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Hi!
Oct 9, 2012 16:58:37 GMT -8
Post by jackmurphy1987 on Oct 9, 2012 16:58:37 GMT -8
I just got an iguana and Im really excited about learning more about them. I think I have the diet down. The pet store told me they eat crickets and lettuce but Im not sure their telling me the truth. its a baby iguana. Is a ten gallon aquarium enough for now? Its what they told me to buy. Thx for the help. Hope to talk to everyone soon.  |
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Hi!
Oct 10, 2012 10:40:28 GMT -8
Post by JennaAndIguanaGwen on Oct 10, 2012 10:40:28 GMT -8
Hi there Jack, I'm so glad you found us! You are correct that iguanas don't eat crickets and lettuce  ! That is exactly what not to feed them! They should have a diet of leafy greens and vegetables like collards, mustard greens, turnip greens, butternut squash, acorn squash, and some fruits like watermelon, strawberries, and bananas are also good. We have a diet section with a list of good foods to feed your new little guy tesa.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=diet&action=display&thread=3578 . A healthy diet and a good source of UVB are essential to have a healthy iguana and avoid Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD) which is a major health issue for iguanas. It is very difficult to get the temperature gradient that iguanas need with a 10 gallon tank so that should really just be considered temporary while you look for (or build) another, larger, enclosure. Since there are not many adequate iguana enclosures for sale a lot of people end up building their own custom enclosures. A full grown iguana can reach up to 6 feet long and range from 8-15 pounds. Within 3-4 years he/she should have an enclosure for a full size iguana which can be up-words of 6 feet tall, 4 feet deep, and 5 feet long. Each enclosure is different but that is a generic size. Your iguana should have a basking spot temperature of about 95 degrees and he/she should have a cooler place to go of about 75-80 degrees if he/she needs to cool down (never go below 75 degrees, this will be much too cold for an iguana). This is really hard to do since you have such a small area to work with but you can do your best  He/she should also be misted often to keep the humidity up. The humidity should ideally be at 75%. At pet stores there are generally small thermometers and humidity meters for sale for cheap - that is a good start (that is also one of the few things I would suggest buying from a pet store for an iguana) I know this is A LOT of information to absorb but it is definitely worth it to learn all that's needed to have a healthy little green buddy On an ending note: do you have a UVB bulb for him? Mega-Rays are some of the best available in the world. The brands that are available at pet stores are usually a generic brand like Solar-Glo or Reptisun but these are hardly useful because they usually emit such a low level of UVB. I can't believe how inadequate and inaccurate pet stores are sometimes. I'm so glad you took the time to double check what the people at the pet store told you because it is going to make all the difference in your iguana's life. Please check out the site and ask any questions or concerns you have ;D -Jenna |
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! That is exactly what not to feed them! They should have a diet of leafy greens and vegetables like collards, mustard greens, turnip greens, butternut squash, acorn squash, and some fruits like watermelon, strawberries, and bananas are also good. We have a diet section with a list of good foods to feed your new little guy 
He/she should also be misted often to keep the humidity up. The humidity should ideally be at 75%. At pet stores there are generally small thermometers and humidity meters for sale for cheap - that is a good start (that is also one of the few things I would suggest buying from a pet store for an iguana)