id like to know what activity levels iguanas normally have. do they usually just lounge about dosing off and eating every now and then. or are thay supposed to be constantly on the go.
Iguanas are vegetarians. I once had an Iguana who would eat Anole’s (the small green reptiles sold as chameleons at times. I have fed mine crickets, but they are a pain and will keep you up all night. An all-vegetable diet should be offered daily, preferably in the morning. (Iguanas use the heat of the day to help digest, so night feedings are discouraged). Mine usually work off a staple of spinach and chopped carrots, though I try to keep it interesting and will occasionally fill their bowls with rose petals, kiwi, bananas, strawberries, dandelions, etc. In college, Junior would like to eat macaroni and cheese, though I wouldn’t really encourage this. I am a firm believer in variety for health. Most books will recommend not ever giving an iguana cat food, though mine love it as a snack. I assume they know a little more about what they like than I do. Always keep frozen green beans around for a last minute meal.
Iguanas are cold-blooded animals who need to absorb their heat. In their natural habitat they would do this by lying in the sun. Unfortunately, they can’t do this in your home. Exposure to unfiltered sunlight or a UVB-producing bulb, is necessary to facilitate Vitamin D3 production. This is the vitamin that turns calcium into a usable material for bone and nerve cell building and repair. So, without it, an iguana will quickly end up with a condition similar to osteoporosis, and possibly nerve damage. Sunlight that passes through glass or Plexiglas does NOT transmit UVB, and cannot be substituted. When using a UVB bulb, it must be placed 12-18 inches from where your iguana will spend the most time, and it must NOT have glass or plastic between the bulb and the iguana. (The glass in the bulb is a special glass for this reason).
Iguanas like to bathe. An easy way to bathe your iguana is to fill your tub about half full of room temperature water and let them loose. This helps with molting as the water will moisten their skin and aid in the peeling process. Also, because they walk in his food and waste, a bath will help keep bacteria out from under their nails and scales. Iguanas carry salmonella, so be sure to use antibacterial soap after handling your iguana.
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