Choosing And Caring For A Baby Iguana

A baby iguana can be very cute, and many people see that cute little lizard and want one for their own. Then they get it home and realize how much care they take and lose interest. These are special animals that require a lot of specialized care when it comes to conditions and diet. This is something you need to think about, not fall victim to the impulse and get into something that you are not committed to.

If you are serious about getting an Iguana, you will want to be very careful when you are picking him out. Avoid the ones that are sluggish and don’t seem to be aware of their surroundings. It should be alert but calm when you try and pick it up. You are also going to want to see clear eyes and healthy skin. If you can see their bones, they are malnourished and more likely to die. Finally, look for an Iguana that is living in good clean conditions. If the environment is dirty (meaning the Iguana is lying in its own feces) they are subject to bacteria growth and at that age are very likely to catch a debilitating sickness.

The next thing you are going to have to get is housing for your new baby iguana. He may be little, but believe me, it will get quite large. You should start it out in a a large tank, at least 30 gallons, but be prepared to build a custom cage or devote a room in your house as your baby iguana grows into adulthood.

Now you are going to have to set the proper surroundings for you new pet. This means branches for them to climb on and a heat source. You should choose the branches according to the size of your iguana and then as he grows, you get larger ones. You are also going to have to keep them warm at all times so they stay healthy. You will do this by keeping the temperature of the tank around 85 degrees during the day and no lower than 72 degrees at night.

Natural sunlight is also key to the proper development of your new baby iguana. If your iguana is housed indoors then you will need to provide an artificial light source that has UVA/UVB. The ultraviolet light aids in processing vitamins and minerals found in the food effectively. However, artificial light can not provide the same benefits as natural sunlight and an outdoor enclosure is recommended for the iguana to soak up the beneficial rays during habitable months. Keep in mind that placing an enclosure near a window actually limits the beneficial rays and increases the temperature of the enclosure to temperatures that may be harmful.

The last thing you will have to consider when building your tank or cage is a moisture source. Iguana’s like a lot of humidity, it is actually where they get most of their water from. An iguana that is drinking from their bowl is in too dry of an environment as they will use the bowl more for soaking than drinking. Invest in a good temperature gauge that will also read humidity.

After you get your new baby iguana home, the adventure just begins. You still have to worry about feeding, taming, claw trimming and maintaining your pet’s health. These are all very involved processes and you are going to want to get at least one reputable book on the subject.