I work with the LZARR (the Lizard Zoo Adoption, Rescue, & Rehab). Please check out the link and see if you could adopt an iguana from the page

The LZARR main Page or go straight to the Iguanas for Adoption (Iguanas by Location) page by Clicking Here

I am also involved with NIAD (National Iguana Awareness Day) , specifically the Florida chapter. Next year NIAD falls on September 9th (2000). Check out the above pages for more information.

I get quite a few people asking me what they need to know when they get their iguana. I advocate doing all the reading and research BEFORE you get your iguana. But I realize that this may not happen. A lot of pet stores that sell iguanas give out a lot of misinformation. To help to deal with that, I have put together an email that I send to all new iguana owners. I have reprinted it below. As I get a chance I will be posting various and sundry pictures regarding diet (what certain veggies actually look like, what my feed looks like once it is prepared etc), housing, lighting and of course pictures of all five of my kids (who knows, maybe six by that time).

Editors note: My name is Christine. I live in Jacksonville Florida. I am a law student and I rescue and rehabilitate iguanas that are abandoned, neglected or other wise abused. Not a week goes by where I am not asked to take in an iguana that the owner no longer wants; usually because it has gotten to big, or it is too much work to care for. If you have ANY questions at all, please feel free to either email me, or call (please email me for my phone number).

Definitely check out Melissa Kaplan's Iguana Care website . MK's iguana Care Website . I recommend checking out these sites as well. Adam has an excellent article in animal protein and why it should not be fed. Jennifer Swofford's site Jen Swofford's BaskingSpot and Adam Britton's site Wong's Green Iguana Heaven

Also a great book to get is by James hatfield and it is called GREEN IGUANA; THE ULTIMATE OWNERS MANUAL. You can get it online, check Bestbookbuys.com for the best comparative prices.

Also, you could join the IML (Iguanas Mailing list) Iguanas To subscribe to the original Iguana Mailing List, you can go to Subscribe IML , or send email to: IguanaMail IguanaMail

Also, realize that even though you probably spent less than $20 for your ig, you're going to wind up spending $200-$300 setting him/her up properly. Please bear in mind that this cute little iglet has the potential to grow to 6 feet. They will not stay small if you keep them in a small cage.

Two areas of importance that you cannot skimp on are diet and lighting. In order to prevent MBD (metabolic bone disorder) and facilitate proper digestion you need to make sure the diet you're feeding your ig has the correct Ca:Phos ratio, I've read a variety of books, articles, websites etc... and have found that some of the suggestions from one contradict another. I personally use the MK Salad recipe (Melissa Kaplan). 45% of her food should be the 'salad', 45% should be leafy greens (chopped collards, turnip greens, mustard greens, escarole, kale once a month or so. Never feed anything that has the word lettuce in it's name. it is mostly water, and has almost no nutritional value. Commercial diets tend to include animal protein as part of the recipe, they also tend to include ingredients with lousy nutritional values ie. corn, wheat etc. I've included the most accepted diet at the end of this message.

In any event before you make a decision check out the copyright date as some of the older books recommend animal protein as part of the diet. Iguanas should not be fed any type of animal protein. It causes kidney disease and ultimately renal failure.

Lighting is also VERY important as your iguana has no way to make use of the Calcium unless he/she has proper lighting, Calcium cannot be metabolized without exposure to the sun. So unless your iguana can bask in unfiltered sun light (not thru glass or plexiglass) you'll need a full spectrum light ( I use a Zoo Med ReptiSun 5.0). You'll also need a basking light for heat (also necessary for digestion) iguanas are cold blooded and need heat to digest their food.

I cannot stress this enough - Don't use heat rocks (even though they say they're safe for iguanas- they aren't, they can cause severe burns ).

The size of your enclosure will dictate the wattage (for lighting and heating) you'll need, I recommend going to the pet store and purchasing a basking bulb and ceramic socket (the wattage of most basking bulbs is too high for standard fixtures ), you'll also need 2-3 thermometers in the enclosure to make sure your temperature gradient is right. You will also need a humidity gauge. The humidity in the enclosure should be about 80%. A humidifier placed by the cage is indespensible. I personally use a Sunbeam Ultrasonic, and I love it. Is is easy to clean, quiet and it can get the humidity up very quickly. I hope this lengthy discourse is helpful.

Taken From Melissa Kaplan's MK's Basic Salad Recipe Copyright 1991-1999 Melissa Kaplan

Basic Salad

The base salad should be constructed of fresh, raw vegetables including at least one green and one orange vegetable, parsnip (for protein and color), a fruit (for moisture and color), and a protein supplement. This forms the foundation of the iguana diet. Depending on the iguanas age and health status, a calcium supplement and multivitamin should be added.

