|
NEPTUNE'S CORNER PET SHOP
4416 Pearl Road • Cleveland, OH 44109 (216) 351-0027 www.neptunescorner.com |
|||
|
Green Iguana Care Sheet
|
|||
|
Common Name:Green Iguana Native to: Central and South America. Imported iguanas are generally from Columbia, El Salvador, Honduras, Peru, Mexico, and Surinam. Size: Adult iguanas range in size from four to six feet in length. Life span: If properly cared for, iguanas should live more than 20 years in captivity. Special Note: While many people consider the green iguana a beginners pet, nothing is further from the truth. Iguanas require specialized care and management that is generally beyond the knowledge of most novices. It is because of this lack of knowledge that a majority of juvenile iguanas die prematurely. Iguana owners need to be aware of the specialized diet and housing requirements that the green iguana requires. General appearance: Iguanas are what most people think of when they think "lizard." They have five toes on each foot. They posses a fleshy flap of skin under the chin called a dewlap. All iguanas have spines that run the length of the back. Contrary to popular belief, not all iguanas are green. Most juveniles are bright green, but as they age and grow they can range in color from a dull green to brown or even orange with striped tails. Housing requirements: Enclosure: Hatchling Iguana's may be housed in a 10 gallon Aquarium, but this should only be a very temporary short term (3 to 4 months) for your Iguana. Ideally you should house your Iguana in a 55 Gallon or 75 Gallon aquarium, Juvenile Iguanas should at the least be housed in a 20 Gallon Long Aquarium. Temperature: Iguanas come from a tropical climate and need to be kept warm. Daytime temperatures should be 80° - 85° F with a basking spot of 90° - 95° F. There should be a range of temperatures offered to the iguana to allow it to thermoregulate itself. Nighttime temperatures should be 75° - 80° F. All temperatures should be verified with a thermometer regularly. Heat/Light: Ultraviolet lighting providing UVA and UVB is required for proper calcium metabolism and skeletal development. Without the proper lighting your Iguana can become sick and die a very painful death. Proper lighting can be provided utilizing fluorescent tubes specially made for use by reptiles as well as mercury vapor bulbs that also provide some heat as well. Additional heat can be provided utilizing infrared ceramic emitters and incandescent basking bulbs. Hot rocks should NEVER be used under any circumstance as they can severely burn your iguana. Neptune's Corner carries Exo-Terra brand UVA Heating bulbs. Substrate: Iguanas will often tongue lick their surroundings, because of this most particulate substrate (wood shavings, mulch, sand, or powder types) are not appropriate for most iguanas. Indoor/outdoor carpeting, or artificial grass make an excellent choice to line the bottom of your Iguana's home. If using indoor/outdoor carpeting or artificial grass please be sure that there are no dangling strings that could tangle in your iguana's nails. ESU Reptile/Zilla's Terrarium Liner, available at Neptune's Corner, is the ideal substrate for your Iguana's home. It's also recommended that you have multiple pieces so that you may replace the soiled pieces with the clean set and then clean and disinfect the current set to use for the next cleaning. Environment: Iguanas come from a tropical climate and require a humidity level of 65% to 75%. To achieve this may require several mistings a day. Diet: Iguanas are strict herbivores. Many older literatures will suggest feeding animal protein or even cat food, DO NOT FEED YOUR IGUANA ANY MEAT BASED FOODS. While some wild iguanas may ingest the occasional insect while eating leaves, it is not a significant portion on their diet. Iguanas that are fed too much animal protein will develop health problems and will die prematurely. A well balanced iguana diet will consist of a mixture of dark leafy greens (collard greens, turnip greens, mustard greens, spinach), other vegetables (this includes but is not limited to green beans, orange-fleshed squashes, peas, parsnip, asparagus, onions, mushrooms, bell peppers, sweet potato, zucchini, yellow squash, and/or carrots), and a little bit of fruits (including, but not limited to Figs (raw or dried), blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, grapes, mango, melon (cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon), papaya, banana, and/or apple). Certain lettuces such as iceberg, romaine, and Boston butter lack sufficient nutrients and should not be fed to your Iguana. Acidic fruits (citrus, tomatoes, kiwi, pineapples, etc.) should also not be fed to your Iguana. To help with your iguana's nutritional requirements, Neptune's Corner recommends Tetra's ReptoMin SoftGel; a moist, gelatin diet based on apples and soy protein. For best results, feed ReptoMin SoftGel on a daily basis and provide some vegetables and fresh fruits as described above 2 - 3 times a week for treat and variety. It's also important to give iguanas a calcium supplement, about 3 times per week for juveniles and once to twice a week for adults. Neptune's Corner offers ESU Reptile/Zilla's Iguana Vitamin Spray and Iguana Calcium spray, both offer vitamins and calcium which are absolutely essential to your Iguana's health. Maintenance: Cleanliness of the enclosure is essential. Waste products should be removed daily and the enclosure should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected regularly. A 5% bleach solution provides and excellent disinfectant. Be sure to thoroughly rinse the solution from the enclosure before placing the iguana back in. Fresh, clean water should be provided for your Iguana at all times. Always wash your hands after handling your iguana or any of your iguana's cage accessories. Recommended Products: |
|||