any green iguana owners????

[DeesBalls]

Hello, my friend needs help on a school project... she needs all kinds of info in green iguanas. Where they come from, diets, life span, everything you can imagine, also so.e pics would be ggood too.....

I didn't want her to use the internet or a pet store like she was going to ddo, so I thought I would ask in here.

Thsnks

[RandyRhoads]

Hello, my friend needs help on a school project... she needs all kinds of info in green iguanas. Where they come from, diets, life span, everything you can imagine, also so.e pics would be ggood too.....

I didn't want her to use the internet or a pet store like she was going to ddo, so I thought I would ask in here.

Thsnks


This is the internet. You might as well google it. Mine eats baby spinach, with the occasional fruits such as strawberrys, blackberrys, peaches ,pears, and banannas. They come from all over. Mexico to tropical islands. They can live up to 20 year although 10 year in captivity is common. My guy is coming up on 5 years. In the last pic he snuck over my shoulder and took a bite of my pizza and got wing sauce on his lips. Bad Iguana. They (should) only eat plants,/fruits veggies. Some babies eat the poop of adults to (help digest?) Someone correct me if i'm wrong on why they eat it.

[whoaxmary]

Lol! The last picture reminds me of my puppy when she's caught stealing food. Priceless

[RandyRhoads]

He did steal a pretty big bite of my pizza while I was watching a movie. As unfortunate as it was he got a bite it was pretty entertaining watching him regret his decision when the wing sauce started burning his mouth. He flipped out lol. Hope it didn't do anything major healthwise.

[stephanbakir]

The spikes on your iguana almost look like hair:P

[fflamingmoe]

I was an Iguana owner for over 20 years.
What would you like to know?
I don't think the pizza hurt him too much though.:)
He looks like about 8 years old?

[serpentshideawa]

Dont forget bugs we had one when i was in grade school and he loved crickets

[dshin963]

Ohhh that pizza story reallyakes me want a lizard :-S

[RandyRhoads]

Dont forget bugs we had one when i was in grade school and he loved crickets


From what i've read that's harmfull to it's health. Some people fed theirs mice too, not good. Purely herbivores.

And my guy is almost 5. Sometimes he combes his "hair" to the left for special dinners and such. Sometimes he spikes it. lol.

[stephanbakir]

From what i've read that's harmfull to it's health. Some people fed theirs mice too, not good. Purely herbivores.

And my guy is almost 5. Sometimes he combes his "hair" to the left for special dinners and such. Sometimes he spikes it. lol.
Pics or it didn't happen.

[Little Wise Owl]

Try this website: Green Iguana Society (http://www.greenigsociety.org/)

Their input on feeding green iguanas animal protein:
"Many iguana care books still say that iguanas can be fed these items. All of these items contain animal protein and can cause severe organ damage and possibly even premature death. There are many so-called authorities in iguana care that still claim that young iguanas eat insects. This myth started many years ago, and has grown to epidemic proportions. While it may be true that wild iguanas occasionally eat animal protein (and this has not been conclusively shown), we do know for sure that iguanas raised on a strictly vegetarian diet not only are large and healthy, but longer-lived than those fed animal protein. So, regardless of what wild iguanas are or aren't doing, there is no good reason to feed meat, and in fact, there are serious reasons not to. The Green Iguana Society recommends that no iguana, even a young one, should ever be fed meat, dog or cat food, insects or any other kind of animal protein."

[NennaMeerkat]

As far as the wing sauce goes it might have taught him a lesson to stay away from pizza LOL I know if my dogs show an interest in something that isn't for them I sprinkle a bit of Tabasco sauce (just a very very small amount) on it...worked great when my pit mix showed an interest in our kitchen garbage. She got a bite on the place where the hot sauce was and has yet to give the garbage even another sniff.

Now can a lizard associate such things? Well I think so...if something tastes bad in the wild I doubt they would just continue to chomp away at it time and time agian.

