The naked truth about green iguanas . . .

[Lizgirl]

If you are looking for a simple, quick, all-inclusive article on green iguana care, you won't find it here.

You won't find it anywhere because there is no such thing, not if your intent is to take care of your iguana properly.

Melissa Kaplan's Iguana Care, Feeding, and Socialization (ICFS) article provides the basics on iguanas, where they come from, how they act, and how to get them set up and started eating right. It also goes into the first steps involved with taming and socializing, and why all new igs, regardless of age, need to see your reptile vet...and why just any vet won't do.

Click for the article

[Ravnos]

To sum up the reason the person who wrote that article did... when I resuced my iguana - she was in an out door cage, crawling with ants... being fed lettuce and cheese. She was so badly bloated from the cheese she looked fat. I got her home, and after 3 days of no cheese the bloating started to go down and she was skin and bones. She had a hot rock which had burned her, and her tail was broken off and festering after a cage door mishap.

She had a horrible case of mites... the previous owner barely paid any attention to her, so the mites went unchecked for the better part of a year. Almost all of her scales were blackened and rotted off. Those that weren't completely gone, were misshapen and just looked plain terrible. She lost almost all her spines down her back because of the little buggers. At least she did have UV light on her. That was a plus.

It has taken me two years to get her back to optimal health and looking somewhat like a normal iguana again - instead of like one that someone set on fire. She still has a nasty attitude, will not allow people to handle her. I can feed her and clean her cage, but I still can't pick her up without a massive ordeal. Otherwise, I'm quite happy with how she's come along.

Now... in case you are thinking 'Thats horrible, must have been one bad owner.' the iguana rescues and shelters are FULL... I mean, beyond capacity... with animals just like her. Every single reptile rescue you talk to will give your horror stories about iguanas, I guarantee it. They are certainly the most neglected, abused, and dumped reptile pet there is. And at $19.99 from Petco, the bad owners don't feel like they've lost anything when they dump them.

Rav

[Lizgirl]

Thanks for posting the hard truth about the situation many iguanas find themselves in. They can be great pets. They just require an owner who is willing to do the research and give the proper and necessary care.

[Guardiandevil67]

this is one downfall of the forums
there is so much info and you can never be sure what is right and wrong.