Reptiles

The green iguana is considered by many to be the most popular pet reptile on the market. Most are farmed in Latin America, but some are collected from the wild in Latin American countries. A few are captive bred. Additionally, the green iguana can now also be found in south Florida where it is so firmly established that there are now cautionary road signs depicting crossing iguanas in Key Biscayne!

This lizard is essentially a leaf-eater by nature, and despite it propensity for eating other items when they are offered, he should be maintained on a diet of about 95 percent healthy greens and vegetables and 5 percent fruits.

Hatchlings are bright green, often with black bands. Adults are duller gray-green but intensify in color (some turn predominantly fire-orange) during the breeding season.

Baby iguanas remain fairly close to the ground, but adults are primarily arboreal. All sizes can run swiftly and swim well.

Behavior

The great green iguana is a master of his environment. This lizard can climb agilely, swim admirably, run swiftly, and leap when necessary. Wild iguanas bask extensively but flee at the slightest disturbance. When taken captive, wild collected adults (especially the males) may repeatedly batter their nose against their cage in their attempts to escape. Even with slow, gentle overtures, it may take considerable time to begin to win the lizard's confidence and some may never become trustful. Babies, and some females, are more approachable than the males.

Iguanas can and do bite. They have strong jaws and sharp teeth. Even a casual (as opposed to an aggressive) bite from a sizable iguana can cause a nasty wound.

Tame, sexually mature iguanas often become aggressive during the breeding season. An adult male may especially become aggressive toward his owner if he feels his dominance in being challenged.

Appearance

Because green iguanas have dominated the pet trade for more than 5 decades, it may now be the world's most readily recognizable lizard. You can tell adult males and females apart by their appearance. Males are the larger sex, attaining a length of more than 6 feet. Male iguanas have a very tall vertebral crest of separate elongate scales and huge jowls. The females are more diminutive, seldom reaching over 4 ½ feet in length, and have smaller jaws and a lower vertebral crest. Except during the breeding season (when they are brightly colored) adults tend to be a dull gray-green in color. Babies lack a well-defined crest but are vividly bright green, slender and long-legged. This species has one or two greatly enlarged disc-like scales on the jowls.

The tail of the iguana is about two-thirds of the lizard's total length and is used as a defensive weapon by the lizard. A single "whop" can cause skin swelling or even lacerations.

Feeding

In captivity, iguanas eat a great many unnatural foods. The majority of these are not beneficial to the iguana; those with high animal protein contents seem to cumulatively impair the health of your iguana. Iguanas thrive on a diet consisting of 95 percent healthy greens and vegetables and 5 percent fruits.

Feed your iguana chopped collards, mustard, beet and dandelion greens. Augment this with escarole, romaine, hibiscus leaves and blossoms, nasturtium leaves and blossoms, chopped kale, chopped bok choy, chopped cabbage (the darkest outer leaves are best) and some fruits. Make sure to offer a wide variety of foods since feeding the same food consistently can result in problems related to either excess or deficiency of certain vitamins and minerals. Prepared commercial iguana diet (find the brand with the lowest percentage of animal protein), can be offered but should only be used as a supplement and not the primary diet. Other possible food items include peanut butter sandwiches on whole wheat bread, slices of dark bread, a mixture of cooked rice, oatmeal, black beans, green peas and corn.

A sizable shallow container of fresh drinking water should always be present.

Fast growing babies and ovulating females should be given a D3-calcium supplement twice weekly. For adult males, provide vitamin-mineral supplements at least once every two weeks.

Housing

Baby iguanas can be purchased so cheaply, and are so endearing, that many are bought on impulse. This is sad, for they are not the easiest lizard to keep. Nor, when that impulse-purchased baby iguana becomes tiresome, are they the easiest of lizards to find homes for.

A well-maintained baby iguana does not remain a baby for long. They grow quickly and some can grow over 6 feet! They also have long lifespans (some live more than 20 years). You need to consider their longevity and their housing before choosing a green iguana.

A 7 to 10 inch long baby could, in a pinch, be kept in a 10 gallon terrarium. Larger is always better. An adult iguana needs a cage at least 8 feet long, 4 feet wide, and 8 feet high.

