Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am just getting my first lizard. i want to get an iguanna or a water dragon. which is better fo beginners. i have many big cages as i collect fish. i have never had a lizard. but im good with fish. i have a 48 gallon bow tank. so can i get a igaunna or water dragon. also are they good starters. for other pets i have a old dog ( wil lthe lizard be afraid of it) but she too old to do anythign to it. i also got 2 1 year old cats tht might wanna wrestle with it. so thnx so much and it would be a big help if u could answer this question
ooh ya b4 i forget if i get an iguanna and it gets like 3 or more feet long how bad do they bite. and do they bite often?

hi..both an iguana and a water dragon will very quickly outgrow a 48g,and for an ig youll eventually need a very large enclosure.

Sarah

my friend has a iguanna and he had his for over 7 years til lit got sick (cant remember what it had. but he had his in a ver smal ltank like 20g or something and it grew about 2 feet but not quite. and the ppl at the pet store sed they grow to fit the cage like a fish does. also what kind if tank do i need

Ugh. People at pet stores rarely know anything about iguanas. By the time it's 7 years old, a healthy iguana should be over 5 feet long! Your friend's iguana probably didn't grow because it was stunted, with improper diet, heat and lighting, as well as improper housing.

Iguanas are NOT good beginner lizards. They require huge amounts of space as they get older. For example, you would probably need a cage that's 6 feet tall, 6 feet long and about 4 feet wide for an adult. Iguanas require specialized lighting, for both heat and UV light, and a particular diet. They're herbivores - I make my iguana two salads every day, with lots of dark leafy greens and other veggies. Once they get big, if they bite it can do you some real damage. It would require stitches most likely.

Also, when the males go into breeding season, there is a risk that even normally tame igs will become aggressive. You can't tell if your baby iguana is male or female until they're about a year old.

It's good that you're doing some research here before you go out to buy a new pet. Many people don't do that, and end up with large lizards that they don't know how to take care of and don't want. If you're looking for a beginner lizard, look into some other animal. Corn snakes are a good beginner reptile. I know you said your dad is scared of snakes, but corns are fairly docile, quite pretty, and they don't get as large as boa constrictors. They also require much less specialized care than iguanas do. Much easier to handle, and not dangerous.

Kate

a bud i think it's good to go with a snake for now because in my opinion there better for a beginner reptile keeper. but if you still what a lizard i would look in to bearded dragons. reptiles do "not grow to the size of the cage" to me it's cruel to put a iguana in a 20 gallon cage! for an iguana use the 48 gallon first and then when it get over half the length of the cage make a long spashious cage with room the climb and walk in. have fun with reptiles.

from Alex

cant get a snake my freind was almost killed by a boa, he was playing wit hit and he had it on his neck and he yelled mom!!. she got the the thign was wrapped around his neck and was sayin mom unwrap but dont be nervous or it wil lkill me.
and my dad is afraid of snakes big time. ( hey guys sry for chat speak but im a bad typer and am trying to break the habit u shoulda seen how i used to be =) )

look snake are harmless if you know how to take care of them number one rule is do not put a snake big then 5ft around your neck i have a spotted python it's never even tried to bite me and now i have 2 carpet pythons and a iguana so look on the web find some thing that works for you and get it "be open to every thing" snakes,lizards,frogs everything!) ok and you will find the right animal for you!

oh and look on the other forums like the python forums!
have fun learn from other owners
good luck

If you desire is to house reptiles or a particular reptile then continue with your search for good information, (Well Done.)

My advice is simply go to your nearest reptile shop with your dad, take him in and begin chatting with the owner.

Keep your dad on side and it may be that a small easily kept snake is the answer for you, or it may be that a couple of small lizards is the direction you need to explore, (Leopard Geckos, Bearded Dragons etc.)

I wish you all the best in your search and with this hobby.

Steve
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