A Typical Meal at Raptor Rescue
Base: Collard, Turnip and/or Mustard Greens
Toppings: Shredded Butternut Squash, Shredded Parsnips, Sweet Peas, Moist Nature Zone Iguana Bites, a Small Amount of Fruit (Grapes Pictured) with Occasional Green Beans, Hibiscus Flowers, and Other Assorted Vegetables (Not Pictured)
Tips: Spritz food with Water for hydration and dust a calcium carbonate-based reptile vitamin powder over-top the food approx 1-2 times per week.
Toppings: Shredded Butternut Squash, Shredded Parsnips, Sweet Peas, Moist Nature Zone Iguana Bites, a Small Amount of Fruit (Grapes Pictured) with Occasional Green Beans, Hibiscus Flowers, and Other Assorted Vegetables (Not Pictured)
Tips: Spritz food with Water for hydration and dust a calcium carbonate-based reptile vitamin powder over-top the food approx 1-2 times per week.
RAPTOR RESCUE IGUANA CARE GUIDE
* Compiled using Several Sources including anapsid.org
DIET
Iguanas are FOLIAVORES- meaning they eat leaves (foliage), with some fruit and flowers in the wild. In captivity, construct a fresh greens, vegetable and approx 15% fruit diet to provide the plant protein, carbohydrates, high fiber and low fat diet they need, supplemented as necessary to ensure they have enough calcium to promote strong bones and systemic functioning. Feed by mid-morning. Late afternoon snacks are fine but their main food intake should be mid-morning to mid-afternoon.
Collard, mustard, dandelion, turnip greens, escarole, squash, green beans, sweet peas and moist iguana cubes are all acceptable foods for a regular diet. It is fine to use minimal amounts of fruits such as mangoes, peaches, apricots, etc. Wash and tear into pieces about the size of the iguana’s head or smaller. Whole leaves can also be suspended in their enclosure or area to give them something to work at when they want a snack.
NEVER feed animal protein (insects, meats, etc.) nor pet food made for any other types of animals. The only acceptable commercial iguana food should be moist and only used as a part of a fresh food diet. Food containing large amounts of corn, soy and grains cause health problems and malnutrition.
The following foods are high in phosphate and bind calcium intake if used regularly: spinach, cauliflower, broccoli and carrots.
IGUANA SALAD (AN EXAMPLE OF A BALANCED DIET)
½ Cup Shredded raw green beans
½ Cup shredded raw orange-fleshed squash (such as corn squash, acorn, banana, kabocha, spaghetti and pumpkin)- you can occasionally alternate with carrots
1 Medium or 2 small, raw shredded parsnips (can also use asparagus, lima, navy or kidney beans that have been well rinsed and mashed. If you use beans, add extra calcium to offset their high phosphorus)
Alfalfa
LIGHTING
Importance of UVA & UVB :
UVA acts upon appetite and behavior, stimulating natural healthy behavior.
UVB- Critical for the formation of the chemical which ultimately is transformed by the animal’s body into vitamin D3. Vitamin D3 is critical for the proper uptake and metabolism of calcium in the body. Lack of exposure to UVB for a period of time can and will cause the body to extract calcium from the bones and result in Metabolic Bone Disease, which will kill the iguana with time.
UVB- fluorescent must be on during daytime hours and should stay on for 10-12 hours a day, going on between 6-7 am with sunrise.
For nighttime use, you CANNOT use a white or bright light, doing so causes a disruption of the animal’s sleep cycle and induces stress. Bright light disrupts deep sleep and can result in chronic stress and depressed immune function and behavioral abnormalities. Nocturnal reptile light bulbs provide a dim light at a wavelength not visible to the iguana. Infrared lights can be found in most pet stores and are acceptable for nighttime use.
The use of the term “full spectrum” is grossly misleading on the box of a bulb. These lights are only good for producing heat, not UVB.
Replace your UVB bulbs every 6-12 months.
Most reptile basking lights in pet stores DO NOT produce UVB. Be sure to read the box and specifically see that the bulb produces both UVA & UVB for a combination bulb or buy each separately. A good quality bulb will run from $40-70. The brand we recommend is Exo Terra “Solar Glo” Sun simulating lamp 125W or 160W. These bulbs run $35.99 at Critter Company in Bossier or can be purchased online at a competitive rate.
HEATING
Temperature and Lighting Requirements:
Daytime: Cool side of tank should be 75 degrees or so and the warm side should be 85 degrees with a basking area of 88-95 degrees. Iguanas are “cold-blooded” meaning they do not produce their own body heat. Digestion does not start until temperatures are at 88 degrees, but the iguana needs the cool side to thermoregulate.
