Over the past few years, it has become very popular to keep various exotic animals as pets. Spiders, snakes, and snails have become common pets. One of these unusual options was keeping an ordinary iguana at home, which has a peaceful character and does not cause much trouble. Before you decide to take the important step of having such an animal at home, it is recommended that you learn more about it.
The iguana is one of the favorite domestic and exotic pets. Description of the animal
Zoologists call this species green or tree iguana, which is directly related to appearance and the animal's lifestyle. The individual belongs to the order Reptiles and the Iguana family.
The appearance of the animal is quite frightening, and its constantly pensive appearance makes it a special representative among such living creatures. Maximum size individual individuals can reach a length of 2 meters and a weight of 8 kilograms. However, such individuals are not found so often. The usual size is 100−150 cm and weight 4−5 kilograms. The animal is diurnal and mostly wood image life.
Long, inwardly curved claws, which are hard and sharp, help the iguana to stay on any tree. As a rule, male reptiles are larger than females. A sexually mature female rarely weighs more than 3 kilograms and reaches a length of more than 120 cm.
The body length from the nose to the tip of the tail in adult individuals usually does not exceed 1.5 m, although in history individual individuals have been known to be more than 2 m long and weighing over 8 kg. It is worth considering that most of the body length of individuals is the tail, which is almost three times longer than the body. The tail is extremely hard, elastic and strong. It acts as a defender and when there is a threat of attack, the animal hits the enemy with its tail.
Despite the name of the individual, its color is not always only green. IN different corners On the planet there are types of brown and red shades. The most interesting is the blue color with a slight deepening blue tint. Animals with similar colors become favorites among lovers of exotic animals. There is also a large number of individuals black, purple, pink and orange color. In most cases, the color directly depends on where the iguana lives.
Structural features
The structure of the iguana has several features that relate to the throat and dorsal crest.
A large herbivorous lizard of the iguana family, it leads a diurnal arboreal lifestyle. A common representative of this species has the following characteristics buildings:
- The body is relatively thin and slightly compressed laterally, which makes it even smaller in volume.
- The tail is three times longer than the body and has well-developed muscle strength, which prevails over other parts of the body.
- From the tail to the head there is a special longitudinal ridge of spines up to 2 cm long. Each individual individual has these spines different shapes and length.
- The tetrahedral head is also covered with similar spikes, only smaller.
- The entire body is covered with small scales. It is for this reason that the animal belongs to the Scaly order.
- The paws are quite short in comparison with the body, and have long, arched and prehensile claws that help move along a tree trunk or grassy area.
- Each paw has 5 unwebbed toes.
One of the features of the iguana is its large throat sac, which is flattened laterally and plays a big role in regulating the individual’s body temperature, as well as during mating games.
You can distinguish a sexually mature male individual by paying attention to the hind legs. Males have very developed pores on them, which are usually covered with an astringent substance. The scales near the tail of the male are also different. They have a more elongated shape and their number is greater than on the female’s tail.
Because the the animal is diurnal, his vision at this time is very good and allows him to consider the perceived threat when it appears at a considerable distance. However, with the onset of darkness, vision indicators sharply decrease, and the animal cannot protect itself. That is why it is rarely seen at night.
In bright light, the green iguana has excellent vision, with which it recognizes objects and movements at a great distance. Experiments have shown that when an individual suddenly moves from a light to a darkened room, it begins to behave aggressively and tries to free itself because it feels threatened. Like other lizards, the iguana has an underdeveloped parietal eye, which is located on the top of the head, towards the back of the neck. It does not play a special role in obtaining images, since its lens is underdeveloped. On top, the rudimentary organ is covered with translucent scales and serves to orient the animal in space, as well as to prevent an attack from behind.
The animal's hearing is good, but with slight deterioration weather conditions its severity decreases. When an individual hears an unfamiliar and sharp sound, it turns to its source, trying to determine what is making it.
An interesting feature of the iguana is its inability to independently control its body temperature. If the air temperature decreases, the animal’s temperature also decreases and vice versa. The optimal level is considered to be +37 degrees. This indicator does not depend on where the iguana lives.
Tree iguanas do not have the ability to regulate their osmotic pressure, since they primarily feed plant foods, in which there are insufficient nutrients to maintain optimal levels. The animal does not accumulate urine or other biological fluids, and removes excess moisture from the body by sneezing.
Habitats
The tree iguana is one of the most common lizards. The homeland of the individual is considered to be Southern Mexico, Paraguay and Brazil, where it is found in many places. In almost any part of America you can find various species of this animal. There are iguana populations in the British, Caribbean Islands, and Hawaii.
Green iguanas are exclusively herbivores, eating leaves, shoots, flowers and fruits tropical plants. Their favorite habitat is tropical forests with high humidity and a lot of vegetation, which serves as food for animals. They prefer shady thickets, which at night serve as shelter from enemies. During the day, they try to climb higher into the open sunlight to get their portion of ultraviolet radiation.
The sun is vital for scaly animals, since under its influence vitamin D is produced, which is indispensable for normal digestion. Only after several hours in the sun does the individual descend in search of food.
