Please Care Your Green Iguana Nicely

It is not well known that iguanas are very sensitive and appealing animals capable of exhibiting very distinct individual traits. Each of them is unique and requires handling that is specific to their own requirement and that includes feeding them, taking care of their hygiene and also maintaining their enclosure such that there is no room for any infection to set in.

Green iguanas are no different from their other friends and take to greens and protein very well. While protein is good for overall health and can be found in tuna, chicken, it has been observed that green iguanas also prefer leafy greens like carrot tops, kale over lettuce and cabbage. Berries like raspberries and broccoli along with tofu also need to be an essential part of their diet. External vitamin supplements in powdered form can also be added to their diet. The importance of clean drinking water cannot be over estimated here. In addition to drinking purposes, it is required for the maintenance of hygiene. The temperature of water has to be lukewarm so that it does not cause any skin damage.

The terrarium of the green iguanas needs to be designed with a lot of care. You must have enough tree branches and space for the iguanas to move around. Moving and climbing are extremely important activities which help in the overall growth and development of iguanas. Iguanas look to perch higher up as it provides them a feeling of comfort and security. The body temperature of these animals needs to be maintained at a specific degree so that their body metabolism is not hindered. Hence adequate lighting and some electric heat rocks need to be placed inside the terrarium.

To summarize, it has to be said that notwithstanding the infrastructure arrangements, it is the time, effort and love showered by the master that will enable an iguana to lead a healthy life.

How do you ascertain the health of your iguana pet?

If you are one of those who is well informed on how to attend to an iguana and has read the right literature on its upkeep, you would ensure that your iguana does not suffer from any ill health.  However, in the event of it falling ill, you should be able to quickly recognize any problem that it could be facing and take adequate measures to alleviate the problem.  This article is an attempt to share some of the tell tale symptoms exhibited by a sick iguana and what you can do to counter them.

Food Habits and Appetite

Over a period of time, you would definitely get to know about your pet’s eating habits and the moment there is a perceptible change in this schedule, you must realize that there is something wrong.  Typical signs are decreased intake of food or sometimes taking in more than normal, wishing to opt for something different than the usual menu and a reluctance to eat moist food.  These are sure signs that something is amiss and it is time to seek medical help.

External Look

You need to look for the texture of the skin and its color of your iguana to determine if there is any looseness or discoloration.  Though discoloration does occur occasionally due to change in temperature or stress, that condition is temporary and it is only when an iguana is really ill that the change in the skin color remains irreversible. It is worth mentioning that the skin usually takes on a brownish hue and that is a definite sign of sickness and time for you to rush him to the vet.

General Countenance

Your iguana’s behavior should also give you certain pointers on its health.  If it appears withdrawn and prefers to hide in a specific place within the terrarium, you should know that there could be something wrong with it.  The other scenario is when a normally passive iguana suddenly acts aggressive and that again is an indication that you need to show it to the vet at the earliest.

Iguana Feeding Information And It’s Eating Habits

Proper nutrition is crucial factor for iguanas, because many diseases occur because of incorrect nutrition. Iguanas are exclusively herbivorous throughout their life, so don’t be fooled that juvenile iguanas can eat various insects, because it is not true and may even harm your pet!

In one of the shops of small animals in the terrarium of iguana i have even saw the inscription: “… the juveniles consume insects, with age they become strictly vegetarians  ….” Can you think of that? And then you buy iguana in such shop, which probably has already some health problems (if they are feed with such food), and you get a stupid advice that you need to feed iguana with the animal food until it’s young (with that kind of diet you make the maximum damage to iguana) ….

Iguanas daily menu sheet must consist of:

* 45% of multiple leaf vegetables
* 40% of diversified vegetable
* 10-15% of fruit

Feed him 1-2 times a week, however,  you can add cereals to to menu, which should not exceed 5% of the total ration.

It is important that iguanas menu is as diverse as possible! In drawing up the menu, you must use as many different types of leaf vegetables and plain vegetables, also use different fruits but do not overdo it, just keep it in little amounts!

Also important is terrarium temperature of iguana: Iguana digest it’s food the best if the temperature in the terrarium is at least 29 ° C and therefore must be taken into consideration that the temperature during the day, in a certain parts of terrarium, doesn’t not fall below this limit! The fall in temperature below 29 ° C strongly inhibit digestive process!

