Get Acquainted with the Green Iguanas

The green iguanas or those which take the name of "Iguana iguana" are commonly found all over the South and Central America, in Mexico, in the southeastern part of Brazil, eastern Pacific, and the Caribbean. Breeds of the green iguana are now also spotted in Hawaii and Florida. The green iguana is popularly the largest type of lizard that happens to inhabit much of the territories of United States.

The Physical Description of the Green Iguana

In a matter of three years, the young twelve-gram green iguana can turn into a one kilogram adult green iguana. Right after they get hatched, their length varies from 17 to up to 25 centimeters. Most of the well-fed matured green iguanas come to weigh at about 4 and 6 kilograms but at times they reach the 8 kilogram weight.

The term green iguana does not stereotype these reptiles. The matured iguanas come in uniform colors whereas the younger ones vary between brown and green. Their colors can also get affected by their health, mood, temperature, and social statures.

One of the distinct features they have is the dewlap that can be found under their throats. The dewlap is much dominant in the male green iguanas rather than in the females. The laterally positioned eyes of the green iguanas are being protected by some immovable eyelids and mobile lower eyelids. The parietal eye functions as some kind of a meter for the solar energy and contributes much to the maturity of the endocrine and thyroid glands in these reptiles. Lastly, the plates or scales on their heads are much irregular and larger compared to the scales found on the rest of their body parts.

The Habitat of the Green Iguana

Arboreal lizards—these are what green iguanas are and they therefore enjoy living on top of tree canopies. The younger green iguanas tend to stay in the lower portions but the matured ones like it high above. This kind of dwelling technique allows them to do basking in the sun and they rarely go down with the exception of the time when the female green iguanas deem the need to dig their burrows so they can lay their eggs. They still prefer to have water around their habitat so that they can easily escape the predators who love to attack them. They are great swimmers so they most of the times successfully manage to avoid their predators.

The Development of an Iguana

Right after an estimated 65 days upon the mating period, the female green iguana is now ready to lay her eggs. The number and size of the eggs depend upon the size of the female iguana. Within a three-day period, about 10 to 30 pale-colored eggs get deposited into the nests. Other nests can be shared by many female iguanas especially when there is a very limited space for them. Actually, the female iguanas do not guard their nests but they do visit their eggs from time to time. The incubation for the iguana eggs last from about 90 up to 120 days. The hatchlings are the ones that crack their egg shells open by making use of their special egg teeth which are known as the caruncle. The yolks in the eggs are the providers of nourishment for the young iguanas.

Some Myths about Green Iguanas

People who own green iguanas often have certain misconceptions about them. These myths could interfere with a person's ability to take proper care of a green iguana. Some of these myths may not be too harmful. However, some of these myths could be dangerous to a green iguana's health and well-being. Here are some common myths about green iguanas which you should know about:

1) You can feed lettuce to green iguanas – This myth has some truth to it. Of course, since green iguanas are best kept on a vegetarian diet, you can feed it lettuce. However, you should realize the fact that most types of salad lettuce have very little nutritional value. Some people realize this when it's already too late to change the iguana's diet. This is because a green iguana which is mainly fed lettuce will continue to eat lettuce even if better foods are added to its diet.

If you want to take proper care of your green iguana, you should feed it vegetables that have a high nutritional value. Examples include collards, turnip greens and mustard greens.

2) Iguanas will not outgrow their cages – Some people think that keeping iguanas in small cages will cause their growths to be stunted. These people provide small cages for their iguanas in order to keep it in a convenient size. This will definitely not help your green iguana. A green iguana, when properly taken care of, can grow up to six feet long. This means that keeping it in a small cage will only accomplish the feat of making your green iguana's life very uncomfortable.

3) Iguanas need to consume gravel in order to help their digestion – this is a very dangerous myth. Some people add gravel or small pebbles to an iguana's enclosure because they think that these help a green iguana to digest its food. However, you should realize that gravel or any such material could kill your green iguana if it is consumed. You should try to avoid feeding your green iguana these materials, whether by accident or on purpose.

