Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi, I'm new here and I'm planning on buying an Iguana soon. I've read through these posts and I've looked at numerous sites researching them for some time. The local pet store has 2 iguanas in stock, ones about 4" or so, and the other is larger, about 7 inches body length. They are both kept improperly at the store with no lights on them, inadequate diet, and poor heating (though theyre in a heated reptile room at a constant temp they have no variability)

I would like to bring home one of the two soon as possible for their sake, which would you recommend buying, the larger or smaller one? They both seem somewhat healthy for how they are, skinny though but not too bad. What signs should I look for when I take a closer look at them for something being terribly worng? They both seem alert and the smaller one is active, the larger isnt as active but I only looked for 15 mins in the store.

What is the best possible substrate to use? I have peat, sphagnum? moss, calcium carbonate sand,and vermiculite all left over from my scorpion keeping, would any of these suffice? I will be putting the iguana in an aquarium thats 2 feet squared, by 18" tall. Do they prefer height as they are arboreal? Also, can I use a heating rock buried in the substrate in place of a heating pad? because I won't have a space under the tank and its stand. I have a good idea about their diet, not a day by day schedule though. Also I have exo-terra bulbs right now with UVA, with hopes the pet store will have a UVB bulb, if they don't should I hold off until one can be ordered, or should i get him home soon as possible and use the UVA bulb? will it make a big difference (comparing the UVA to no light at all, is the UVA still way better or useless?)

Thanks a ton in advance, I'm looking forward to bring it home

Ryan

http://www.greenigsociety.org/
That will be your main info site if it isn't already.

Please be sure to check out this page on the habitat:
http://www.greenigsociety.org/habitat.htm

The best substrate you can you use is newspaper, you'll hear this from MANY ig owners, almost everything else has a chance of compacting the ig and causeing serious health problems. More info on substrates can be found here:
http://www.greenigsociety.org/accessories.htm

The cage you are planning to use is too small, it may do you for a couple of months but young igs grow FAST. A baby iguana (hatchling) needs at least 27inches long, 27inches tall, and 18inches wide; and a cage of that size will last you 4 months, tops. Trust me I made the mistake of thinking my iguana would be fine in a small cage for a year or so, boy was I wrong. check out this page for different cage ideas:
http://www.baskingspot.com/iguanas/cagepage/index.html
And this one is just a gorgeous cage for a full grown iguana:
http://hem.passagen.se/greencream99/habitat.htm

Heating rocks are bad news. For one they malfuntion alot inflicting painful burns to iguanas, who, aren't used to feeling heat from below, they get their heat from above. If you must use another heating element besode a CHE and the igs basking lights use a human heating pad on LOW inside the cage.

As for diet check out this chart:
http://www.greenigsociety.org/foodchart.htm

Your iguana will need uvb lighting asap to prevent MBD and to insure it can digest it's food; expecially if it's not being lighted properly at the pet store. I recomend buying a megaray from Bob mac, nice guy, call him tell him what you set up is going to be like for the ig and he'll help you find what's best.
http://www.reptileuv.com/

This is a highly recomended website for a little bit more advanced knowledge (but still easy to read) on iguanas.
http://www.anapsid.org/iguana/index.html

And I also recommend using the Green iguana Society forum instead of this one, lots of long time owners and rescuerers there (great information). Or use both if you want...
http://members2.boardhost.com/greenigsociety/index.html

The size of the animal does not matter, particularly when there is a difference of only 3 inches between them.
A healthy juvenile should appear bright or dense green (if it's cool the green coloration will be darker). Eyes alert, no gaping mouths as if gasping for air. Ask to hold both animals (one at a time of course). The one struggling more or feeling stronger is preferable, since a limp, flaccid animal is a bad sign of health. Look for feces crusts, mites near the ears etc. See if signs of Metabolic Bone Desease are evident (swollen jaws, limbs, deformations, etc). Check all digits, tail, limbs...

Substrate is often debateable. Stay away from dirt, vermiculate, sand and moss, as well as rabbitt pellets and other alleged 'digestible' substrates. Mulch tends to stink, and when soiled has to be removed. 'Fake grass' carpet is popular, since it provides a more natural, 'grassy' look, can be cut into pieces, and easily replaced when soiled. Soiled pieces can be washed and sanitized and reused. There are other options discussed in books and websites. Try to go for what helps keep the enclosure clean, and as odor-free as possible.
Avoid newspapers, the fumes from the ink are harmful.

No heating rocks. Stay away from that garbage.

UVB light is what triggers calcium synthesis, therefore it is what reptiles need when in an in-door enclosure. UVA is often used by breeder to trigger mating behavior, but otherwise, UVB is what you need to keep your iguana healthy, plus a source of heat of course. Any local PetCo or PetSmart should have them.

The enclosure you have planned will do ok for a while, but the iguana will outgrow it quickly, so plan ahead and look to build or purchase a full-size enclosure. This will save u time and money instead of buying/building a medium-sized one that will last only a few more months. They are arboreals, so yes, height is VERY important, which is why 18" ain't much, but will do ok for a while.

And of course, as you may have seen on past threads, do check out the ever-so-useful website by Melissa Kaplan on iguanas. Her book is very good (Iguanas for Dummies, of the "...for Dummies" series) as well as my fave, James Hatfield's Green Iguana Manual.

Keep in mind that juveniles stress easy and are delicate at first, so once purchased, let it get used to its new surroundings (i.e. leave it alone, haha).

Let us know which one you got, and how things go.

-IJ

perfect thank you guys! I downloaded Kaplans 81 page ordeal on my acrobat, so i have a way better understanding now, she explains the whole herp hobby very well. I will go with the fake grass, and make a few interchangeable pieces to swap them out. I didn't elaborate on the enclosure, I'm using the aquarium for now because I really want to get them the heck out of that store, so that will be its new home for a little while. I'm used to upgrading things lol, I've had hundreds of fish and I have currently 5 tanks up with the largest at 250 gallons, all tankbusters so I know how quickly they'll spring on you. I'll have a deadly lookin set up for them soon enough, either my closet converted (properly, I'm a carpenter as well as a welder), or a large enclosure built in my basement in my fish room. I think using the fish room would help with relative humidity at least.

Ok so I guess I'm scrapping the heat rock, I have heating lamps from when I was going to buy a snake a few years ago. The pet store has UVB bulbs there for sale (why they dont over the iguanas don't ask me, I'll bring it up next time I'm there), I called this afternoon to find out what they have. I have the diet all planned now, and they also have supplements.

I still have to set everything up, so I probably won't pick one up until monday, but I'll post pics as soon as I get it home. Is there any way to figure out the sex? Fish are sometimes impossible. This will be my first reptile other than garter snakes and stuff as a kid, but that wasn't serious back then.

Thanks again

No problem,

at that age it is impossible to sex them accurately, and safely.
Pre-anal pores and a 'bump' on the vent mean the iguana is a male.
Large jowls and dewlap are also signs, but don't come until the animal is more mature.
So once you get one, stick with a uni-sex name in case your "Jack" turns out to be a "Jackie", hehe.

Good luck,

-IJ