HANDLING YOUR IGUANA

Always wash your hands before and after handling an Iguana. Iguanas can carry salmonella so keeping things clean is important.

Iguanas are extremely intelligent pets who can be fast moving and skitty as juveniles. They are armed with long sharp claws and a strong tail which they whip as a defensive strategy. They are also able to drop their tales if they feel stressed. Handling carefully is important, we recommend doing this in an enclosed area with gloves for the first few months.

Iguanas should be worked with regularly in order to build a bond with their owner. They will often bond with one person in particular, that person will be able to handle the Iguana where it may be defensive towards others.

Gloves and hooks are good tools to use. Iguanas do not need to be handled but getting used to it whilst they are small makes cleaning and any travelling much easier in the future.

SEXING YOUR IGUANA

Iguanas can be hard to sex until they are around 12 months of age. Adult male iguanas are quite a bit larger than female iguanas, they also have longer spikes down their back.

Male Iguanas have larger jaws than females and also develop a dewlap under their chin which is a large flap of colourful skin. They also have large femoral pores whereas females have smaller pores.

HEALTH CHECK

Eyes–  Eyes are fully open and clear of stuck shed. Eyes are clear and not cloudy. Cloudy eyes can be the sign of an eye infection.

Skin– The skin is hydrated and there is not a lot of stuck shed. Older Iguanas can struggle to shed if the humidity is not high enough.

Limbs– All the limbs are moving correctly and the dragon is able to walk and move normally. Iguanas can suffer from a condition called MBD (metabolic bone disease). This occurs when they do not have enough calcium D3 and causes their bones to grow abnormally, eventually restricting their movements. MBD cannot be reversed so always dust food with calcium +d3.

Dehydration– As Iguanas require such humidity and spraying to keep drinking water available, it is easy for them to get dehydrated if they are not provided enough. Spray your iguana 2-4 times a day, more regularly on hotter days or use a mister, dripper or rain system.