Care Sheet for:

Green Iguanas(Iguana Iguana)

Difficulty/Care Rating: 9

Range/Habitat: Central and South America. Introduced and breeding in Southern Florida.

Sexing: Males have a well defined crest. Spines longer from head to shoulders. Females have same size spines most of the back. Males have larger dewlaps and femoral pores. Males have larger heads.

Size: Reaches 7 feet in length but, averages smaller.

Husbandry: Babies and small iguanas 20 gallon long minimum. Increase cage size to growth. Iguanas are mainly herbivorous. However, young animals are partially carnivorous. Vitamin supplements important. Wide spectrum UVB bulb necessary as well as basking areas. Diurnal. Large water bowls are helpful since they like to swim. Humidity levels 70% or above. Temperatures in the 80’s. Although they will eat many human foods do not give them milk products especially PIZZA! Some people do. Do not! Reptiles do not digest milk products well.

Breeding: Requires a large enclosure with areas for the females to lay eggs. Clutches up to 60 on big females. Females are know to lay eggs without males but, these eggs are infertile. Reduce photoperiod and temperatures into the 70’s. Misting or rain chambers helpful. Males have been documented to be aggressive to human females when women are menstruating. Feces from adult Iguana should be offered to hatchlings. This is how they develop a stomach bacteria. Never keep males together or babies with larger ones.

* This care sheet is for general information purposes only.

Provided as a courtesy by:

Herpetological Breeding Research

Ft. Pierce, Florida