Green Iguana Care Tips

Green Iguanas have gained popularity off late. They have not been effectively managed due to improper education. Here are some basic care tips which can be followed so that the iguana lives for a standard life span of 13 to 15 years are as follows:

Diet – Make sure you provide a healthy and wholesome diet; otherwise your iguana would either die or attract some disease. Young iguanas need to be fed with 2 feeds daily comprising of 1 part of protein and 2 parts of plant food. The ideal diet should comprise of lots of fresh fruits and vegetables like carrots, lettuce, apples, tomatoes, turnips and hibiscus flowers.

Make sure the fruits are organic in nature. Ideal calcium to phosphorus ratio needs to be maintained. Do not feed your iguana with iceberg lettuce, since it is devoid of nutritional value. It is advised that you do not feed non vegetarian food like meats in excess, as they would have a harmful effect on the bones and kidneys of your iguana and could also result in kidney stones formation.

It is important that you need to chop, grate and grind the food in your food processor. Mix the calcium and vitamins along with the mixture and then deep freeze portions in ice trays. In case your iguana has not eaten the food kept in the cage for more than 4-5 hours, then change the food, lest your iguana could have stomach problems.

Your iguana should be fed with fresh water, a place to defecate and also some regular exercises for it to remain fit and healthy.

Give them a bath twice with each bath of about 20 minutes. Iguanas tend to shed in bigger patches which starts from the head portion and proceeds to the tail. Provide a tree branch so that they are able to rub up against.

Lighting /Temperature- Iguanas do not need light for 24 hours. They need light only for 12 hours in a day.

Bedding and cages- Make sure to change the bedding daily, so that they do not attract germs. Cleaning the cages with warm soap water and then using a disinfectant is helpful.