Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Does anyone know much about desert iguanas? I really like iguanas and i know desert's don't get as big as green. Any info would help. Cage size needed, how big they can get, what they eat, etc. Gracias

DI's are true creatures of the Western Deserts. The live in open creosote scrub with plenty of open running room. In captivity I would suggest nothing smaller than a cage appx 4 ft X 2 ft X 2 ft tall. They eat mostly veggies--collard greens, turnip greens, and many wild flowers & weedy plants. They love to grab em a cricket when possible too. They NEED to be kept around 100 F in daytime & can handle room temps at night. They will go inactive from time to time in the summer and hibernate from Oct till March( or so) at temps around 55 F( room temps will usually do) . One thing to remember--they are nothing like a green Igg when it comes to living conditions. Like chucks-- they make very docile captives ( most do) with a max size of 14-16 inches. They will do well in captivity if given the right conditions--- otherwise they fail ( die).

Hope this gives a quick glimpse into the life of desert iguanas. If you are going to get some( DI's), hang out here on this forum, research the archives of the old forum ( if still there) and find out all you can before you get em. It's tough to learn the do's & don'ts while a cool lizard like this is wasting away because of lack of knowledge.

Best of luck

David