question on iggys

[monitor12345]

ok i just traded my friend a tokay for his iggy, and i was wondering what the best substrate to use is, other than newspaper and paper towel, i want something that will look natural, is outside dirt ok?what should i use? also, is spinach leaves, strawberries, romain and dandelions a good diet for him?

[Linds]

Eep. You really should have researched an Iguana first. They can be quite a handful.

Spinach is a no-no. It contains high levels of oxalic acid which binds calcium in the system. Romaine is ok, but offers little to no nutrition. Dandelion greens, mustard greens, chinese cabbage, watercress, collards, etc. all make much better choices. Strawberries, mandarins, kiwi, prickly pear, pear, squash, zucchini, canteloupe, cucumber, blueberries, and blackberries are good to feed as well. Variety is important with veggie eaters. Make sure you use a good calcium/d3 supplement, it doesn't hurt to occassionally dust with a vitamin supplement either.

They need a lot of climbing space, so make sure the enclosure has a lot of vertical space and things to safely climb on, with a basking light (mercury vapour bulbs are good) near the top. Outside dirt is fine, as is cypress mulch.

Good luck with your Iggy.

[camille]

Linds i love you someone else who gives lots of info. go to www.anapsid.org and read, got to www.greenigsociety.org and read and go to www.iguanaden.com and read and substrate use either newspaper, astroturf or old t-shirt. those are usually good

[rattie]

Unfortunately, squash is great while zucchini is not very nutritious for iguanas. It's all there on www.anapsid.org.

While the fruits listed above can be beneficial for moisture content and some vitamins, fruit should only be fed as 10% of the diet. Fruits don't contribute very much to what iguanas need. Most of them are low in calcium and protein and high in phosphorus. Some healthier fruits are fresh fig, mango, papaya, pear, blueberry, cherry and strawberry.

Canteloupe and other melons are mostly sugar and water, and thus not very beneficial to the iguana except for hydration.

The remaining part should be greens (those listed above plus turnip greens) fresh vegetables.