Despite their tenacious claws, iguanas often fall from trees. At the same time, falling from a height of 12-16 meters, they are able to avoid breaking. The lizard can also swim. In this case main role played by a muscular tail, which does all the work under water.
In its natural habitat, the animal often causes irreparable damage to green gardens and the burrows of some animals. Lizards eat rare plants and their seeds, which affects the lives of many animals and insects listed in the Red Book.
Lizard food
Unlike other representatives of this class, iguanas belong to a species that feeds exclusively on plant foods. They prefer shoots, stems and leaves of tropical plants. In nature, there are more than 100 species of plants that the scaly one eats with pleasure.
Young lizards are quite independent, although when they are born they may have a small yolk sac containing a nutritional mixture for the first one or two weeks. Jamaican plum, incense tree and other plants form the basis of the diet. Most young individuals often eat the excrement of adult representatives of the species. Scientists explain this fact by the need to compensate for the deficiency of microorganisms for normal intestinal function.
The lizard's small teeth do not allow it to chew food, so they simply swallow it in pieces. Some publications contain information that individuals feed on insects, but scientists do not confirm this fact.
According to research, the iguana’s body is not adapted to digest proteins of animal origin, and they receive all nutritional components only from plants. It is possible that traces of insects are found in the stomach of some individuals. But this is explained by the fact that when eating vegetation, the iguana can accidentally swallow an insect.
There are cases when the animal ate other small representatives of the tropical forest, but this is only due to a lack of plant food and is considered a rare event. Some zoologists in their works claim that if there is a lack of usual food, individuals can feed on dead fish, eggs of other animals, and even the meat of small rodents.
There is no official confirmation of this theory, but such a possibility cannot be ruled out, especially if kept in an artificial environment.
Reproduction nuances
Female iguanas are not inclined to care for their future offspring and after laying eggs they leave the place never to return. Individuals become sexually mature at 2-4 years, which depends on the habitat and weather conditions.
At birth, the length of the cubs varies from 17 to 25 cm and weighs about 12 g. Breeding time occurs mainly in January-February and has several features:
- The male chooses one or several females, which is quite normal for this species.
- After this, the individuals determine the place where mating will take place and the male uses his special secretion secreted from hind limbs, marks his territory so that other males know about his plans.
- During this period, the male is especially aggressive and prefers to fight to win his right to mate.
- As a rule, the weaker male prefers to leave the territory and does not engage in battle with the stronger one. This can only happen in artificial conditions, when the territory for retreat is limited. In this case, the stronger male bites the weaker one, showing his strength.
- The mating season lasts about 2 weeks. At this time, the male impresses the females, inflates his throat pouch and even changes his color to a more saturated one.
- The duration of gestation of eggs is about 60-65 days.
- After this, the female goes closer to the pond and digs a hole up to 1 meter deep at a short distance from the water.
- Within 2-3 days, eggs are laid, the number of which in most cases ranges from 45-70 pieces.
In many cases, several lizards lay their eggs in one cavity at once, which later helps the offspring get out. This happens after 3-4 months. The hatching time of the babies depends on the air temperature. At +30−32 degrees the process accelerates.
After hatching, young lizards do not need help and are able to independently obtain food within a week after birth. For almost 12 months, all born babies stay together, and the males protect the females from a possible threat. This feature distinguishes iguanas from all other representatives of the class.
In the wild, scaly animals do not live longer than 8-9 years. When optimal conditions are created in an artificial environment, their age can reach 20 years. This is possible with the correct diet and regular care of the individual.
Adult iguanas have many enemies in wildlife. Different kinds crocodiles, cats, foxes, ferrets and hawks pose a real threat to the lizard. This is due to the fact that sexually mature individuals gradually lose the ability to change color to green in order to camouflage themselves from the enemy. Young individuals have this ability perfectly, so they do not often fall into the clutches of predators.
Keeping iguanas requires proper and careful care, including a specially equipped terrarium with plenty of space, maintaining acceptable humidity, temperature and lighting. Currently, iguanas are very popular. However, for their content as pet Several conditions must be met:
- The terrarium should be spacious because as the animal grows it will need a lot of space.
- Be sure to equip it with a heater that will maintain the optimal temperature.
- An important condition is the presence of a source of ultraviolet radiation, without which the animal will die.
A varied diet should also be provided. It is allowed to include insects and rodent meat in moderation so as not to harm the iguana’s body. Cabbage, potatoes, bell peppers, carrots, alfalfa, celery and beets will be the optimal diet for the lizard. You should not feed your animal one product. The best option There will be a varied and rich diet.
With proper care and attention, the animal will live a long time and will delight its owner, especially if he loves exotic animals.
Taxonomy
Russian name – Common or green iguana
Latin name - Iguana iguana
English name – Green iguana
Class Reptiles or Reptiles (Reptilia)
Order Squamata
Suborder Lizards (Lacertilia)
Iguana family (Iguanidae)
Genus True iguanas (Iguana)
The name "iguana" comes from the word iwana in the language of the Taina people, who once lived on the islands Caribbean and disappeared with the arrival of the conquistadors. The Spaniards borrowed this word and it became scientific Latin language and into all modern European languages.
