Iguana Care

Purchasing your first iguana can be a very exciting thing, and if you have just done this, you most likely want to give your new friend the best care possible.
One thing you must always remember when caring about your iguana, is that proper iguana care starts with a proper environment.
Iguanas are extremely dependent on their immediate environment.
If an iguanas environment is not ideal, the animal will struggle to grow quickly.
A poorly maintained environment can also lead to premature death in some cases.
Here are some good basic guidelines to follow to get you started: 1.
) If this is your first reptile, then the first thing you want to do is learn as much information as you can about proper handling.
It is highly recommended that you read as many books possible on proper handling, housing, feeding, and overall caring for the iguana.
These tropic lizards can easily succumb to cold weather climates.
If you want your lizard to grow to its maximum size in captivity, you need to continue learning more about this species.
Successful iguana owners are known to raise their iguanas to a length of up to six feet! This is absolutely possible for you to do as well, if you learn the proper iguana care information.
2.
) Be cautious when researching about proper iguana care.
The internet is an unregulated place and can be extremely misleading.
Be careful when researching on blogs or forums as these places contain information from ordinary people and their opinions.
You should always practice comparing a piece of information that you find on the internet with a credited source, especially if it looks or sounds suspect.
You will find that the more you increase your knowledge, the quicker and easier you will be able to filter out the junk information around the internet.
3.
) Being that they are wild animals, iguanas will tend to feel stressed when they are transported into their new environments.
This stress can be very damaging to your new pet so it is important to not add anymore stress to your iguana.
You do not want to attempt to hold, pat, or pet your iguana when you first bring it home.
The animal must get used to the new environment and its surroundings, including the people around it.
It is important to note that iguanas are not used to being held by humans, so there is a risk of being bitten, especially during the first month before it is tamed.
4.
) This should come as no surprise, but your new iguana is most likely going to need medical treatment in the future.
It is a good idea to locate before hand, a good veterinarian that specializes in reptiles or exotic animals in your area.
5.
) The ideal diet for an iguana consists of fresh vegetables and plant matter.
It is alright to give your iguana some commercial food from the pet store, but it is extremely important that your iguana gets all the nutrients it needs from fresh vegetables or it may suffer from malnutrition.
Malnutrition is the number one cause of health problems found in iguanas.