 Table of Contents
Introduction/Size
Diet
Lighting & Heat
Habitat / Enclosure
Printable Care Sheets (PDF Format):
Juveniles/Iglets
Adult Iguanas
| Questions about green iguanas? Click here
to submit your question to our resident 'IG-spert' or see the answers to questions submitted by others. |
|
Iguana
Care: Habitat / Enclosure
Outside of proper diet and lighting, the iguana's environment
is the most important aspect of its care. One of the
biggest mistakes new iguana owners make is in buying
or building an enclosure that is either way to small
or will not last beyond an iglet's first year. For instance,
a 55 gallon aquarium may be appropriate for an iglet,
but certainly not suitable for a full
grown iguana!
TEMPERATURE
Please be sure that your enclosure provides proper temperature
gradients ranging from 75 degrees in the coolest part
to 100 degrees in the basking spot during the day. Night
temperatures should range from 70 to 80 degrees.
HUMIDITY
Another factor to be considered is humidity. The more
humid the enclosure is, the easier the iguana will be
able to shed and remain hydrated. There are several
ways to help maintain the needed humidity of 80%. Placing
a humidifier beside or in the enclosure will provide
a boost of at least 10% in humidity. Providing your
iguana with a daily bath and misting its enclosure several
times a day will also aid in providing the needed humidity.
FLOORING
Tile or linoleum is recommended for the floor of your
iguana enclosure because it is easy to clean and will
not rot or smell. Untreated wood will rot or cause bug
infestations.
SUBSTRATE
Newspaper or paper towels are the recommended substrate
for an iguana enclosure. DO NOT USE BARK, CAT LITTER
or any other commercially available iguana substrate
because if it is ingested by your lizard, he may become
impacted and require very expensive surgery.
DECORATING TIPS
If your iguana is prone to eat just about anything (as
most are), please refrain from the use of silk plants
or houseplants in your enclosure. Large treated branches
or milk crates are acceptable climbing devices. Make
sure your lizard can get close enough to their heat
source and UVB.
BUYER BEWARE!
There are many commercial products available that are
geared towards unsuspecting iguana owners that may actually
be harmful. One of the most popular
products that are sold for iguana warmth is the heat
rock. Heat rocks are actually very dangerous,
because they can cause severe burns. A human heating
pad, wrapped in a towel on low, will provide sufficient
heat at the bottom of the enclosure without burning
your iguana's skin. There are also reptile heating pads
that stick directly to the surface of the enclosure,
but these are quite expensive and are not reusable.
Shop carefully and remember
that just because there is a picture of an iguana on
the product, doesn't mean that it is a safe product.
Next -> Other
Issues / Links
|