For the green vegetable, use green beans, snap peas or snow peas. Wash well, then steel-knife in the processor or grate. Feel free to throw in carefully washed carrot tops occasionally (not all the time as they, too, are high in calcium oxalates). These tops can be steel-knifed in the processor or placed in a bowl and cut with kitchen food shears into small pieces. To vary flavor and smell, you can occasionally throw in a small amount of broccoli, bok choy greens, Brussels sprouts. Herbs such as basil, cilantro, oregano (your iguana may have very specific likes and dislikes when it comes to herbs) may also be added to the regular green vegetable.

For the orange vegetable, select one of the orange-fleshed squashes. (Some owners have reported that Kaboucha squash brings out blue accent skin colors, more so than other squashes, all of which are high in cartenoids.) If you need to, microwave the harder squashes until they are just soft enough for you to peel and cut into lengths that will fit through the shredder. Also shred the parsnip. Sweet potato and yams may be also be shredded and used occasionally.

Carrots, while an excellent orange vegetable, do contain a certain amount of calcium oxalic acid, the same stuff that makes spinach and some of the other thick-leaved greens a problem. Their levels are not as high, however, and so can be used alternatively with the squashes. Their tops have oxalic acid, too, so use only in moderation.

Other vegetables your iguana may enjoy that may be used in small amounts in addition to the above are the occasional taste of mushrooms, bell peppers, onions, other root vegetables, cactus pad, star fruit, asparagus, okra, and any of the summer yellow and green squashes.

For the fruit, raspberries, strawberries, papayas, pears, plums, mangos, apricots, cantaloupe, dates, grapes, soaked raisins, prickly pear cactus and kiwi (both skinned) are all good fruits. They should be steel-knifed or finely chopped, then mixed in with the vegetables. Figs are the highest in calcium, with dried figs highest of all. Unfortunately, fresh figs are rather expensive unless you are lucky enough to have a tree. Dried figs are available in grocery stores during the November-December holidays, but can often be found throughout the year at health food stores. Some owners have reported seed impactions in very young iguanas fed high-seed fruits such as dried figs and raspberries, so be sure to soak the dried figs to thoroughly reconstitute them, and alternate these two fruits with the others to give the gut time to clear the last batch of seeds out.

Protein is provided in the form of alfalfa rabbit food pellets, crumbled alfalfa hay, powdered alfalfa or pulverized alfalfa tablets. The rabbit food pellets can be ground in the food processor (use the steel knife) if your ears can stand the noise, or in a coffee or nut grinder. However, they may also be left whole and mixed with the vegetables where they will be broken down by the moisture in the salad.

Basic Salad Recipe

While the proportions of food types remains the same, the actual amount of the foods will vary, increasing as the iguana gets bigger and consumes a greater volume of food.

1/2 cup shredded green beans 1/2 cup shredded squash 1/2 cup alfalfa pellets 1 medium parsnip, shredded 1/4 cup minced fruit Makes ~3.5 cups

Thoroughly mix the vegetables, fruit, and alfalfa together. Add the calcium and vitamin supplements, and mix thoroughly again. Place in an airtight food storage container and keep refrigerated.

Note: If parsnips are a seasonal vegetable where you live, the crop's off season, you can use 1/2 cup shredded asparagus, or 1/2 cup drained, rinsed, and chopped canned cooked lima beans, plus additional calcium to make up for the lousy calcium:phosphorus ratio in beans.

Remember to prepare the foods in very small pieces, finely chopped, minced and shredded. The smaller the pieces, the more they can fit into their stomachs, and the more efficiently it can be digested. The salad, however, does not need to be pureed to a mush.

The amount of calcium and vitamin supplement will vary depending upon the quantity of food you are serving as well as the iguana's health and age. The rule of thumb, however unscientific it is, is to sprinkle a pinch or two of the vitamin powder on and mix it in. (Most books say to sprinkle it on top; to me that's like having to eat every meal with wheat germ on top. As long as you do not put out much more food than your iguana can eat and you are feeding nutritious foods, there should not be a problem with the iguana ingesting all the vitamins added to a meal.) See the Vitamin Supplements article for the recommended frequency of multivitamin and calcium suppementation.

Serving the Salad

Serve the salad on a plate, jar lid or, for larger iguanas, in wide-mouthed bowls or crocks, with the leafy greens piled nearby. (Make sure the bowl is one the iguana can easily access; I see owners and pet stores feeding their igs in crocks so tall that not only can the iguana not see in, it would have to actually get into the bowl to be able to get anything to eat!) Again, experience will tell you how much of the greens to offer. If you find the iguana is eating the greens and ignoring the salad (which is common as they do not initially recognize the salad as being "food"), put down the salad in the morning and offer the greens in the afternoon after the salad has been eaten.

