How to Take Care of a Green Iguana

Green iguanas, with their striking appearance and relatively docile nature, can make rewarding pets for dedicated reptile enthusiasts. However, these lizards have specific needs that must be met to ensure their health and well-being. This article provides a comprehensive guide on how to care for a green iguana, covering everything from habitat setup and diet to health monitoring and common illnesses.

1. Setting Up the Ideal Habitat

Creating the right environment is crucial for a green iguana's health and happiness. Since iguanas can grow to be 4-6 feet long, it's best to invest in a large enclosure from the start to avoid the expense of upgrading later.

• Enclosure Size: A 20-gallon-long aquarium can work for baby iguanas up to about 18 inches long. However, as they grow, they'll need much larger spaces.
• Temperature Gradient: Use external heat sources to create a temperature gradient within the enclosure. The warm end should be between 100-120°F, while the cooler end should be around 80°F. Nighttime temperatures should not drop below the low to mid-70s Fahrenheit. Use clustered heat lamps to evenly heat the iguana's body.
• Humidity: Maintain humidity levels between 70-90% to support their respiratory system and encourage healthy shedding. Monitor humidity with a hygrometer and use a water mister to maintain proper levels. Misting your iguana twice a day can help maintain healthy skin.
• Lighting: Provide UVB bulbs designed for reptiles to ensure appropriate light exposure for 10 to 12 hours per day. This helps them produce vitamin D. Aim to provide at least 2 hours of direct, outdoor sunlight daily if possible.
• Substrate: Line the bottom of the enclosure with a suitable substrate like pelleted paper bedding or alfalfa pellets, as these are non-toxic and digestible. Reptile carpet can also be used if it is spot-cleaned and replaced regularly. Avoid wood chips, sand, mulch, pine, and cedar bedding, as they can cause health issues if ingested or cause skin irritation.
• Décor and Accessories : Arrange branches in a diagonal pattern to give the iguana space to explore and climb. Ensure branches are strong enough to support the iguana’s weight and are placed away from heat lamps to prevent burns. Add plants or a commercial hideout to create hiding spots, but ensure the iguana isn't hiding all the time to benefit from UV exposure.

2. Providing the Right Diet

A proper diet is essential for preventing kidney failure and other health issues in iguanas.

• Greens and Vegetables: 70% of an iguana's diet should consist of dark, leafy greens, while 20% should be "hard"/non-leafy vegetables.
• Fruits: Fruits should make up only 10% of their diet.
• Avoid Animal Protein: Do not feed iguanas high-protein foods like meat, as their digestive systems are not adapted to break down animal protein.
• Pelleted Food: Commercial pelleted food designed for iguanas can be offered as a supplement. Moisten the pellets or mix them with vegetable- or fruit-based baby food to encourage the iguana to eat.
• Supplements: Iguanas need three vitamin supplements in their diet: A calcium supplement with vitamin D, a calcium supplement without vitamin D and a multivitamin powder designed for reptiles. Sprinkle food with a calcium supplement every day, alternating between the two types. Use a multivitamin powder once or twice a week.
• Water: Always provide fresh, clean water for drinking and soaking. The water container should be wide enough for the iguana to submerge its entire body while keeping its head above water.

3. Maintaining Hygiene

Regular cleaning is essential for preventing bacterial build-up and maintaining a healthy environment.

• Daily Maintenance: Remove uneaten food, faeces, shed skin, and other visible waste every day. Also, clean the food and water dishes daily.
• Weekly Cleaning: Move the iguana to a temporary, secure environment. Remove all items from the enclosure, discard the substrate, and scrub all surfaces and decorations with a reptile habitat cleaner or a 3% bleach solution. Leave the bleach solution on the habitat for at least 10 minutes. Rinse everything thoroughly with water, removing any residual smells left by the cleaning agent or bleach solution. Allow the habitat and its contents to dry completely before placing new substrate and clean accessories into the habitat.
• Hand Washing: Always wash your hands before and after handling the iguana or its habitat contents.

4. Promoting Healthy Shedding

Iguanas shed their skin regularly, so it’s important to maintain proper humidity levels to encourage healthy shed cycles. Unlike snakes, lizards shed their skin in patches rather than in a single complete piece. Minimise handling during shedding periods. You can soak your iguana in a large, shallow container of warm water to help them shed their skin more easily. If your iguana isn’t soaking on their own, you can gently place them in the shallow, lukewarm water and soak them for 10–15 minutes daily. Retained shed (stuck or incomplete shedding) is a reason to call a vet.

5. Providing Proper Nail Care

Iguanas need to have their nails trimmed regularly. Consult your veterinarian if the iguana’s nails seem too long or if you find a broken or otherwise damaged nail. Iguanas may need more frequent nail trims depending on the substrate in their habitat and how quickly they wear down their nails.

6. Monitoring Health and Seeking Veterinary Care

Annual veterinary check-ups are essential for green iguanas. Take photos of the iguana’s enclosure so the veterinarian can assess the conditions and make recommendations. Transport the iguana to the vet in a secured pet carrier, with an additional heat source if needed.

• Signs of a Healthy Iguana: Look for clean and clear eyes, skin free of abrasions or colour changes, clean nostrils, formed droppings, a clean vent, and a good appetite.
• When to Call a Vet: Contact your vet if you notice lethargy, retained shed, loose stool or diarrhoea, open-mouth breathing, mouth discolouration or ulcers, decreased appetite, decreased stool production, changes in skin or discolouration, swelling or lumps, or inability to get around or use limbs.
• Common Illnesses: Common illnesses in iguanas include bladder stones, dystocia or egg binding, bacterial infection, mouth rot, kidney disease, abscesses, and foreign body ingestion.

Taking care of a green iguana requires commitment, knowledge, and attention to detail. By providing the right habitat, diet, and care, you can ensure a long and healthy life for your reptilian companion. If you're passionate about animal welfare and considering a career in animal care, Careerline Courses offers a range of course for animal care online Australia that can provide you with the knowledge and skills to excel in this field.