Considering keeping an reptile? Why don’t you try to adopt an iguana? A lot of people thought that iguana is expensive pet, it’s not entirely true. Iguana sold with different prices based on the gender, species, weight, and height. But, rather than buy it, why don’t you adopt iguana from the shelter? Can we adopt an iguana? Is that possible? Yes, it is possible. You could find iguana in many animal’s shelters or conservation; the abandoned one or the rescue one (from the wildlife).
You would bear a lot of responsibility when you decided to adopted an iguana, especially from the second hand. There’s a chance that the previous owner was not a good one and your iguana has loss his trust to people, they might be exhibit some various behaviors, such stress and aggression; but nothing is impossible. You could bond a new relationship and gain his trust again toward you. However, as the owner of iguana, you must understand basic skills to nursing your iguana. How to deal with some sort of problems such as eyes problems and skin problems.
Another one, you must understand that iguanas could change their color, and reasons behind it is not as simple as chameleon; worse, it could be a sign of issue inside the body. So, make sure you read this article: iguana and their change of color: when, why, and is it cool? The article would give you a lot of information about changing color mechanism in iguana. However, today we would share about the things you must understand before adopting an iguana: can we adopt an iguana? Let’s found out together!
Adopting Iguanas
Most people’s houses didn’t eligible and didn’t equip to be a place for iguana. Unlike cats and dogs, iguana originated as wild animals that used to lived in the nature. Consequently, the lack of resources of proper environmental force you to create habitat miniature for iguana. Mostly, iguana that is prepared for adoption system was an adult and rarely to be young ages. It would be more difficult to adjust in a new house for an adult iguana than the one who kept from baby.
You are lucky if you got the tame one, but if not, you should learn to teach your adopted iguana knows that you are his new owner and the one that feed him and take care of him. Build a new relationship wasn’t easy for this animal, but is not impossible. You need to be very patient, and give them space to process their new environment. However, is not the only problems you would found to adopt an iguana; to have an iguana you should have a license, because apparently iguana was classified as exotic species.
This rule isn’t apply in every country, but apparently most of Europe countries and states in USA used it. The good news is this rule did not applied in Indonesia, so as Indonesian you have total freedom to keep iguana as a pet in your house, but still in all responsibility though. Furthermore, looking for a good source for adoption is not easy. You might found in common shelter or stores, but it is not guarantee that the iguana was in a perfect condition.
In many cases, iguanas are just surrendered with no clear history or state of health. The most safe and perfect sources for adoption is the special shelters or stores only for iguana or reptiles. But, there are some basic questions you have to ask to the facility provider before you officially take one of this lizard:
- When the last time the iguana have been checked by veterinarian?
- The reasons why the iguana was brought to the vet.
- Politely ask the person in charge to show the record, and this is the important one.
- Ask them the gender of the iguana.
- Ask them how long the iguana have been stayed in the shelter or foster care.
- How many iguanas has been homed from the shelter or foster care during prior months.
- Ask them is there any application or contract require to adopt the iguana.
- Do the organization follow up the adopters; if yes, how often?
- Ask them if they willing to give you references of previous adopters.
All these questions are the examples of basic questions you have to ask. Do no be scare or shame to ask, because these all associate with the current state of the iguana. Observe all the people whose involved in the care of iguanas in the organization; do they passionate about the animal they took care of. Monitor the place conditions, do the place look properly maintain or not: a little resources of support facilities and too many iguanas raised the possibility of neglected.
Observe the food they gave to those iguanas, is it fresh? How about the cages, is it clean? Look at iguanas body condition: do they look fresh, do they body is thin or stout. Do understand, most of iguanas that have been surrendered to the foster care or shelter, majority was in skinny looking. But, if you notice that the iguanas have been in the care institutions at least for six months but they still looked skinny? It’s a strong sign for you that there are problems with the care that is provided and have been treated to the animals.
If you ever found a dry feces in the cage, it’s a sign of a poor cage cleaning. Monitor iguana’s temperament during the care of the members or staffs of the shelter; do the iguana is sweet and soft to the staff member or not. Aggression could be a sign of upset iguanas, if you ever notice a slight of rebellion by the iguanas to the staff, they might be treated them in a poor way. Furthermore, the most common issue for iguana’s adoption is that the majority of the iguanas was older and near their “time”.
But, if your attention is purely to take care of those poor animals, even though you just have time within three years or fewer, I believe it’s always worth to pour out love to them and bring them to their final loving home. So, do you still want to adopt one? If yes, I wish all the best for both of you, my beloved friends!