Questions on iguanas

[kurtle55]

i am looking to buy a some sort of lizard like an iguana or a monitor or tegu but i am not sure which one is right for me. my friend had an iguana and it was so tame that it would scratch on the door when it wanted to go out and go swimming in his pond and then scratch on the door when it wanted to come back in. it would go to the bathroom in one water bowl and drink out of another one and it would also usually sleep in his bed with him (keep in mind he still provided proper caging)

i know all iguanas are not going to do these exact things but i was wondering if it is common for them to be that tame. so i have a few questions about them.

how easy are they to tame?

how tame will they get?

i would like to hear about peoples iguana's personality if you dont mind

what are the caging requirements?

 

[Schnab]

I have a care book on iguanas that covers all what you need to know. I read it once in a while and it says iguanas make great pets. I'd have to have the book infront of me to properly inform you though. But one of my friends had 2 of them and they tamed pretty well in a short amount of time. Iguanas eat alot of fruits and veggies, but its good to offer them meat once in a while for protein. They need tropical conditions to thrive, so regular misting and soakings are a must.

 

[DaveDragon]

Iguanas eat alot of fruits and veggies, but its good to offer them meat once in a while for protein.

Iguanas, especially Cyclura (Cuban Rock, Cayman Blue, Rhino) cannot handle protein, it will ruin their kidneys and they will die young.

 

[Schnab]

Im talking about green iguanas. I know theres alot of different species, I was just explaining the main stream, typicaly-found-in-pet-stores iguanas.

 

[DaveDragon]

Hundreds of thousands of Green Iguanas are imported into this country every year. Probably 98% of them never live to 1 year old. They grow quickly, most people aren't ready for that cute little thing to be 4 feet long in the first year. Most never get the proper heat, lighting, humidity or diet and it slowly kills them. Since they're only about $20, they become a throw away pet. If one dies just go buy another!!

I think Green Iguanas should never be sold in the pet trade, especially big chain stores like Petco.

 

[MMRR - jif]

I wholeheartedly agree with Dave. As a reptile rescue we have taken in over 200 unwanted iguanas in the last 10 years. They are one of the most difficult reptiles to keep properly and can be quite dangerous as adults. They require a huge habitat, lots of humidity, and a wide variety of food items (NO ANIMAL PROTEIN, PLEASE!). A hormonal adult male during breeding season can be very difficult to deal with.

If you do decide that an herbivore is the way you want to go I'd suggest that you do some research on the Cyclura iguana species. They are hardier than the Green iguanas, become very docile as they get older, and are magnificent in appearance. My adult Cyclura are wonderful educational animals that can spend days around thousands of spectators that are touching and petting them. Habitat is a little different in that they tolerate higher basking temps and lower humidity levels and they are quite comfortable at ground level. Diet is completely the same as a good Green iguana diet.

 

[LouDog760]

I agree with, Dave. And I also think people should stop breeding them to. If you really want one I would look for a reptile rescue in your area.

 

[DaveDragon]

I agree with, Dave. And I also think people should stop breeding them to. If you really want one I would look for a reptile rescue in your area.

I think all green iguanas are imported.

Yes, get one from a reptile rescue if you want one.

 

[LouDog760]

MMRR - jif those rock iguanas are awesome. Is there anyone who breeds captive bred?

 

[kurtle55]

1.) i believe that for the vast majority of reptiles there should be a permit required. Florida is starting to move in the right direction. we now have permits on water boas, reticulated, rock and Burmese pythons and have to have a microchip in them after a certain size. theres also a few monitors i think, i know the nile is illegal to own without a permit.
this is a good thing though. think about how many idiots you meet/see each day. now think about this: any idiot can go to the pet store with 150-300 bucks ( i could be wrong but it doesn't matter. im just trying to make a point) and purchase the largest snake in the world (most of which will get big enough to eat a small adult) or a lizard that gets 6ft+, or the 3rd largest tortoise in the world. was asking what size cage a tegu would need the other day in the mall and they guy told me a 30 GALLON TANK.
ME: your crazy, this guy will get like 4 feet.
PET STORE GUY: oh sorry, i meant a 40 gallon
moron.

bottom line: the average person should not be able to own a reptile. PERIOD

 

[MMRR - jif]

MMRR - jif those rock iguanas are awesome. Is there anyone who breeds captive bred?

Thanks! There are several folks that breed Cyclura in the United States. A couple of the old timers have been breeding these lizards for 30 years and have breeding stock that are close to 50 years old. If you are interested in some names and contact info just let me know which specie.

In the top photo that is a C. caymanensis in the back and a C. nubila in the front. The second photo is, of course, C. cornuta. This is one of my Grand Cayman hybrids (C. lewisi).

 

[LouDog760]

Cool thanks for the info. I would have to look into this more, so I won't be getting one for a while. Do you know any good websites or books about these species?

 

[mschuld]

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.anapsid.org" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.anapsid.org</a><!-- m --> is an excellent website for iguana info. This site is run by Melissa Kaplan who wrote "Iguanas for Dummies" which is a great book to refer to on most issues concerning iguana care. Cyclura.com is good for general info on rock iguanas. If you decide on a cyclura species, I bought mine from David Blair at herpnut .com. He's a nice guy to work with and I couldn't be happier with my purchase. If I ever decide to acquire a green iguana, it will be an adoption. I think it is irresponsible for people in the hobby to promote the importation of these by purchasing them at pet stores. Besides, if you don't have experience with large lizards, the cyclura are more forgiving. Do alot of research and keep in mind that they need alot of space and can live a long time. This forum also has a few individuals that are very knowledgable on iguanas. Good Luck!