Conservation status
The species is quite common, however, it is included in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade - CITES. This means that the trade in these animals must be controlled.
Currently, in some areas of its range, the common iguana suffers from economic activity humans and changes in natural landscapes.
On the other hand, having colonized the coast of Florida (outside the boundaries of its natural range), the common iguana itself causes some harm to local rare species of flora and fauna.
Species and man
For the first time in European literature, a description of the iguana appeared in 1553, when Europeans conquered Central and South America.
Among Indians of different tribes (Mayans, Moche), the green iguana was considered a sacred animal; it was worshiped or sacrificed to the gods.
Nowadays, the iguana often plays not a divine, but a gastronomic role: many national dishes of Latin American cuisine are prepared from it.
The common iguana is often kept at home in special terrariums. Animals tolerate captivity well, quickly get used to humans and reproduce successfully. Thanks to this, the fishing pressure on natural populations is reduced.
Distribution and habitats
Common iguana lives in Central and South America. Her original natural habitat covers a significant area from Mexico south to southern Brazil and Paraguay, as well as the islands of the Caribbean.
In addition, several populations ancestral to lizards brought in by hurricanes, accidentally introduced on ships, or escaped from captivity have emerged in some areas of the United States (Florida, Hawaiian Islands, Rio Grande Valley in Texas). It is these “invasive” (moving into places where there were none before) populations of iguanas that have settled in the United States that cause some harm to the local flora and fauna (eating plants, occupying the burrows of the rare rabbit owl, etc.).
The habitat of the common iguana is a variety of biotopes with dense woody vegetation, mainly tropical forests, as well as mangroves and dry, open areas of sea coasts.
Appearance
Common iguana – enough large lizard, the body length together with the host usually reaches 1.5 m, although individuals are known to be more than 2 m long and weighing over 8 kg. On average, the weight of males is about 4 kg, and females - from 1.2 to 3 kg. The weight of the cubs when hatching from eggs is about 12 g, the length varies from 17 to 25 cm.
Contrary to its name, the color of this iguana is not necessarily green and depends on the age of the animal and the area in which it lives. In different parts of their range, they can be bluish and blue, lavender and black, pink, orange and even red.
The body is thin, the tail is very long and laterally compressed. A large longitudinal ridge is clearly visible on the back and tail, protecting the animal from enemies. The head is tetrahedral, covered with scutes. There is a large pouch on the throat, which plays a large role in thermoregulation, as well as in the mating behavior of males. The iguana's teeth are very sharp, wide and flat with small teeth along the edges. They are located on the inside of the jaw bones, so they are difficult to see, especially in young and small individuals. The name of one of the fossil lizards is associated with the shape of the iguana’s teeth. When teeth of some kind were found in the 19th century ancient reptile, researchers, based on the shape of its teeth, attributed it to a giant iguana and called it iguanodon (iguan-toothed). Later it turned out that there is no close relationship between these reptiles, but the name remains.
The feet are short with long toes and sharp claws; There are 5 toes on both the front and hind limbs. Like most lizards, when fleeing from enemies, iguanas cast off their tail, which then grows back.
Green iguana It has excellent vision, but only in bright light, and at nightfall the vision of this lizard noticeably deteriorates.
Like most other lizards, the iguana has a “third eye,” a vestigial organ located on the top of its head. It is located in a special hole between the frontal and parietal bones of the skull and is covered with large scales, translucent in the central part. This rudimentary organ does not have a visual function; apparently, it plays a certain role in synchronizing the body’s daily rhythm during the change of day and night in nature, as well as in orienting the animal in space.
The common iguana's hearing is very fine, but its severity depends on temperature environment. In this case, the ideal temperature is +370, and if it significantly increases or decreases, hearing deteriorates, especially in the upper range.
Lifestyle and behavior
Most Green iguanas spend their lives in trees, and they are active only during the daytime. Cool nights reptiles sit on thick branches in the middle and lower tier of the forest, and with sunrise they try to climb higher, where they bask for a long time, frozen on a branch. The sun's rays raise body temperature, and ultraviolet radiation produces vitamin D, which aids digestion. Only after being well warmed up for several hours do iguanas begin to actively feed. In inclement or cool weather, iguanas stay on the ground, retaining internal heat.
If they fall from a tree, even from a height of 10-15 meters (which happens quite rarely), iguanas do not break. When falling, they try to catch the foliage with the claws of their hind limbs.
Iguanas have many enemies in nature: birds of prey and mammals, crocodiles, large snakes. However, in reality, large adult individuals successfully avoid danger. Rescue from enemies is facilitated by the protective coloration of lizards and their protective behavior. When in danger, most often the iguana flees or, rushing into the water, quickly swims away. At active protection the lizard inflates its throat sac and its entire body, hisses and lunges with its head towards the enemy. If such threats do not help, iguanas may bite painfully or whip their tails violently.
Nutrition
Common iguanas are exclusively herbivorous, eating leaves, shoots, flowers and fruits of about 100 species of tropical plants. They cannot chew food, but only cut off large enough pieces of plants and immediately swallow them whole. I rarely drink water, but I immerse part of my head in water.
Reproduction
In nature, green iguanas become sexually mature at 3-4 years of age. The start of the breeding season is usually in January or February, but depends on the specific habitat.