And do not forget to UVA and UVB light (natural and / or artificial).

Factors That Will Help Iguana Molt - Make It Easy

# Rough surfaces
Put into terrarium a rugged stone, a branch … so that iguana will be able to rub itself  and you can then help in to remove dead skin. Make sure that the stone will not have sharp edges (the same applies to branches or pieces of wood), that iguana won’t hurt itself when rubbing.

# Swimming

Moisture (water) will help a lot with molting of your iguana. During molting you bath your iguana daily (it is always advisable to bath it - even when they are not molting) and place a little pool in the terrarium also so iguana can soak itself if needed.

#Spraying
It is a very easy way of facilitating molt. With the spray bottle we sprinkle iguana several times a day (for spraying, the same as for the swimming-we spray even when not iguana is not molting, as it help to maintain adequate moisture in the terrarium). Use lukewarm water. Spray promptly upon the whole terrarium to create adequate moisture, which also helps to fasten the process of molting.
Warning! Do not spray iguana if the room is cold or exposed to drafts or if it is approaching the time when lights are turned off, and maybe the temperature is falling - Your iguana may catch a cold!

# Mineral oil
Mineral oil is used only if the if you see stoppage of molting in a certain part of the body (eg, if the old skin in left leg does not want to depart from the new). In that case apply a little oil to the fingers  and masagge the region where the problem is. We do this several times a day until the skin does not resign. The method of massage with mineral oil is very effective for solving problems with “stalled”  skin.

Keeping Your Iguana Clean

Iguanas are extremely clean animals and the cleanliness section starts at a reasonable living space, that means large enough terrarium, in which iguana may be moved unhindered and not forced to lie down to go after their excrement. The faeces must of course be removed from the terrarium as soon as possible, also you should be regularly removing the terrarium food that is left over, pieces of dead skin … and regularly clean the surface and terrarium containers for food and water. Grime in the terrarium is not only a medium for bacteria but also creates a very unpleasant odor and iguanas can not feel good in soiled and smelly terrarium!

Iguanas “personal hygiene” means to maintain regular baths in a tub in the bathroom or in a plastic bathtub for infants. Several times a week (best it would be every day) iguana is bathed to remove the residues from the skin, dust particles and other debris, which we may find on our pet.

Swimming may be short (10 minutes) or longer (up to 45 minutes) depending on whether iguana likes bathing and how it is used to it … In swimming, however, you may not use any soap or detergent!

You must remove any objects around the bath  that may fall on iguana or hurt it.

Choosing Your Iguana The Proper Way

As what to emphasize, don’t go purchasing iguana without knowledge, you’ll need it also where you choose iguana in a store. Looking at this animal in the terrarium in the shops is often very sad (i also do not like to see in what conditions these animals live) and many blame the dealers to bear the ignorant, but imagine a little, little piece is our guilt, which is deciding on the purchase of such animals and thus keep the sale of them.

However, the stresses that would be the dealers in these shops have a little more to learn on the care of such animal does not mean only to iguanas which are not only “martyrs” in these institutions too … seeing the animals, which need much more care than basic exotic animals, in the unbearable living conditions (dirty, smelly and small cages, old food, dirty water or even without any … not counting on (being sad when only i think about it).

Looking at the poor sick or injured animals will maybe help to resolve both the animal and to welcome her and offer it better life. This is a very nice idea but be aware that this animal needs more knowledge, than to care for healthy animals, a lot more time and more money (all depends on the problem or illness), veterinary checks will be necessary, possibly including some drugs … and ultimately there is no guarantee that iguana will survive . Certain animals are scared and ill-fed and not sick, just look bad … But you’ll find yourself not for what it is, this will be explained by the veterinarian.

If you are willing to then you can choose-however, this is a very difficult area for beginners!

It would be nice that each animal would receive a new owner and prudent, it will show what it means to live a pleasant life, and that will not be sentenced to die in a little cage in the shop!

So we must, prior to the selection of iguana alone, to choose the right shop. Why?

In the shops, where there is ignorance, you can easily come across a sick or injured animal, and not just to-sick animals to adhere to the healthy (if they even have any sound). In addition, you have much opportunity to encounter an employee who know very little about these animals and you will be filled with a bunch of stupid and dangerous advice! So you will have to rely on your knowledge and a good assessment!

How to find the appropriate trade?