Crisscross the cage with sizable diagonal and horizontal limbs (at least the diameter of the lizard's body). Visual barriers offer the lizards a feeling of security that is important to them. Light and warm one end of the highest perch to 95 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit with a UV-B-heat bulb. It is very important to make sure the bulb gives off sufficient UVB. Many bulbs that claim to be full spectrum do not produce sufficient UVB to keep your iguana healthy.

The terrarium's ambient daytime temperature should be a humid 85 F. Nighttime temperatures can drop by a few degrees. A substrate of mulch (of some non-aromatic form) will maintain a high cage humidity and ease of cleaning. Greenhouses and spare rooms can also be adapted for housing your iguana.

A large but shallow water receptacle will be enjoyed by these lizards. The water temperature should be maintained at about 85 F. This can be accomplished by using an undertank-heating pad. The water must be kept fresh and clean.

Chameleons

Before you acquire any chameleon, it is important to inspect them for signs of ill health or injuries. The animal you choose should be active and alert. The eyes should be open and eye turrets rounded. Do not select a chameleon that is thin, has sunken eyes, a weak grip, mucous in the mouth, or wounds. It should have the ability to change colors, depending on the age and species.

Chameleons are excellent at masking illness, so it is always a good investment to have your new chameleon examined by a veterinarian that specializes in reptiles.

Jackson's Chameleons are usually a docile species. Males sport 3 horns, making them resemble a small Triceratops. These are small to medium-sized chameleons. These chameleons do best in cool or temperate climates with medium to high humidity. In climates that rarely exceed a high of 90F or a low of 40F, this species may be maintained outdoors all year.

Feeding Your Chameleon

Crickets Crickets are readily available and often are the staple of a captive diet, but should not be the only prey provided to your pet chameleon. Crickets can be nutritious when fed a complete diet that includes grains, leafy greens, vegetables, and fruits and they must be maintained under hygienic conditions.

Mealworms & Grain Beetles Mealworms and grain beetles (the adult form) are inexpensive and, like crickets, add important nutrients to your chameleons when they are fed a high-quality diet of grain, fruits and vegetables.

Waxworms & Wax Moths Waxworms are sometime called grubs. They are nutritious and most chameleons LOVE them. They are high in fat, however, and should only be a small part of your chameleon's diet. Waxworms are packed in wood shavings or sawdust for shipping. This is NOT food and waxworms need to be fed to remain healthy, nutritious for your chameleon, and to mature, pupate and hatch into a moth. Chameleons may love the moths more than the larvae…..

Superworms & Beetles (Zophobus morio) Zophobus are sometimes called "Kingworms". They look like mealworms, but are much bigger and a slightly different color. Ask suppliers if they have immature larvae to feed smaller chameleons.

Fruit Flies Neonate (baby) chameleons require very small prey. Many baby chameleons show a preference for flying food, and fruit flies are an ideal food source for very young animals. Fruit fly cultures are available from many commercial suppliers. It is also easy to start your own colony of fruit flies.

Houseflies Learn how to control and feed one of the chameleon's favorite foods. Larvae, or maggots, should not be used as feeders...learn why.

Silkworms & Silk Moths Silkworms are highly nutritious, soft-bodied caterpillars that are available by mail order and can be cultured all year long. They are an ideal food source for chameleons of all sizes. Small chameleons may eat hatchling silkworms, and the full-grown larvae are great for feeding larger chameleons

Hornworms & Sphinx or Hawk Moths - Large chameleons love these big moths and the fast-growing green larvae can be fed to all sizes of chameleons.

Tropical Roaches Most roach species are easily cultured, making them an ideal and inexpensive food source for your chameleons. They are a good addition to the diet of your chameleons because they will eat a wide variety of foods including fruits, vegetables, and protein. Even the largest roach species start as tiny soft-bodied nymphs, so nearly every chameleon species at every life-stage will benefit.

Walking Sticks One of a chameleon's favorite foods.

Pygmy Grasshoppers

Grasshopper, Locusts & Katydids Staple food for wild chameleons.

Garden Pests Attract and recognize the ones your chameleon will love

Pantry Pests (bad for the pantry, but good for little chameleons to eat!)

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