If you are looking for a exotic pet, an iguana can be a great choice. Contrary to popular opinion, caring for your iguana does not have to be hard work. Once you have mastered the basics of both feeding and providing a suitable shelter for your pet, daily iguana care can be an easy and enjoyable hobby.

1) Iguana Diet - Iguanas are herbivores, which means they should only ever be fed vegetable matter. You do not need to feed your iguana any meat or small insects. In fact the high protein found in such a diet can lead to serious health problems in your pet. Just because they may eat it does not mean that it is good for them. Chronic conditions such as gout or even kidney problems can result from a diet high in animal protein.

In the past some iguana owners were worried that their pet’s growth would be stunted if meat was lacking from their pets diet. The truth is that by feeding your iguana a strict vegetarian diet, you will help it not only be healthier but also grow larger as well.

2) Iguana Cages - The habitat you provide for your pet iguana is one of the most important things to consider when providing proper iguana care. Iguanas are cold-blooded which means that they rely on their environment to maintain their body temperature. Getting this wrong can kill your iguana quite quickly.

Your iguana’s habitat needs to have areas that are different temperatures. This allows your pet to regualte its body temperature simply by moving between the warm and cool spots you have provided. An area where the temperature averages between say 90 and 95 degress Fahrenheit is an ideal place for your iguana to bask, as it would in the sun in the wild.

The size of your iguana cage is also very important. Your pet may seem small when you first bring it home, but many iguanas will grow to a length of around six feet. This should be taken into account to make sure that your pet will always have plenty of room to move around in.

Iguanas also require a source of ultra violet light. Of course the sun is the best provider of this but as you will most probably be keeping your pet indoors for most of it’s life, a secondary source must be provided. Special light bulbs that emit both UVA and UVB can be bought from various pet stores and will keep your iguana both healthy and happy.

These points are a basic overview of proper iguana care. For more information please sign up for our free iguana newsletter where we will cover many more tips and strategies on raising a healthy iguana.

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