[fflamingmoe]

No meat ever when adult.:no:
My Iguana's lived long lives without it.
20+YEARS
They will get gout and other things and not good for Iguana's

[Dehlida]

Most iguanas don't live 10+ years due to bad ownership. I can't even tell the number of owners who feel it's ok to let their iguana free roam the house all day. Flat out, this will not be healthy for the lizard, they come from tropical rainforests, and do well in high humidity. I have yet to see anyones house outside of maybe florida/georgia etc who's house is kept at high enough/humidity and temps for an iguana. This is the exact smame reason any time of screen/mesh enclosure is terrible as well.

[RandyRhoads]

Are you saying they NEED high humidity to survive? They all come from tropical rainforests?


Mine used to free roam inside and outside . Relax in the sprinklers. Hang out in the trees in the yard eating fruit. Stopped letting him out after someone felt the need to have animal control pick him up.

[stephanbakir]

Are you saying they NEED high humidity to survive? They all come from tropical rainforests?


Mine used to free roam inside and outside . Relax in the sprinklers. Hang out in the trees in the yard eating fruit. Stopped letting him out after someone felt the need to have animal control pick him up.

Just because he thrived in these conditions doesn't mean that he wouldn't have done better in other conditions.

[Dehlida]

Are you saying they NEED high humidity to survive? They all come from tropical rainforests?


Mine used to free roam inside and outside . Relax in the sprinklers. Hang out in the trees in the yard eating fruit. Stopped letting him out after someone felt the need to have animal control pick him up.
They don't "need" it to survive. They need it to thrive and be healthy though. It's just like people who keep monitors free roaming in their house. You can not meet the animals needs in your home, period. You have to provide a large enough cage, with proper heating and humidity.

Reptiles are not dogs, and should not be treated as such under any circumstances.

Just because he thrived in these conditions doesn't mean that he wouldn't have done better in other conditions.
you'd be hard pressed to say any animal "thrived" with improper heating and humidity. "Got by" because the species is tough, is a better term.

[stephanbakir]

Burmese pythons are naturally from southern/southeast Asia, while that part of the world holds IDEAL temperatures and humidity, they can THRIVE elsewhere in the world, Florida for instance? its the other side of the world, and it has winter, and the population explode to the point where they needed to call for help and exterminate them en mass.
Some reptiles like GTP's need specific temperatures to even live, some will thrive in less then ideal conditions.

[Dehlida]

Burmese pythons are naturally from southern/southeast Asia, while that part of the world holds IDEAL temperatures and humidity, they can THRIVE elsewhere in the world, Florida for instance? its the other side of the world, and it has winter, and the population explode to the point where they needed to call for help and exterminate them en mass.
Some reptiles like GTP's need specific temperatures to even live, some will thrive in less then ideal conditions.
I would hardly call the burmese python population "thriving" the temperatures in Florida aren't all that different short of winter, and winter takes a huge toll on wild burms every year.

[RandyRhoads]

Just because he thrived in these conditions doesn't mean that he wouldn't have done better in other conditions.

I know these weren't ideal conditions. They are a thing of the past for me. Just curious about the difference high humidity makes because mines in a mesh cage. I mist him occasionally but other than that not much humidity. I could raise it if it makes a great deal of difference, or is the occasional misting sufficient?

[Dehlida]

I know these weren't ideal conditions. They are a thing of the past for me. Just curious about the difference high humidity makes because mines in a mesh cage. I mist him occasionally but other than that not much humidity. I could raise it if it makes a great deal of difference, or is the occasional misting sufficient?
Humidity will shorten the animals life for a variety of reasons. Organ damage etc...

[RandyRhoads]

I'm assuming you meant low or improper humidity. So guess I need to turn the whole room into a sweat house....

[fflamingmoe]

Iguanas may not live to the age of 10 with bad ownership.
I think they are one of the most mistreated reptiles.

[Dehlida]

I'm assuming you meant low or improper humidity. So guess I need to turn the whole room into a sweat house....Or just give him a cage with proper humidity

[RandyRhoads]

There's no way for me to have a glass /wooden enclosure big enough for him right now.

[Dehlida]

There's no way for me to have a glass /wooden enclosure big enough for him right now.
The proper humidity in an entire normal bedroom would completely destroy the sheetrock in your walls and rot the general infastructure of the house.

This is why I say most people shouldnt own igs, its not easy to meet minimum housing requirements.

