Iguana Animal Information

Welcome to our part of the iguana. This section contains information about the genus Iguana and the whole family Iguanidae. The Iguanidae family was the largest of all the families of lizards and contains more than 700 species divided into 60 genera. One of their clan is Iguana genus contains two species: the green iguana (Iguana iguana), species of iguana is often referred to when he said, and the Lesser Antilles iguana (Iguana delicatissima). Green iguana is a very popular pet because of a strong and very friendly. It can even be house trained and it is possible to train your iguana to walk beside you when you talk a walk outside and even swim alongside you when you go to the beach.

Iguana English word is derived (via Spain) from the Taino language mentioned. In Taino, iguana called "iwana".

The information below will be relating to green iguana iguanas because they are often kept, although there are other popular species can be found in the pet trade as well, such as green anole.

Iguana information

Green iguana from South and Central America.They can be found from southern Mexico to Central Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay. They can also be found in most parts of the Caribbean islands such as Grenada, Curacao, Trinidad and Tobago, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, and Utila. In addition, the green iguana has been introduced to many areas in the continental United States such as Texas and Florida where they become a problem. Other districts with a population of Iguana introduced including Puerto Rico, Grand Cayman, Hawaii and the Virgin Islands.

Green Iguana bad name chosen because they come in many different coloring depending on the original. Most green iguanas in the pet trade is green, but the Green iguanas from the western Costa Rica red, animals from Mexico is orange, iguana Nicaragua usually gray and red, and young iguanas from El Salvador bright blue. Different strains in the Caribbean island has a different color as well, ranging from green to lavender, black, and even pink.

I have mentioned that there are several reasons behind the popularity of the green iguana as a pet. But it must be stressed that although the iguana can be trained they will never be in the way of loving a dog or a parrot. If you want your pet to love in the traditional meaning of a word iguana is probably not the right choice for you. But if you want long hypoallergenic animal life that requires little attention compared to other pets, the green iguana is an ideal pet.

Green iguanas are arboreal species are usually found near water. During cold or wet weather you can often see them on the ground. They are good swimmers and often retreat to the water to avoid predators. If they corned they try to see as much as possible.

This popularity of lizards as a food source and the pet trade has taken the sacrifice on the population and is now listed in CITES Appendix II.

Iguana taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Sauropsida

Order: Squamata

Family: Iguanidae

Genus: Iguana

Species: Iguana iguana

Iguana care

Iguanas can grow a lot and as such they will need large terrariums. A small iguana terrarium can be placed in a 30 gallon / 120 L to about 5 years. After that will require a larger terrarium and adult specimens terrarium requires a minimum of 5 'x 5' x 3 '/ 120x 150 x 90 cm, but we strongly recommend a large container. They will stop eating if kept in a container that is too small.

Green iguanas are best kept on their own but it is possible to keep several together if there is enough space. If you keep some iguanas together you will need to see how aggressive and make sure that everyone gets enough food. This is due to the fact that the larger iguanas can take the domain of food and not let a smaller meal.

Terrarium should be furnished to allow climbing and ideally have the sun light is located on a high branch. Terrarium should contain a place for them to hide and in a place where they can bathe. Plants can not be used in the decoration because they will eat. However silk plants make a terrarium look better and create a more natural habitat. There should be a bowl of food to ensure they do not swallow any substrate.

Iguana found in tropical and need temperatures 29 ° - 32 ° C / 85 ° - 90 ° F during the day and 21 ° -26 ° C / 70 ° -75 ° F during the night. They get a higher temperature and can be found at the higher temperature in the wild. Should be well lit terrarium reptile full spectrum because it is important for animal health. Remember glass filters out some important types of reptiles until light should be placed in the terrarium. The same reason does not allow to change the lamp by placing iguana reptile in the window for bright days.

You can save a lot of work to train your iguana using news paper filled with dirt or cat as a toilet as this will make cleaning much easier terrarium.

Iguanas eat

Iguana herbivora especially and specifically to be able to digest and leaves to survive even though the plants. Iguana adolescents include some meat in their diet and young iguanas diet should be given which includes some, but not too much fat food. They never should be fed meat just because it makes them grow faster and even though it may seem to be healthy they often develop health problems later in life after continue as diet. In the wild, young iguanas eat dirt old iguana for a true bacterial flora. This is not important for their survival and do not need when kept in captivity.

Juvenile iguanas can be fed a diet that mainly consists of fruits and vegetables coupled with regular portions of meat foods such as crickets, grasshoppers, earthworms, and other insect bite. They also may be given and finger-lingking canned cat food. Avoid feeding them meal worms because they have low nutritional value, insect food is a better choice. Their food must be equipped with a vitamin / minerals, including calcium / phosphorus addition. It is important to give supplements of calcium and phosphorus in the ratio of two-to-one.

Adult iguana food should be given variation of fruits and vegetables. They can be fed meat occasionally but not too often. In addition to their diet as you do for young green iguanas only a little less.

Iguanas prefer to be fed at the same place every meal.

Green iguanas require access to clean water should be changed daily. The water container must be large enough to allow the iguana to bathe in it and drink from it.

Green iguanas require a temperature of at least 31 ° C / 88 ° F to be able to digest the food.

Iguana farming

Green iguanas have been successfully bred captivity. Sexing adult green iguana is not difficult, because men have larger pores femoralis at the bottom of their thighs. Femoralis pores much smaller in women. A sexual dimorfisme easier to pick out is the fact that the male has longer dorsal spines and thicker than females. It is usually easy to see when comparing the two animals side by side but can be hard to see in an animal until you feel for it.

If you want to breed you will need a green iguana terrarium large enough to support their breeding behavior and the appropriate substrate in which women can dig a hole for the eggs. Green iguanas breed only once a year, in February. Number of eggs can vary between 20 and 70 eggs, but more than 30 eggs that are not common in captivity. Green iguanas do not provide treatment for the elderly to their eggs, but have found that they tend to spawn near the nest eggs of crocodiles provide secondary protection as a female crocodile protects the nest site to protect the children. The eggs will hatch into 20 cm / 8 inches long iguana after 10-17 weeks.

Iguana Facts

Iguana Fact # 1 iguana iguana green can fall to 15 m / 50 ft from the tree and land without injury. They use their claws to break down the branch on the way down.

Iguana Fact # 2 Iguana Iguana is a valued food source in Latin America and agriculture iguana is a growing market. They are traditionally eaten around Easter because the Catholic Church allows the iguana meat for lent as many types of meat is prohibited. Iguana meat tastes like turkey with a touch of venison. They are referred to as "chicken of the tree".

Iguana Fact # 3 is controlled species in Hawaii and there are strict rules for import and possession. The penalty for violation of these rules may be as high as 30 years in prison and fines up to $ 200,000.

Iguana Fact # 4 is often depicted in art created by the animal worship of the Moche in Peru.

Iguana fact # 5 It is believed that some or all of the iguana population on the islands in the Caribbean may have been introduced by early natives as a food source.

Iguana Fact # 6 eaten by hawks and eagles fear they used as a way to catch them in the wild. Eagle whistle or scream makes them easier to frozen iguanas to arrest people.

Iguana age

Iguanas can live a lifetime of 25 years but 15-20 years is more normal. Many iguanas died after several years in captivity but because care-related issues.