Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi, I am considering purchasing a rock iguana or possibly a Rhino.I would be buying a baby or yearling.I have an enclosure already built for a small one(4x2x2).
My plan was to build a enclosure outside(I have done this with my sulcata with success)

I am having second thoughts,I just wonder if it would be too difficult on the Ig? The zoos here do it,and I am sure their are people on these forums that live in phoenix. Maybe some advice will help.

If I build a heated are inside the enclosure,(small box with pig blanket)will they go to it when cold?

I just want to make sure of these things,because a full grown cyclura I will not be able to provide an in home enclosure for.
Outside is what will have to work,or no cyclura for me

Thanks for any help!
-Mike

i live in chandler and keep mine outside year round .i suggest nightly bed checks with a removable door for at night,to keep them in as they want to come out when they see sunlight in the morning just make sure you dont turn the retreat into an oven remember not to put it on the high temp end.just pay attention to daily weather and let them out when you goto work.also they like to dig and do it amazingly fast for how hard our ground is so make sure you dig down and lay mesh then cover it it prevents escapes.

Do they come out to sun in the cold months?or do they just stay in the box most of the time.
How do yours do in july and august?? I would probably set up a borrow and sprinklers on timers
Thanks for your help!!

they do come out during the day that is why you have the door they don't seem to realize how cold it is and try to warm themselves as they would any other day..just better to be safe than sorry!! it's just better to control them on being in or out so they don't get to cold remember we are in a desert area and it does go into the low 40's at night.as for summer heat mine will be out sunning in insane temps.i do provide hides and i also have artificial burrows ( trenches with plywood over it then loose dirt on top so if i cant find them i can look)it gives a cool retreat besides the box . a lower temp than above ground the deeper the better ,but remember they may redecorate by going deeper or futher with the burrow.i also use sun screen for home windows on my cage top to block the sun alittle..look for some shaded areas in your yard it helps..

Besides what already has been said I would ad that it would be good if you could arrange some kind of very temporary indoor housing for your iguana in case of desiase (like a "hospital cage", repairs on the outdoor enclosure or some really bad weather. Also dont forget that the pig blanket must cover like 60% of the shelter floor to give your lizard the possibility to termoregulate in case it gets too hot. Make shure the heating device has some pretty good termostat control.

Thanks for the help,all the info you guys gave helps a ton!
I spoke with a breeder here in AZ who keeps all his outside as well.
He has 1 year old rhinos. I just have to decide if I wannt a rhino or a rock.
Im a little scared to be honest to get a rhino,I have read alot how the cubans tame so much easier and that rhinos can be really tough and sometimes dont tame at all.
Then I have read the opposite also,some say the cubans are not as easy to tame.
I dont know who to believe??

Each iguana has its own personality, even the tamest ones can turn out really nasty during breeding seazon or a simply bad day. Ive also seen very tame rhinos and EVIL cubans and caymans. Get what you like and be ready for the possible worse. In a BIG WELL CONSTRUCTED outdoor enclosure that wont be a big issue, the ig will be naturaly more wild then a indoor pet, unless you wanted a lap pet, wich practicly inst possible with any iguana and you keep some respect and distance to thouse jaws and claws, your good to go. The problem is people that want to tame the untamable, wich often has the complete oposite efect.

I Just went to a guys house today,he has 2 full grown rhinos,and one cuban.All of them were like puppy dogs,it was awesome to say the least.They live outside ,we walked in their cages and they came right over to us and let me scratch their heads.
He said he spent plenty of time with them but lets them be lizards,he didnt do too much forcing as he was taming them.

Anyways it was a cool experience.I ended up getting a baby cuban,3 days ago.He is awesome to say the least.He actually took food from my hand today and climbed right up it.Then he went back to his basking spot and head bobbed at me.Pretty funny stuff.