How To Do Just About Everything
By eHow Pets Editor
Rate: (16 Ratings)
Iguanas make great pets for older children. They're inexpensive and easy to care for and live happy, placid lives for up to 10 years.
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Comments
mel1981 said
on 4/1/2008 buying an iguana as a GIFT? as an employee at a pet store, i see first-hand why buying pets as gifts is WRONG. especially for a child who probably knows nothing about the proper care and doesn't really understand what to expect. green iguanas ARE cheap (we sell them for $15), and that's why so many people buy them... until they get 5 feet long and the owner gives it up. iguanas are NOT carnivorous, nor do they TYPICALLY have a temperament meant for a child to keep as a pet. DO YOUR RESEARCH BEFORE BUYING A REPTILE, PEOPLE!
mel1981 said
on 4/1/2008 buying an iguana as a GIFT? as an employee at a pet store, i see first-hand why buying pets as gifts is WRONG. especially for a child who probably knows nothing about the proper care and doesn't really understand what to expect. green iguanas ARE cheap (we sell them for $15), and that's why so many people buy them... until they get 5 feet long and the owner gives it up. iguanas are NOT carnivorous, nor do they TYPICALLY have a temperament meant for a child to keep as a pet. DO YOUR RESEARCH BEFORE BUYING A REPTILE, PEOPLE!
saltwater101 said
on 11/16/2007 NEVER give an iguana as a gift! Even if its for yourself, an iguana is probably not a good pet in the long run. Not only can they become aggressive and territorial as adults, what are the chances you can take care of them properly? You need extensive research and to talk to iguana owners. So many baby iguanas die because their owners feed them the wrong vegetables, or dog food even! Iguanas have very delicate dietary needs, and are SUPER prone to metabolic bone disease, and it can be fatal. if you even manage to save it from MBD, the effects are damaging and permanent, their fingers can become like noodles and they cant climb anymore. Also, an iguanas nails need to be trimmed or he could literally gouge hole in your arms! BE VERY CAREFUL about iguanas,they do not make good pets for beginners or even snake-owners.They are a pet in their own genre. please dont get one, especially as a gift
Anonymous said
on 8/8/2006 Iguana's need full spectrum light (not just the lights that are used in fish tanks). They also need a ceramic heat lamp that emits no light and is controlled by a thermostat to maintain day and night temperatures (so need they to be adjusted twice each day). They need protecting from burns because an iguana will lay against a heat source until it damages it's skin. They need a consistent 80% humidity in their tank, and this requires special equipment that does not use heat or chemicals. They must be handled daily because of their aggressive nature. They climb everything and have razor sharp claws, so handling isn't so easy when it gets larger and heavier. They can also damage furniture and possessions. Also, even tame iguanas can cause serious injury if they are shocked or scared. There is an excellent website with iguana information and the author has only 9 digits on her hands due to the natural behavior of an adult male iguana.
Imported iguanas can bring parasites and disease with them. Even captive bred iguanas can be prone to behavioral and physical illnesses. Did you know that some iguanas carry the bacteria salmonella? It's natural for them, but harmful to us.
Also consider how difficult it will be to find an experienced hep veterinarian, even if you get that far, do you think the bill will be cheap?
They will also need a custom made enclosure, as it is just not possible to find a large enough, quality vivarium that is affordable. This must have separate fresh drinking/bathing water available.
Both sexes of iguana have different physical and behavioral needs. You cannot tell the sex until it has matured and if not accommodated for properly, you risk a dead reptile or injury to yourself.
Their diet is also very specialist. Do you know what fruit and vegetable has a high calcium to phosphorous ratio? Well, get learning. That is assuming that you want a green iguana. Not all species of iguanas are herbivores and even with green iguanas (especially younger ones) this is a very controversial topic with much conflicting opinion. Consider that you can't store iguana food in the same way you do dog food.
Ask the pet shop that is trying to shift them for your cash, and they will tell you that "they only grow to the size of the tank", or "it's definitely a female", which is almost always a sales pitch (that comes from experience, by the way). Do a search for an iguana adoption service. See for yourself how many there are available for adoption that do not come with an enclosure, and display aggressive behavior.
To buy an iguana for a young person is nothing short of irresponsible. I wouldn't let most of my adult friends near my iguana (and he is reasonably tame now), let alone a child.
Please do some research. I could go on for days. Owning an iguana is very demanding and very expensive.
Anonymous said
on 6/30/2006 Iguana's need full spectrum light (not just the lights that are used in fish tanks), the last bulb I bought in the UK cost me £60, not including wire, reflectors and fixings. They also need a ceramic heat lamp that emits no light and is controlled by a thermostat to maintain day and night temperatures (so need to be adjusted twice each day).
They need protecting from burns because an iguana will lay against a heat source until it damages it's skin.
They need a consistent 80% humidity in their tank and this requires specialist equipment that does not use heat or chemicals.
They must be handled daily because of their aggressive nature. They climb everything and have razor sharp claws, so handling isn't so easy when it gets larger and heavier. This can also damage furniture and possessions. Also, even tame iguanas can cause serious injury if they are shocked or scared. There is an excellent website with iguana information, and the author has only 9 digits on her hands due to the natural behavior of an adult male iguana.
Imported iguanas can bring parasites and disease with them. Even captive bred iguanas can be prone to behavioral and physical illnesses. Did you know that some iguanas carry the bacteria salmonella? It's natural for them, but harmful to us.
Consider how difficult it will be to find an experienced hep veterinarian. Even if you get that far, do you think the bill will be cheap?
They will also need a custom made enclosure, as it is just not possible to find a large, quality vivarium that is affordable. This vivarium must have separate fresh drinking/bathing water available.
Both sexes of iguana have different physical and behavioral needs. You cannot tell the sex until it has matured and if not accommodated for properly, you risk a dead reptile or injury to yourself.
Their diet is also very special. Do you know what fruits and vegetables have a high calcium to phosphorous ratio? Well get to learning. That is assuming that you want a green iguana. Not all species of iguanas are herbivores and even with green iguanas (especially younger ones) this is a very controversial topic with much conflicting opinion. Also consider that you can't store iguana food in the same way you do dog food.
Ask the pet shop that is trying to shift them for your cash, and they will tell you that "they only grow to the size of the tank", or "it's definitely a female", which is almost always a sales pitch (that comes from experience, by the way). Do a search for an iguana adoption service. See for yourself how many there are available for adoption that do not come with an enclosure, and display aggressive behavior.
To buy an iguana for a young person is nothing short of irresponsible. I wouldn't let most of my adult friends near my iguana (and he is reasonably tame now), let alone a child.
Please do some research before getting an iguana. Owning an iguana is very demanding and very expensive.