Nighttime: For up to one year of age: cool side of tank 73 degrees or so, warm side 85 degrees. After one year, cool side can go down to 70 degrees, warm side no lower than 80 degrees. NO WHITE LIGHTS AT NIGHT!
Reptile veterinarians, biologists and an increasing number of experienced herpetoculturists are all saying that the best source of heat is from an overhead heat source, not by heat rock or pads.
The higher wattage bulbs throw out more heat and can be used farther away from the animal.
Avoid heat rocks, which often cause burns.
A recommended heat source for nighttime is Zoo Med’s Nocturnal Infrared Heat Lamp 100W or a ceramic heat coil in place of the UV bulbs.
HUSBANDRY
Be sure to line the bottom of the habitat with a solid surface of either Astroturf, carpet, towels, etc. so that the lizard does not ingest the particles. Size of tank should be no smaller than a 50 gallon tank and an 8ft x 3 ft x 6 ft enclosure by 3-4 years of age, expect to be building new enclosures annually for the first 5 years or so. Prepare plenty of climbing branches and also a hiding place for the iguana in it’s tank. Request a cage set up sheet for more details.
METABOLIC BONE DISEASE
Metabolic bone disease or Secondary Nutritional Hyperparathyroidism is a common disease of captivity that results from lack of exposure to UVB and/or improper diet. This is a calcium deficiency that creates weak, brittle bones, deformities, and eventually death.
Most plants fed to iguanas contain adequate calcium, but if the iguana does not receive adequate natural sunlight or a quality UVB source, they cannot absorb this calcium. Lack of adequate sunlight or properly simulated sunlight is the most common cause of MBD that I see in my practice. Natural sunlight or carefully provided artificial light is necessary for the production of Vitamin D3.
SIGNS & SYMPTOMS OF MBD:
Hard knobs on the long bones of the legs, bumps along the vertebral column of the back and tail, bilateral softening or hard swelling of the lower jaw. All of these signs may be felt before they are seen, making a careful physical exam important. Visible signs of moderate to severe MBD include a jerky gait when walking, repeated tremors and twitches in the limbs and muscles of the legs and toes at rest, and shakiness when being held. Advanced stages of MBD include all of the above signs plus constipation, anorexia and fractured bones. Severely deficient patients tend to be lethargic and may only be able to drag themselves along the ground. Aboreal lizards spend all of their time on the ground as they lack the strength to grip and climb.
SIZE/GROWTH
Average weight of iguanas: 90-100 grams at hatching to 15-18+ pounds at maturity.
Iguanas will grow to reach 5-6 feet when full grown, if properly cared for (females tend to not grow as long).
A properly cared for iguana will live 10-15 years.
A healthy iguana will be full grown within 4-5 years.
CAUSES OF ILLNESS AND STRESS IN REPTILES
· Enclosure of improper size
· Insufficient humidity
· Lack of water offered in a manner that can be utilized by the reptile
· Unsuitable substrates
· Lack of furnishings (logs, rocks, hide boxes)
· Improper heating and/or thermal gradients
· Improper lighting (day/night cycles, UVA/UVB)
· Unhealthy food, not enough food
· Improper cleaning and or disinfecting of the habitat
· Irregular monitoring of enclosure
· Parasites such as mites/ticks
· Irregular monitoring to detect early signs of stress/illness
· Lack of access to an experienced reptile vet for regular check-ups
TAMING AND SOCIALIZING YOUR IGUANA
Iguanas are not naturally tame. Once you get them home and house and feed them properly, they are likely to become more active and territorial, usually unpleasantly so, than when you held them at the pet store.
Whipping, thrashing, biting, rolling, open-mouth threats, hissing and scratching are normal behavior.
Do not handle until the iguana is settled in for a few days and begins eating on its own.
Do not back off when you go to pick him up; if you go back, the iguana will know that his attempts to get you to go away worked and continue to use them.
Keep at it, approaching him slowly from the sides, not the top
Keep at it, holding him for increasing periods of time several times a day and speaking calmly.
The more time you spend holding your iguana, talking to him and having him with you while you do various activities around the house will ultimately make him more comfortable with you and interested in his surroundings.
Iguana-proof a room and start letting him explore on his own. Set up a basking area for him near a window so he can watch you and look outside. Open the window and let the natural sunlight shine onto him.
FOR ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT IGUANA CARE, EMAIL SARA... CLICK HERE