IN mating season, which lasts about 2 weeks, males choose the place where mating will take place, mark the territory with secretions from special pores located on the limbs, and become aggressive towards potential rivals. However, in nature, real fights between males rarely occur; weaker males prefer to “leave the scene of the fight.” The male's display behavior is often shaking his head, inflating his throat pouch, and changing his color to a brighter one. This species of iguana is characterized by a combination of polygyny and polyandry, i.e. A male can mate with several females, and a female can mate with several males.
Pregnancy lasts 65 days. Towards the end of this period, females leave their usual habitats and move to dry sandbanks and dunes. There, in the sand, they dig holes with a depth of 45 cm to 1 m, where they lay from 20 to 70 eggs. Iguana eggs are white, 35-40 mm long, covered with a leathery, soft but dense shell. The process of laying eggs by a female lasts 3 or more days. Sometimes several females lay eggs in one hole. After laying eggs, the female buries a hole and leaves, no longer caring about the offspring.
Incubation lasts from 90 to 120 days at an ambient temperature of 30-32o C. The cubs are usually born in May, breaking through the shell with the help of a special growth on the forehead. The cub that has emerged to the surface is similar in shape and color to an adult iguana, only the crest on its back is smaller. The brood stays together for the first year of life.
Lifespan.
In nature, common iguanas live for about 8 years; in captivity they can live up to 20 years.
Green iguanas live well in zoos and reproduce if they are given favorable conditions. Spacious greenhouses with tropical vegetation – ideal conditions for keeping iguanas. At the Moscow Zoo, enclosures with running water are specially equipped for them, where they have the opportunity to climb, bask under a lamp, or hide in a secluded place. Iguanas have multiplied in our country several times, and now these lizards can be seen not only at the main exhibition of the “Terrarium” (New Territory), but also at the permanent Exhibition of Reptiles, located in the Old Territory. There are also iguanas in mixed exhibitions in other departments of the zoo, for example in the Exotarium.
Iguanas in captivity are fed 3 times a week. Their diet is very rich and includes cereals, a variety of vegetables and fruits, as well as a small amount of protein foods of animal origin (bird eggs, cottage cheese).
The green iguana is undoubtedly the most popular reptile kept as a pet in the United States. Every year, huge numbers of this species are imported into the United States from iguana farms in Central and South America.
The green iguana can be found in almost every pet store, and some shows even gave away these animals as prizes, as if they were goldfish.
Unfortunately, with such popularity, the market price for iguanas fell so low ($15-$50) that many people began to buy these animals without any knowledge about them. necessary conditions maintenance, nor the understanding that the cost of properly settling a new pet will be 10 times higher than its price.
Some pet stores that sell iguanas exacerbate the problem by selling completely inappropriate equipment with them and giving incorrect advice on care and maintenance. This led to a huge number dead or homeless iguanas and the disappointment of their owners. The best way to avoid this outcome is education.
Buying or “adopting” an iguana
There are several factors to consider before making final decision about purchasing an iguana, number one of which is its size. Iguanas – large lizards. A healthy iguana can easily reach a size of 1.8m, so it needs a huge terrarium.
Iguanas are not easy to keep, they have very specific dietary preferences and environmental requirements, so a lot of preparation will be necessary before purchasing an animal.
Children of any age will not be able to care for an iguana, and parents should understand that all responsibilities for caring for the animal will fall on them.
Iguanas can also carry salmonellosis. If hygiene rules are not observed sufficiently, salmonella can be transmitted to humans and cause serious bacterial infection. The risk of infection is especially high in children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems. The likelihood of contracting salmonellosis from a carrier iguana is low if you wash your hands every time after contact with the animal, cleaning the terrarium, and isolate the terrarium and the animal itself from food preparation areas.
Iguanas can make wonderful pets, but they require a lot of attention. If you are considering getting an iguana, first contact your local reptile societies to adopt an iguana that has been abandoned by its owners. Many reptile communities have adoption programs for stray animals, and an iguana can be given to you for a small fee.
Because there is so much misinformation about iguanas in the pet trade, many iguana owners don't know what they're getting into. And often these owners end up giving up the animal because they can no longer or do not want to care for it. As a result, reptile adoption agencies are overrun with homeless iguanas (they share this fate with tiger pythons, which are there for the same reason).
If you haven't found an iguana in a shelter, then you can buy one.
Most iguanas found in pet stores are babies or teenagers, and it is important to choose a healthy one. Healthy baby iguanas are energetic and when someone tries to grab them they will run wildly around the cage and often lash their tail. If an animal does not try to resist and continues to sit or lie down when picked up, this does not mean that it is tame. This means that it is sick. 
The iguana should be brightly colored, alert, active and eat with an appetite. Iguanas that are kept in proper conditions almost never refuse to eat. Ask to show you how she eats.
It is important to pay attention to the conditions in which animals are kept. It pains me to remember how many times I have seen stores or wholesale stores selling baby iguanas crammed into a 40-liter aquarium, each trying to warm up on a single tiny heating stone.
