How To Properly Care For A Green Iguana (Viewed 2593 times)
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How To Look After Your Green Iguana Pet


When people discuss getting an iguana as a pet, usually they are referring to the green iguana, which is the most common species called Iguana Iguana.

The iguana resides in Central America and South America, in addition to other areas of the Pacific.  Over the last couple of years, the iguana has become increasingly popular as a pet in Europe and the United States.

Young iguanas are active during the daytime, and usually are a bright green color.  This helps it hide away from predators in the forest's green vegetation.  Its sharp eyesight and quick movements allows the green iguana to very easily avoid being captured.  As the iguana continues to age, its color changes to a more muted green instead of the bright green.

In the wild the iguana spends its time attempting to locate a sunny spot to lay  in, attempting to get away from predators and eating.

Of course it is a different story when an iguana lives in captivity.  Although there aren't any predators that the iguana needs to escape from, its own does need to be taken good care of by its owner.  They are popular pets, but it isn't easy taking good care of them.

Let's discuss some of thing you should do to take good care of your iguana.

1.  Provide your iguana with a large enclosed space.  

The top priority for a pet owner is the enclosure, since green iguanas can grow up to seven feet.  

It might appear that iguanas are content having a small pen.  However, when they don't have enough space, they will become stressed and listless, which results in sickness as well as being vulnerable to getting infections.
 
The enclosure needs to be at least a couple times wider or deeper than the iguana's length or one and a half tall as its height since it needs to be able to climb and move around.

Your pet iguana later on can be allowed to roam around your house, as long as you ensure that it can't get out or consume important items you have in your home.

2.  Supply your iguana's enclosure with synthetic structures or large branches.

The enclosure will not only be more attractive when you add some of the above things, but it can improve the pen as a nice place for your green iguana to reside in.  It makes a good habitat for it since it provides an outlet for basking and climbing- which are the two top activities that contribute to the psychological and emotional growth of an iguana.

For the enclosure's flooring you can use mulch (a material that keeps soil from becoming eroded, weeds from growing and holds in moisture) or you can just use sheets of newspaper.

3.  Be sure to include a good heating device in the enclosure.

This is something you should definitely not forget since if an iguana isn't sufficiently warm it will be unable to digest its food properly.

A good UV light source should be provided to the iguana.  No part of the enclosure should have a temperature that is lower than 26 degrees Celsius, and at least one area should be up to 35 degree Celsius.  A spotlight works well for this.  

4.  Although light and heating are both important, darkness is as well.  

An iguana all needs to have 6 to 10 hours of darkness every night for its well-being.  Shield the enclosure from light from appliances or streetlights.  

5.  Pay close attention to your iguana.

Any pet deserves for its owner to care and interact with it.  Just like a dog or cat, your green iguana deserves your affection and love.  If it isn't provided with the attention that it deserves and needs, an iguana might become sick, listless and die eventually.

So there you have it.  The above tips are some of the fundamental things that should be considered when taking proper care of your iguana.  However, they do not serve as substitutes for consulting with a reputable veterinarian.  You still need to have professional help to ensure that your iguana lives for a long time.