Anyone have a pet igauna?

[mom2boys]

DS is lobbying for a pet igauna. I told him to research it - care & feeding... IF what should we know before agreeing to let him have one?

 

[MosMom]

Even though they are commonly sold pets Iguanas are fairly tricky to keep in good health.

Here are some good resources...

http://www.anapsid.org/maincaptive.html#lite

http://my.pclink.com/~dkelley/igcare.htm (this one has ridiculous music so turn your speakers down)

 

[mom2boys]

Thanks for the links. I can't wait to check them out. BTW DS will be checking them out. I am not going to hound him about the research because if he truly wants such a creature, he will do the research.

Anyone actually own an iguana?

 

[Serena]

I don't have one, but may I suggest if that doesn't work a Bearded Dragon. They are considered very good pets.

 

[magicmouse2]

Difference between keeping Bearded Dragons and Iguanas is the Bearded dragons are smaller, easier to keep and allow you to handle them more, but you have to feed them live crickets which must be fed and dusted with vitamin powder regularly. Iguanas are vegetarians, but very tricky to keep in good health. We did a lot of research as DD wanted (and I ) an iguana. They can give you nasty bites and scratches too. She gave in, in the end and settled for a kitten.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

The first thing you should know is that eventually,m it will be 4-6 feet long and require a very large, very expensive enclosure. You should also know that while some are sweet as pie to people, and will accept being handled, others are not. Some will bite, scratch, and otherwise be rather unpleasant to handle. However, most are okay with being touched, even if they are not thrilled about it.

I had one once that was a nasty thing. But I also had one once that was as friendly as a puppy. You can't really tell. The nasty one I had came from a reptile specialist pet store, the friendly one was abandoned in my car. She was a wonderful pet. However, I only kept her for a few months since I was not prepared for her at the time, and eventually she went to a permanent home.

They require a lot of equiptment like heating rocks, lamps, special lighting etc. Their food can get costly depending on what you buy, and how much fresh food you mix in. You'll want to start with at least a 55 gallon tank, because in the long run, it will be cheaper than constantly upgrading smaller tanks. Eventually, you may have to go bigger than that. You're probably looking at a few hundred to start off with.

They are fascinating to watch however. And generally, they are at least okay with being handled.

Good luck with whatever you decide. There are many other types of reptiles out there easier to keep though, you may want to check your local reptile dealer. Anoles are small lizards that are a good starter lizard.

 

[Papa Deuce]

I once owned 4 of them at the same time.

Make sure the iguana get a NICE variety of fruits and vegetables. Too many iguanas die from people just feeding them lettuce. Make sure you can give them the warth they require. They like 80 degrees - 90 degrees. Give them a place to hide and fresh water.

Also, if an iguana requires medical care, very few vets know what to do with them.

But, realistically, they are easy to take care of. One thing to know, is that not all iguanas like to be handled. If you ever get tail whipped by a large one, it really hurts.

I say go for it but know what you are getting into. Plus, iguanas can live for up to 20 years, if I remember correctly. I had mine for several years before trading them in to the pet store.

 

[PatsGirl]

We have "Spike", nearly 3' long now, and can tail-whip us into shape! My DD, now 15, had to have him and so got one three years ago. Well, I"m just not into this at all and he's alot of work, shopping at the salad bar and then chopping the fresh veggies each a.m. We finally sent him to live with my son's dad (who had the bright idea of purchasing him in the first place) and he's stuck with the upkeep. My son enjoys him but I can see the glow is fading now. Wonder what he's gonna do for the next 17 years? Are there Iguana adoptions?

 

[Serena]

My oldest has a couple snakes in a tank in my basement. She never thought that she would join the military. Well, she has/had a friend that said no problem he'd take care of them.
Long story short, he won't now. My youngest is going to have to learn how to feed them and clean the tank etc. I can't go near it without throwing up, so I'm out. If Kelsea can't do it, I'm going to have to give them away.

I guess my point is to make sure you are totally willing and able to take care of them yourself, no matter what they say.

 

[drgnfly30]

I've owned several... my biggest was indeed about 6ft from nose to tail. DH built a huge walk in cage in our basement for them. The good thing (for me at least) is they are primarily vegetarians - I couldn't bear feeding them live food. They can be very sweet but DH was bit once by Jethro & we've had a few tail whips when they are feeling testy. You need to make sure they get enough calcium in their diet... when we adopted Jethro from his former owner (who kept him in a small aquarium) he had several health issues that prompted a hefty vet bill. He loved Romaine lettuce & broccoli... I'd give them a can of cat food with a vitamin powder sprinkled on top to ensure that they were getting a balanced diet.

 

[Pop Daddy]

what do they taste like