Avoid places like the plague. They themselves do not know how to care for an iguana, and will not be able to help you provide the animal with the right conditions. Such stores significantly contribute to the appearance of homeless iguanas.
Ask the seller to tell you about the necessary conditions for keeping an iguana, and if he cannot answer you correctly, look for another place to buy a pet. It is entirely possible to purchase a healthy, well-cared for animal from a well-informed and experienced seller, but it often requires some effort.
Necessary terrarium
Iguanas are large animals and require large spaces to keep them. The normal size of an adult iguana is 150-180cm. An adult iguana should live in a terrarium with minimum sizes 120*120*180 cm (L*D*H).
Iguanas require a vertical terrarium because they are aboreal (arboreal) animals and prefer to spend most of their time climbing as high as possible. Tree branches with a diameter slightly larger than the thickness of the animal itself should be provided for it to climb. Branches can be bought or collected in the forest, but in the latter case they need to be sterilized using chlorine bleach (1 part bleach to 10 parts water), and then rinsed thoroughly clean water.
A young iguana can be kept in a smaller terrarium, but the minimum recommended size of a temporary (nursery) terrarium is 200 liters. Within 4 months (assuming you bought the iguana 1-3 months old), your iguana will outgrow the temporary terrarium and should be placed in a larger one. The industry today does not produce terrariums large enough for an adult iguana, so the only option is to build a house for it yourself or order it according to an individual drawing.
The substrate for the terrarium can be newspapers with soy-based printing ink, bark chips or a green plastic lawn mat. Newspaper is by far the most practical, although least aesthetically pleasing, substrate option.
Do not use wood shavings, corn-cob bedding, sand, or crushed walnut shells in your iguana's enclosure. Wood sawdust (especially cedar) gives off a specific odor that irritates the reptiles' sense of smell, which can cause harm respiratory system animal. Other substrates are not digested if accidentally eaten and can cause intestinal obstruction.
Iguanas naturally live in tropical forests, so terrariums require maintenance high humidity. Air humidity of 75% or more can be obtained by generously spraying the terrarium once or twice a day.
A few words about iguana walks
Do not allow your iguana to roam freely around the house without supervision. More than one fire in the house was started by an insidious, freely roaming iguana, which dropped a lamp on which it climbed to warm itself.
A free-roaming iguana will also have salmonella everywhere, which should be avoided at all costs. A stray iguana can also damage furniture, wiring, and carpet. Iguanas are also masters of getting into completely unexpected and hard-to-reach places. This can lead to injury when trying to get it out of there for both the animal and the owner.
Necessary heating
It is extremely important that the iguana warms up properly. Reptiles are cold-blooded, which means they do not produce their own heat. Iguanas are forced to regulate their body temperature using the surrounding space, which occurs through a mechanism called external thermoregulation.
Thermoregulation means that when the reptile is cold, it moves to warmer areas, for example, to a well-heated area, and when it is hot, it moves to cooler places. When we confine a reptile to a terrarium, we must provide it with such conditions that it can regulate its body temperature in the same way as it does in nature. Iguanas need a “warming point” with a temperature of 35-38˚C, and a “cooling point” with a temperature of 27-29˚C. The night temperature should not fall below 21-24˚C, provided that the animal can warm up during the day.
Most the right way To organize a warming up point will be the use of heating lamps. The tallest branch should be placed under the basking lamp to give the animal a place to warm up. Make sure the lamp is out of the iguana's reach as the animal may get burned. Proper warming up is very important for health immune system and good digestion.
It should be noted that heating stones are not suitable for iguana terrariums. In nature, arboreal reptiles do not lie on their bellies warm surfaces to warm up, and there is no need to force them to do it at home.
Correct lighting
Iguanas need what is called full spectrum radiation, which mimics natural sunlight. Iguanas specifically require ultraviolet light in the 290-315 nm wavelength (UVB) range to produce provitamin D3.
Provitamin D3 is necessary for the absorption of calcium that comes from food. Without ultraviolet irradiation iguanas develop a metabolic bone disease caused by calcium deficiency (rickets). Full spectrum radiation is provided by ultraviolet fluorescent lamps, which are produced specifically for reptiles.
When buying an ultraviolet lamp, make sure that the spectrum has a peak in the UVB region; some “full spectrum lamps” do not have this. It is very important to place the heating area at a distance of 25-30cm from the ultraviolet lamp. At a distance of more than 30 cm from the source, the intensity of UVB waves decreases significantly.
The ultraviolet lamp in the iguana terrarium should be on for 10-12 hours a day and turned off at night. If ultraviolet lighting is left overnight, the iguana will not be able to sleep, will become stressed, and will become behaviorally erratic.
The UV lamp should be replaced every six months, even if it does not burn out before then. The intensity of ultraviolet radiation decreases over time, and after 6 months of use such lamps become ineffective.
If possible, provide the iguana with access to sunlight, but provide a place where the iguana can cool off if it overheats. Sunlight is the best source of ultraviolet radiation, but window glass does not transmit enough of it. Do not place the iguana aquarium in direct sunlight, as... The glass of the aquarium will quickly heat up and the iguana may die from overheating. Do not take your iguana outside if the air temperature is less than 21˚C.