4) Hot rocks are great for heating – some people add hot rocks to a green iguana enclosure, thinking that these rocks are good for an iguana's body temperature. What you need to remember is that green iguanas are cold blooded. This means that if a green iguana sits on a hot rock, it can literally be cooked to death. If you wish to provide proper heating for a green iguana enclosure, you should use special lighting available in most pet stores.

5) Iguanas can eat insects, pet food, and other animal products – Many sources today still state that iguanas should be given animal protein as part of their diet. However, the truth is that green iguanas are best suited to an herbivorous diet. The body and metabolism of a green iguana is designed to utilize plant proteins effectively. Animal proteins, on the other hand, can prove to be very troubling to them. Consumption of animal proteins can cause your green iguana to develop gout. It can also lead to serious kidney problems. The only reason that iguanas eat insects in the wild is because these get mixed up with their food accidentally.

These are just some of the myths that you may have heard about green iguanas. By knowing the truth about these myths, you are now equipped to give the best care possible to a green iguana.

How to Take Care of a Green Iguana

When people talk about getting an iguana for a pet, they usually refer to the most common species, the “Iguana Iguana” or the green iguana.

Found in South and Central America, as well as other parts of the Pacific, the iguana has become very popular among pet owners in the United States and Europe in the past few years.

Active in daytime, the young iguana , helping it to hide itself from predators in the green vegetation of the forest.  With its quick movements and sharp eyesight, the green iguana avoids capture quite easily.  As the iguana grows older, its color changes from bright green to a muted green.

An iguana in the wild spends its day trying to find a sunny spot to lie on, feeding, and trying to escape from predators.

Of course, an iguana in captivity is a different case.  Though there are no more predators to escape from, an iguana should be well taken care of by its owner.  It maybe a popular pet, but taking care of it is by no means an easy task.

Let’s talk about some things to do when taking care of an iguana.

1.    Provide a large enclosed space for your iguana.  

Since a green iguana may grow as large as seven feet, the pet’s enclosure should be any owner’s top priority. It may seem that the iguana is contented with a small pen; however, without ample space, it will grow listless and will be stressed, resulting to sickness and even vulnerability to infections.

The enclosure should be a few times the iguana’s length in either depth or width or one and a half times in height since the animal needs to move around or even climb.

Later on, the pet iguana should be given privileges to roam around the house, as long as the owner will make sure that it won’t be able to get out or feed on important stuff around the house.

2.    Provide big branches or synthetic structures for your pet’s enclosure.

Not only will the enclosure look more pleasing to the eyes with the addition of the things mentioned above, but they will also make the pen a better place for the green iguana to live in.  It will be a good habitat since it will provide a venue for climbing and basking - two activities that contribute to the iguana’s emotional and psychological growth.

For the flooring of the enclosure, one may use mulch (a material designed to keep hold of moisture, prevent weeds from growing, and keep the earth from being eroded) or simply sheets of your daily newspaper.

3.    Make sure to provide the enclosure with a good heating device.

You should not overlook this since an iguana not properly heated will not be able to digest its food well.

An owner should provide a good source of UV light for the iguana.  The enclosure should not have any part with a temperature lower than 26°C while at least one part should have a temperature as high as 35°C.  A spotlight is good for this purpose.

4.    While heating and light are important, provide darkness, too.

Six to 10 hours of darkness each night is also important for the iguana’s well-being.  The enclosure should be shielded from streetlights or lights from appliances.

5.    Pay attention to your pet iguana.

Any pet animal deserves care and interaction from its owner.  Just like your regular cat or dog, the green iguana deserves love and affection.  If not given the attention it deserves, an iguana may grow listless, sick, and eventually die.

There you go.  The tips mentioned above are just some of the things that have to be considered in taking care of an iguana.  These are not to be used as a substitute for a consultation with your trusted veterinarian.  Professional help is still needed in order to make sure that your iguana will live for a very long time.