- Consult employees on the data, which are important for the maintenance of an animal: you’ll also find how much knowledge they have and if you talk only about how it can work with iguanas and how fun it is to have such an animal, you will immediately know that salesman is only interested in the sale and he don’t know much about iguanas

- View Terrarium: if they are neglected and dirty, it means that the animals are neglected and the chance to purchase a sick animal is very high.

- See what kept iguanas if the jar, if you see only a green salad or some pellets is highly likely that the animals are weak and poor feed.

- Ask if you can hold iguana: to determine in what state the iguana is you have to hold him in your hands. If you are not allowed to do it,  this means that something is wrong with the animal.

- View the status of other animals in cages : how they care for other animals and how these animals look (or are lively appearance …sick like).

- Ask what they do with sick or injured animals: Are they placed in veterinary care to the recovery and stick in the second terrarium to recover and do not infect others.

What To Consider As Essential For Your Iguana

We must know that iguanas in captivity are under stress, especially when iguana hardly get home, and is only accomodating  to live with us. When under stress, iguanas are acceptable to serious illness, so you need to provide them adequate living environment and conditions:

- appropriate and large terrarium, enough climbing areas and places for hiding …
- when resting,  never expose your iguana to loud radio or TV receiver, the light!
- iguanas need much attention of people so that does not become “bored”
- a lot of attention, the daily fresh food and water, clean living environment, respect …

Iguana is not an animal, which would only put in the terrarium and the looking at him only when you remember to - you could compare it with the dog, which most people know how to work with it. Would you like to place your dog in a cage till the end of it’s life and neglect him? Would you?

Iguanas nutritional needs are far more complex than the needs of many reptiles (little reptiles are only vegetarians!). Many iguanas suffer from deficits in the diet - we have to understand that iguanas in the wild eat up to 50 different species of plants and flowers a day, so if we will offer him five different types of vegetables won’t by far be enough. First, we must learn what types of fruit and vegetables are better for iguanas and which should be avoided. Iguana need at day  offered as many varied fruits, vegetables and flowers.

If you heard anywhere that iguanas can be feed like the cats and dogs - Well, forget about it!

If you do not want to destroy the kidneys of iguana and kill him within a few years (and these few years, I guarantee, the animal will be suffering … ) Avoid offering such food to your iguana, not only take but, in general, avoid integration of animal protein in the iguana diet!  IGUANAS are purely vegetarians! Any insect that it consume in the wild, it is consumed completely random!

Is Iguana The Right Pet For Me?

More than half of iguanas in the world die before of the fourth year of age. This is a worrying figure, which shows how little knowledge people have to opt for such an animal on its own, not only owners but also workers in the animal shops, which often do not know practically nothing about the needs of these beautiful reptiles!

What does this mean?

This means that it is not enough to get to the store and buy iguana;  according to being maintained by the advice given to you by the dealer (even those little info they will give you is false-from their own experience to tell you, because It already happened to me a few times that various dealers advised me to feed the iguana with only roquets and that it is enough that the temperature in the terrarium is 25 ° Celsius - arguing that “meetings shall be adjusted”, and similar information …).

You must read the more specialized literature, which deals not only with iguanas and reptiles in general, because each type of reptiles have different needs. You need to buy a book, find something on the Internet and then purchase iguana  with some experienced breeders and the best is yet to discuss this with a veterinarian who deals with reptiles!

Iguana is not among the animals that need easy care. Maintenance and proper care of iguana are very complex and demanding things. Consider a  fact that not every animal is for everyone, particularly those such as iguanas! Maybe this animal is not for you … really think good about it.

First, learn about everything that is important to care for Iguana, Equip sufficient Terrarium … and only then, bring him home. Never buy it and bring him home until you do have evrything that iguana needs ready!

If only for a moment you doubt the fact that some things you can not edit then don’t purchase iguana! Only when you fully believe and you will have enough time, will, knowledge, and eventually the money to care for such animal, you can choose to purchase one. Remember that this small green animal, that you see in the shop in a small terrarium, will grew up in a true giant, and will need a huge space and not just a small “box” in which he will not be able even to turn!

I hope you do not want to have your iguana included in those 60% of animals that die within the first few years of life!

So: the knowledge and desire for learning, space, time, good will, pleasure to work with both animal and money to the base, you need to live with iguana (and sounds a lot easier than you think-remember this! ).