ill. Lizards like a temperature gradient so if they are cold, they can move to a warmer part of the cage and vice versa. Place a good quality thermometer in the cage at the level the iguana spends most of its time so you can monitor the temperature.

Primary heat source: A primary heat source is necessary to keep the temperature of the entire cage within the proper range. A series of incandescent lights over the cage is one of the best heat sources. At night, these lights will need to be turned off and another heat source may be needed depending on the ambient temperature. A heating pad placed under the cage, ceramic infrared heat emitters or panels, or more expensive nocturnal reptile incandescent light bulbs which produce heat, but little visible light, can be used. For larger enclosures, a space heater or separate room thermostat can be used to keep the room at the appropriate temperature. Fire alarms should be placed in rooms where lights or other heat sources are used.

Secondary heat source: A secondary heat source creates more heat in specific areas of the cage to provide a temperature gradient. To best supply this gradient, the secondary heat source should cover only 25-30% of the surface of the enclosure. The secondary heat source could be a 50-75 watt incandescent bulb in a ceramic base, securely mounted where the animal can not touch it. There are also special 'basking lights' available. Either type of light should shine down on a particular basking area from outside the cage. The temperature under the light in the area in which the iguana would be basking should be 90-100°F. DO NOT USE HOT ROCKS AS HEAT SOURCES.