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CARING FOR YOUR IGUANA |
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Mark Burgess DVM CARING FOR YOUR IGUANA When cared for correctly iguanas can grow to 5-6 feet in length and often live for 10-15 years (up to 30 years). Most pet iguanas are adapted to the jungles of South & Central America. When you choose a “wild animal” as a pet, you must provide conditions which mimic the natural habitat & feed a balanced diet. FOOD Iguanas are omnivorous (eating plants and animals) and eat a wide variety of foods. Baby iguanas need more protein and calcium for growth and may show more carnivorous tendencies than adults. Most of the diet (75-85%) should be vegetables & fruits, especially leafy greens, and may include dandelions, kale, collards, melons, and other common vegetables. Ideally use a nutritional guide to choose vegies with good calcium/phosphorous content. Healthy iguanas should be willing to eat a good variety of vegies, at least 8 to 10 types; this minimizes the potential for dietary imbalances. In addition to vegetables, iguanas need some protein and a vitamin - mineral source. The easiest way to provide both safely is via feeding a good iguana food as 5-25% of the overall diet. Both dry and canned forms exist; the best is probably dry pellets which are bright colored and smell fruity. Pretty Pets is one of the more palatable brands, and T-Rex is a similar product. The protein content of juvenile iguana food should be around 18%; adult food usually has larger pellets and should have a lower protein content (around 12-14%). These pellets can be fed dry, or softened in water, or crushed to a powder and sprinkled liberally on damp vegetables. The simplest healthy diet is ~75%-85% vegies and 15%-25% iguana food. Avoid dog food, cat food or monkey chow as these may have unbalanced protein and vitamin contents for iguanas. If you can not use iguana food, then protein and vitamins should be provided in other ways, although achieving a healthy balance is more difficult. Safe protein sources include beans (various types), soybean (as in tofu), earthworms (use nightcrawlers, not redworms or compost worms), and crickets (feed the crickets a high calcium “gut loading” cricket diet (T-Rex) for 2 days prior to using crickets as food, or they will be calcium deficient). High protein sources such as these should be 20% or less of the diet. Minimize these protein sources if iguana food is already being used. Vitamin + mineral supplements should only be used if no iguana diet is fed, and then used sparingly. Never mix products; use a balanced vitamin-mineral powder with many vitamins + calcium provided, and put a tiny pinch on the food once weekly, no more. Reptocal and Reptivite are 2 brands which offer balanced formulations. Overdosing is a common problem with using supplements; it is safer to rely on a commercial food which has the appropriate vitamins included. HOUSING Try to duplicate natural conditions. Large terrariums are best.. The most important factors are heat & light. The ideal daytime air temperature is 85-950F. Below 800F or above 1000F can cause stress and failure to thrive. The cage sides and top should be mostly solid, not screen, in order to trap heat and humidity. A reptile heat pad placed under the terrarium is a good heating method. Hot rocks provide heat but must be covered to prevent direct contact which may burn the iguana. Heat lamps are useful but must be at a safe distance to prevent burns (at least 18 inches usually). Heat lamps must not be bright if used at night; the best are lightless ceramic-coated lamps such as made by Pearlco or Flukers; dim purple or red coated night bulbs may also be used. Monitor cage temperature at several spots with good mercury or dial type thermometers; avoid color strip thermometers which stick to the cage wall as they are not accurate. The most accurate readings are in the shade away from any heat sources. The terrarium can have a warmer side approaching 95-1000F, and a cooler area around 850F. If the cage temperature is uniform then aim at 900F as an ideal temperature. Do not let the temperature fall below 78-800F at night. LIGHTING Lighting requires special attention. You must provide both visible (white) light and ultraviolet light in the 280-320 nm spectrum (called UV-B). This mimics outdoor sunlight which iguanas require. Our climate provides too little sunlight, and window glass or plexiglass filters out most of the sun’s UV rays. Lack of proper lighting causes poor or picky appetites, poor growth, and bone disease. Provide correct lighting with a fluorescent “full spectrum” light. Reptisun (made by Zoo med) and Reptile D-Light provide strong UV levels; other brands with weaker (but adequate) UV output include Verilux, Reptile Daylight (Energy Savers Unlimited), Reptiglo, Reptasun (by Flukers), and Vita Lite. These are all fluorescent tubes; in general no regular incandescent bulb produces good UV light. These lights have a limited effective lifespan and should be changed every 