Food Tips and Tricks

For those who are deprived of good selections of iguana fruits and vegetables, here are some suggestions. Asian markets are a good place to find greens like mustard and peavines. Carrots and some form of orange squash can always be found or supplied by first year baby foods such as sweet potato, carrot, and squash when necessary; use the peas or green beans too, if you have to. Baby food fruits such as apple-blueberry, mango, etc. can also be used on occasion. While baby foods are very helpful to have in a pinch, they should not be used as a regular part of the diet. Don't be shy about asking your produce manager to carry some of the foods you need on a regular basis. Also, venture out and check out other grocery stores - often one or two stores carry more produce than do all the others in the same area. And don't be shy about asking for help identifying foods that are there.

Try including some leftovers: rice, plain chopped cooked noodles, whole wheat or grain breads can be mixed in with the salad. Keep in mind that not only do these foods have a lousy calcium:phosphorous ratio, but they contain purines which can, over the long term, cause kidney damage. You can boost the calcium supplement a bit to counteract the high phosphorus content of these foods but you can't counteract the kidney damage. Keep the cheese, fatty sauces, and spicy or sugary foods for yourself: iguanas can develop bad eating habits just as easily as people...and they are just as difficult to correct!

Be careful when hand-feeding iguanas. While that is often a good way to get a reluctant iguana to eat or to try a new food, they can easily become used to hand feeding and will refuse to feed from a dish. While this may be endearing to the owner, it is not so endearing if the owner must be absent for any length of time and no one can be found who will or can take to time to sit there and hand feed the iguana, or the owner becomes so busy for a period of time during which hand-feeding becomes difficult or impossible. This will cause the iguana undue stress, and it may stop eating for the duration. This can weaken the iguana immunologically, and it will be more susceptible to illness and injury.

Iguanas often do not accept new foods when they are first offered. It may take several days, even weeks, before they realize it is food. This is one reason why vegetables and fruits should be finely chopped, grated or shredded and mixed thoroughly together--it makes it difficult to pick out the "good" bits. Iguanas' food tastes change over time, just as people's food tastes change. A food that used to make the iguana leap across the room may fall out of favor only to be replaced by a previously detested food. I once cared for an iguana who alternately loved, then disdained, cantaloupe. The same is true when offering hibiscus, nasturtium and geranium leaves and flowers, rose petals and dandelion flowers. The rule is, don't give up. Essential foods can be mixed in with the salad. Fun foods, such as flowers and leaves, can be offered now and again to see if there is any change in their appeal.

Feeding iguanas is kind of like keeping iguanas. There's a lot to do and learn initially, and it may take awhile to develop a pattern, but when done consistently it will become automatic and will leave you more time to enjoy your iguana rather than merely maintaining it.

Feeding Time

I have found that many people wait until they get home from work at night to feed their iguanas. Iguanas are diurnal animals who forage, eat and begin digesting the day's food during the mid-day hours, not during the cooler night-time temperatures. A hungry iguana may well eat heartily at night, but much of the digestive processes are delayed, hampering the body's ability to process the maximum amount of nutrients available for uptake. Part of caring for iguanas and other exotics properly involves our having to adapt our lives to their needs. Feed your iguana in the morning before you leave for work; this may mean that you need to set your alarm to get up a little earlier. Preparing a week's worth of food at a time means that the actual time needed to dish it out and put it in the enclosure is very short. If you can't get food in there in the moarning, arrange to have another family or household member to it.

Water

Many books state that iguanas don't drink. They do. Others say you should put a bowl of water in for a limited period of time, such as for only one-half hour a day. The problem is that if the iguana is not particularly thirsty at that time, it will ignore the water. Since they cannot vocalize their needs, it is best to always provide a bowl of fresh drinking water. As with the food bowl, make sure that the iguana can see into and reach the water in the water bowl. It should not be so deep that if he falls in he will drown. A boiled rock can be placed in a large bowl to give him something to stand on, and outside the bowl to act like a ramp or ladder to reach the rim of the bowl.

Many iguanas will defecate in their water bowl. While this makes it very easy to keep his enclosure clean, it does present a problem in that the bowl needs to be removed as quickly as possible and replaced with a fresh bowl of water. The dirty bowl should be washed thoroughly and disinfected before being reused.

As stated earlier, igs are great swimmers, and a daily swim is a great time for the iguana to both drink and poop. So consider making a morning bath part of your--and your ig's--daily routine. Be sure to disinfect the tub afterwards.

Please be sure to check out all of Melissa Kaplan's complete iguana care page at Melissa Kaplan's Giant Green Iguana Information Collection

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Page created by: Christine Lynn

Contact me on ICQ #6389755

Changes last made on: Sometime in 1999