Iguana Facts
Iguanas are the largest members of the lizard family. Like more common lizards they too bear young by egg laying and are cold blooded. They also have the ability to adapt to many different environments and can be found in areas such as the deserts of Central America, the tropical forests of Fiji and along the seashore of the Caribbean Islands.
The are many different species of iguana and they can all differ greatly in their physical characteristics such as size and color, as well as in their behavior. In fact the differences between them can be so great that many people would not recognize them as all being iguanas. Such variation has allowed iguanas to survive in many different habitats right around the world.
In the US, iguanas are fast becoming a popular choice for an attention grabbing pet. Iguana care is not difficult, but unlike more conventional pet owners, iguana owners must pay special attention to habitat, proper handling and feeding to ensure their pets remain healthy.
Most iguanas are strictly herbivores, meaning they eat only vegetable matter. A typical diet for an iguana in the wild may include things such as young tender leaves, various fruits and even the buds of certain flowers.
Most iguanas are extremely fast growing. In their first 2 years of life they can grow to up to 6 feet long and be 100 times heavier then they were at birth. Such accelerated growth requires not only a proper and healthy diet but also a habitat that can support such a large animal. Without these things any iguana kept as a pet would face chronic health problems and stunted growth.
The physical differences between male and female iguanas include the fact that the males tend to have larger heads with heavy jowls under their chins. Also, on the underside of the thigh, iguanas have what is known as femoral pores or plugs. On males these are quite large and prominent while on females they are hardly noticeable.
Several species of iguana are endangered as they face several threats including loss of habitat, environmental changes and even over hunting.
pet iguana care, chronic health problems, femoral pores, lizard family, typical diet, egg laying, tropical forests, caribbean islands, vegetable matter, physical differences, jowls, stunted growth, healthy diet, chins, several species, physical characteristics, pet owners, seashore, lizards, deserts