6-8 months when in use. A good day length is 12-14 hours of light. These lights won’t cause burns, and they need to be close to the pet to be effective, usually closer than the length of the light bulb. (A 24 inch tube should be within 18 inches of the iguana to be effective). Avoid plastic or glass barriers between the light and the pet. Call us for light sources. More recently some full spectrum incandescent (screw type) round bulbs have appeared which do produce strong UV levels. These resemble regular light bulbs but are actually mercury vapor bulbs; they produce high UV output and heat, so must be kept at a safe distance (at least 18-24 inches away). Their effective life span is uncertain; to be safe replace them yearly. These devices typically cost $45-$100, and when shut off must have a “cool down” period before they can be turned back on. Other “full spectrum” round bulbs which cost less and require no “cool down” cycle are simple filament- type bulbs and do not produce good UV output. Branches may be provided for the iguana to climb on. Do not trim nails on iguanas who climb as they will slip and fall, often breaking bones. A small water bowl provides drinking water and cage humidity. Do not allow prolonged soaking and defecating in the water, as this contaminates the water source and may also cause skin infections. Artificial turf is a good cage bedding which can be cleaned and reused. Sand, gravel, corn cob, walnut shells, etc. are harder to keep clean and may cause intestinal blockages if eaten. COMMON DISEASES Osteodystrophy (Rickets): A calcium deficiency usually due to poor diet and/or too little UV light. Symptoms include weakness, tremors, soft jaw, swollen or crooked legs. Treatment is via injectable or oral calcium, and correction of diet and lighting. Limb fractures: Due to trauma, or secondary to soft bones (rickets). The limb is usually splinted. Correcting diet and lighting is critical. Stomach or bowel blockage: Iguanas may develop blockages from swallowing bedding such as sand or gravel. Small amounts may be passed with the aid of oral mineral oil. Severe cases may need surgery to remove the obstruction. Cool temperatures slow the bowel and increase risk of blockage or constipation. Heat burns/skin infections: Unprotected hot rocks, heat pads or heat lights can cause burns. Burned skin often becomes infected. Bacterial or fungal infection can also result from lying in contaminated water or on soiled flooring. Treatment: for mild infections, chlorhexidene or Betadine solution applied 2-3 times daily for 5-10 days may be adequate. For severe lesions, dead tissue may need surgical removal followed by injectable antibiotics. Correct the habitat also. Mouthrot and respiratory infections: These are usually caused by normal bacteria which take advantage of a stressed or weakened iguana; underlying factors such as cool temperatures or imbalanced diets often play an important role in causing these illnesses. Mouthrot causes red swollen gums and sometimes odor or drooling. Respiratory infections can cause mucus discharge in the mouth or nose which may resemble mouthrot, but the gums are usually normal. Both diseases are treated with antibiotics and correction of diet and environment. NOTE: Normal iguanas often sneeze and have a little watery nasal discharge which may dry to a white crust on the nose. This is excess salt secretions which the iguana eliminates via salt glands in the nose and is not an infection. Kidney disease: The most common cause of death in older iguanas, it may be seen in pets as young as 5 years old if the diet or environment have been improper. The causes are poorly understood, but damage to the kidneys may be caused by aging, low temperatures, high protein diets, overdosing of calcium or vitamins, infection, dehydration, or other illness. Signs are variable and may include lethargy, tremors, weight loss, appetite loss, and color changes. This may resemble calcium deficiency (rickets), but rickets is more common in baby iguanas, whereas kidney failure is much more common in older pets. Treatment includes a low mineral, low protein diet and fluid therapy; most severe cases do not survive. Egg Binding (egg retention): Female iguanas over 11-12 inches long (not including the tail) may produce large numbers of eggs yearly, usually between February and April. They may become very bloated with eggs and stop eating. Failure to lay the eggs may result in weight loss and eventual death. Most egg retention is behavioral; iguanas may refuse to lay unless provided an “underground” chamber. In captivity a closed dark box with a small entry often is adequate; cover the bottom with sand or peat moss to dig in. The box should be big enough to easily allow the iguana to turn around and exit. A few iguanas have physical problems which prevent egg laying; most of these will lay the eggs if given oxytocin to stimulate contractions. A few need surgery to remove the eggs; if so they are usually spayed at the same time. |
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