Put reptile being a pet is not a great choice for most people. So does iguana. Many people who still underestimate this pet to being as pet because they are feel there is no point special that can feel from iguana beside their scary skin.
Iguana itself is a reptile animal. Their scientific name is Iguana iguana. When they are adult, their size is up to 20 pounds and 7 feet long. Some pet owners who decide to pet this animal said that to take them care at home not complicated as pet mammals. Even their lifespan in wild life is already long, you as pet owners still to put attention on some things about iguana to make them living longer. And, for you to being in situation to considerate put an iguana in your home, here is some guide to take care of iguana.
The steps
- Make them comfy in their cage
Before you put them into your house, you need to prepare a big cage for them. Beside it is because their size which is big, their growth also quick. You will felt their faster growth if you choose a little baby iguana to come to your home. To safe your money and energy, you better buy the biggest cage for them to make it more particular. By this big cage you don’t need to repurchase cage anymore while your iguana is getting older, bigger, and longer. The cage which made by wire is good choice especially if you placed the cage outside your home.
The wire will helpfully reduce the air circulation than using glass. You can choose the glass cage with weather consideration. Put a carpet or paper as their base of the cage. Avoiding put a base which made from skin, wooden wood, or plastic. Don’t forget to place the space for climb because iguana living in the tree in their wild life. Place something like perch will be better. Put a space like cave imitation which used for hiding. Try to decorate their cage as similar as their wild living such add like some plants. That’s decrease their stress level when you put him into a cage. They would be feeling locked and that’s not good for them.
It is up to you to place their cage, but just make sure that your iguana is light enough supplied especially UVB light. As another life creature, we need sunlight to filling our necessary for Vitamin D which we got it from the sun. For iguana which lacking by Vitamin D, they wouldn’t absorb calcium and caused another problem. UVB light used for as additional to change the sunlight. It also can use for drying the iguana routinely. Install the heater source to make your iguana still warm especially during the rain. The lowest temperature is 24-27 C and for ideal temperature is 35-38 C. to make a good cage make it enough of light and warm. You can add pool around it to make your iguana be able to sun bathing.
Basically their main food is vegetable like broccoli, mustard green, bean, and pumpkin. You better didn’t give your iguana with cauliflower because it can’t sufficient the necessary of nutrition. The colorful vegetable and fruit will help to increase their nutrition which contained in their food. the fruit which can you added such like strawberry, blueberry, banana, apple, and melon as their extra vitamin and vegetable protein. If you are in emergency situation which is impossible to feed your iguana or if you need add more nutrition which needed, you can give them iguana’s special feed. Besides it more practical, the nutrition which contained also already tested and balance for your iguana. Basically as long as it is their main food, you can give it to them. Avoiding to give them insects and meats because iguana didn’t eat something like that. He is herbivore which is over protein also brothering their healthy. Don’t forget to always put clean water in the easy to reach area.
Basically the iguana metabolism is so slow. That’s why it takes a long time for them to eat their food. By this fact doesn’t mean to make you lazy to feed them. Even takes a long of time while the eat place is empty, fill it as soon as possible.
This is basically all life creature needed. Put an animal into dirty cage also means you abuse them. Don’t hurt your pet with being lazy to keep your eyes on them. Always being auto sensitive while the food and water is empty and also while their cage is turning into trash. Dirty environment will lack their happiness inside the cage. If he became stressed out, he will have some problem with his healthy and moreover can’t live longer. You didn’t mean to kill him, right? So please don’t be lazy to take them well.
Some Tips
- If you are beginner to a reptile as your pet keep on your mind to don’t be afraid of them. If you put an iguana, don’t be scare while he bites your hand. He doesn’t really mean to eat yours because he is herbivore. The more you getting scared, the more near you with him. Honestly if you scared of them, you didn’t pet him, right?
- It is become perfect when you pet an animal and know their personality trait. Pet an animal not just about giving them cage and food, but also how your pet is become you friend, the truly friend. It will help you a lot to take care of them and maybe while you want to design the new luxury cage. Also, know their personality trait will easily tell you while there are some extremely traits changing. It would be sign as stress and also diseases. So there is no lost to learn about them the more as you can.
- While some people hates your pet which mostly they said that because they are scared, one thing that you don’t need to do is hiding. You know everyone has their right, so does while pet something. As long as your pet didn’t hurt them, don’t blame your choice to choose iguana as your pet. Find the friend who has same preferable with you. Go find some community to share each other, just go ahead. But don’t show off it arrogantly either.
For people who maybe hate your animal, you don’t need to get upset because everyone has their own preferable. Just give them respect. As long as they didn’t hurt your pet, being wise is a good deal to avoid the fight. You also don’t need to force them to like everything you like. Once again being wise and respect will give you a lot of thing. It didn’t meant to underestimate reptile lovers, but there are some reptile lovers who naughty with using their pet as joke over people who not into reptile. That’s not cool at all.