Reptile & Amphibian Forums

anyone working with these helmeted iguanids. I would appreciate hearing about some of the husbandry and whether anyone successfully hatched any . I know one of the 3 types are livebearers. Are these available in the US. I know critatus is generally available. Not sure about the other 2.

You said..."anyone working with these helmeted iguanids. I would appreciate hearing about some of the husbandry and whether anyone successfully hatched any"...never hatched any. I did work with them for quite a while quite a while ago but I want to get back to keeping them again.

I kept them in aquariums. 1.2 per 3'x 18" high x 15" wide. The cages were moderately humid. I provided them with a dish of water that had a dripper over it. The cage was furnished with plants, branches, a rock, and I used a coarse type of sand on the floor of the cage. I fed them gutloaded insects (crickets, superworms, earth worms, waxworms, etc.) that were fed a nutritious diet. I dusted the insects with a phos.-free calcium powder at most feedings, vitamins a couple of times a month and because they only got the UVB from a tube light, I dusted with a calcium/D3 powder a couple of times a month. The cristatus did very well this way. I only ever had one hernadezi and he didn't do as well. I think it must have slightly different needs...cut only having one, it was difficult to determine what they were.

You said..."I know one of the 3 types are livebearers"....you are right. The three species are cristatus, hernadezi and percarinatus. Cristatus and hernadezi are lowland egglayers and percarinatus is from the highlands and bears live. Hernadezi, as you likely know is easy to tell from the others because of its "cheek spike" and coloration.

I'm not from the States so I can't tell you if they are available or not.

Hope this helps!

Thanks for the information. I have had them in the past. Maybe I should have asked is whether anyone has successfully bred them in captivity. I have never seen offspring offered for sale.
I will be acquiring several of the Hernandezi's next week. Kindly email me privately if you have any other info. Thanks, JERRY : fruitflies1@bellsouth.net

Good luck with them!
Let me know if you have any success breeding them, please?