Diet
No aspect of iguana keeping contains more misconceptions than nutrition. Iguanas are completely herbivores from the moment they are born, and do not require animal protein at any point in their lives. 
Previously, researchers noted that if an iguana consumes large amounts of animal protein, it grows faster, which is true. However, it is also true that iguanas that consume large amounts of animal protein do not live very long, which is often the result of gout or metabolic bone diseases.
It is important to formulate your iguana's diet with calcium-rich greens, fruits and vegetables. Herbivorous reptiles require a 2:1 ratio of calcium to phosphorus in their food. 
A diet that will provide this combination usually consists of:
70-80% dark leafy greens that are rich in calcium (collard greens, mustard greens, endive, watercress, dandelion greens). Mulberry and hibiscus leaves make excellent base foods if you can get them.
Avoid basing your diet on iceberg lettuce because... it has a very low nutritional value. Spinach should either be given in limited quantities or eliminated altogether, because... it contains oxalic acid, which binds calcium in the intestines and prevents its absorption.
20-30% of the diet should consist of grated vegetables such as carrots, pumpkin, zucchini, thawed mixed vegetables or prickly pear cactus. Avoid or limit feeding of broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, escarole (a type of chicory), and cauliflower. These vegetables contain substances that bind iodine, and their excessive consumption can cause problems with the thyroid gland.
10-20% fruits or flowers, such as strawberry, raspberry, mango, papaya, kiwi, melon, apple (without seeds), prickly pear cactus flowers and fruits, hibiscus, nasturtium, dandelion flowers. Iguanas love bananas, but they should only be given as treats because... contain the wrong ratio of calcium and phosphorus. Make sure all fruits and vegetables are grated or cut into small pieces.
In addition to a properly formulated diet, iguanas require calcium supplements, which can be purchased at pet stores. Calcium powder should be sprinkled on food three times a week for juveniles and once or twice a week for adults.
You can put a pool in the terrarium, but daily spraying is still necessary to maintain high humidity. Often iguanas can lick drops of water directly from the bottle when spraying or from the walls of the terrarium.
Conclusion
The green iguana is the most popular reptile for home care to date. Due to this popularity, it is the most numerous species, located in shelters for homeless animals.
This is a large, naturally very capricious animal that requires special conditions of maintenance, which is not suitable for beginner terrarium keepers.
The green iguana is an amazing and beautiful animal that often does not receive proper care in the animal trade.
Increasing your own awareness of proper iguana care and helping others will help reduce the number of dead and homeless animals, as well as improve the lives of iguanas and their owners around the world.
by Petra Spies
Translation: Elena
in the photo is my iguana Cesarina.
Lives in South America and Central America. Body length up to 1.5 m, weight up to 8 kg. The color of the body varies depending on the habitat; they can be gray-green, or gray-blue, black, red, orange, lilac-pink. The color is characterized by a metallic sheen; dark spots may be present. They have excellent camouflage. The body is covered with scales, the head with scutes. In the iguana thin body With long tail, there is a throat pouch, a longitudinal ridge along the back. This comb is not just a decoration, it helps to scare away enemies. Having sharp claws on short limbs, she deftly climbs trees, holding on to the bark with their help. Each paw has five toes. The pouch on the throat performs the function of thermoregulation of the animal. Her vision is good, her hearing is excellent, she picks up the slightest noise.
Lizards have taken root in bushes, mangrove forests, wet forests. They also feel good in open rocky places, but always close to water. They can swim in water, moving through it with the help of their tail. Almost their entire life is spent in trees and they are active during the day. They climb higher branches to get warmth sun rays and warm the body, receiving the necessary energy. Having stocked up on vitamin D, the iguana goes in search of food. It feeds on plant foods: fruits, leaves, flowers and shoots. With sharp small teeth he bites off the delicacy and swallows it, because he cannot chew. They rarely drink water. In the evening, on the contrary, they descend to the lower branches to retain heat. If the air temperature drops significantly, they completely move to the ground, where they sleep. The optimal living temperature for it is +30 0.
The lizard has many enemies, including foxes, crocodiles and birds of prey. Then there are several ways to protect yourself: 1) hide and remain invisible, 2) run away, 3) jump into the water and swim away. If, nevertheless, it had to face an enemy, the iguana inflates its body, sticking its throat sac forward, and hisses loudly. Can lunge at an opponent and bite, hit with its tail and even scratch an opponent.
The mating season begins in January. Males quickly select a certain territory and mark it. Fights between suitors rarely occur; usually, a male who has looked into someone else's territory leaves after warning poses from the owner. The female's pregnancy lasts 65 days. She goes upstream of the river, where she digs a hole 45-100 cm deep in the sand on the dune. The iguana lays eggs in it for three days. Sometimes this process lasts more than three days. In total, she will lay 20 - 70 eggs in a white leathery shell. Then, having carefully buried the clutch, it will go back to its habitat. Will not take part in the protection or upbringing of offspring. After 2 - 3 months, the cubs appear. They come to the surface on their own and lead an independent life. The young individuals will spend the year together.
In the wild they live for 8 years.
Class -
Common iguana, or green iguana (lat. Iguana iguana)- a large herbivorous lizard of the iguana family.
