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Posted by Kate on April 23, 2003 at 20:52:56:
In Reply to: Need basic info ASAP posted by trueokie on April 23, 2003 at 18:52:23:
I think the best resource you can get now would be James W. Hatfield III's book "The Ultimate Green Iguana Manual." (I may be a tiny bit off on the title, but you should be able to find it by the author's name.)
Iguanas can get up to and even a little over 6 feet as adults. The minimum cage size for an adult ig is 6' by 6' by 4'. The bigger the better. A one foot long ig doesn't require that much space, but it's easier to get/make a big one early than to have to upgrade later on. The will need various levels, branches or other things to climb on, basking lights, and UV lights. Temps should be about 85 F ambient, and 95-100 in the basking spots. At night it is okay to go down to the mid 70's. Iguanas also require fresh water daily. Some like to get in the water if the dish is large enough... mine mainly just likes to spill as much of it as he can.
For heating, people use bulbs, ceramic heat emitters, and other sources... it depends on your needs and what works best for you. Besides just a heat bulb, you will need a UVB bulb. I use the Iguana Light 5.0 for UVB, which I like a lot. Others use Mercury Vapor Bulbs, and I have heard mixed reviews about these. In any case, it's imperative that you get some source of UVB.
Food: Diet should mainly consist of dark leafy greens such as collards, dandelions, mustard greens, turnip greens, escarole, endive... Try to steer clear of using much spinach, bok choy, and cabbages. Also include some other vegies in the diet, such as snow peas, green beans, green bell peppers, sweet potato, and squashes such as butternut or acorn. Lots of igs love squash, especially because it makes their salads so nice and pretty. (Seriously, igs seem to love the bright colors.) You can include some fruit, but think of it like dessert or a treat. Diet should be 10% fruit or a little less. You can use a variety of berries or melons for this. Papaya and mango are also good. Citrus can be a bit too acidic for iguanas, although I hear that some like it.
Substrate: Avoid anything that can be eaten... Many people like linoleum because it is easy to clean. Newspaper also works, although it's not as pretty. It is pretty cheap, though. :-)
I think that about covers the basic, as much as I can think of right now, anyway. You should also find a good herp vet and bring the ig in for a check-up and a fecal exam, just to make sure everything is okay and to get off to a good start with your new pet.
Btw, do you know how old this iguana is? Good luck!!
Kate