[DeesBalls]

HEY ALL!!!! :):) thanks alot for the info, there is NO need to argue about anything, its just for a girls' kids school... just basic info is needed...

where they originate from, how long they live (inwilde) temperments, temp require ments.. stuff like that.. and some pictures that I WILL BE PRININTING OFF AND USING!!! so if i can use any pics for this assignment, let me know!!

[RandyRhoads]

HEY ALL!!!! :):) thanks alot for the info, there is NO need to argue about anything, its just for a girls' kids school... just basic info is needed...


Who's arguing?

Green Iguana Society (http://www.greenigsociety.org) Has alot of good info.


I like the idea of putting in a cool mist humidifier with drier duct. How can you tell what the humidifier's output is and if it's sufficient? Looking on ebay now...

[DeesBalls]

Who's arguing?

Green Iguana Society (http://www.greenigsociety.org) Has alot of good info.


I like the idea of putting in a cool mist humidifier with drier duct. How can you tell what the humidifier's output is and if it's sufficient? Looking on ebay now...

i thought you 2 were about humidity.. sorry :)

[stephanbakir]

Pretty sure it was just a heated debate, no worries :)

[Dehlida]

It's not a heated debate. One of the factors of reptile husbandry is the idea that we can adapt them into OUR environment. Instead of us adapting our environment to meet them. We are far more verisitile than the reptile, we need to make accomidations to proper house them.

Proper husbandry is not a debate, it's a fact.

[RandyRhoads]

Yeah what part was heated lol i'm getting educated on a few things. That's a good thing. I wasn't even trying to debate I was asking so I can make his life longer and better. Obviously he doesn't "need" it or he would be dead already.Bad choice of words. Not having it cuts down his life span so I shall fix it.

Dehlida have you ever used cool mist foggers? Can you give me any advice on picking a suitable one so I can get his humidity up?

[stephanbakir]

The heated part was one individual talking from a pedestal, there is nothing wrong with stating facts and educating people but there are ways of saying things without offending them.
That being said i agree that proper husbandry must be a priority and there are ways of doing things properly.

[Dehlida]

Yeah what part was heated lol i'm getting educated on a few things. That's a good thing. I wasn't even trying to debate I was asking so I can make his life longer and better. Obviously he doesn't "need" it or he would be dead already.Bad choice of words. Not having it cuts down his life span so I shall fix it.

Dehlida have you ever used cool mist foggers? Can you give me any advice on picking a suitable one so I can get his humidity up?
I can honestly say I've never used any sort of foggers. Generally keeping a cage warm and well misted does the job for me. However, since you are using an actual room, you will probably need to find some sort of humidifier to use, I'm not sure which models output the most, you'd have to check reviews on that.

[Lankyrob]

I may have missed it but with all the "discussion" about humidity - has anyone said what the humidity should actually be? :)

[Dehlida]

I recommend keeping it around 70%.

[RandyRhoads]

I recommend keeping it around 70%.


Is salt bad for an iguanas health? I just read up and learned a bunch of new stuff. Like the spinach I feed him is terrible for him, so I need to feed him other things. I have canned green beans. They contain water and salt. Is that ok to feed him or is that too much salt?

[stephanbakir]

On vacation the iguanas were eating random fruit that was in the trees and it was all cakes in salt, ill try and find a picture (if its good for them is another story, but they were all eating the fruid)

[Dehlida]

Spinnach is ok for him, I personally would stay away from canned items, and stick to fresh veggies. I'm not a huge proponent of salt. As for what they do in Florida, I'm not 100% sure that information is valid for the captive husbandry of iguanas. Florida is not a natural habitat and the main reasons they have thrived is because of no predators and no competition.

[RandyRhoads]

Spinnach is ok for him, I personally would stay away from canned items, and stick to fresh veggies. I'm not a huge proponent of salt. As for what they do in Florida, I'm not 100% sure that information is valid for the captive husbandry of iguanas. Florida is not a natural habitat and the main reasons they have thrived is because of no predators and no competition.
"Spinach contains oxalates and phytates. It has been proven that they sometimes bind to calcium, inhibiting it from being properly used by the body."

I've been feeding them pure spinach coated with calcium and fruit as a snack for along time, sounds like the spinach was cancelling out the calcium. Makes sense why my little one isn't growing as fast as he should be.