Habitat: Central and South America. The original natural range covers tropical areas Western Hemisphere from southern Mexico (states of Sinaloa and Veracruz) south to central Brazil, Paraguay and Bolivia, east to the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean - mainly Grenada, Curacao, Trinidad and Tobago, St. Lucia, Guadeloupe, St. Vincent , Utila and Aruba.
In the second half of the 20th century, lizards were introduced to the island of Grand Cayman, Puerto Rico, the US and British Virgin Islands, the continental states of Florida and Texas, as well as Hawaii.
Inhabits a variety of biotopes with dense woody vegetation, mainly tropical rainforests, but also semi-humid forests, mangroves and dry, open areas of sea coasts. It spends most of its life on trees, usually growing along the banks of slow-flowing rivers. The lizard spends almost all its time on trees, closer to the crown, where there is the most sun. Only in cool weather do real iguanas descend to the ground. Sometimes the lizard uses the nearest body of water to swim, and it does it surprisingly deftly.
Real iguanas are excellent tree climbers and are not afraid of great heights, falling from which they almost always survive, and even in flight they try to cling to branches or leaves with their claws.
The body of the common iguana is thin, the tail is very long and laterally compressed, the back and tail have a longitudinal ridge, and on the throat there is a large, laterally compressed pouch (plays a significant role in thermoregulation, as well as in the mating behavior of males). The body is covered with scales arranged in transverse rows.
The head is tetrahedral, covered with scutes. The legs are short and equipped with sharp claws, with the help of which the lizard easily moves among woody vegetation.
The toes are long, without webs, 5 on the front and hind legs. The massive spiny crest gives the iguana additional protection from enemies. With the help of a flexible tail, the animal not only swims well, but is also capable of delivering hard blows, like a whip. Like many other lizard species, the animal can leave its tail in the teeth or claws of a predator, and eventually grow a new one.
Green skin color cannot be called characteristic of all representatives of the species; it can also change depending on age, area and living conditions. In the south of their range, such as in Peru, iguanas look bluish with black spots. On the islands of Bonaire, Curacao, Aruba and Grenada, their color varies from green to lavender, black and even pink. In western Costa Rica, common iguanas appear red, and in more northern regions (such as Mexico), orange. In El Salvador, juveniles often appear bright blue, but their color changes significantly as the lizards get older.
Young iguanas are most often bright green, this coloring is camouflage, so the iguana is not easy to see in a tree. And the dark stripes along the body allow the lizards to become invisible when they hide in various vegetation. Sometimes iguanas change skin color, for example, from stress, change temperature regime or lighting, but only on certain areas of the body.
In bright light, the green iguana has excellent vision, with which it recognizes objects and movements at a great distance. But with the onset of darkness, the lizard’s vision noticeably deteriorates. The abundance of cone and double cone visual cells significantly improves image clarity, and also allows you to perceive more than just colors visible to humans spectrum, but also ultraviolet rays.
If an iguana is abruptly moved from a light room to a semi-dark one, it will behave restlessly and try to break free and run away.
The teeth of a real iguana, due to their sharpness, could become a dangerous weapon, however, it rarely uses them, using them only for gnawing plant food. They are shaped like a leaf and seem to be hidden behind the jaw bones.
Like most other lizards, the iguana also has a “third eye,” called the parietal eye, located on the top of the head in the space between the parietal (parietal) bones of the skull. This rudimentary photosensitive organ, covered with whitish scales, was inherited by the animal from its distant ancestors - at present it is not able to clearly identify an object, although it has an underdeveloped lens and retina. However, this "eye" is sensitive to changes in light intensity and detects movement. The organ helps to react in time when attacked by a predator from above. The animal’s body is not able to accumulate liquid concentrated urine, and excess potassium and sodium salts are removed by sneezing through a special organ - salt glands located on the head. Therefore, lizards periodically sneeze, leaving white marks on the walls of the terrarium
The hearing of iguanas is very subtle and is capable of picking up the lightest sounds, but its range only partially coincides with that of humans: while people best perceive sounds with a height of 2 to 5 KHz, then lizards perceive sounds with a height of 0.5 to 3 KHz.
Being a cold-blooded animal, the iguana is not able to independently maintain its own body temperature, and uses external sources. The ideal body temperature of lizards is about 30 °C; if it significantly increases or decreases, hearing deteriorates.
Gender differences: The sex of a green iguana can be determined by examining the underside hind legs. Males have well-developed odor-secreting pores in this area, which are often covered with a waxy substance. In addition, males have visibly longer and thicker spiny scales along their tails than females. As a rule, males are larger, more massive and brighter.
The length of an adult iguana usually does not exceed 1.5 m and weighs up to 7 kg, although in the forests of South America some individuals can reach a length of 2 m and weigh 8 kg. On semi-arid islands, lizards are typically 30% smaller in size than animals found on the mainland.
Iguanas are active only during daylight hours.
In the wild, iguanas live on average about 8 years. In captivity, with proper care, a green iguana can live for more than 20 years.
At home, iguanas are kept in fairly spacious terrariums, usually with side openings or mesh for air circulation. It should be taken into account that the young lizard is growing, and as it grows it will need more and more free space.
In the wild, the optimal temperature for iguanas varies from 26 to 35 °C - for this reason, if necessary, terrariums are equipped with heaters. In addition, animals need a source of ultraviolet radiation, with the help of which their bodies produce vitamin D, a key component for the absorption of calcium. A deficiency of this element leads to metabolic bone disease and, as a consequence, the death of the animal. The terrarium is also equipped with a thick branch along which the lizard can climb up, and a small pool with warm water.
Feeding: Unlike most other species of the family, green iguanas are exclusively herbivores, eating leaves, shoots, flowers and fruits of about 100 species of tropical plants. Among the lizard's favorite treats is the Jamaican plum (Spondias mombin), incense tree(Bursera simaruba), Tecoma stans, Annona acuminata, Amphilophium paniculatum vine, Merremia umbellata, etc. Young lizards often eat the excrement of adult animals to meet their needs for microflora , necessary for digesting low-calorie vegetarian foods. Animals are not able to chew food; they only cut off fairly large pieces with their small teeth and immediately swallow them whole. Occasionally, iguanas drink water, plunging part of their head into the pond and swallowing it, or lick drops from greenery.
Sometimes, in reference literature, there are reports that iguanas in the wild eat insects, bird eggs and carrion. However, no published academic research confirms that animals digest animal proteins. Moreover, all publications say that all lizard components necessary for development are obtained from food of plant origin only, and a protein diet is harmful to their health. Insects and other small invertebrates can indeed be found in the stomachs of lizards, but experts believe that they are swallowed only by accident along with plant food: for example, an iguana can swallow an insect sitting on a flower bed along with the flower. In captivity, green iguanas are sometimes fed rodent meat, but in very small quantities, as this has a detrimental effect on their health.
In a terrarium, one of the key conditions for successful maintenance is a proper and varied diet. The iguana willingly eats insects, mice and other meat products offered to it, but an excess of protein foods of animal origin leads to serious kidney dysfunction and often premature death. Most experts strongly recommend feeding iguanas with food of exclusively plant origin, justifying this by the characteristics of their body and laboratory research. It is necessary to give up to 90% of the diet to greens and vegetables: collard greens, turnip leaves, mustard, dandelion leaves and flowers, escarole lettuce, green beans, pumpkin with orange and yellow flesh, green beans, parsnips, asparagus, okra fruits, alfalfa, sweets peppers, carrots, sweet potatoes, etc. Iguanas in large quantities Spinach, rhubarb, beets and celery are not shown. Head lettuce contains a large amount of water, but does not provide the animal with enough nutrients.
Reproduction: In the wild, most iguanas begin breeding starting at 3-4 years of age. The beginning of the breeding season most often occurs in January or February, but can vary depending on the habitat: with a seasonal cycle of humidity fluctuations, mating games occur in the first half of the dry period, egg laying in the second (at this time the soil temperature is quite high, and there is less risk death of the clutch from water-related problems), and hatching at the beginning of the rainy season, when the young shoots provide an abundance of food for the offspring.
During the mating season, which lasts about two weeks, males choose a future mating site, mark the territory using secretions from pores in the lower parts of the limbs, and become aggressive towards nearby rivals. In the wild, direct clashes between them are quite rare; in the event of a threat, the weaker lizard in the event of a conflict prefers to leave someone else's territory rather than engage in a fight. If the ability to escape is limited (when kept in captivity), then animals can bite each other. The demonstrative behavior of the male is frequent shaking of the head, inflating the throat sac and changing the color of the body to a brighter, more saturated one. Often one male simultaneously courts several females, and a female cohabitates with several males. During courtship, males sniff and lightly nip females on the neck.
Pregnancy lasts about 65 days, at the end of which the females leave their traditional habitats along the banks of rivers, and along the beds of streams flowing into them, they go upstream to dry sandbanks and dunes. A hole with a depth of 45 cm to 1 m is dug in the sand, where the female lays a large number, from 20 to 71, eggs over three or more days. The eggs are white, 35-40 mm long, about 15.4 mm in diameter, with a leathery and soft but durable shell. If there is a shortage of suitable places, several lizards can use one pit at the same time. Having laid eggs, the lizard carefully buries the hole and leaves the place, no longer caring about the offspring.
Incubation lasts from 90 to 120 days at an ambient temperature of 30-32 °C. The cubs are usually born in May, breaking through the shell with the help of a special fleshy growth on the forehead - a caruncle, and climbing to the surface of the earth. They are almost identical in color and shape to adult individuals, but have only a weakly defined crest. Newborn true iguanas reach only 15-25 cm in length and weigh no more than 12 g. Young lizards are completely independent, although when they are born they may have a small yolk sac containing a nutritional mixture for the first one to two weeks. The brood stays together for the first year of life. In a group, males use their bodies to protect females from predators. This feature is present only in this species among all other reptiles.
Sexual maturity occurs in true iguanas at the age of 3 or 4 years.
Synonyms: Real iguana
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animals
Type: Chordata
Class: Reptiles
Order: Scaly
Suborder: Lizards
Family: Iguanaidae
Genus: True iguanas
Species: Common iguana, Iguana iguana
Loading...
